Review: Pentel Arts Sunburst White Gel Ink Pen

When I saw this pen in my Big Box O' Pen Love I actually tilted my head and asked SM, "What good is white ink?" I mean, most people don't write on colored paper over the age of six or so, and obviously white ink doesn't work well on white paper.

Disclaimer: I tried to write on white paper just to see what would it would look like. The ink was sort of a cream color, but it was readable when you tilted the paper at a slight angle. This made me think it would be a good pen for "secret missions" for a secret agent kiddo.

Also disclaimer: I got excited that we needed to buy some dark colored paper so I could test out the pen.

Once I had some dark colored paper I set to work trying the Sunburst out. It's a capped pen, which I am not normally a fan of. I tend to lose caps, or they throw the pen off balance in my hand and make them uncomfortable to write with. This cap didn't bother me as much, but I still ended up leaving it off while I tested it out. The 0.8mm tip made bold, thick lines, and the ink flowed well as I wrote, even when I was just doodling. I wrote with it on black card stock that had a slight wood grain texture on one side, and smooth on the other. The Sunburst wrote well on both sides, without skipping or gloppy ink. It dried super fast and looked very sharp when I was finished. I was surprised how much I liked it even with a tip that is bigger than I normally write with.

I don't think anyone would be using this pen for serious writing, or use it for more than a few minutes at a time, but the grip makes it comfortable enough for extended use (such as if you were doodling for a long time). I think scrap bookers would really dig this pen, but I found a great use for it as well in my every day life - signing my signature on my photographs that have dark mats, especially since the Sunburst has acid free ink, a must for crafters.

All things considered, I like this pen. It was fun to play with and I think I will get some good use out of it. If White isn't your thing, the Sunburst is also available in these metallic colors: Red, Blue, Green, Bronze, Pink, Violet, Gold, and Silver.