I always prefer to pen a letter by hand than send an email, however old fashioned it may seem, for me the sight of a handwritten envelope falling through the letterbox always makes for a good start to the day. Looking at my writing using a Sakura Gelly Roll Metallic rollerball has inspired me to put pen to paper.
Sakura are an innovative company, from a heritage in art materials that began with crayons they launched the first water based gel ink ball point in 1984. This followed a technological breakthrough when a new chemical came to the attention of a team of researchers determined not to let past failures get the better of them.
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The transparent barrel of this pen allows you to view the ink levels. The cap has a glitter effect reminiscent of the small phials I associate with children & play rooms. Apparently its also used in a variety of arts & crafts projects from jazzing up picture frames to embellishing clothing.
This gel ink used in the Gelly Roll is different from other water based rollerballs as they get their colour from the addition of pigments without the use of dye stuffs, they also meet the ASTM & ACMI safety standards. These bodies test toxicity levels in products & ensure there are no adverse effects resulting in their use. Although high viscosity, the ink flow is smooth, even & consistent. In addition it is waterproof, fade resistant & of archival quality which all adds to its durability.
Whatever writing surface you choose, the metallic gel ink leaving a 1.0mm ball lays down a 0.4mm shiny glazed line. If I had invitations to write, or a greetings card with a dark message page, this emerald green shade would be something I’d pick up. I imagine it would would look good on a black surface, but didn’t have anything suitable around to put it to the test. However, after rummaging in a few storage boxes I did manage to find some colour dividers, you can check out the results in the samples.
If green is not your thing Sakura offer Gelly Roll Metallics in a range of 18 different colours, so whether you enjoy scrap booking, doodling or just plain writing you should be able to find something suitable in this range. and they are perfect for Christmas cards and decorations.
I love journaling and have been looking for my “go-to pen”. After doing a lot of research and spending too much money on other pens, the Gelly Roll is now my ABSOLUTE FAVORITE! I’ve bought all the different pens to try and I love each and every one! I’ll never spend my money on other pens again!!!