Blackwing Pencil Non-Photo Blue (6 pcs)

The Blackwing Blue is a non-photo blue pencil with a photo-free blue core – a specialty lead whose lines do not appear on black-and-white scans and photocopies or can be digitally removed in seconds. The matte blue barrel features the iconic square Blackwing clip in gold and a white eraser. Made in Japan, supplied in a set of 6.

Features

• Photo-free blue core (Non-Photo Blue): The lead contains a specific blue that is not registered in bitmap scans and can be easily removed from the blue channel in grayscale or color scans using image editing software – the sketch disappears, the ink remains.
• Directly inklinkable: Because the preliminary sketch does not need to be erased, ink, fine-liner, or brush can be applied directly over the blue lines. This saves time and protects the paper from wear caused by repeated erasing.
• Soft, gliding core: The lead sits softly on the paper and produces lines with minimal pressure – ideal for loose gestures and structured preliminary sketches alike.
• Square Blackwing clip in gold: The characteristic clip holds the replaceable eraser – it can be pulled out when worn down and replaced separately.
• Sand-based white eraser: Specially designed for colored leads and more effective at removing color pigments than conventional vinyl erasers.
• Matte blue barrel with white imprint: Subtle and clear – the barrel reveals at a glance which lead is inside without getting lost in your work materials.
• Made in Japan: Production under the famously tight manufacturing tolerances of Japanese pencil manufacturing.

Application & Tips

• Comic and illustration workflow: Complete preliminary sketching entirely in non-photo blue, then ink directly over it. When scanned as bitmap (1-bit), the blue lines don't appear at all – no subsequent digital cleanup needed.
• Grayscale scan: If you scan in grayscale, the blue lines appear as light gray – these can be removed in Photoshop, Clip Studio Paint, or Affinity Photo via the blue channel or a contrast slider in seconds.
• Layered work on paper: Non-photo blue as the first, loose layer, with graphite or ink over it for the final drawing. Since blue and graphite are optically clearly distinguishable, you never lose sight of which line serves which function.
• Correction notes and layouts: Write annotations, panel grids, or trim marks in non-photo blue directly on the original – they won't appear in the reproduction.
• Sharpening: For an unusually flat, long point angle, a canister sharpener with a long point cylinder (e.g., a long-point sharpener) is recommended, which exposes the lead gently and produces long points.
• Replace eraser: When the eraser is worn down, simply pull it out of the clip and replace it with a Blackwing replacement eraser – white replacement erasers are available to match the blue barrel.

For Illustrators & Comic Enthusiasts

Non-photo blue has a direct line to the animation and comic industry of the 1930s to 1980s: at that time, cameras and photocopiers could not register this specific shade of blue, so preliminary sketches and editorial notes remained invisible once a page was reproduced. Today, the scan-as-bitmap mode reliably performs the same function – and if you scan in color or grayscale, you can simply suppress the blue channel in image editing software. The Blackwing Blue hits this workflow with a soft, slightly waxy lead that glides smoothly over paper and behaves well under ink without sealing the surface.

Technical Data