Quick Look: Blackwing Lab 02-22-22 (Red)

 

Blackwing's latest limited-edition Lab pencil is red!

Blackwing has done it again: another colored pencil in its ultra-limited edition and experimental Lab series. Last summer, the California company put out a non-photo blue pencil, which surprised me – it’s such a narrow niche. Released on 02-22-22, the latest Lab has a red core, “perfect for marking, editing, and sketching.”

Like the non-photo blue Lab, the new red Lab has a gorgeous half-natural/half-painted barrel. The two look beautiful together.

Blackwing's latest red and its earlier non-photo blue.

I made quick comparison swatches of the red Blackwing and several other red pencils on two types of paper. Although the hue is very slightly cooler, I’d say that the 02-22-22 Lab’s core is the same softness as the red in the Blackwing COLORS set. For a pencil intended for marking and editing, it’s quite soft – probably too soft for those who intend to use it for writing in narrow margins. But since I often tend to favor softer colored cores, I like the 02-22-22 Lab pencil. (I made some small sketches with it in a post you’ll see in a few days.)

Swatches on toothy Col-o-Ring paper

Swatches on smooth Stillman & Birn Epsilon paper

I did a quick erasing test, too. First I used the white eraser attached to the red Lab; it failed miserably, as I expected. The Sakura Foam Pure Slim, my current favorite colored pencil eraser, did better, but I wouldn’t use a red pencil (or any colored pencil) to write with if you plan to erase regularly.

Erasing test

As I felt when Blackwing released its non-photo blue pencil, I’m tickled that the mostly-graphite pencil maker is giving some love to color. But let’s quit this nonsense of one color released at a time that must be purchased by the dozen during 24 hours or less that the Lab editions are available (only 3,000 boxes of this edition were produced). 

Blackwing: When, oh when, will you release a new COLORS set? We’ve had the same 12 colors for years! Surely it’s time for the next 12? Or – be still my heart – 24? And in the lovely half-natural/half-painted design, please! Skip the eraser, though. How about a gold end cap like the silver one on the first COLORS set? See – it’s already designed; just make it and sell it to me. You’re welcome.

02/22/22: a red-letter day for Blackwing