Artline 550A Whiteboard Marker: Black Bullet Nib

The Artline 550A is a black dry-erase whiteboard marker with a 1.2mm bullet nib and low-odour, alcohol-based pigment ink, sold in a box of 12. It is built for everyday writing on enamel, porcelain and melamine whiteboards in offices, classrooms and wards.

Why the Artline 550A matters for offices, schools and hospitals

A whiteboard is only as good as the marker that writes on it. The 550A is designed to lay down dense, bold black lines that stay legible across a room, then wipe away cleanly from the right surface. That combination of readability and clean erasing is what makes it a dependable pick for shared boards that many people use through the day.

For offices, it keeps planning boards and meeting-room walls sharp. For schools, it gives teachers a reliable everyday marker that students can read from the back row. For hospitals, it suits ward whiteboards, bed-state boards and handover displays where clear, legible writing matters and boards are updated repeatedly through a shift.

Because the marker ships as a box of 12, it also suits the way these workplaces actually buy: one box seeds every meeting room, classroom or nurses' station with a spare in the drawer, so no one is ever hunting for a working marker mid-meeting or mid-lesson.

Features and specifications

The 550A uses dry-erase ink formulated for enamel, porcelain and melamine surfaced boards. The ink is alcohol-based and pigment-based, giving dense, bold colour with a non-offensive low odour.

Key specifications from the catalogue: a 1.2mm bullet nib, black ink, and a long-lasting aluminium barrel. The ink is xylene-free and RoHS compliant. Each marker measures roughly 13 x 18 x 128mm and weighs about 5 grams. The product ships as a box of 12.

The aluminium barrel is a practical detail: it resists the knocks and rolls that plastic barrels don't always survive on a busy desk or trolley. The low-odour, xylene-free formulation is worth noting for enclosed rooms where a strong solvent smell would be unwelcome, and the pigment-based ink is what gives that dense black line its contrast against a white board.

What does the 1.2mm bullet nib do best?

A bullet nib produces a rounded, even line from any angle, which makes it forgiving for quick, everyday writing rather than fine detail work. At 1.2mm the 550A strikes a middle ground: fine enough for legible words and figures, bold enough to read from a distance. It is a good general-purpose width for lists, columns, dates and simple diagrams on a shared board.

How each workplace uses it

Office: Keep a few 550As by the meeting-room board for sprint planning, weekly stand-ups and quick brainstorms. The bold black line photographs well when someone snaps the board at the end of a session to capture actions and owners.

Classroom: A teacher working through worked examples needs a marker that reads clearly from the back of the room. The 1.2mm bullet nib delivers a consistent line for text and diagrams alike, and a box of 12 keeps a spare in every drawer for when one finally runs dry.

Hospital or clinic: Ward whiteboards, bed-state boards and handover sheets rely on clean, legible writing that updates through the shift. The low-odour ink is a sensible choice for enclosed nurses' stations and treatment rooms, and dry-erase means the board can be refreshed as patients move between beds and bays.

A quick tip for cleaner erasing

Dry-erase markers work best on non-porous boards. The 550A is formulated for enamel, porcelain and melamine surfaces, so match it to those boards for the cleanest wipe. Erase regularly rather than leaving writing on the board for weeks, and store markers horizontally to keep ink feeding evenly to the nib. Replacing the cap firmly after each use also helps protect the nib and keep the ink flowing.

Frequently asked questions

Is the Artline 550A a dry-erase whiteboard marker?
Yes. It contains dry-erase ink formulated for enamel, porcelain and melamine surfaced whiteboards.

What nib and line width does it have?
It has a bullet nib with a 1.2mm line width, suited to everyday text and diagrams.

Is the ink low odour?
Yes. The alcohol-based pigment ink has a non-offensive low odour and is xylene-free and RoHS compliant.

How many markers come in a box?
The 550A black is supplied in a box of 12.

Where to buy the Artline 550A

The Artline 550A Whiteboard Marker in black is available now as a box of 12. Browse the full range of whiteboard markers or explore all markers at The Stationery Store to stock your office, classroom or ward.