What's Your Favorite Solder Mask Color?

[Aleph Null]

I've been choosing colors on a per circuit basis, mostly based on vibes, but I'm considering standardizing so that I can order bypass boards in bulk and still have everything match. Mismatched boards just make me cringe for some reason. I'm curious how other people feel about this admittedly uncritical aesthetic choice.

 

[Bricksnbeatles]

Per-board basis.

Been wanting to find pink for ages. Shockingly hard to find and expensive if you do find it

 

[Harry Klippton]

I've used purple, black, or green for my own stuff

 

[jcpst]

Purple, green, and black are also my faves.

 

[Betty Wont]

Anything but white.

 

[jessenator]

I wonder if they still own the trademark...

 

[Robert]

None. (Is none an option?)


Osh Parks "After Dark" scheme is classy as heck too.


Of the choices above though, purple or blue.... although I do love a classic green PCB.

 

[Passinwind]

OSH purple, no doubt.

 

[Aleph Null]

"After Dark" is cool. Probably too classy for me.

I'm surprised purple is so popular! Is it only with the ENIG finish, or is it just as cool with HASL?

 

[JTEX]

I think the only one I haven't used so far is yellow. I'm currently slowly converting everything to red because Canada. White was cool to look at, but very hard to keep clean. Everything shows: any little flux residue, etc.

 

[blackhatboojum]

Of the choices above though, purple or blue.... although I do love a classic green PCB.

Is nobody else gonna point out the obvious?

 

[falco_femoralis]

Dark colors like black, blue, or purple make it easier to see the white silkscreen, but other than that idc. Except green, it just looks cheap to me

 

[rwl]

I like all the colors but default to black or red. I think all the colors look good though, except yellow. I wish JLC would allow black silkscreen on yellow boards.

 

[pricklyrobot]

That’s Graphic Design 101: never put white text on a yellow background, if you want anyone to ever be able to read it.

Are there orange PCBs? Turquoise? Don’t think I’ve ever seen one.
I agree pink, or lavender (pastel shades in general), would be neat.

 

[PapaBear]

Purple, black and red

 

[Passinwind]

"After Dark" is cool. Probably too classy for me.

I'm surprised purple is so popular! Is it only with the ENIG finish, or is it just as cool with HASL?

ENIG, for sure. But once it’s built up that is of course moot. I really like the DK Red ENIG boards a lot as well, too bad they don’t do slotted pads though.

 

[Fama]

Purple, black and red

If I order boards myself it's one of these for sure. Other colors are fine on a per-board basis, except I have to agree with falco_femoralis, green just looks cheap to me for whatever reason. Maybe it feels like the "default" color and that's why I don't like it?

 

[jessenator]

Am I the only poor sod who likes green‽

 

[tegendemuur]

Am I the only poor sod who likes green‽

No. Green pcbs look good. It's the least pretentious color to me. No nonsense / no aesthetic consideration. It tells you its all about the circuit.

 

[Fama]

No. Green pcbs look good. It's the least pretentious color to me. No nonsense / no aesthetic consideration. It tells you its all about the circuit.

"Which of these aesthetic options is best to you?"

"I like the least aesthetic one"

Of course you can like what color you like for whatever reason, but claiming it's not pretentious instantly makes it... hipstery? I could argue it's the most pretentious option instead, if you frame it like that.