The articles of the present invention comprise optical elements embedded in either a core having a binder layer which is embedded in a road-binder or optical elements which are directly embedded into a binder layer. The binder layer may be part of a preformed pavement marking tape or may be applied directly to a traffic-bearing surface. The binder layer is comprised of a black pigment. The pavement marking articles of the present invention comprise one or more first region(s) wherein the first region(s) has a daytime appearance of black and is retroreflective. In another embodiment of the present invention, the pavement marking articles further comprise one or more second region(s) having a color which contrasts with black during the daytime and which is typically also retroreflective. The second region(s) is adjacent to the first region(s).