Lindsay, you never cease to amaze me. Every time I am thinking about purchasing a product your videos always assist me in my decision. I've been on a colored pencil kick lately and am looking to expand my collection. Thanks for all the work you put into your videos. Hugs to you from WA state!🤗
Thank you Lindsay for the great and in depth review! I really appreciate how you compared the brands side by side on the black and white and the detail you provided, it is exactly what I was looking for. Great review format!
As usual, Lindsey, there’s a reason I come to your channel. This may be an older review, but I know I can trust your reviews. I love the way you compare against other brands!
I sincerely appreciate the fact that you paid for these pencils yourself. I was watching a reviewer a couple of days ago and I was a bit bothered by the fact that she included a link to her amazon wish list, which totalled somewhere into the thousands. It's one thing when artists and manufacturers send you free products to review ( pencils, coloring books, etc), but entirely something else when an artist asks his/her followers to send them products. Art supplies are expensive, but I feel it's a bit unfair and greedy when artists expect their fans or followers to buy or gift all their supplies to them, especially when a single item is $100+. I can't afford brands like Caran Dache, Faber Castell Polychromos and other high-end brands and I am not asking people to purchase them for me.
When I want an intelligent thorough review, I look you up. I'm on disability, and have just discovered coloring for stress relief. Needless to say, I'm on a budget, so you reviews save me much pain and $Dollars. Thank you for your awesome work!!
Hi Lindsay - I was actually surprised by these pencils. I found the color vivid, the layering and blending really good and the blending also above average. These are good pencils for the money IMO. As you said, they're great for adult coloring or crafting, but I also think sketchers could really use these as well. Thanks for the review as always!
This was so very helpful! I'm looking to get these as a gift for an adult (with a coloring book) and I had no clue which direction to take until I saw your excellent comparisons. Thank you so much, Lindsay!
First off, Lindsay, I looked up your video because of the quality of your artwork. It told me you are worth leaning from. The pricing situation is quite different here in Canada. Spectrum Noirs would cost me over $200 for all five sets, I can Polychromos for $250. To quench my need for a better quality pencil, I had ordered a set of Lyra Polycolors until I could afford the PC's. What was good about that was it upped my game. The bad part is that the money I spent on the Lyra's make that purchase from Faber Castell more difficult. Ah, the pains of budgeting. I have decided to imitate a starving artist, and buy NOLO (Necessities Of Life Only) while saving for the PC's. Your review saved me the pain of another delay in the purchase. I am now firmly convinced that Spectrum Noir ColourBlends are NOT the way to go, so I thank you for getting me closer to my goal. Oh, these ColourBlends ARE a hybrid, mostly wax with some oil. Thank you for doing what you do, oh FrugalCrafter!!
Thank you for taking the time to do this. I kind of see pencils as Pokemon, Gotta catch them all. I have so many & just love them. When I took a class with Bee Creative at the Scrapbook expo, they said that most people start with the Essential set & then get the Primary set if they can't get them all, I'm with you & waited for a great sale & got them all. JIL
Do you have a tutorial using these pencils Lindsay? Would love to see some as I will buy those very soon. Thank you so much for all your fun tutorials!
I think Spectrum Noir are great choice for crafting purposes. It also isn't fully oil based. I dislike the fact that they divided such pencil in sets, and you can't buy them individually. There are reasons Polychromos costs twice as much as Spectrum Noir. Some of it I believe is the quality control. When I was shopping for pencils, I noticed some Spectrum Noir pencils aren't well centered. It causes breakage, and it can be prevented with a better quality control. But, I mean you get what you paid for. The biggest turn off is still the issue with sets. There is also no lightfast rating, so it isn't comparable to Polychromos. I know Polychromos holds fine points well, meaning the pencil can last longer with less sharpening. I don't know if Spectrum Noir is the same. But, that's all the things to consider when you're comparing pencils, and not just comparing how bright or rich the colors are. DIY crafts grade pencils also have problem with consistency of smoothness between pencils. Some pencils feel very creamy and some feels dry. Then again, I don't know how Spectrum Noir is on that.
agreed, if you are going to set out to buy these, you might as well just buy a less expensive student grade FC, these are not worth any money you pay for them in my opinion. I found these did not blend very well by comparison to the polys or prismas.... so much that I ended up giving the spectrums away, so not really a waste of money... but yet a waste of money... only coz I am that much farther away from buying more art supplies on my wishlist.
Amazing video idea! Loved it. Saved a lot of people a lot of time and money doing a side by side comparison between brands. I'd love to see you do videos like this with other mediums. Such as oil pastels. Since I want to break into that gradually and I think it could help a lot, and save a lot. :) anyways keep up the great videos!
You can get the Koh-i-Noor Progresso woodless coloured pencils open stock from Blick online. I've never been in one of their stores 'cause the nearest one is over 3 hours away. I got a 24 set of the Koh-i-Nor from a garage sale for $3 and nearly all were hardly touched.
Great review! I love the way your test paper is set up with the big black area. In case it's helpful to anyone here, I was shopping to replace my old Prismacolor set and discovered that Utrecht brand colored pencils are actually rebranded Koh-I-Noor Polycolor pencils. I think they are a pretty great deal--a set of 72 pencils of Koh-I-Noor quality for $61 USD after tax and shipping. Anyway, really appreciate the review and will keep an eye on Spectrum Noir in the future too.
Thanks, Lindsay! Very helpful! I've started collecting Prismacolor because of your recommendation and like them a lot! I was just sitting here coloring an ATC when I came across this video in my email. :)
I enjoy seeing comparisons and appreciate you doing this, Lindsay! I bought a 125 set several yrs ago for $45...so happy with them, I never bought anymore! TFS~ Jeanne
Thank you so much for including koh i noor they seem very overlooked I have lots of their stuff and always love it They do sell progresso open stock and their polycolours too which are = to any artists could be a geographical thing still happy to see my favourite underdog brand featured
Hi Lindsay, thanks for the pencil review. Lot's of very good and helpful information. Just a quick comment. I know the Spectrum Noir tins say oil based. But, a Spectrum Noir representative, responding to a question in the comments on their web page said that all their Spectrum Noir pencils are wax based. I also have seen other reviewers refer to the Spectrum Noir pencils as wax based. Not wanting to argue with you Lindsay, but just wanting to mention to you what I have heard and or read from other sources and was wondering what you make of it.
Thanks for this Lindsay. i bought three sets on sale and will add the rest of them. They are very nicely packaged. I have the Derwents and Prismacolor watercolor sets and prefer colored pencils to markers for coloring. I have more control Now we need the source for that pansey stamp and a tutorial on coloring it.
I am so happy I found this video. I was confused with all the different colored pencils they have now. I am just starting out using these. I have been using pastels mostly.
Have you, or anyone else had trouble with weak lead in some of the Spectrum Noir pencils? I am having a hard time with breakage after sharpening. I have tried different sharpening techniques and continue to have problems with certain colors. This really decreases pencil life and with no replacements in place, I am very unhappy with the quality control. Even with the value, I am considering going to another product...which is too bad, because the color quality is nice in these pencils. Look forward to hearing back and thanks.
Adam Braun Mine have been fine. I bet your tin was dropped in shipping. I would call Crafter's Companion to see if they will replace the set or the offending colors. Their customer service is really nice and quick to respond. You can tell them that Lindsay Weirich TheFrugalCrafter sent you, I get published with their stamps so it might give you a little more pull. If that does not work you can try microwaving them for 6 seconds and letting them cool and sharpening. I have not had trouble doing this but some people say it is dangerous so be warned, I assume not liability LOL!
Thank you very much for doing this in such depth. I had been considering the Spectrum Noir pencils since they came out, but just wasn't really sure. After seeing this video I took the plunge and today got the tin of Essentials. And you are quite right, they are lovely. They blend really well and feel great to use.
love the comparson on all the color pencils i have only Cryolna pencils n love them n i blend them with gamasol n happy with the out come but have been looking to up grade but dont want to spend alot of money. so i am loving the SN reviews n watching you comparing them now i really need them in my life Thanks
Lindsay, The koh-I-noor colored pencils are artist grade pencils; Art Materials store here in Minneapolis sells them open stock; on the wetcanvas website, a website for artists, some artists use them exclusively and sell their work because they are lightfast. The wetcanvas website has all kinds of information on a variety of media and they are very friendly and helpful to beginners and will even critique artwork if you post something and ask them.
Jill Graf thanks Jill, I have never seen them open stock in any of my catalog, they are a heck of a deal, are they the same ones I saw or a different line, I have only seen the woodless sets of 12 and 24 here.
They are the same ones, which is nice because then you don't have to buy the set again. They are the only place I have seen them open stock, but other places must have them; I haven't looked since my local store has them. The store is online, but I don't know if they do online orders.
Great review Lindsey! as always, love watching your videos. Don't own any oil pencils jyst a set of the Bruynzeel's. but have been wanting to collect these noir pencils and now that I've seen your video and want them even more now. Lol TFS hugs Letty
While my mum is visiting family in the USA and Canada she's promised to get some supplies for me from DickBlick, top of my list were a sakura Koi watercolour travel pan set and a set of prismacolor pencils after seeing you use both. I'm even more excited about the pencils now that I've seen this ^_^
Thanks for the comparison. I am new at crafting and I'm trying to purchase a little at a time. Always looking for the best for the money. I found this very informative and easy to understand. :-)
Thank you soooo much for this video. It really helped me to figure out what colored pencils to get first, but I am still trying them all but thanks again for this video
set of polychromos cost me 120 dollars in my countries you always have to mention that each brand has different prices in different countries as a german it's cheap to faber castell colored pencils
No. German made pencils are very high quality, but I am an American, so German made pencils are expensive here. If a pencil is made in one's country, it only makes sense that it would be available in that country at a lower cost.
Didedi whats new ? You should keep them however you prefer. I have my derwent water-soluble and Fabercastel pencils in numerical order and that is nice but I have so many odd-ball prismas and I am so used to the colors that keeping them grouped loosely by color family works for me.
not sure if this was asked yet but, which is better wax based or oil based? I am buying some to color in stamped images because I want to try something other than copics to color. thanks lindsay!
Serena Bee it depends, do you want to color on light paper or both light and dark? Wax based is better if coloring on dark. Prismacolors are still my fave even with the breakage issue.
great comparisom, I have a large set of prisma but havnt used them much yet. I do get worried that they will break when sharpening as the prima scholars have been bad for this. Do you find certain pencils resist breaking more than others?
Well done! :) Very helpful and thank you for the effort it takes to do the comparison . I can't always comment, but I do watch and enjoy your videos ,thank you. :)
I got a set of 60 Polychromos as a gift last year and love them. I haven't used spectrum noirs at all but they look like a good alternative to the polychromos, especially for the price!
Have you used gamsol and paper stumps to blend your pencils? I just saw someone do that recently. I've been vacillating between getting the prismas or the derwent inktense - which I realize one is wax based and the other is watercolor. But after seeing someone use gamsol it got me to wondering if I should just get the prismas. Decisions...ugh!!
I love this review! I had already bought them and used them a couple time and felt the same about them. They are great for oil based- Thanks Lyndsay, You Rock:)
This was perfect timing for me. i do alot of coloring with pencil crayons (Canadian eh :}) when i do my mandalas and was thinking of levelling up to some fancy pencils. I think Ive decided to do what I originally planned to do and that was to go with the prisma colors. Thanks love when you do this kind of stuff. Shannon
Derwent Artist/Studio are clay based so they are a bit different and layer with multiple light layers per Lee Hammond, color pencil artist. I have just a handful of them and really like mine. I have Prismacolours and a set of 72 Rembrandt Lyra oil based. I like them all.
I would REALLY like to know what paper you recommend for using with Prismacolors. I'm a crafter/cardmaker/rubber stamper and don't feel I need "artist grade" paper for them. Thanks for the video -- I have seen it a couple times. Great for reference. =)
great video.......lots of really good info...........do you ever use gamsol for blending? I have the Koh-I-Noor Progresso pencils...24 colors...but I did buy them individually in a small art store for something like $1.79 each. It would be great to see a comparison of watercolor pencils also if you haven't done a video on those before. Thanks for sharing all your knowledge Lindsay.
Hi .....i am interested in the SPECTRUM NOIR BLENDABLES but i cannot find the "Primaries" tin or the "Essentials" tin anywhere. Ive checked Amazon, Blick and the one you mentioned on this vid. Did they quit making those particular ones?
I seen these at Michaels and thought there were a little expensive but thanks to your review these are the ones I am going to go with for my adult coloring books. I love the colors in the Marine set they would be excellent for underwater stuff
Great comparison! Would you say a selection of shades available in Prismacolor is 30%, 50%, 70%, 90% to what is available in Polychromos? I already have a set of 72 Prismacolor and would love to try Faber Castell, not sure if I would have many duplicates (or very similar shades) if I bought a smaller set of Polychromos.
hmm, there will be a lot of overlap but what I did was buy a few colors I use a lot in polychromos before ordering a set to try them out, see what pencils you have that are waring down and purchase a similar color in the other brands you want to try and see what you think, that way they will get used.
Lindsay, can you please give the website where you got the pencils for $16 I have looked and looked and cannot find anyone who sells them for that price would really appreciate some help? Thank you for all your wonderful videos & help!!
I was just doing some more research on Spectrum Noir coloured pencils (updating my Amazon wishlist, lol) and apparently they are actually mostly wax-based (even though their packaging says oil)? I guess they are in the process of redoing their advertising to reflect this. I read somewhere that there is *some* oil in their pencils, but it's mostly wax.
Lindsay, Are mineral spirits less likely to soak through the paper than baby oil? Do we blend wax based colored pencils and oil based with the same things? Thanks, Dee
As soon as I can stop the video crashing when I try to play it I'll be very interested in your findings. I was in my local craft shop today and looked at the Spectrum Noir pencils sets and they are 20 pounds per box, with the alcohol pens being 8 pounds per set of six. I'm looking forward to seeing how much they are on your side of the pond :)
thefrugalcrafter Lindsay Weirich They're a much better price your side of the pond, Lindsay, which makes me laugh as they're made/sold by an English company and we usually have to pay more. The exchange rate makes the full selling price with you more or less the same over here but sadly we don't get the great coupons that your crafting outlets have :(. They do look like a good buy though and if I get to be any good I may well save up for a set of maybe the essentials.
I´ve been wondering prisma or spectrum noir pencils. So this was very helpful to me. Think I go with spectrum noirs, because I do lots of coloring (stamped images), like to taste coloring on crafts and don´t have so much money. Thx for the comparison!
it would be really great if you could do some of these comparisons with your water color pencils as well this was really helpful I'd much rather have those beautiful creamy prismacolors then break the bank on the oil based pencils I'm sure just as much you can do with them
Very nice comparison. I just picked up the Colorsoft 12 pack at HL on a clearance steal and had to race out here and see what you had to say. They seem a bit softer than Prismacolor. You can almost burnish with hardly any effort. It makes them a little harder to blend. You need a very light touch and a really toothy paper to get many layers, but they're nice if you want a lot of a color or two really quickly, or if you have hand issues. I see that the Spectrum Noir are quite a lot more expensive now. Right now a basic set of 24 Polychromos without special case is less expensive. I guess it's the difference 6 years can make, LOL. Your videos, on the other hand, provide timeless information!
@@thefrugalcrafter Yes, from what I've seen in my video watching, the metallics were universally panned. I've been having fun with the Colorsoft. They respond really well to alcohol blenders, almost better than the Prismacolor. I'm glad I found them.
Hello, I love your video! I am a beginner and already have the spectrum noir markers but wasn't sure about the pencils. I was thinking about the SN pencils or Prismacolor (mostly because they are so popular). I'm pretty sure I will get the SN pencils now. Thank you so much for your video! Also I read thru a lot of comments but didn't see this so if you answered it before I am sorry: can you use gamsol with SN pencils?
Hi Lindsay, you keep referring to the Koh-i-noor Progresso pencils as inexpensive, but you're comparing a set of 24 to sets no smaller than 72. At the same price per pencil the Progressos would cost over $60 for a set of 72. This is not a criticism on my part, I actually prefer the Progressos, especially for larger scale work. They're definitely not student grade though. Thanks!
I would like to know, on the sample card you showed, you mentioned putting baby oil on it to blend. Does the oil get saturated into the color so that it does not leave an oily stain on your envelope? Thank You in Advance.
Lori Thompson I just used a little bit, it did not bleed through the paper or leave a residue on top. Go easy with it and you will be fine or you can use gamasol/mineral spirits
Hey Lindsey I just purchased 48 prismacolor and 36 colorsoft sets.... I am a stamper and card maker what is the best paper and ink to use for that thankyou
+JANINE PEREZ I was just checking this post to see if someone had mentioned that. I'm also a crafter/rubber stamper and don't feel I need "artist grade" expensive paper for my Prismacolors. If you have found an answer to your own question, could you please leave me a reply? Thanks and have a great weekend!! =)
Lindsay, that was great review. Does the Spectrum Noir have a blending pencil? Is the hybrid oil/wax pencil something new in color pencils? Do you know anything more about the ratios of the oil/wax? I'm interested in reading more about this hybrid, so can you give me the sources of your info? I just got my first oil pencils so I haven't done anything more with them except for doing some color patches. Thank you.Mythros
Hello Lindsay, I noticed that Spectrum Noir has new reformulated colorblend pencils out now. I purchased the set you reviewed here on this video, I am wondering if there was some problem with these pencils that they had to be reformulated, do you have any information regarding this. I enjoy all your review videos, they are very helpful when deciding which product to purchase.
I was sent the new set to review. I never had problems with my original ones but some people complained of breakage. I will be testing them out and reviewing them soon and I will post it on the channel. I just used them in my video yesterday and there worked ell but I need to try them on different paper to see if they have been changed much.
Thanks for the quick reply. I will check out your video and watch for your review video. I have the set but only used them occasionally, so no problems so far. If you have issues with them are they replacing the pencil sets? I would think not but just wondering. : ) Thanks again
+nfldpuffin gosh, I'm not sure, probably if you got pencils with breaking leads. I did not have that issue and that was with my kids using them and they were fine. I think maybe they had a bats batch at one time but mine were fine
Lindsey, please tell me where you found a set of 120 Faber Castell Polychromos pencils for $64.50. I haven't even been able to find a set of 60 for that little, and I've searched and searched. In fact, the 36 pencil set is only a few dollars less than that, at about $59, which I just purchased. I would *LOVE* to have the entire 120 pencil set, but I can't afford them. If there is a supplier that sells them for around $65, I would totally jump on that deal! Thanks!
She said it was $64 for a 24 set. If you didn't see, the collumn on the piece of paper saying 120 next to $64 in the FC row, above it says Colour Range, not how many pencil you can get for $64. :)
Great review I think probably this question has been asked before but if like me can only afford few pencils at a time what colours would you recommend to start with ? Laura x
On the subject of coloured pencils, do you have any advice on wrist/hand fatigue? I love them but I can only use mine so long before my hand starts killing me. They're Derwents so the lead is kinda hard. maybe a softer core would be better?
Hi! I have the same issue and have found the fatigue is much less with the softer pencils, like the Prismacolor, however, it still happens after a time. I guess if you are unlucky enough to have wrist issues it is just something that happens. Anyway, that is my two cents for what it is worth, hope it helps!
Have you tried using pencil grips? I have the same problem and my doctor recommended them. It sure makes a big difference for me. Amazon and Dick Blick both carry them plus every place that sells school supplies. (FYI: I prefer the ones that look like rubber 'blobs' over the triangular ones). I hope this will help you.
Karen Erwin when you say 'blobs' do you mean this: www.amazon.com/The-Pencil-Grip-Universal-TPG-11106/dp/B001SN8HOY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1407834260&sr=8-1&keywords=pencil+grip how do pencil grips help wrist strain?
i do hear the polychromos are the best. but, not on my budget. thank you for doing this review. of all the reviews i've seen, this one helped the most. i'm glad i can replace an individual color through poly's thats the most comparable. and happy to see my pencil searching has come to an end (after about 30 videos). i love the adult color pages. and want them to look really nice. but, because i won't do anything professional with them, i won't have to pay 3-4 hundred dollars for a collection, and can not see those remotely feesable for me. :D can't wait to get my spectrums! also, two years have passed, would you consider this 'updated' since all the coloring craze has taken over? or did you find anything newer or better, or changed formulas?
You can buy Polychromos open stock and just buy one at a time when you have couple of Dollars leftover that month...Then over time you ll have a very good pencil collection.I do it that way with watercolor artist grade and for artist wc pencils and artist colored pencils
Hey Lindsay, I just read some indepth info on the SN pencils. Apparently they are NOT oil based, somehow the information on preliminary packaging was incorrect and they are in the process or changing itl While there is a bit of oil in the pencils, they are, for all intents and purposes wax based pencils after all. Thanks for the wonderful video...I appreciate that you always give your honest opinion. God Bless!
Robin Schaefer someone else told me this after watching the video but I say they feel most like the Polychromos pencils which are oil based, maybe that bit of oil makes the difference?
As we've come to expect, another great video! I am SO ready for an upgrade from Crayola pencils, which consistently break when you sharpen them. I'm going to give the Prismacolors a try. Thanks! Have you done a comparison on watercolor pencils?
Great video, it answered all of my questions .... and more :) Last week I bought Prismacolor pencils, I have wanted them for ages and finally decided to spend the $. I haven't opened the box yet and am a bit concerned as they are made in Mexico so I am now wondering about the quality ...
Nikki Woodwar you can look at the unsharpened ends and see if the leads are centered. Try coloring with them and see if they break. If you see trouble now you will be able to return them but hopefully they will be [perfect. have fun!
Thank you for this great review! Can you blend the wax-based Prismacolor pencils with baby oil? I like the fact that Prismacolors are available open stock. Thank you again!
I think the price really depends on where you live. In my small little European country artist supplies are all very expensive but there is much less of a difference between Spectrum Noir and Polychromous. A set of 24 pencils is 29€ for Spectrum Noir and 43€ for Faber Castel Polychromous. There is still quite a difference but it is not so vast specially when you get 10 or 20% discount (I know the difference in % is still the same but 10% of 43 is more;). I only have very old student grade pencils from my youth and I was thinking of getting myself new pencils. I am totally willing to wait until I can save enough money for this and in the mean time I am trying to get information to make a smart purchase. Q: So I would like to know whether you think Polychromous are worth this difference (14€ which is more or less the same as $ now)?
Hi! Love the review. I color/draw for relaxation, so having a prismacolor premier pencil with broken lead break and break and break (i have a parrrot green 80% split in 1 day) that's really wasteful and frustrating, I let the company know with no response, and the lead can be off center so when I buy those open stock I'm REALLY careful. They are very fragile. When they break like that sometimes I heal them on a window sill but it's tricky. Blick is a BIT harder lead, not too much breaking and when it does break, it's usually my fault for rocking them in the sharpener. Blick studio costs about 75% if the cost of the prismacolor, I got 48 for just under $50 on sale today. They are as creamy but the trade off is less breakage, they blend nice. Maybe you could pick up a few open stock and check them out..
Lindsay, you never cease to amaze me. Every time I am thinking about purchasing a product your videos always assist me in my decision. I've been on a colored pencil kick lately and am looking to expand my collection. Thanks for all the work you put into your videos. Hugs to you from WA state!🤗
Thank you Lindsay for the great and in depth review! I really appreciate how you compared the brands side by side on the black and white and the detail you provided, it is exactly what I was looking for. Great review format!
hippocampus dueti thanks!
As usual, Lindsey, there’s a reason I come to your channel. This may be an older review, but I know I can trust your reviews. I love the way you compare against other brands!
I sincerely appreciate the fact that you paid for these pencils yourself. I was watching a reviewer a couple of days ago and I was a bit bothered by the fact that she included a link to her amazon wish list, which totalled somewhere into the thousands. It's one thing when artists and manufacturers send you free products to review ( pencils, coloring books, etc), but entirely something else when an artist asks his/her followers to send them products. Art supplies are expensive, but I feel it's a bit unfair and greedy when artists expect their fans or followers to buy or gift all their supplies to them, especially when a single item is $100+. I can't afford brands like Caran Dache, Faber Castell Polychromos and other high-end brands and I am not asking people to purchase them for me.
When I want an intelligent thorough review, I look you up. I'm on disability, and have just discovered coloring for stress relief. Needless to say, I'm on a budget, so you reviews save me much pain and $Dollars. Thank you for your awesome work!!
This was such an INCREDIBLY helpful video! Thank you so much for the clear and comprehensive comparison.
Hi Lindsay - I was actually surprised by these pencils. I found the color vivid, the layering and blending really good and the blending also above average. These are good pencils for the money IMO. As you said, they're great for adult coloring or crafting, but I also think sketchers could really use these as well. Thanks for the review as always!
Thanks Marty!
I couldn't find them
Great knowledge to have. Thanks Lindsay for the thoroughness and clarity. Love your reviews cause you tell it like it is!
Carmen Hays thanks Carmen!
This was so very helpful! I'm looking to get these as a gift for an adult (with a coloring book) and I had no clue which direction to take until I saw your excellent comparisons. Thank you so much, Lindsay!
Betsy Cosmos Dover make beautiful coloring books on nice paper for grownups:)
Thanks! Those are the ones I'm considering.
First off, Lindsay, I looked up your video because of the quality of your artwork. It told me you are worth leaning from.
The pricing situation is quite different here in Canada. Spectrum Noirs would cost me over $200 for all five sets, I can Polychromos for $250.
To quench my need for a better quality pencil, I had ordered a set of Lyra Polycolors until I could afford the PC's. What was good about that was it upped my game. The bad part is that the money I spent on the Lyra's make that purchase from Faber Castell more difficult. Ah, the pains of budgeting. I have decided to imitate a starving artist, and buy NOLO (Necessities Of Life Only) while saving for the PC's.
Your review saved me the pain of another delay in the purchase. I am now firmly convinced that Spectrum Noir ColourBlends are NOT the way to go, so I thank you for getting me closer to my goal.
Oh, these ColourBlends ARE a hybrid, mostly wax with some oil.
Thank you for doing what you do, oh FrugalCrafter!!
Thank you for taking the time to do this. I kind of see pencils as Pokemon, Gotta catch them all. I have so many & just love them. When I took a class with Bee Creative at the Scrapbook expo, they said that most people start with the Essential set & then get the Primary set if they can't get them all, I'm with you & waited for a great sale & got them all. JIL
Lol. Got to catch them all.
I am so glad to find your channel, your videos are so helpful to a beginner like me.
Do you have a tutorial using these pencils Lindsay? Would love to see some as I will buy those very soon. Thank you so much for all your fun tutorials!
I think Spectrum Noir are great choice for crafting purposes. It also isn't fully oil based. I dislike the fact that they divided such pencil in sets, and you can't buy them individually. There are reasons Polychromos costs twice as much as Spectrum Noir. Some of it I believe is the quality control. When I was shopping for pencils, I noticed some Spectrum Noir pencils aren't well centered. It causes breakage, and it can be prevented with a better quality control. But, I mean you get what you paid for. The biggest turn off is still the issue with sets. There is also no lightfast rating, so it isn't comparable to Polychromos. I know Polychromos holds fine points well, meaning the pencil can last longer with less sharpening. I don't know if Spectrum Noir is the same. But, that's all the things to consider when you're comparing pencils, and not just comparing how bright or rich the colors are. DIY crafts grade pencils also have problem with consistency of smoothness between pencils. Some pencils feel very creamy and some feels dry. Then again, I don't know how Spectrum Noir is on that.
agreed, if you are going to set out to buy these, you might as well just buy a less expensive student grade FC, these are not worth any money you pay for them in my opinion. I found these did not blend very well by comparison to the polys or prismas.... so much that I ended up giving the spectrums away, so not really a waste of money... but yet a waste of money... only coz I am that much farther away from buying more art supplies on my wishlist.
Dorothy Wong m
😉... truth!
Amazing video idea! Loved it. Saved a lot of people a lot of time and money doing a side by side comparison between brands. I'd love to see you do videos like this with other mediums. Such as oil pastels. Since I want to break into that gradually and I think it could help a lot, and save a lot. :) anyways keep up the great videos!
You can get the Koh-i-Noor Progresso woodless coloured pencils open stock from Blick online. I've never been in one of their stores 'cause the nearest one is over 3 hours away. I got a 24 set of the Koh-i-Nor from a garage sale for $3 and nearly all were hardly touched.
Great review! I love the way your test paper is set up with the big black area. In case it's helpful to anyone here, I was shopping to replace my old Prismacolor set and discovered that Utrecht brand colored pencils are actually rebranded Koh-I-Noor Polycolor pencils. I think they are a pretty great deal--a set of 72 pencils of Koh-I-Noor quality for $61 USD after tax and shipping. Anyway, really appreciate the review and will keep an eye on Spectrum Noir in the future too.
Marc Carson thanks for the info:)
Thanks, Lindsay! Very helpful! I've started collecting Prismacolor because of your recommendation and like them a lot! I was just sitting here coloring an ATC when I came across this video in my email. :)
Very helpful. This is exactly what I needed to finally decide to add the spectrum noirs to my list for Santa!
Thank you for doing this! I was just debating if I should invest in a set of prismacolors! Thank you for helping me make up my mind! Love your videos!
Thank you for the review. I just purchased a small Prismacolor set and think the Spectrum will be a great addition. Thanks, Kay
I enjoy seeing comparisons and appreciate you doing this, Lindsay! I bought a 125 set several yrs ago for $45...so happy with them, I never bought anymore! TFS~ Jeanne
homeschmomof4 wow! that was a deal!
Thank you so much for including koh i noor they seem very overlooked I have lots of their stuff and always love it
They do sell progresso open stock and their polycolours too which are = to any artists could be a geographical thing still happy to see my favourite underdog brand featured
Hi Lindsay, thanks for the pencil review. Lot's of very good and helpful information.
Just a quick comment. I know the Spectrum Noir tins say oil based. But, a Spectrum Noir representative, responding to a question in the comments on their web page said that all their Spectrum Noir pencils are wax based. I also have seen other reviewers refer to the Spectrum Noir pencils as wax based. Not wanting to argue with you Lindsay, but just wanting to mention to you what I have heard and or read from other sources and was wondering what you make of it.
+Ronald Milton misprint on the tin, they are a blend of oil and wax:)
+thefrugalcrafter Lindsay Weirich Thanks, that clears it up.
Have you tried the white with oil pastel? You can blend with baby oil too, and is a white covering very well
Thanks for this Lindsay. i bought three sets on sale and will add the rest of them. They are very nicely packaged. I have the Derwents and Prismacolor watercolor sets and prefer colored pencils to markers for coloring. I have more control Now we need the source for that pansey stamp and a tutorial on coloring it.
Emilie Boyd PSX (personal stamp exchange) but as you probably know they went out of business many years ago:(
I am so happy I found this video. I was confused with all the different colored pencils they have now. I am just starting out using these. I have been using pastels mostly.
Have you, or anyone else had trouble with weak lead in some of the Spectrum Noir pencils? I am having a hard time with breakage after sharpening. I have tried different sharpening techniques and continue to have problems with certain colors. This really decreases pencil life and with no replacements in place, I am very unhappy with the quality control. Even with the value, I am considering going to another product...which is too bad, because the color quality is nice in these pencils. Look forward to hearing back and thanks.
Adam Braun Mine have been fine. I bet your tin was dropped in shipping. I would call Crafter's Companion to see if they will replace the set or the offending colors. Their customer service is really nice and quick to respond. You can tell them that Lindsay Weirich TheFrugalCrafter sent you, I get published with their stamps so it might give you a little more pull. If that does not work you can try microwaving them for 6 seconds and letting them cool and sharpening. I have not had trouble doing this but some people say it is dangerous so be warned, I assume not liability LOL!
Thanks for the reply...I really appreciate it and i'll let you know what happens with this issue.
Nice review.i need prismacolor now.
Can you tell me about steadlers please?
Thank you very much for doing this in such depth.
I had been considering the Spectrum Noir pencils since they came out, but just wasn't really sure.
After seeing this video I took the plunge and today got the tin of Essentials.
And you are quite right, they are lovely. They blend really well and feel great to use.
TinTeddyVideos I'm glad you are happy with them!
love the comparson on all the color pencils i have only Cryolna pencils n love them n i blend them with gamasol n happy with the out come but have been looking to up grade but dont want to spend alot of money. so i am loving the SN reviews n watching you comparing them now i really need them in my life Thanks
bluucaca if you have crayolas you might want to think about the floral or landscape sets to fill out your colors and use them together:)
Lindsay,
The koh-I-noor colored pencils are artist grade pencils; Art Materials store here in Minneapolis sells them open stock; on the wetcanvas website, a website for artists, some artists use them exclusively and sell their work because they are lightfast. The wetcanvas website has all kinds of information on a variety of media and they are very friendly and helpful to beginners and will even critique artwork if you post something and ask them.
Jill Graf thanks Jill, I have never seen them open stock in any of my catalog, they are a heck of a deal, are they the same ones I saw or a different line, I have only seen the woodless sets of 12 and 24 here.
They are the same ones, which is nice because then you don't have to buy the set again. They are the only place I have seen them open stock, but other places must have them; I haven't looked since my local store has them. The store is online, but I don't know if they do online orders.
The woodless kohinoors are student grade, not artist grade.
@@thefrugalcrafter We also can buy them open stock in some of our craft and artsupply stores in The Netherlands.
Thank you so much for this review! It was really helpful (and thanks for the tips on blending and whatnot!)
Thank you for sharing this.I have been considering purchasing the Spectrum Noir sets. I have now placed them on my list of things to budget for! Nancy
Thumbs up from me because I love ALL your videos! They are all so helpful and you are so talented! Thank you Lindsay!
Great review Lindsey! as always, love watching your videos. Don't own any oil pencils jyst a set of the Bruynzeel's. but have been wanting to collect these noir pencils and now that I've seen your video and want them even more now. Lol TFS hugs Letty
Hello Lindsay...hmmn...have you tried using derwent burnisher and blender in ordinary colored pencils like maped, colleen and faber castell?
While my mum is visiting family in the USA and Canada she's promised to get some supplies for me from DickBlick, top of my list were a sakura Koi watercolour travel pan set and a set of prismacolor pencils after seeing you use both. I'm even more excited about the pencils now that I've seen this ^_^
Thanks for the comparison. I am new at crafting and I'm trying to purchase a little at a time. Always looking for the best for the money. I found this very informative and easy to understand. :-)
Joanne Stupak happy to help:)
Thank you soooo much for this video. It really helped me to figure out what colored pencils to get first, but I am still trying them all but thanks again for this video
set of polychromos cost me 120 dollars in my countries
you always have to mention that each brand has different prices in different countries
as a german it's cheap to faber castell colored pencils
i think faber castell are made in germany s thats why theyre cheap
Cause germany is such a cheap country eh?
*sighs*
No. German made pencils are very high quality, but I am an American, so German made pencils are expensive here. If a pencil is made in one's country, it only makes sense that it would be available in that country at a lower cost.
Carandache is cheaper in my country..even the artists sets are affordable to buy.(The Netherlands)
Lindsay, where can you buy a big set of Spectrum Noir pencils? When I looked them up each set is a different price!
I thought the FC Polychomos were oil based not waxed? but I am so new at this I may be mixing the names up. Thanks for sharing all the info.
+Deb InPEI they are, she has them in the oil category :)
Just wondering how you feel about keeping them in sets ? I think I'd rather have them in numerical order, do you think I should keep them as is ?
Didedi whats new ? You should keep them however you prefer. I have my derwent water-soluble and Fabercastel pencils in numerical order and that is nice but I have so many odd-ball prismas and I am so used to the colors that keeping them grouped loosely by color family works for me.
not sure if this was asked yet but, which is better wax based or oil based? I am buying some to color in stamped images because I want to try something other than copics to color. thanks lindsay!
Serena Bee it depends, do you want to color on light paper or both light and dark? Wax based is better if coloring on dark. Prismacolors are still my fave even with the breakage issue.
great comparisom, I have a large set of prisma but havnt used them much yet. I do get worried that they will break when sharpening as the prima scholars have been bad for this. Do you find certain pencils resist breaking more than others?
Well done! :) Very helpful and thank you for the effort it takes to do the comparison . I can't always comment, but I do watch and enjoy your videos ,thank you. :)
I got a set of 60 Polychromos as a gift last year and love them. I haven't used spectrum noirs at all but they look like a good alternative to the polychromos, especially for the price!
I love my Prismacolor pencils and I'm sticking with them....but for those who have not found their favourites yet, your video would be a great help.
Have you used gamsol and paper stumps to blend your pencils? I just saw someone do that recently. I've been vacillating between getting the prismas or the derwent inktense - which I realize one is wax based and the other is watercolor. But after seeing someone use gamsol it got me to wondering if I should just get the prismas. Decisions...ugh!!
I love this review! I had already bought them and used them a couple time and felt the same about them. They are great for oil based- Thanks Lyndsay, You Rock:)
This was perfect timing for me. i do alot of coloring with pencil crayons (Canadian eh :}) when i do my mandalas and was thinking of levelling up to some fancy pencils. I think Ive decided to do what I originally planned to do and that was to go with the prisma colors. Thanks love when you do this kind of stuff. Shannon
Shannon Pratt you can't go wrong with Prismacolors:)
Great vid. I am a prismacolors girl. Been using them for years. Thanks for the demo.
Super useful video. Thank you for being so thorough. :)
Derwent Artist/Studio are clay based so they are a bit different and layer with multiple light layers per Lee Hammond, color pencil artist. I have just a handful of them and really like mine.
I have Prismacolours and a set of 72 Rembrandt Lyra oil based. I like them all.
Thanks for this review, Lindsay. Very useful and these pencils are quite nice.
I would REALLY like to know what paper you recommend for using with Prismacolors. I'm a crafter/cardmaker/rubber stamper and don't feel I need "artist grade" paper for them. Thanks for the video -- I have seen it a couple times. Great for reference. =)
great video.......lots of really good info...........do you ever use gamsol for blending? I have the Koh-I-Noor Progresso pencils...24 colors...but I did buy them individually in a small art store for something like $1.79 each. It would be great to see a comparison of watercolor pencils also if you haven't done a video on those before. Thanks for sharing all your knowledge Lindsay.
Thank you 😊 was a very helpful video so thanks for taking the time to do this for us.
Hi .....i am interested in the SPECTRUM NOIR BLENDABLES but i cannot find the "Primaries" tin or the "Essentials" tin anywhere. Ive checked Amazon, Blick and the one you mentioned on this vid. Did they quit making those particular ones?
+Michele Johnson-Utter ivthink they are all still available
Have u tried JoAnns? They usually have full stock, give them a call 1st if not?
Might I suggest the Koh-I-Noor Polycolor colored pencil set. They come in sets up to 72 shades.
Hi Lindsay, I know this is an older post,, but very informative for people as myself just getting into the art of colored pencils. TFS
I seen these at Michaels and thought there were a little expensive but thanks to your review these are the ones I am going to go with for my adult coloring books. I love the colors in the Marine set they would be excellent for underwater stuff
Great comparison! Would you say a selection of shades available in Prismacolor is 30%, 50%, 70%, 90% to what is available in Polychromos? I already have a set of 72 Prismacolor and would love to try Faber Castell, not sure if I would have many duplicates (or very similar shades) if I bought a smaller set of Polychromos.
hmm, there will be a lot of overlap but what I did was buy a few colors I use a lot in polychromos before ordering a set to try them out, see what pencils you have that are waring down and purchase a similar color in the other brands you want to try and see what you think, that way they will get used.
Excellent advice, thank you:)
Lindsay, can you please give the website where you got the pencils for $16 I have looked and looked and cannot find anyone who sells them for that price would really appreciate some help? Thank you for all your wonderful videos & help!!
Lindsey,
Thanks for the informative comparison. I'm new to colored pencil as an art medium, so this was very helpful.
Jessica
Thank you for being so thorough. You've helped me a lot.
This was very informative. You are awesome to do this for the benefit of all.
I was just doing some more research on Spectrum Noir coloured pencils (updating my Amazon wishlist, lol) and apparently they are actually mostly wax-based (even though their packaging says oil)? I guess they are in the process of redoing their advertising to reflect this. I read somewhere that there is *some* oil in their pencils, but it's mostly wax.
Lindsay, Are mineral spirits less likely to soak through the paper than baby oil? Do we blend wax based colored pencils and oil based with the same things?
Thanks, Dee
Deirdre Powers yes you can use it with both. Either will soak through but they both dry up eventually:)
As soon as I can stop the video crashing when I try to play it I'll be very interested in your findings. I was in my local craft shop today and looked at the Spectrum Noir pencils sets and they are 20 pounds per box, with the alcohol pens being 8 pounds per set of six. I'm looking forward to seeing how much they are on your side of the pond :)
Bejay Roles I paid $16 per set USD, what's that. about 10 pounds? they were on sale though, the regular price is $30 usd
thefrugalcrafter Lindsay Weirich
They're a much better price your side of the pond, Lindsay, which makes me laugh as they're made/sold by an English company and we usually have to pay more. The exchange rate makes the full selling price with you more or less the same over here but sadly we don't get the great coupons that your crafting outlets have :(. They do look like a good buy though and if I get to be any good I may well save up for a set of maybe the essentials.
I´ve been wondering prisma or spectrum noir pencils. So this was very helpful to me. Think I go with spectrum noirs, because I do lots of coloring (stamped images), like to taste coloring on crafts and don´t have so much money. Thx for the comparison!
Do you like them better than the Arteza pencils? Or can they be compared to those as Arteza is a harder lead pencil?
it would be really great if you could do some of these comparisons with your water color pencils as well this was really helpful I'd much rather have those beautiful creamy prismacolors then break the bank on the oil based pencils I'm sure just as much you can do with them
***** I have had a lot of request for that today, I'll see what I can do;)
If you could only pick one set of watercolor pencils , which would you pick for landscapes ??
Any thoughts on the Lyra color giants vs the Lyra Rembrandt?
Thanks
Might have already been said, but koh i noor are available open stock. I own about 12, all purchased open stock.
Very nice comparison. I just picked up the Colorsoft 12 pack at HL on a clearance steal and had to race out here and see what you had to say. They seem a bit softer than Prismacolor. You can almost burnish with hardly any effort. It makes them a little harder to blend. You need a very light touch and a really toothy paper to get many layers, but they're nice if you want a lot of a color or two really quickly, or if you have hand issues. I see that the Spectrum Noir are quite a lot more expensive now. Right now a basic set of 24 Polychromos without special case is less expensive. I guess it's the difference 6 years can make, LOL. Your videos, on the other hand, provide timeless information!
Good find, I like the colorsoft a lot (cant go wrong with Derwent...well except for those metallics they discontinued lol)
@@thefrugalcrafter Yes, from what I've seen in my video watching, the metallics were universally panned. I've been having fun with the Colorsoft. They respond really well to alcohol blenders, almost better than the Prismacolor. I'm glad I found them.
These are on sale at our Pat Catans for $14.97 so I think I will try them out. Thanks for your in depth review!
Hello, I love your video! I am a beginner and already have the spectrum noir markers but wasn't sure about the pencils. I was thinking about the SN pencils or Prismacolor (mostly because they are so popular). I'm pretty sure I will get the SN pencils now. Thank you so much for your video! Also I read thru a lot of comments but didn't see this so if you answered it before I am sorry: can you use gamsol with SN pencils?
Thank you for your fab video. I have recently got the Spectrum Nois pencils as from 2 days ago have not yet used them as yet
Hi Lindsay, you keep referring to the Koh-i-noor Progresso pencils as inexpensive, but you're comparing a set of 24 to sets no smaller than 72. At the same price per pencil the Progressos would cost over $60 for a set of 72. This is not a criticism on my part, I actually prefer the Progressos, especially for larger scale work. They're definitely not student grade though. Thanks!
I would like to know, on the sample card you showed, you mentioned putting baby oil on it to blend. Does the oil get saturated into the color so that it does not leave an oily stain on your envelope? Thank You in Advance.
Lori Thompson I just used a little bit, it did not bleed through the paper or leave a residue on top. Go easy with it and you will be fine or you can use gamasol/mineral spirits
I heard you mention baby oil for coloring with the pencils. So can you use baby oil instead of mineral spirits?
Kris Luvstocraft yes, go light with it htough
Hey Lindsey I just purchased 48 prismacolor and 36 colorsoft sets.... I am a stamper and card maker what is the best paper and ink to use for that thankyou
+JANINE PEREZ I was just checking this post to see if someone had mentioned that. I'm also a crafter/rubber stamper and don't feel I need "artist grade" expensive paper for my Prismacolors. If you have found an answer to your own question, could you please leave me a reply? Thanks and have a great weekend!! =)
Lindsay, that was great review. Does the Spectrum Noir have a blending pencil? Is the hybrid oil/wax pencil something new in color pencils? Do you know anything more about the ratios of the oil/wax? I'm interested in reading more about this hybrid, so can you give me the sources of your info? I just got my first oil pencils so I haven't done anything more with them except for doing some color patches. Thank you.Mythros
no but you can use any other brands blending pencil like prismacolor, finetec or Lyra
Hello Lindsay, I noticed that Spectrum Noir has new reformulated colorblend pencils out now. I purchased the set you reviewed here on this video, I am wondering if there was some problem with these pencils that they had to be reformulated, do you have any information regarding this. I enjoy all your review videos, they are very helpful when deciding which product to purchase.
I was sent the new set to review. I never had problems with my original ones but some people complained of breakage. I will be testing them out and reviewing them soon and I will post it on the channel. I just used them in my video yesterday and there worked ell but I need to try them on different paper to see if they have been changed much.
Thanks for the quick reply. I will check out your video and watch for your review video. I have the set but only used them occasionally, so no problems so far. If you have issues with them are they replacing the pencil sets? I would think not but just wondering. : ) Thanks again
+nfldpuffin gosh, I'm not sure, probably if you got pencils with breaking leads. I did not have that issue and that was with my kids using them and they were fine. I think maybe they had a bats batch at one time but mine were fine
Lindsey, please tell me where you found a set of 120 Faber Castell Polychromos pencils for $64.50. I haven't even been able to find a set of 60 for that little, and I've searched and searched. In fact, the 36 pencil set is only a few dollars less than that, at about $59, which I just purchased. I would *LOVE* to have the entire 120 pencil set, but I can't afford them. If there is a supplier that sells them for around $65, I would totally jump on that deal! Thanks!
I think she mean $64 for 24 sets :)
She said it was $64 for a 24 set. If you didn't see, the collumn on the piece of paper saying 120 next to $64 in the FC row, above it says Colour Range, not how many pencil you can get for $64. :)
Great review I think probably this question has been asked before but if like me can only afford few pencils at a time what colours would you recommend to start with ? Laura x
On the subject of coloured pencils, do you have any advice on wrist/hand fatigue? I love them but I can only use mine so long before my hand starts killing me.
They're Derwents so the lead is kinda hard. maybe a softer core would be better?
Hi! I have the same issue and have found the fatigue is much less with the softer pencils, like the Prismacolor, however, it still happens after a time. I guess if you are unlucky enough to have wrist issues it is just something that happens. Anyway, that is my two cents for what it is worth, hope it helps!
Maureen Hayes
Hi. Thanks. :) I've got some prismacolours around somewhere. I'll try them & see if that helps. :)
Have you tried using pencil grips? I have the same problem and my doctor recommended them. It sure makes a big difference for me. Amazon and Dick Blick both carry them plus every place that sells school supplies. (FYI: I prefer the ones that look like rubber 'blobs' over the triangular ones). I hope this will help you.
Karen Erwin
when you say 'blobs' do you mean this: www.amazon.com/The-Pencil-Grip-Universal-TPG-11106/dp/B001SN8HOY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1407834260&sr=8-1&keywords=pencil+grip
how do pencil grips help wrist strain?
nerdieone1 you can try coloring with less pressure on lighter colored paper then use baby oil or mineral spirit to blend;)
U used cream pencil for yellow on coloursoft line. U shoulda used coloursoft's yellow ochre against prismas goldenrod.
How they sharpen/breakage and how they blend would be good to know
She covered that...did you watch the video?
Thank you so much for doing this it was very helpful!!!!
Can you, or are you planning on doing one for watercolor pencils? 😁
i do hear the polychromos are the best. but, not on my budget. thank you for doing this review. of all the reviews i've seen, this one helped the most. i'm glad i can replace an individual color through poly's thats the most comparable. and happy to see my pencil searching has come to an end (after about 30 videos). i love the adult color pages. and want them to look really nice. but, because i won't do anything professional with them, i won't have to pay 3-4 hundred dollars for a collection, and can not see those remotely feesable for me. :D can't wait to get my spectrums! also, two years have passed, would you consider this 'updated' since all the coloring craze has taken over? or did you find anything newer or better, or changed formulas?
You can buy Polychromos open stock and just buy one at a time when you have couple of Dollars leftover that month...Then over time you ll have a very good pencil collection.I do it that way with watercolor artist grade and for artist wc pencils and artist colored pencils
Hey Lindsay, I just read some indepth info on the SN pencils. Apparently they are NOT oil based, somehow the information on preliminary packaging was incorrect and they are in the process or changing itl While there is a bit of oil in the pencils, they are, for all intents and purposes wax based pencils after all. Thanks for the wonderful video...I appreciate that you always give your honest opinion. God Bless!
Robin Schaefer someone else told me this after watching the video but I say they feel most like the Polychromos pencils which are oil based, maybe that bit of oil makes the difference?
As we've come to expect, another great video! I am SO ready for an upgrade from Crayola pencils, which consistently break when you sharpen them. I'm going to give the Prismacolors a try. Thanks! Have you done a comparison on watercolor pencils?
NR Edwards I plan on it this week:)
Great video, it answered all of my questions .... and more :) Last week I bought Prismacolor pencils, I have wanted them for ages and finally decided to spend the $. I haven't opened the box yet and am a bit concerned as they are made in Mexico so I am now wondering about the quality ...
Nikki Woodwar you can look at the unsharpened ends and see if the leads are centered. Try coloring with them and see if they break. If you see trouble now you will be able to return them but hopefully they will be [perfect. have fun!
Thank you for this great review! Can you blend the wax-based Prismacolor pencils with baby oil? I like the fact that Prismacolors are available open stock. Thank you again!
JensCreationStation yes you can, I even have a tutorial on that with prismas! th-cam.com/video/L5ppMgAO8y8/w-d-xo.html
I think the price really depends on where you live. In my small little European country artist supplies are all very expensive but there is much less of a difference between Spectrum Noir and Polychromous. A set of 24 pencils is 29€ for Spectrum Noir and 43€ for Faber Castel Polychromous. There is still quite a difference but it is not so vast specially when you get 10 or 20% discount (I know the difference in % is still the same but 10% of 43 is more;).
I only have very old student grade pencils from my youth and I was thinking of getting myself new pencils. I am totally willing to wait until I can save enough money for this and in the mean time I am trying to get information to make a smart purchase.
Q: So I would like to know whether you think Polychromous are worth this difference (14€ which is more or less the same as $ now)?
Hi! Love the review. I color/draw for relaxation, so having a prismacolor premier pencil with broken lead break and break and break (i have a parrrot green 80% split in 1 day) that's really wasteful and frustrating, I let the company know with no response, and the lead can be off center so when I buy those open stock I'm REALLY careful. They are very fragile. When they break like that sometimes I heal them on a window sill but it's tricky. Blick is a BIT harder lead, not too much breaking and when it does break, it's usually my fault for rocking them in the sharpener. Blick studio costs about 75% if the cost of the prismacolor, I got 48 for just under $50 on sale today. They are as creamy but the trade off is less breakage, they blend nice. Maybe you could pick up a few open stock and check them out..