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  • January 24, 2016 at 5:40 am #993748
    Minerva C
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        I am thinking of buying Caran d’Ache Museum watercolour pencils or Luminance coloured pencils. I would like to buy both but they are expensive. When reading about Museum I am told that they are just as good for use without water. I read the same about Supracolor. Has anyone tried this? Does this mean that Museum and Supracolor can be used as coloured pencils? I have tried other watercolour pencils dry but it is a big differece from using coloured pencils. OK for sketches.
        The sets I am looking at are Museum set of 12 and landscape set of 20. I would probably add a few colours too.If Museum can be used as both watercolours and coloured pencils I will get the most use of them but if they are not suitable as coloured pencils I will have to consider only buying Luminance.
        I would appreciate some help. I just can’t decide which pencils to order :confused:

        C

        "It is only when we are no longer fearful that we begin to create."
        J.M.W. Turner

        January 24, 2016 at 10:12 am #1245981
        katwalk
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            I have never used the Caran d’Ache watercolor pencils, though I have used other manufacturers watercolor pencils but only with the intent that I will add water and use them more as watercolors than as just a colored pencil. On the other hand I am slowly acquiring the Luminance colored pencils and so far enjoy using them.

            Since the media the pigment is mixed with in the case of the watercolor pencils is designed to dissolve in water I don’t see how they can perform exactly the same way as true colored pencils that use either a wax or oil base for the pigments.

            I don’t suppose there is any way you would be able to get a couple of the pencils open stock to try to see how you feel about them. If you were in the US I would tell you to order some open stock from Dick Blick but I see by your flag that you are in Sweden. Hmm seems like there should be an art store in your country that sells open stock.

            Personally I would just get the Luminance pencils, and put the watercolor pencils on my wish list, for a birthday or Christmas present or for a time I have more money. That said it really depend more on how you plan to use your pencils, if you want to use them with traditional watercolor then by all means get the watercolor pencils. If you intend to create classic colored pencil art work, then get the Luminance.

            Kathy
            http://katwalkdesigns.blogspot.com/

            January 24, 2016 at 11:05 am #1245983
            Minerva C
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                Thanks Cathy. No ordering a couple of pencils open stock is not an option as I will have to order for a certain value and pay the cost for shipping. I would rather spend it on pencils, paint or other art stuff.

                C

                "It is only when we are no longer fearful that we begin to create."
                J.M.W. Turner

                January 24, 2016 at 11:23 am #1245980
                cat1lady
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                    The ones I have are softer than the regular colored pencils thus requiring more frequent sharpening. However, they are pretty old so perhaps the formulations have changed.

                    Constructive criticism always welcome.

                    January 24, 2016 at 11:27 am #1245982
                    LuckyLaura
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                        I have 4 Luminance pencils and 6 Museum pencils and when I tested red pencils in both lines, I would say that the Museum are not as vibrant or smooth when dry. They are just as vibrant and smoother when activated with water, though. The Luminance blend better when dry.

                        If you plan on using them as watercolour pencils often, I would say to get the Museum pencils. However, if you plan to only use water with them rarely, I would say get the Luminance as they are better dry.

                        I personally love both lines of pencil so I do not think you can go wrong if you eventually end up with both. ;)

                        January 24, 2016 at 6:41 pm #1245979
                        Mrs. Leadhead
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                            Caran d’Ache uses a special water-soluble wax for their watercolor pencils. (I know that it sounds like a contradiction, but there really is a high-quality art wax and they soak the watercolor pencil cores in the water-soluble wax bath.)
                            I have both Luminance and Museum Aquarelles and agree that if you mainly work with non-watercolor pencils, Luminance pencils are excellent for great glossy color saturation, permanence, and quicker layering. Museum Aquarelles are more staining and permanent than Supracolors, their other line of watercolor pencils, and they work well when putting down an underpainting of a complementary color: no accidental neutral color (also known as “mud”!)
                            Take care,
                            Kristy

                            Kristy Kutch
                            www.artshow.com/kutch

                            January 26, 2016 at 1:23 pm #1245984
                            Minerva C
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                                Thank you all for your answers! I will think about this for a while before deciding.

                                C

                                "It is only when we are no longer fearful that we begin to create."
                                J.M.W. Turner

                                February 2, 2016 at 3:07 pm #1245985
                                Minerva C
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                                    I decided quite fast and now my new pencils have arrived: Caran d’Ache Museum. Yes I ordered the watercolour pencils. I have just tested them a little but they are very nice. Even works very nicely dry. Not as soft as I expected from reading about them.
                                    I bought the standard set of 12, the landscape set of 20 and some extra colours I felt were missing in the sets.

                                    C

                                    "It is only when we are no longer fearful that we begin to create."
                                    J.M.W. Turner

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