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06-13-2003, 01:29 PM
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Member
Illinois
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Join Date: Apr 2003
Posts: 57
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About pencil brands
I decided a little while ago that I'd like to start dabbling with color, and since I love my graphite pencils so much I'd probably enjoy working with colored pencils too as a medium -
About a year ago just on a whim I bought a box of RoseArt pencils (the kind where you get a box of 72 pencils for like $4.00) and, uhh, they're not working well for me and I suspect it's probably the pencils.
They don't layer well at ALL (for example, I tried creating an object in a light blue color, and then tried shading over the light blue with a darker blue where I thought it needed to be shaded, and the dark blue wouldn't stick!). I'm just beginning but am I right for assuming that this is something they should be able to do well?
At any rate I was looking for suggestions of maybe a better brand of colored pencils to look into.
I'm sure one of the first things that will be said is "prismacolor," but uh $1/pencil is a bit out of my prince range right now when I think about how many pencils I might end up needing.
Anything else that's more middle-of-the-road but still work well?
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06-13-2003, 03:57 PM
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A Local Legend
Back in The Land of Poopy Diapers
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Join Date: Apr 2002
Posts: 9,832
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Rose Art makes VERY low grade scholastic colored pencils. A scholastic grade pencil is going to contain very little pigment. Because there is almost no pigment and lots of wax, it will be impossible to achieve deep color. Above the scholastic grade, there is student grade and artist grade. These have considerably more pigment and often a higher quality pigment that is more lightfast/archival. High quality pencils and a good paper are essential if you want to achieve good color coverage.
Most cp artists use artist grade pencils or a few of the better student grade ones (Van Gogh comes to mind). At the top of this forum, there is a Hall of Fame. In the Hall of Fame, you can find several threads that discuss the different pencils that are available.
I hate to say it, but you simply aren't going to get a quality pencil for cheap, unless you find a good sale.  The artist grade and high quality student grade tend to cost about the same. Sanford Verithins and Col-Erase are cheaper and some artists use them. A lot of the time, they use those brands for first layers, then add an artist grade over the top. Prismacolor and Derwent sets can be found on ebay for good prices. Another thing that people do is save the 40% off coupon that periodically comes out from Michael's Arts & Crafts and use it when they buy a set. If there is a Utrecht store near you, they have Prismas in open stock for $.89 and sometimes run sales for $.79 each. ASW (online) tends to have good prices for sets.
Sets tend to be a good deal and a set of 48 Prismas will get you most of the colors that you will need. I believe the Hall of Fame has some recommended colors. It's usually a set of 48 plus a few more. Another option is to buy pencils in open stock as you need them, adding a few at a time. I have a ton of pencils, but I'd guess that I tend to use the same 30 to 35 colors all the time. The rest just occupy space in my caddy.
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06-13-2003, 06:32 PM
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A WC! Legend
Lawn Guylind
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Join Date: Sep 1999
Posts: 21,388
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to add to what leanne said, it might also be your technique...I strongly suggest you read through as many of the threads in the hall of fame since you'll learn alot about technique too.
Colored pencils ARE NOT the same as graphite. It's a different way of layering, etc.
I agree with with Leanne also in that you're only shortchanging yourself by buying a cheap brand. And a sheet of stonehenge paper costs all of $1.59 a sheet. I can usually get a minimum of 4 drawings out of a sheet, and sometimes more.
As for pencils? the difference is night and day. You can get more out of a good pencil, then a cheap one. Think of it this way...If you use a cheap pencil filled with wax, it takes many more layers to even try and get half of the color you can get with one layer of a good pencil, so in the long run, a good pencil is cheaper.
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06-14-2003, 11:26 AM
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Senior Member
Denver
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Join Date: Jul 2001
Posts: 320
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Eaby it!!!!!!!! U can save a LOTTA cash on there! Just type in colored pencils
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06-14-2003, 11:40 AM
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A Local Legend
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Quote:
Originally posted by IllustrationsByJohn
Eaby it!!!!!!!! U can save a LOTTA cash on there! Just type in colored pencils
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I agree. On two or three separate occasions, I have bought brand new, still shrink wrapped sets of 48 Prismacolors for $13 plus shipping.
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06-14-2003, 12:55 PM
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Member
Illinois
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Join Date: Apr 2003
Posts: 57
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Quote:
Originally posted by IllustrationsByJohn
Eaby it!!!!!!!! U can save a LOTTA cash on there! Just type in colored pencils
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OOoooo there's an idea I didn't think of - and I've bought a lot of junk over ebay too. (And only been ripped off once! heh).
I was just seeing that a set of 36 Prisma's (which, it seems, I'll just have to wait until I can afford heh) is still like $30+ even buying them in a set. If I could find an ebay deal like that though I'd certainly go for it.
*ponders* 
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06-14-2003, 01:07 PM
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A Local Legend
Back in The Land of Poopy Diapers
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Quote:
Originally posted by Shadoglare
OOoooo there's an idea I didn't think of - and I've bought a lot of junk over ebay too. (And only been ripped off once! heh).
I was just seeing that a set of 36 Prisma's (which, it seems, I'll just have to wait until I can afford heh) is still like $30+ even buying them in a set. If I could find an ebay deal like that though I'd certainly go for it.
*ponders*
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Naw. You just have to look.
There's an auction ending in 5 hours with no bids: 48 for $15. There's several other good ones. A buy it now of 72 Prisma set with 12 Prisma art markers for $35. If you just search for "Prismacolor" and haunt ebay every day, you can get a good deal within a week or two.
http://search.ebay.com/search/search...ry=Prismacolor
Last edited by Elankat : 06-14-2003 at 01:09 PM.
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06-14-2003, 01:13 PM
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Member
Illinois
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Join Date: Apr 2003
Posts: 57
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Quote:
Originally posted by Elankat
Naw. You just have to look.
There's an auction ending in 5 hours with no bids: 48 for $15. There's several other good ones. A buy it now of 72 Prisma set with 12 Prisma art markers for $35. If you just search for "Prismacolor" and haunt ebay every day, you can get a good deal within a week or two.
http://search.ebay.com/search/search...ry=Prismacolor
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Oh, sorry by the $30+ I meant at a standard art store (well, dickblick actually, which seems to be one of the cheaper online art suppliers I've found).
If I can find a good deal on ebay I might have to go with it - have to be a cheapass for a while after I got laid off and all hehe.
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06-14-2003, 01:55 PM
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Veteran Member
Beneath the stars
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Join Date: Apr 2003
Posts: 535
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Hmmmm
I dint even think about ebay!  I was going to buy off the Dick Blick website but I definatly going to check out ebay out!!
Sahdoglare- I guess you and I are in the same boat!  I use crayola. They've worked ok so far, but I am definately going to get some prismacolors.
__________________
Scott
"God is the Lord of angels, and of men-- and of elves." ~J.R.R. Tolkien
If figure skating were any easier...it would be HOCKEY!
All my artwork is copyright protected and may not be copied, printed, or reproduced in any way without my written permission 2003
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06-14-2003, 02:20 PM
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Member
Illinois
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Join Date: Apr 2003
Posts: 57
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Actually there's somebody selling several sets of 48 all with bids starting at $9.99.
I think I know which ones I'm going to go for - maybe I'll be able to pick one up for less than $15 if I get lucky...
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06-14-2003, 05:30 PM
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A WC! Legend
Lawn Guylind
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Join Date: Sep 1999
Posts: 21,388
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good luck...hope you get it...but even if it jumps to $20 for the set of 48, it's still a good deal.
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06-15-2003, 10:22 PM
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Member
Illinois
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Join Date: Apr 2003
Posts: 57
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Woohoo!
I just won a set of 48 Prismas for $13.99.
I could be putting up my first color works before you know it
That's for throwing that idea out there John
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06-18-2003, 06:39 PM
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Member
Illinois
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Join Date: Apr 2003
Posts: 57
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Wooooo
I got my Prisma's in the mail today, and just started playing with them a little bit ago.
Man these these are like a dream to use compared to the cheapies ("Art Quality" my butt :P ) - thanks for turning me over to them, and again for the ebay suggestion so I could actually afford them
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06-18-2003, 10:53 PM
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A WC! Legend
Lawn Guylind
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Join Date: Sep 1999
Posts: 21,388
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Quote:
Originally posted by Shadoglare
Wooooo
I got my Prisma's in the mail today, and just started playing with them a little bit ago.
Man these these are like a dream to use compared to the cheapies ("Art Quality" my butt :P ) - thanks for turning me over to them, and again for the ebay suggestion so I could actually afford them
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TOLD YOU SO! (just had to say that)
Now go and get yourself some good stonehenge paper! Don't do anything good till you do! The difference between working on lousy paper and good paper is the same difference as between the cheapo pencils and the prismacolors.
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