Trying to find: DESIGN Spectracolor colored pencils - Can you help?

aspiring artist · #1 08-05-2002, 11:22 AM

I'm trying to locate DESIGN Spectracolor colored pencils for sale. Does anyone know who might sell them?

I've looked through all the major art supply catalogues, and can't find them listed.
Is there a possibility that they are no longer made?

Thanks for any information you can share!

=)

gemmag · #2 08-05-2002, 11:53 AM

I'm not real sure but I have heard that the Design Spectracolor pencils were made by Faber Castell. I have also know that they are very difficult to find individually and even as sets anymore. Maybe the other Faber Castell pencils will be close in color or you could try writing to Faber Castell and ask about them, info@faber-castell.com. I also have a set of the Design Spectracolor (they were my first set) but I had so much trouble trying to find replacements that I changed to Prismacolor and I really like the Prismacolors.

Gook Luck on your search,
Gemma

marilyn h · #3 08-05-2002, 12:45 PM

The reason why you can't find them is that they have been discontinued.

TeAnne · #4 08-05-2002, 10:52 PM

You could try this LINK

pencils4me · #5 08-06-2002, 01:17 AM

Design Spectracolors were discontinued when Berol Prismacolors bought them out. Now Prismas are a Sanford product - go figure.

My first set of colored pencils were a complete new set of Spectracolors (ack that was about 13 yrs ago?!) that came from a garage sale - I paid $5.00 for the whole set. Best buy I ever made, when I needed to replace a few I had used up - the line had started to be phased out and I had to switch to the prismas. I couldn't tell any difference. I just wanted more! LOL!

TJ

aspiring artist · #6 08-06-2002, 08:22 AM

That's too bad that DESIGN Spectracolor is no longer available. I have a few, and find myself "saving" them for the real important work. Mine have a different color on each end, so I actually have only 1/2 a pencil. If I had known they were going to discontinue them, I would have stocked up like crazy....

(IMHO) ---> While they are very similar to Prismacolors,
I can still tell the difference.

Thanks for all the information!

Doug Banks · #7 08-06-2002, 11:41 AM

aspiring artist,

I have a set of double-colored Design Spectracolors, too. Have the leads come loose in yours? Almost every one of mine have loose leads; they spin if I try to sharpen them with a regular pencil sharpener so I have to sharpen them with a pocket knife. I was just qurious if you had the same problem.

Can anyone tell me how the Design pencils being discussed compare to Prismacolor pencils? I don't know much about CP yet, I have only recently started exploring them.

Thanks!

Doug Banks

aspiring artist · #8 08-06-2002, 05:04 PM

Again, IMHO, I believe the DESIGN Spectracolor pencils are less waxy than Prismacolor, in addition, I think the DESIGN Spectracolors (pigments) are richer than Prismacolors. Also, I don't experience as much wax bloom with the DESIGN Spectracolors as I do with the Prismacolors.

So far, I have not had a problem with loose leads spinning inside the wood casing. A long time ago I read this hint that I've never tried, but might work for you if you wanted to gamble on it. This is supposed to help colored pencils that have been dropped and may have broken leads inside - and it's more effective on the Prismacolors and the waxier colored pencils, so it should work with the Spectracolors. You place your pencil in the microwave on high for 30 to 60 seconds. This is supposed to melt the wax inside. Then you place it in the freezer for several hours. After that - you're good to go. If you decide to try this, post a note to let everyone know if it helped, okay?

=)

Doug Banks · #9 08-06-2002, 05:17 PM

Thanks, Aspiring Artist, for the scoop on Design vs. Prismacolors. I know you already commented this in your previous post, but I wanted to see what everyone's thoughts were regarding how Design pencils preform compared to Prismacolors.

I don't know if I am going to take a chance and try the "microwave" suggestion; maybe I will try it with a color I don't use much in case it gets ruined. If I do, I will post the results. I have experienced the leads melting on me when I was drawing in the sun, but my pencil leads still "spin."

Doug Banks

dominican_girl · #10 03-14-2005, 11:42 AM

i am new t this site and although these comments were posted about 3 years ago i know where to find design spectracolor pencils if you re still interested!!

aspiring artist · #11 03-17-2005, 09:25 AM

YES! Dominican_Girl, I am still interested in finding DESIGN Spectracolor colored pencils! Any lead you may have would be very much appreciated! Thanks!

frida · #12 03-17-2005, 11:14 PM

An art supply store in Toronto has boxes of Spectracolor CP. I don't know if they are Design, and I am not familiar with their mail order system. I saw them there about a month ago... Many boxes!

http://www.studio-six.com/

Catkin · #13 03-18-2005, 04:24 AM

If you keep an eye on Ebay there are still some Spectracolor pencils up for auction from time to time.
Sharon

sharcol91 · #14 04-16-2007, 02:40 PM

I have some Spectracolor colored pencils from about 10 years ago. I loved them then and I still have about 12 of the light salmon and 12 of the salmon for the portraits, but last year I did a lightfast test with them and many others, but the Spectracolor weren't very good lightfast. I kept them in the window for a year and they faded pretty bad.....or should I say, ugly bad.

aspiring artist · #15 04-17-2007, 11:01 AM

Sharcol91 ~ Thank you for your post regarding the lightfastness (or lack thereof) of the DESIGN Spectracolor colored pencils. This throws a whole new light (pun intended) on the subject. Lightfastness is very important, especially when your art work goes out to the public ... we all want as much permanence as possible. Perhaps the reason these pencils were taken off the market is because of their failure to retain their color. Thanks again, I appreciate that you shared that information! I will no longer feel so driven to find more of these pencils now. Many of the colored pencil manufacturers are working hard to make their pencil color lightfast ... thanks to the dogged efforts of The Colored Pencil Society of America.

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