Review on Faber-Castell Polychromos Artists' Color Pencils - Tin of 120 Colors by Gelin Battle

My rambling (but hopefully informative!) review: I'm mostly used to crayons (namely Derwent Coloursofts and Soft-Core Prismacolors crayons that were gifted to me by family/friends over ten years ago). My early attempts with the Faber-Castell Polychromos were not love at first sight. However, when I wanted to get more serious about colored pencils and buy my own supplies, the flimsy look of the new Prismacolors (apparently due to the cheaper/outsourced manufacturing process) bothered me, even after careful selection of open stock. Pencils with leads that are properly centered and limit vigorous use/points lest several inches of lead break off of them. Unfortunately, the only widely available pencil I could find that matched the prized qualities of my old Berol Prismacolors (Caran D'ache Luminance) was priced beyond my budget for a large set, ie the Polychromos (which is widely touted online as a reliable pencil became). ). , a high-quality professional artist's pencil) formed the bulk of my (then 25) colored pencil collection. at the beginning. First, applying and buffing the paper with paint is a much more gradual and laborious process (requires significantly more layers and strokes to achieve the same coverage as softer pencils). At the same time, however, each stroke yields a greater concentration of rich pigment, so carefully modulated pressure is important to get the desired consistency and fullness (although the paper prong will take many more layers over it if the first few touches were too light). . ). The biggest difficulty I had with polys was that I found that you can't blend them like wax-based pencils (i.e. use a pencil to press different colored wax pigments into each other. Friend). Instead, mixing colors with polygons in itself basically involves an iterative/alternative layering of colors (from very soft initially to progressively more complex applications) to combine them. Pressing too hard when trying to connect two different colors can sometimes result in noticeable dark/deep pigment streaks on clear/light colors (this is usually due to dark binder/pigment bits adhering to the lighter lead and are easily rubbed off or wiped off can become ). However, as my technique improved (with the help of Youtube and some other video tutorials!) I began to really appreciate the detail, depth and subtle effects these pens added to my work. Also, I've found that I can cover up most of the imperfections of polys by combining them with my remaining collection of Coloursofts and Prismas (fully miscible as all of their binders are oil and wax, albeit in different ratios). Polys are also good for mixing relatively smoothly with a variety of solvents (turpentine, unscented mineral spirits, rubbing alcohol, etc.), although I personally prefer to use non-toxic, non-fuming products (baby oil on a brush). ) and heard rave reviews of Brush & Pencil's reinvented non-toxic powder blender that specifically uses oil in crayons (for those who want their work to look as painterly as possible). One thing that hasn't changed Throughout my experience with the FC Polychromos, I was won over by their reliability and apparent build quality. The thick stems are comfortable to hold and inspire confidence, and everything I put on paper is consistently rich in pigment and vibrant color. The pencils that arrived in my box of 120 (when I finally made up my mind) were also in great shape and true to form. Literally the most finicky thing I could think of (aside from very slight pewter abrasion) is that some of the pencils were slightly blunted from their sharpest point from contact with the tin (but still funny, probably sharper still). as it is when most Prismacolors could stay!). There were also no duplicates in my set (which I take for granted but that seems to be a common issue with the other brand listed) and the barrel colors are actually the color you can get from them. As a little bonus, the crate still smells like California cedar two weeks after opening! The most common complaint I hear about Polychromos is that they are "very expensive", but I would say that (given the sheer amount of pigment/color you get from the lead and the overall durability of the pen) actually have great value - perhaps more color than you could achieve with an equal amount of Prismacolors. Sure, it's not a trivial initial investment, but (assuming you also invest in a lot of decent sheet paper), $23 for an a la carte pencil isn't crazy (and you can do a lot with 20 colors). If you buy one of the larger sets at Revain they currently average around $1,201.50 per pencil. The only area I've found where you don't get as much bang for your buck is in the lighter colors (yellow, white, cream, etc.), which on their own are a little disappointing. At best, they can slightly tint darker shades (while the opaque sheen of a wax crayon offers a much better highlighting material). All in all, the Polychromos is a reliable workhorse among pencils, with strong tips that are also suitable for finer, more detailed drawings. Works of art (and therefore, not surprisingly, the choice of many professional artists who create portraits, nature scenes and hyper-realistic drawings). However, they also require a lot of patience and eventually controlled uses to bring out their best qualities. Incidentally, these qualities also make them perfect for immersion in coloring books/projects (though sometimes I just like to practice shading and taking the time to create depth of color). They're a great product for people who know they have oil-based pencils in their collection and want bright (but lightfast) pigments. However, if you're just starting out with crayons, it's best to start with a few individual open-ended crayons or a small pack (along with a softer, wax-based crayon like Derwent Coloursoft). * Superior reliability and build quality * Ideal for the advanced artist wanting to work with fine detail/realism, or for colorists who like to take the time to carve out the depth of their colors * Holds up against some of the more expensive pen based oil colours on the market (e.g. Caran D'ache Pablos and Holbeins) * Excellent grip and ease of application * High hold and durability * Deep, luminous pigments (especially in darker shades) that match the color of the body * Excellent, responsive blending with almost all common solvents (baby oil, alcohol, mineral spirits, etc.) as well as some products specifically designed for colored pencils (especially Brush & Pencil's Powder Blender) or by the piece VS *Average sticker price which requires more upfront investment than lower tier brands *Bright colors are not immediately to stand out strongly on darker toned paper en * Not suitable as a stand alone product for beginners who want to get decent looking results quickly in their early short projects * are not easy to blend yourself (requires lots of layers in overlapping circular strokes)