Desert Strawberry Posted July 20, 2014 Share Posted July 20, 2014 I'm stripping our art supplies down to a variety of paints and just colored pencils. What brand/type/style should I invest in? We have tried the usual brands offered at Wal-Mart, Target, teaching supply stores. We are not impressed. Should we an art supply store? Is there a specific brand or style I should look for? Is cost much greater? Is it worth it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ellie Posted July 20, 2014 Share Posted July 20, 2014 Berol Prismacolor. Yes, they cost more. Yes, they are worth every penny. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wildiris Posted July 20, 2014 Share Posted July 20, 2014 Lyra Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TarynB Posted July 20, 2014 Share Posted July 20, 2014 Yep, seconding Lyra. One of our best art purchases. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted July 20, 2014 Share Posted July 20, 2014 Yet another vote for Lyra pencils. My daughter began using Lyra Ferby pencils in 6th grade and took them all to college with her (and then brought them home each summer). Here is the Amazon link to a set of Lyra Ferby pencils. Regards, Kareni Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted July 20, 2014 Share Posted July 20, 2014 There are also Metallic and skin tone Ferby pencils. A good art supply store or catalog will also sell them by the piece so that you can add colors to your set. Regards, Kareni Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnIslandGirl Posted July 20, 2014 Share Posted July 20, 2014 http://www.dickblick.com/products/caran-dache-luminance-colored-pencils/ One of our favorite brands for colored pencils is Caran d'Ache's luminance line. I think they have great blending and smooth coverage. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
underthebridge Posted July 20, 2014 Share Posted July 20, 2014 Another vote for Lyra- we have the Giant Ferbys for little hands. ETA, for older and more careful children, I think Caran d'Ache series of colored pencils are so luxurious. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
underthebridge Posted July 20, 2014 Share Posted July 20, 2014 Cross post! Agree with post above re Caran d'Ache Luminance line and would also recommend the Pablo line. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MyLittleWonders Posted July 21, 2014 Share Posted July 21, 2014 I vote Prismacolor as well. Watch for sales at Micheal's (I think that is where I bought ours). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kreistetter Posted July 21, 2014 Share Posted July 21, 2014 We enjoy Primsacolor too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AdventuresinHomeschooling Posted July 21, 2014 Share Posted July 21, 2014 Prismacolor, but Michael's has a brand that is good called Artist's Loft that are less expensive for younger children. But they are not Prismacolor. I still have some of my Prismacolor from high school art. Love them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TrixieB Posted July 21, 2014 Share Posted July 21, 2014 One of my kids likes Koh-I-Noor woodless colored pencils. They come in sets of 12 and 24. I prefer Prismacolor. If you buy a set and use up one of the colors, you can buy individual replacements at an art store. Joann ETC and Michaels sell these pencils so you can save some $ with one of their coupons. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jenn&charles Posted July 21, 2014 Share Posted July 21, 2014 Another vote for Prismacolor. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mom2scouts Posted July 21, 2014 Share Posted July 21, 2014 I have a degree in an art related field and Prismacolor was the preferred colored pencil of everyone I knew. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prairiewindmomma Posted July 21, 2014 Share Posted July 21, 2014 Prismacolor or Lyra....kind of like the Honda or Toyota debate; it's a strong personal preference but either is fine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaderbee Posted July 21, 2014 Share Posted July 21, 2014 Has anyone used Ikea colored pencils? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Suzanne115 Posted July 21, 2014 Share Posted July 21, 2014 My daughter loves Prismacolor pencils. Her art teacher also recommends them. Suzanne Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mamamindy Posted July 21, 2014 Share Posted July 21, 2014 We have Prismacolor, but DD really loves the Prang pencils, and often chooses them over the former. ETA: the Prang are cheaper, therefore I like them better :) However, we use them for everything. I think it's okay to have other VERY nice ones for special art. My DD is very artistic and is coloring/drawing all the time though, so I like to have some not-so-expensive-but-much-nicer-than-crayola around. ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
In The Great White North Posted July 21, 2014 Share Posted July 21, 2014 Love Lyra pencils! They go on smoother and more brilliant than other pencils (which always seem somewhat scratchy and paler than Lyra). And they don't break, even with 1st graders. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thundersweet Posted July 21, 2014 Share Posted July 21, 2014 I like Lyra and Primsacolor. I LOVE Lyra but their pencils are thicker right? I haven't purchased them in years because we still have our Ferby's but if I remember correctly, they are on the thicker side. If you need a thin point, then Primsacolor would be a better fit. My daughter had to do an anatomy coloring book last year and her Ferby's would have been too thick. The Primsacolor were perfect because of the finer point. Edited to add that I just checked and Lyra does make a pencil similar to Primsacolor. I'll bet they are fabulous! Sandy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Desert Strawberry Posted July 21, 2014 Author Share Posted July 21, 2014 I have young ones. We have a lot of the cheapest still. No one loves them. I will keep those out for random scribbling. I will be trying Prismacolor, Lyra, and Prang. We don't need artist quality, but I would love something that is nicer than crayola. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thundersweet Posted July 21, 2014 Share Posted July 21, 2014 Strawberry, if you have little ones, you will love the Lyra Ferby's!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Desert Strawberry Posted July 21, 2014 Author Share Posted July 21, 2014 Yes, they are mainly for my 8 and 5 yos, though we will all use them. I had wanted to try Lyras years ago, but had forgotten all about them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zoobie Posted July 21, 2014 Share Posted July 21, 2014 I prefer the Lyra to my giant old set of Prismacolor. They seem softer and color more easily. Do colored pencils dry out? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted July 22, 2014 Share Posted July 22, 2014 I prefer the Lyra to my giant old set of Prismacolor. They seem softer and color more easily. Do colored pencils dry out? Our Lyra pencils have not dried out. Regards, Kareni Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hedgehogs4 Posted July 22, 2014 Share Posted July 22, 2014 Lyra...they do not break, color is rich, and they do not sharpen away quickly. Best colored pencils we've ever owned... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pitterpatter Posted July 28, 2014 Share Posted July 28, 2014 I'm looking to upgrade DD's colored pencils too. I have a huge set of Prismacolor that I get out for special occasions. Other than that, what count do you gals buy for youngers? My DD is seven. Also, is there a pencil sharpener you might recommend? We have a nice Bostitch pencil sharpener, but the warranty is voided if colored pencils are sharpened in it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pitterpatter Posted July 28, 2014 Share Posted July 28, 2014 Are these the same? Dixon owns both and the pencils look the same up close, except for the logo. I have a Staples Rewards that I would like to buy pencils/colored pencils with, but they don't carry Lyra. They have Prang, though. Does anyone even like the Grooves? Or, is it just the Ferbys that are all the rage? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
In The Great White North Posted July 28, 2014 Share Posted July 28, 2014 Interesting. When I googled Prang, it appears that Prang, Lyra and Ticonderoga are now owned by Fila (Italian company). I have only used Ferby's and bought them before the merger. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted July 28, 2014 Share Posted July 28, 2014 Are these the same? Dixon owns both and the pencils look the same up close, except for the logo.... How interesting! I hadn't known that Dixon had bought Lyra some years ago. I can't answer your question though as my familiarity is solely with the Ferby line. Regards, Kareni Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pitterpatter Posted July 28, 2014 Share Posted July 28, 2014 When I compare the two in the links below, the specs are exactly the same, except for the wording (which pretty much differs only in sentence structure). http://jddist.com/prang-groove-colored-pencilsDIX28124 http://jddist.com/lyra-groove-slim-colored-pencilsDIX2821240 ETA: When I Googled Prang, I got the Dixon site. I'm guessing the difference might be American versus international distributing. Kind of like Calico Critters is the American name for Sylvanian Families. The product lines differ as well. Interesting. When I googled Prang, it appears that Prang, Lyra and Ticonderoga are now owned by Fila (Italian company). I have only used Ferby's and bought them before the merger. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daffodil Posted July 28, 2014 Share Posted July 28, 2014 We use Lyra (the slim ones). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cheryl in CA Posted July 28, 2014 Share Posted July 28, 2014 I'm looking to upgrade DD's colored pencils too. I have a huge set of Prismacolor that I get out for special occasions. Other than that, what count do you gals buy for youngers? My DD is seven. Also, is there a pencil sharpener you might recommend? We have a nice Bostitch pencil sharpener, but the warranty is voided if colored pencils are sharpened in it. I recently purchased an iPoint pencil sharpener at Costco and like the point that it sharpens because it's shorter than the one I've had for years (it's longer, making it prone to breaking and seems like it wastes more of the pencil because it grinds away more at a time). I never had problems with sharpening colored pencils until we got some Crayola brand. They were horrible!! I don't know the quality of the color but the wood was much harder than my other pencils and colored pencils, and sharpening them stripped the gears on my pencil sharpener. I will not buy them again! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pitterpatter Posted July 28, 2014 Share Posted July 28, 2014 I think Fila actually owns them all. On the back of my Dixon Ticonderoga pencils and Prang chalk, it says Dixon and then "A Fila Company." I think Prang and Lyra Groove might be the same. I'm wondering whether some of the Lyra were re-branded as Prang to pull in American buyers. I know a lot of school supply lists specify Prang products now. The Groove colored pencils kind of have a cool factor to them, so I can see how some kids might want them to be different. And since they have the Prang name, they would be deemed acceptable by schools, I imagine. How interesting! I hadn't known that Dixon had bought Lyra some years ago. I can't answer your question though as my familiarity is solely with the Ferby line. Regards, Kareni Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SwallowTail Posted July 28, 2014 Share Posted July 28, 2014 I love Prismacolor, but I have a hard time wrapping my head around buying them for a child. We spent $120 buying my husband's set, and they were on sale (17 years ago....). Are Lyra less pricey? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sobeknofret Posted July 28, 2014 Share Posted July 28, 2014 Lyra all the way for us. I bought two packages last year to get us through the school year, but we still have a ways to go in the first package! I can't see us getting to the second any time in the near future. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
umsami Posted July 28, 2014 Share Posted July 28, 2014 When I used to do a lot of art, I preferred Prismacolor. I also really liked the Aquarelles by Faber-Castell (you can add water). Art stores are dangerous dangerous places for me… even clicking on the Dick Blick website can cause all these random things to jump into my cart. ;) I also suggest trying oil pastels. They are very fun to draw with. Don't forget nice paper. Right now, you can get sketch books with decent paper at Wal-Mart and Target because of back-to-school. Honestly, for me, it would depend on the age…artistic interest….as well as ability to take care of good materials. If I had doubts, I'd just pick up a nice 12 pack of Crayolas. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miss Innocent Posted July 28, 2014 Share Posted July 28, 2014 Lyra, definitely, for colouring and anything that needs coloured pencils, rather than 'art'. :) We've had ours ages, used them loads and they are still going strong... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FO4UR Posted July 28, 2014 Share Posted July 28, 2014 Steadtler Nice, rich color, & reinforced barrel so less breakage. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arcadia Posted July 28, 2014 Share Posted July 28, 2014 I love Prismacolor, but I have a hard time wrapping my head around buying them for a child. For a child, the 24 color set is a nice starter for $14. http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00006IEEU Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pitterpatter Posted July 28, 2014 Share Posted July 28, 2014 I was tempted, but the color palette isn't that great for a child, IMO. There isn't even a gray, only one brown, a ton of blues and is lacking in the red and pink department. http://www.prismacolor.com/products/colored-pencils/softcore-lead For a child, the 24 color set is a nice starter for $14.http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00006IEEU Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dmmetler Posted July 28, 2014 Share Posted July 28, 2014 I found a 12 pack of the woodless Prismacolor professionals for $6.99 at Michael's, clearanced from $29.99, and the 20% off the entire store coupon worked, too! I'm half tempted to keep them for myself. DH didn't understand why I was so thrilled to find them ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dmmetler Posted July 28, 2014 Share Posted July 28, 2014 I found a 12 pack of the woodless Prismacolor professionals for $6.99 at Michael's, clearanced from $29.99, and the 20% off the entire store coupon worked, too! I'm half tempted to keep them for myself. DH didn't understand why I was so thrilled to find them ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RootAnn Posted July 28, 2014 Share Posted July 28, 2014 I like how you posted this twice so I could double "like" it. :lol: Fabulous! I found a 12 pack of the woodless Prismacolor professionals for $6.99 at Michael's, clearanced from $29.99, and the 20% off the entire store coupon worked, too! I'm half tempted to keep them for myself. DH didn't understand why I was so thrilled to find them ;) I found a 12 pack of the woodless Prismacolor professionals for $6.99 at Michael's, clearanced from $29.99, and the 20% off the entire store coupon worked, too! I'm half tempted to keep them for myself. DH didn't understand why I was so thrilled to find them ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KAM Posted July 28, 2014 Share Posted July 28, 2014 We have always had Prismacolor and I stick with it because the only craft store in the area-Michaels- carries single pencils so I can replace as needed for cheap. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reader411 Posted July 29, 2014 Share Posted July 29, 2014 Berol Prismacolor. Yes, they cost more. Yes, they are worth every penny. :iagree: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted July 29, 2014 Share Posted July 29, 2014 Lyra Color Giants!!! dickBlick carries them as does Paper, Scissors, Stone Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pitterpatter Posted July 30, 2014 Share Posted July 30, 2014 I went ahead and ordered Prang Groove from Staples (so they would be free with my Reward). I think they are identical to Lyra Groove, as Hobby Lobby had both in the same slot when I looked at them in store yesterday. I received the ones I ordered yesterday afternoon. They aren't quite as creamy as Prismacolor, but better than Crayola. The 24-pack has a very good color palette. DD adores them. They are pre-sharpened, so I haven't sharpened any yet, but I am quite satisfied so far. Colors are bright. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mmasc Posted August 12, 2014 Share Posted August 12, 2014 Has anyone tried Stabilo? I'd like to hear more about them since they're quite pricey, but they look really good. All we have is Crayola, so I'm sure my crew will be excited with any of the above recommendations! :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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