threeturn Posted December 3, 2011 Share Posted December 3, 2011 My 6.5yo daughter is an aspiring artist and I am looking to buy her some colored pencils for Christmas. Pencils are her favorite medium. Currently we are using Crayola and I would like for her to have something nicer so she can start learning to blend. Does anyone have any recommendations for quality colored pencils, but still durable and not too expensive because she has an almost 5 and a 2 yo brother. Also if anyone has a recommendation for a book that teaches colored pencil techniques for the young that would be great too. Thanks! Pam Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KungFuPanda Posted December 3, 2011 Share Posted December 3, 2011 I know this doesnt answer the question, but has she tried water color pencils? You draw with them like regular pencils, but you can smudge them with water. They're really neat and craft stores carry them. I never heard of them u til my daughter asked for them a few years ago. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted December 3, 2011 Share Posted December 3, 2011 Yes. You must buy Prismacolor pencils. There is no other colored pencil IMHO. They are expensive, but I consider them an investment that is well worth it. My children take care of them as fine art tools; I instilled that regard in them. I like to buy from Dick Blick art supplies online. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FlyingMOm Posted December 3, 2011 Share Posted December 3, 2011 We usually buy Faber-Castille (Barnes & Nobles carries them). Prismacolor is another good name. Art supply stores would def. have prismacolors. Agree w/ above poster- watercolor pencils are very cool! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heather R Posted December 3, 2011 Share Posted December 3, 2011 For that age, I like the Prismacolor Scholars. The regular Primacolors are very soft and break easily under a child's heavier touch. Also, if they roll off the table, the leads sometime break inside the wood. Very frustrating. Switching to the Scholars has eliminated much of the frustration, while still being much nicer to draw and color with. Heather Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tap Posted December 3, 2011 Share Posted December 3, 2011 Prismacolor.....the best/cheapest place to get them is Buy.com. They are shipped in a baggie, not the prismacolor tin, but for the price, you can beat it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mom2scouts Posted December 3, 2011 Share Posted December 3, 2011 I agree with the others that you should buy Prismacolor pencils. When I was in architecture school it is what every student used. I still have some of them many years later and they're still my favorite. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catz Posted December 3, 2011 Share Posted December 3, 2011 Definitely prismacolor! My kids got their first set as leftover from my college architecture class days and we've never gone back. They're fabulous. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HiddenJewel Posted December 3, 2011 Share Posted December 3, 2011 For that age, I like the Prismacolor Scholars. The regular Primacolors are very soft and break easily under a child's heavier touch. Also, if they roll off the table, the leads sometime break inside the wood. Very frustrating. Switching to the Scholars has eliminated much of the frustration, while still being much nicer to draw and color with. Heather This is good to know. There is no way I would buy regular Prismacolor if my 2yo was going to have access to them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HiddenJewel Posted December 3, 2011 Share Posted December 3, 2011 Prismacolor.....the best/cheapest place to get them is Buy.com. They are shipped in a baggie, not the prismacolor tin, but for the price, you can beat it. Thanks for the link. Wish I had known about this a month ago before I bought the tin of 48. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joannqn Posted December 3, 2011 Share Posted December 3, 2011 My older kids wouldn't color anything until I bought Prismacolors. I even let my 4 and 2 year olds use them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HSMom2One Posted December 3, 2011 Share Posted December 3, 2011 For that age, I like the Prismacolor Scholars. The regular Primacolors are very soft and break easily under a child's heavier touch. Also, if they roll off the table, the leads sometime break inside the wood. Very frustrating. Switching to the Scholars has eliminated much of the frustration, while still being much nicer to draw and color with. Heather As an artist and art teacher to over 100 students each year, I have to say I agree with heather R. For young children, Prismacolor Scholars and also Crayola brand colored pencils (or watercolor colored pencils) are the best choice. Once your student is mature enough to handle with care, then I also recommend Prismacolor. That is the brand I use in my own studio as well. Blessings, Lucinda Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sandy in Indy Posted December 3, 2011 Share Posted December 3, 2011 I bought my Prismacolor pencils on ebay. I think I paid around $30 for the 72 box. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted December 3, 2011 Share Posted December 3, 2011 A different vote here ... Lyra Ferby coloring pencils. You can see some if you scroll down on this page. A past thread you might find of interest: What brands of art supplies are best? Regards, Kareni Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pink Fairy Posted December 4, 2011 Share Posted December 4, 2011 I've used many different brands of colored pencils, and Prismas are great, but I think Lyra Giants are much better for the ages you listed. In my experience, the lead breaks too easily in Prismas. The Lyras last forever, and they are very soft, which makes it easy for kids to get strong color. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KungFuPanda Posted December 4, 2011 Share Posted December 4, 2011 As an artist and art teacher to over 100 students each year, I have to say I agree with heather R. For young children, Prismacolor Scholars and also Crayola brand colored pencils (or watercolor colored pencils) are the best choice. Once your student is mature enough to handle with care, then I also recommend Prismacolor. That is the brand I use in my own studio as well. Blessings, Lucinda Is that your own artwork next to your name? (Alright, I'm blanking on what the top picture is called . . . avatar? Icon? What?) The girl reading the book is lovely. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
threeturn Posted December 4, 2011 Author Share Posted December 4, 2011 Thanks everyone for the replies. I decided to go with the Prismacolor Scholars for now -- got a great deal. Also picked up blending pencils, a good sharpener, a new sketch pad and a roll case for the pencils so she can keep them separate than the ones the brothers use. Here's hoping she likes them. I am going to keep the info about the other pencils for the future. Thanks again, Pam Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mommy22alyns Posted December 4, 2011 Share Posted December 4, 2011 Prismacolors are the best! The girls have been using them since Rebecca was 5. They switched to colored pencils exclusively then. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1GirlTwinBoys Posted December 4, 2011 Share Posted December 4, 2011 These are really great pencils too. You can get them at Michael's and use a coupon. My kid's have these and Prisma. http://www.amazon.com/Koh-I-Noor-Progresso-Woodless-Colored-Pencils/dp/B004O7895I/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1322971031&sr=8-1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ForeverFamily Posted December 4, 2011 Share Posted December 4, 2011 I love prismacolor! The best thing you can do to help them last longer is to explain to your daughter that she should be careful not to let them fall, especially on to a hard surface as that can shatter the led inside. That is true with all colored pencils. That is what causes the pencil led to break over and over after you keep sharpening it. Other than that let her have at it. She will love them!!!!;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HSMom2One Posted December 4, 2011 Share Posted December 4, 2011 These are really great pencils too. You can get them at Michael's and use a coupon. My kid's have these and Prisma.http://www.amazon.com/Koh-I-Noor-Progresso-Woodless-Colored-Pencils/dp/B004O7895I/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1322971031&sr=8-1 I really like the way these pencils perform, but they are very fragile. We've used them in the classroom, mostly for K-3 aged students, for over a year now, but they break so easily that we'll never buy them again. Blessings, Lucinda Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HSMom2One Posted December 4, 2011 Share Posted December 4, 2011 Is that your own artwork next to your name? (Alright, I'm blanking on what the top picture is called . . . avatar? Icon? What?) The girl reading the book is lovely. No, it isn't. I really like it though, so I downloaded it from an avatar site. Reading good books is another passion of mine. :~) Blessings, Lucinda Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
momto2Cs Posted December 4, 2011 Share Posted December 4, 2011 For that age, I like the Prismacolor Scholars. The regular Primacolors are very soft and break easily under a child's heavier touch. Also, if they roll off the table, the leads sometime break inside the wood. Very frustrating. Switching to the Scholars has eliminated much of the frustration, while still being much nicer to draw and color with. Heather :iagree: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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