150 color paper box-set Holbein colored pencil (japan import)

Product Information

The pencil is weighted well and feels good in the hand, with a glossy lacquered barrel making comfort and functionality paramount to the pencil. Holbein Artist Colored Pencil Sets The other tradeoff, when considered as an artist-grade pencil, is the relatively low lightfastness rating. Prismacolors are very affordable, so they may actually overperform on the lightfastness charts relative to cost, but if you are using these in final drawings just be aware: 59 out of 150 (39%) are rated the best Lightfast I, 26 colors (17%) are Lightfast II, and 65 colors (43%) are rated below museum grade at Lightfast III through V. For individual colors, this chart from Prismacolor details the Lightfastness rating. Holbein can be sharpened to a long fine point but be prepared for a little bit at the tip to fall off with the first strokes.

I do not normally use a blender in my work, so I have nothing to compare the Meltz Pencil Blender to, but I am impressed it does so well for something that is water based and not a solvent. I used it in a recent life drawing class alongside my other materials and was pleased with the result.Also, as mentioned above, they don’t do a very good job of blending, and more than a couple of layers on top of each other result in a bit of a mess. While this is an obvious tradeoff that you have to have when it comes to softer leads, there are better options out there for those who enjoy blending. The sets are quite large so you will have a lot of colors to choose from. This is particularly true in brighter colors such as yellows and purples. There is also an abundant supply of specialty colors such as Easter greens and pinks. While we don’t find a need for many of these colors in a typical art piece, they may be perfect for you.

Holbein offers about 18 browns and beiges which run from warm red browns to cool chocolate umbers. A nice selection. In terms of Lightfastness, 11 out of 36 are Lightfast I, 7 are Lightfast II, and the remaining 22 are rated below museum grade at Lightfast III through V. And even soft colored pencil people often add a few firm pencils to their projects. I may color the leaf with soft Derwent Lightfast pencils but then add fine veins with a firm Caran d’Ache Pablo. And I frequently use Pablos to crisp up the edge of something that’s looking mushy in Prismacolor. Staedtler Ergosoft are wax-based pencils with a distinctive plastic coating on the core made by Staedtler in Germany. The triangular pencils come in sets of 12, 24 or 36 with a distinctive plastic carrying case that can transform into a stand-up easel. They make a complete range of pinks and magentas plus a beautiful selection of reds with no overlaps or missing values.Holbeins are a soft-core pencil and the exposed core will break off if you drop the pencil onto a hard floor.