Vintage Sanford Karisma Aquarelle Pencils

 

Vintage Sanford Karisma Aquarelle colored pencils

As I mentioned in my post about vintage Berol Karismacolor pencils, one of my last remaining grails has been the watercolor version of those – Karisma Aquarelle Pencils. They pop up even less frequently than their non-soluble sisters, and their prices reflect their rarity. A full set of 36 that sold a few months ago went for US $320, and I’ve seen some sets go for higher than that. Such large sets are way out of my reach, and I’d never seen small sets – until I suddenly did!

The box, with the same water pattern, wears this sleeve.

An oddball set of 12 was at auction with three additional colors that the UK seller decided to throw in because they fit in the box. The starting bid was US $48, but I was certain I would be outbid beyond my maximum – until I wasn’t! In fact, I was the sole bidder!

Set of 12 + three more colors tossed in by the seller.

Like their non-soluble sisters, the Karisma Aquarelle pencils have the distinctive angled end cut. Interestingly, unlike the Karismacolors, they do not say “England” on the barrel. However, the back of the package does say “Sanford UK.” The Aquarelles have blue-painted, round barrels instead of natural wood. 

Since the Sanford name came after Berol, I do wonder if there was ever a Berol Karisma Aquarelle like the Karismacolors? Or was the Aquarelle line introduced after the name was changed to Sanford?

Distinctive angled end cut

Shown with non-soluble Karismacolors

The Aquarelles do not say "England" on the barrel.

According to the informative UK website Step by Step Art, which I consulted when I had first acquired the Karismacolors, the Berol Karisma Aquarelles came in 36 colors. We can assume they are the predecessor to the vintage US-made Sanford Prismacolor Watercolor Pencils and the contemporary Mexico-made Prismacolor Watercolor Pencils, both of which also come in 36 colors.

After swatching the 15 colors, I picked out several of the same colors from my Sanford Prismacolor set to see how well they matched. In hue, thickness, softness and pigment level, they are very similar. However, the Karismas were much less crumbly than the younger Sanfords.  

Vintage Sanford (mistakenly written as Berol) Karisma Aquarelles and successor Sanford Prismacolor watercolor pencils

For my test sketch of an Earthsworld model with fabulous hair, I used a Zorn palette of Crimson Red, Black and Yellow Ochre. Although less waxy, their softness and general “feel” are close to wax-based Prismacolors (both old and new). For spoiled me, who is used to Caran d’Ache Museum Aquarelles’ level of pigment intensity, the Karismas seem lacking. However, from a historical perspective (pre-Museum Aquarelle), they were likely welcome as one of few high quality (but not necessarily artist quality), soft, water-soluble colored pencils.

7/8/23 vintage Sanford Karisma Aquarelle pencils in Hahnemuhle sketchbook 
(Earthsworld reference photo)

Back in the day when they were both readily available (they went off the market in 2005), I can see how Karismacolors and Karisma Aquarelles would have made a nice pairing for artists who want matched sets of dry and water-soluble pencils with the same degree of softness. Unfortunately, with only 36 colors, the Karisma Aquarelles couldn’t match Karismacolor’s 129 colors. This is still true today – contemporary Prismacolors now come in a whopping 150 colors, but their neglected watercolor counterparts still come in only 36.

As much as colored pencil artists seem to favor Prismacolors (even in their inferior contemporary state), I don’t know why the Prismacolor brand has never put as much attention on its water-soluble line. I guess I should be grateful that both Caran d’Ache and Faber-Castell have produced artist quality collections that are just as wide for the watercolor pencils as for the non-soluble ones.

In any case, I’m happy to use these 15 colors and thrilled to finally check the Sanford Karisma Aquarelles off my grail list.

You thought I had exaggerated that hair, didn't you?