Colored Pencils That Made the Cut

Top tier on desktop: Museum Aquarelle, Prismacolor, Supracolor

Regular readers of this blog are well aware of the massive downsizing I went through for the better part of two years. The biggest category needing culling was art supplies in general and colored pencils in particular. Some materials I gave away could be seen in photos from last winter’s gab & grab. Eventually I showed the bookcases, drawers and cabinets containing some materials that made the cut. I never wrote specifically, though, about which colored pencils I kept.

Whenever I started thinking about a functional way to discuss which sets I kept and why, it started feeling like an onerous task. You know me – if you get me started talking about colored pencils and all the nuanced uses for one type rather than another (and therefore justifying why I need so many), I could go on for weeks! But since I already have reviews of most of these pencils, I decided that simple lists including links to the reviews would be the most concise. If you’d like more detail, please read the reviews. The pencil brands are not ranked within categories (in fact, I diplomatically listed them alphabetically).

Top drawer

The easy part was the long-time favorites (which I’ve labeled as “top tier” and “secondary tier”). The more difficult task was rationalizing (to myself) the many pencils I’ve kept without good reason! I suppose I must resort to revealing irrational whims. So be it. Interestingly, writing this post has helped me determine which will be the next to go.

I should also note that the only vintage pencils I include are ones that I consider “users.” With those exceptions, vintage pencils aren’t nearly as good to use as most contemporaries in my top and secondary tiers. Even among my vintage “collectibles,” I gave away quite a few sets. The ones I kept are for qualities that anyone who collects anything might appreciate: They are fun, beautiful, unique or otherwise “special.”

The way I manage my entire inventory now is the same way I manage my clothes (with a finite number of hangers): A finite space is allocated to each category (“users,” collectibles, vintage), and when each space is full, I am not allowed to bring in anything new unless I get rid of something already there. At the Black Friday gab & grab, I gave away a few sets with that in mind (yes, something new! Stay tuned!)

 Top Tier

These are my tried-and-true favorites that you’d have to pry from my cold, stiff hands. As I reach for them most often, some literally occupy the “top tier” of my drawing table – on the desktop or in the top drawer. Except Polychromos, all are among the softest colored pencils I own.

Caran d’Ache Museum Aquarelle

Caran d’Ache Supracolor Soft

Derwent Drawing

Derwent Inktense

Derwent Lightfast

Faber-Castell Polychromos

Prismacolor (vintage and contemporary)

 

Secondary Tier

I still think of these as favorites, but only for specific purposes. Luminance used to be in the top tier but only recently got pushed down to the secondary tier when I realized I don’t reach for them as often as I do Derwent Lightfast (which I place in the same range of softness).

Caran d’Ache Bicolors (various holiday limited edition sets)

Caran d’Ache Luminance

Eberhard Faber Design Watercolor (vintage)

Faber-Castell Albrecht Dürer

Holbein

Staedtler Karat Aquarell

Uni Pericia/Posca

 

Specialty

I don’t use these often, but I’ve found them to be best for their specific functions, so they were worth keeping.

Derwent Metallic 20^th anniversary set

Eberhard-Faber Design Spectracolor Doublecolor (vintage)

Koh-i-Noor Tri-Tone

 

Limited Editions or Otherwise “Collectible”

These I rarely use, but how can I let go of beautiful sets that are no longer available (or won’t be for long)?

Caran d’Ache limited edition sets (Oliver Jeffers, Cosmic Blue, Keith Haring, Germanier)

Caran d’Ache Museum Aquarelle leads

Palomino California Republic

Palomino California Republic Aquas

 

Irrational but Irresistible

These I rarely use, if ever, and yet I have sentimental or other irrational reasons for keeping them. The most irrational of all is that some come in fabulous packaging!

Blackwing Colors

Marco Tribute Masters Collection

Mitsubishi Uni

Tombow Irojiten

 

Probably Getting the Boot

I couldn’t quite bring myself to boot these yet, but given that I hardly use them (not even enough to review one) and can’t even think of an irrational reason for keeping them, they will probably not make the next cut.

Bruynzeel Design

Caran d’Ache Pablo

Caran d’Ache Prismalo 

Cretacolor Karmina

Derwent Coloursoft

Derwent Procolour

Schpirerr Farben

Irrational but decorative!