subject: What Artists' Pencil Should You Use? [print this page] The answer to this question is extremely important to professional artists and student artists all over the world. They, of course, know that one pencil will not work for every project. Experienced artists already know that the visual effects they are trying to achieve actually dictate what type of pencil they will have to use. Luckily, there is an art manufacturer who has perfected the making of these tools.
Prismacolor art supplies have been a favorite of professional artists since their origination by Berol in 1938. The products are now manufactured by Sanford (maker of Sharpies), but are still preferred by professionals and students alike. Prismacolor offers a wide array of color pencil products that can be used to create any effect an artist can dream of!
Here are a few tips on correct pencil choices:
If part of a project calls for clean edges, bolder outlines, and/or intricate details, then pencils with thin leads are called for. The extremely fine points are available with the Premier Verithin line.
When part of the project requires a smooth coverage with a wide array of colors, then Premier Soft Core pencils are the ticket. Long-lasting cores with soft leads are the best for blending and shading.
If the artist prefers rich, creamy leads without wood casing, then Premier Art Stix are the way to go. The soft core is completely exposed enabling the artist to lay it on thicker in a single stroke. The stix can be sharpened to a point or used bluntly.
To get the effect of watercolors, the artist can choose, Premier Watercolor pencils. These water-soluble color pencils can be used with a brush! The effect is perfect!
Prismacolor also makes a pencil designed especially for students. With Scholar pencil line, breakage is minimized by harder cores, but the pencils still offer blendability with smooth texture and creamy leads with rich pigments.
There are times when artists need to rework along the way. They should use pencils from the Col-Erase line. These pencils have a strong medium point and an eraser at the end. They are perfect for animating and illustrating.
The wax-based Colorless Blender Pencil can be used to blend and soften edges, helping the artist achieve the effect he or she wants without changing the color palette.
Prismacolor also offers a wide variety of other artists' tools: Charcoals, Pastels, Graphite and sketching pencils and accessories. Detailed product information and consumer reviews are available at berolprismacolorpencils.com.
