Studio Exploration: Colored Pencils
Test swatches of colored pencils: Prismacolor, Liqui-mark, Crayola
Prismacolor ☆☆☆☆☆
High School—Advanced classes
These pencils have great pigment, blend well together, and are better for large areas than small details since the core is very soft of the pencil. Very good for layering color as well, which allows students to experiment with pressure and value. For students who want a professional-looking finished work, these are great! These pencils teach how to push color in an artistic setting.
Price: These are very pricey; they can go for anywhere from $15 for a 12-pack to $85 for a 72-pack.
One thing they do not handle well is the need for careful sharpening; since they are soft, they are prone to breaking easily. Since these are very expensive for typical classroom experimenting and building up work, other brands may be best first. These require delicate use and familiarity.
The typical pack of colored pencils is non-toxic; however, packs that include the metallic colors could be something to look into more before including them in your art class materials!
Crayola ☆☆☆☆
PK-12 (excluding adv. classes)
Crayola is the easiest to use for a typical PK-12 classroom, in my opinion. These pencils are durable, pre-sharpened, and suitable for school projects. These pencils can teach all ages how to use colored pencils.
Price: These are very affordable, since a 12-pack is $3 and a 100-pack is around $25.
One thing they do not do well is that they do not blend well and are way less creamy/saturated, which dulls students' artwork. It is less suitable for highly detailed work since layering is difficult.
These pencils are safe and nontoxic; however, there should still be precautions in the classroom.
Liqui-Mark☆☆
Pk-5th grade
These pencils are a very good budget-friendly option. Blick describes them as standard hardwood pencils that are presharpened with hard, long-lasting lead. These pencils can teach students control and durability in application.
Price: These are also cheap, around $4 for a 12-pack, and for school bundles of 250 packs, they are around $40 on Amazon.
A few things these pencils do not do well are blending and pigment. These were the dullest pencils out of the three, and I would not recommend them unless you are having students make temporary sketches or artworks at a young age.
These pencils are non-toxic, and the only precautions, like Crayola, are standard precautions in the classroom, such as sharpening and breaking.
This is my final studio exploration piece. I used Prismacolor colored pencils, and this piece is around 5×7 on mixed-media paper.
