How to Find Retired Prismacolor Colors Lilac and Lavender and the Replacements

In 2022 all of the sudden word got out that Prismacolor was retired Lilac PC956 and Lavender PC934. The reason? They ran out of pigments to make the colors. This can happen often in supply chains. Look at what happened with the computer chip shortage over the past few years. This was a surprise to Prismacolor and they had to quickly come up with colors to replace Lilac and Lavender.

This blog post contains affiliate links.

I attended Creativation by Namta this past weekend and was able to see the new colors for myself. The colors are Orchid PC1105 and Amethyst PC1104. They are pretty close to the original colors. The lighting may be a bit different between the two images. I do not think the colored pencil world has anything to worry about. These will be available starting May 2023 individual stock and in packs replacing Lilac and Lavender.

Find swatch charts for 150 Prismacolor colored pencils and swatch charts for every Prismacolor pack. I will update with Amethyst and Orchid. Find sets and individual Prismacolor colored pencils on Blick.

But if someone does want Lilac and Lavender they can still be found in stores, though it is getting harder and harder to find them. Check out the Michaels website, OUT OF STOCK. This is pretty much the case for every store I looked at.

And if I was able to find the pencils I ordered them. I did this twice.

But was disappointed when the order got canceled or the pencils came and they were the wrong color. I got 12 Hot Pink Pencils.

I tried in store too and was only successful at Hobby Lobby. I did take the last 3 they had of each.

Lilac and Lavender can also be found in the pencil sets.

Lilac can be found in:

• 48 Count
• 72 Count
• 132 Count
• 150 Count 

Lavender can be found in:

• 132 Count
• 150 Count
• 12 Botanical Garden
• 24 Highlights and Shading
• 23 Manga Set
• Drawing and Shading Nature Drawing Set

But be careful. Look for a sticker on the back. They have replaced Lilac and Lavender in some cases already.

This is what the back should look like and look for the corresponding number ie PC934.

This 72 box was okay.

But this 48 count set did not contain Lilac.

I also found Lavender in the Drawing and Shading Nature Drawing set.

Here it is on the back.

In the 132 and 150 sets Prismacolor replaced Lilac and Lavender with a colorless blender and an extra white.

I hope this helps in finding Lilac and Lavender. And I can not wait to get my hands on the new pencils, Orchid and Amethyst.

Read More »

Prismacolor Colors Tournament

Do you know what the best Prismacolor colored pencil color is? Join me as I set up a tournament for Prismacolor to find the best colored pencil color. 

I am going to run a Prismacolor 150 Colored Pencil Color Tournament on Twitter, YouTube, Facebook and Instagram. What is a color tournament you ask? It is where we find the most popular colored pencil color. I will be doing a double elimination tournament where you can vote on twitter, YouTube or Instagram for the best color out of the two presented. I was going to do a single elimination, but I had people vote on Instagram and the double tournament won. The losers will be put in the loser bracket and once they lose there they are gone. The tournament will continue until there are only 2 colors left to crown the colored pencil winner! This will not happen overnight, but will be like a sports season for a few months. You can show up and vote early for your favorite or tune in when it comes down to the wire.

This blog post contains affiliate links.

If you love any of these colors or want the whole set check out Blick!

Check out the Crayola 120 Colors Tournament. 

I randomly chose these brackets in a YouTube Live. The voting has started and be every day except Sunday. Make sure to come vote for your favorite!

Some people have asked to submit the colors over email. Sign up here to get the Tournament Chart and email me the colors. 

Colors that are bolded with a * won their match.

Round 1 Prismacolor Color Tournament

Bracket 1 Peach, PC 939* Goldenrod, PC 1034 30 % French Grey, PC 1070 50 % Warm Grey, PC 1054* 10 % Warm Grey, PC 1050 Neon Yellow, PC 1035* Prussian Green, PC 109 Ultramarine, PC 902* Ginger Root, PC 1084 Black Grape, PC 996* Burnt Ochre, PC 943 Grey Green Light, PC 289* Blue Violet Lake, PC 1079* 20 % Cool Grey, PC 1060 Light Cerulean Blue, PC 904* Process Red, PC 994 Permanent Red, PC 122* True Green, PC 910 Beige Sienna, PC 1080* Dark Brown, PC 946 Sunburst Yellow, PC 917* Light Umber, PC 941 Raspberry, PC 1030 Periwinkle, PC 1025* Carmine Red, PC 926* Sepia, PC 948 Slate Grey, PC 936 Deco Pink, PC 1014* Jasmine, PC 1012* Green Ochre, PC 1091 Peach Beige, PC 1085* Limepeel, PC 1005 Yellow Ochre, PC 942* Cream, PC 914 Olive Green, PC 911 Cerulean Blue, PC 103*

Bracket 2 50 % Cool Grey, PC 1063 Deco Peach,  PC 1013* Beige, PC 997 Muted Turquoise, PC 1088* Pink, PC 929* Lemon Yellow, PC 915 Crimson Red, PC 924 Indigo Blue, PC 901* Non-Photo Blue, PC 919 90 % French Grey, PC 1076* Dark Umber, PC 947 Spring Green, PC 913* Black Cherry, PC 1078* Expresso, PC 1099 Indanthrone Blue, PC 208 Pink Rose, PC 1018* Powder Blue, PC 1087 Jade Green, PC 1021* 30 % Warm Grey, PC 1052 Lavender, PC 934* Cadmium Orange Hue, PC 118 Cobalt Turquoise, PC 105* Violet, PC 932* 90 % Cool Grey, PC 1067 Sap Green Light, PC 120 Aquamarine, PC 905* Electric Blue, PC 1040* Bronze, PC 1028 Pomegranate, PC 195* Hot Pink, PC 993 70 % Warm Grey, PC 1056 Parma Violet, PC 1008* Dark Green, PC 908* Sandbar Brown, PC 1094 Parrot Green, PC 1006* Apple Green, PC 912

Bracket 3 Clay Rose, PC 1017 Lilac, PC 956* Putty Beige, PC 1083* Scarlet Lake, PC 923 Mineral Orange, PC 1033 Dark Purple, PC 931* Sienna Brown, PC 945 Rosy Beige, PC 1019* Sand, PC 940 Chartreuse, PC 989* China Blue, PC 1100* 30 % Cool Grey, PC 1061 Blush Pink, PC 920* Artichoke, PC 1098 Pumpkin Orange, PC 1032* Moss Green, PC 1097 Cobalt Blue Hue, PC 133* 10 % Cool Grey, PC 1059 Mahogany Red, PC 1029* Marine Green, PC 988 Tuscan Red, PC 937 Mulberry, PC 995* Pale Vermilion, PC 921 Crimson Lake, PC 925* Light Peach, PC 927 Light Green, PC 920* Mediterranean Blue, PC 1022* Greyed Lavender, PC 1026 Neon Pink, PC 1035* Nectar, PC 1092 Neon Orange, PC 1036 Yellowed Orange, PC 1002* 90 % Warm Grey, PC 1058 Terra Cotta, PC 944* Henna, PC 1031 Black Raspberry, PC 1095*

Bracket 4 Grass Green, PC 909* Deco Yellow, PC 1011 Kelp Green, PC 1090* 20 % Warm Grey, PC 1051 Seashell Pink, PC 1093* 20 % French Grey, PC 1069 10 % French Grey, PC 1068 Sky Blue Light, PC 1086* Celadon Green, PC 1020 Cloud Blue, PC 1023* Light Aqua, PC 992* Violet Blue, PC 933 Poppy Red, PC 922 Imperial Violet, PC 1007* White, PC 938 Black, PC 935* 70 % French Grey, PC 1074 Chestnut, PC 1081* Kelly Green, PC 1096* Silver, PC 949 Pale Sage, PC 1089* 50 % French Grey, PC 1072 Spanish Orange, PC 1003* Denim Blue, PC 1101 Orange, PC 918* Yellow Chartreuse, PC 1004 Copenhagen Blue, PC 906* Blue Lake, PC 1102 Dioxazine Purple Hue, PC 132* Peacock Blue, PC 1027 Metallic Gold, PC 950 True Blue, PC 903* Dahlia Purple, PC 1009* Canary Yellow, PC 916 Magenta, PC 930* Salmon Pink, PC 1001

Bracket 5 70 % Cool Grey, PC 1065 Peacock Green, PC 907* Caribbean Sea, PC 1103* Eggshell, PC 140 Blue Slate, PC 1024* Chocolate, PC 1082

Round 2 Prismacolor Color Tournament

Bracket 1 Peach, PC 939* 50 % Warm Grey, PC 1054 Neon Yellow, PC 1035 Ultramarine, PC 902* Black Grape, PC 996* Grey Green Light, PC 289 Blue Violet Lake, PC 1079* Light Cerulean Blue, PC 904 Permanent Red, PC 122* Beige Sienna, PC 1080 Sunburst Yellow, PC 917 Periwinkle, PC 1025* Carmine Red, PC 926 Deco Pink, PC 1014* Jasmine, PC 1012* Peach Beige, PC 1085 Yellow Ochre, PC 942 Cerulean Blue, PC 103*

Bracket 2 Deco Peach,  PC 1013 Muted Turquoise, PC 1088* Pink, PC 929 Indigo Blue, PC 901* Non-Photo Blue, PC 919* Spring Green, PC 913 Black Cherry, PC 1078* Pink Rose, PC 1018 Jade Green, PC 1021 Lavender, PC 934* Cobalt Turquoise, PC 105 Violet, PC 932* Aquamarine, PC 905* Electric Blue, PC 1040 Pomegranate, PC 195* Parma Violet, PC 1008 Dark Green, PC 908* Parrot Green, PC 1006

Bracket 3 Lilac, PC 956* Putty Beige, PC 1083 Dark Purple, PC 931* Rosy Beige, PC 1019 Chartreuse, PC 989 China Blue, PC 1100* Blush Pink, PC 920 Pumpkin Orange, PC 1032* Cobalt Blue Hue, PC 133* Mahogany Red, PC 1029 Mulberry, PC 995* Crimson Lake, PC 925 Light Green, PC 920 Mediterranean Blue, PC 1022* Neon Pink, PC 1035* Yellowed Orange, PC 1002 Terra Cotta, PC 944 Black Raspberry, PC 1095*

Bracket 4 Grass Green, PC 909* Kelp Green, PC 1090 Seashell Pink, PC 1093 Sky Blue Light, PC 1086* Cloud Blue, PC 1023* Light Aqua, PC 992 Imperial Violet, PC 1007* Black, PC 935 Chestnut, PC 1081 Kelly Green, PC 1096* Pale Sage, PC 1089 Spanish Orange, PC 1003* Orange, PC 918 Copenhagen Blue, PC 906* Dioxazine Purple Hue, PC 132* True Blue, PC 903 Dahlia Purple, PC 1009* Magenta, PC 930

Bracket 5 Peacock Green, PC 907 Caribbean Sea, PC 1103* Blue Slate, PC 1024

Round 2 Prismacolor Color Tournament

 Loser Bracket

Bracket 1 Goldenrod, PC 1034* 30 % French Grey, PC 1070 10 % Warm Grey, PC 1050 Prussian Green, PC 109* Ginger Root, PC 1084* Burnt Ochre, PC 943 20 % Cool Grey, PC 1060 Process Red, PC 994* Dark Brown, PC 946 True Green, PC 910* Light Umber, PC 941 Raspberry, PC 1030* Sepia, PC 948 Slate Grey, PC 936* Green Ochre, PC 1091 Limepeel, PC 1005* Cream, PC 914 Olive Green, PC 911*

Bracket 2 50 % Cool Grey, PC 1063* Beige, PC 997 Lemon Yellow, PC 915* Crimson Red, PC 924 90 % French Grey, PC 1076 Dark Umber, PC 947* Expresso, PC 1099 Indanthrone Blue, PC 208* Powder Blue, PC 1087* 30 % Warm Grey, PC 1052 Cadmium Orange Hue, PC 118* 90 % Cool Grey, PC 1067 Sap Green Light, PC 120 Bronze, PC 1028 Hot Pink, PC 993* 70 % Warm Grey, PC 1056 Sandbar Brown, PC 1094 Apple Green, PC 912*

Bracket 3 Clay Rose, PC 1017 Scarlet Lake, PC 923 Mineral Orange, PC 1033* Sienna Brown, PC 945 Sand, PC 940* 30 % Cool Grey, PC 1061 Artichoke, PC 1098 Moss Green, PC 1097* 10 % Cool Grey, PC 1059 Marine Green, PC 988* Tuscan Red, PC 937* Pale Vermilion, PC 921 Light Peach, PC 927 Greyed Lavender, PC 1026* Nectar, PC 1092* Neon Orange, PC 1036 90 % Warm Grey, PC 1058 Henna, PC 1031*

Bracket 4 Deco Yellow, PC 1011* 20 % Warm Grey, PC 1051 20 % French Grey, PC 1069* 10 % French Grey, PC 1068 Celadon Green, PC 1020 Violet Blue, PC 933* Poppy Red, PC 922* White, PC 938 70 % French Grey, PC 1074* Silver, PC 949 50 % French Grey, PC 1072 Denim Blue, PC 1101* Yellow Chartreuse, PC 1004 Blue Lake, PC 1102* Peacock Blue, PC 1027* Metallic Gold, PC 950 Canary Yellow, PC 916 Salmon Pink, PC 1001*

Bracket 5 70 % Cool Grey, PC 1065 Eggshell, PC 140* Chocolate, PC 1082

Round 3 Prismacolor Color Tournament

Bracket 1 Peach, PC 939 Ultramarine, PC 902* Black Grape, PC 996 Blue Violet Lake, PC* 1079 Permanent Red, PC 122 Periwinkle, PC 1025* Deco Pink, PC 1014* Jasmine, PC 1012 Cerulean Blue, PC 103 Dark Green, PC 908*

Bracket 2 Muted Turquoise, PC 1088* Indigo Blue, PC 901 Non-Photo Blue, PC 919 Black Cherry, PC 1078* Lavender, PC 934* Violet, PC 932 Aquamarine, PC 905* Pomegranate, PC 195 Caribbean Sea, PC 1103* Blue Slate, PC 1024

Bracket 3 Lilac, PC 956* Dark Purple, PC 931 China Blue, PC 1100 Pumpkin Orange, PC 1032 Cobalt Blue Hue, PC 133* Mulberry, PC 995 Mediterranean Blue, PC 1022* Neon Pink, PC 1035 Black Raspberry, PC 1095* Dahlia Purple, PC 1009

Bracket 4 Grass Green, PC 909* Sky Blue Light, PC 1086 Cloud Blue, PC 1023* Imperial Violet, PC 1007 Kelly Green, PC 1096 Spanish Orange, PC 1003* Copenhagen Blue, PC 906* Dioxazine Purple Hue, PC 132

Round 3 Prismacolor Color Tournament

 Loser Bracket

Bracket 1 Goldenrod, PC 1034 Kelp Green, PC 1090* Prussian Green, PC 109 Seashell Pink, PC 1093* Ginger Root, PC 1084 Light Aqua, PC 992* Process Red, PC 994* Black, PC 935 True Green, PC 910* Chestnut, PC 1081 Pale Sage, PC 1089 Raspberry, PC 1030* Orange, PC 918 Slate Grey, PC 936* True Blue, PC 903* Limepeel, PC 1005 Magenta, PC 930* Olive Green, PC 911

Bracket 2 50 % Cool Grey, PC 1063 Terra Cotta, PC 944* Lemon Yellow, PC 915* Yellowed Orange, PC 1002 Light Green, PC 920* Dark Umber, PC 947 Crimson Lake, PC 925* Indanthrone Blue, PC 208 Powder Blue, PC 1087* Mahogany Red, PC 1029 Cadmium Orange Hue, PC 118 Blush Pink, PC 920* Chartreuse, PC 989 Sap Green Light, PC 120* Hot Pink, PC 993* Rosy Beige, PC 1019 Apple Green, PC 912* Putty Beige, PC 1083

Bracket 3 Scarlet Lake, PC 923 Deco Peach,  PC 1013* Mineral Orange, PC 1033* Pink, PC 929 Sand, PC 940* Spring Green, PC 913 Moss Green, PC 1097 Pink Rose, PC 1018* Jade Green, PC 1021* Marine Green, PC 988 Tuscan Red, PC 937* Mahogany Red, PC 1029 Cobalt Turquoise, PC 105* Greyed Lavender, PC 1026 Nectar, PC 1092 Parma Violet, PC 1008* Parrot Green, PC 1006* Henna, PC 1031

Bracket 4 Deco Yellow, PC 1011* 50 % Warm Grey, PC 1054 20 % French Grey, PC 1069 Neon Yellow, PC 1035* Grey Green Light, PC 289 Violet Blue, PC 933* Poppy Red, PC 922 Light Cerulean Blue, PC 904* 70 % French Grey, PC 1074 Beige Sienna, PC 1080* Sunburst Yellow, PC 917 Denim Blue, PC 1101* Blue Lake, PC 1102* Carmine Red, PC 926 Peacock Blue, PC 1027* Peach Beige, PC 1085 Yellow Ochre, PC 942 Salmon Pink, PC 1001*

Bracket 5 Peacock Green, PC 907* Eggshell, PC 140 Chocolate, PC 1082

Round 3.5 Prismacolor Color Tournament

 Loser Bracket

Bracket 1 Kelp Green, PC 1090 Seashell Pink, PC 1093* Light Aqua, PC 992* Process Red, PC 994 True Green, PC 910 Raspberry, PC 1030* Slate Grey, PC 936 True Blue, PC 903* Magenta, PC 930* Apple Green, PC 912

Bracket 2 Terra Cotta, PC 944 Lemon Yellow, PC 915* Light Green, PC 920* Crimson Lake, PC 925 Powder Blue, PC 1087 Blush Pink, PC 920* Sap Green Light, PC 120 Hot Pink, PC 993*

Bracket 3 Deco Peach,  PC 1013* Mineral Orange, PC 1033 Spring Green, PC 913* Pink Rose, PC 1018 Jade Green, PC 1021* Tuscan Red, PC 937 Cobalt Turquoise, PC 105* Parma Violet, PC 1008 Parrot Green, PC 1006* Salmon Pink, PC 1001

Bracket 4 Deco Yellow, PC 1011* Neon Yellow, PC 1035 Violet Blue, PC 933* Light Cerulean Blue, PC 904 Beige Sienna, PC 1080 Denim Blue, PC 1101* Blue Lake, PC 1102 Peacock Blue, PC 1027*

Bracket 5 Peacock Green, PC 907 Chocolate, PC 1082*

Round 4 Prismacolor Color Tournament

Bracket 1 Ultramarine, PC 902* Blue Violet Lake, PC 1079 Periwinkle, PC 1025* Deco Pink, PC 1014

Bracket 2 Muted Turquoise, PC 1088* Black Cherry, PC 1078 Lavender, PC 934* Aquamarine, PC 905

Bracket 3 Lilac, PC 956* China Blue, PC 1100 Cobalt Blue Hue, PC 133* Mediterranean Blue, PC 1022

Bracket 4 Grass Green, PC 909* Cloud Blue, PC 1023 Spanish Orange, PC 1003* Copenhagen Blue, PC 906

Bracket 4 Dark Green, PC 908 Caribbean Sea, PC 1103* Black Raspberry, PC 1095 bye week

Round 4 Prismacolor Color Tournament

 Loser Bracket

Bracket 1 Seashell Pink, PC 1093 Peach, PC 939* Light Aqua, PC 992* Black Grape, PC 996 Raspberry, PC 1030* Permanent Red, PC 122 True Blue, PC 903* Jasmine, PC 1012

Bracket 2 Lemon Yellow, PC 915 Indigo Blue, PC 901* Light Green, PC 920* Non-Photo Blue, PC 919 Blush Pink, PC 920 Violet, PC 932* Hot Pink, PC 993 Pomegranate, PC 195*

Bracket 3 Deco Peach,  PC 1013 Dark Purple, PC 931* Spring Green, PC 913* Pumpkin Orange, PC 1032 Jade Green, PC 1021 Mulberry, PC 995* Cobalt Turquoise, PC 105* Neon Pink, PC 1035

Bracket 4 Deco Yellow, PC 1011 Sky Blue Light, PC 1086* Violet Blue, PC 933 Imperial Violet, PC 1007* Denim Blue, PC 1101* Kelly Green, PC 1096 Peacock Blue, PC 1027* Dioxazine Purple Hue, PC 132

Bracket 5 Chocolate, PC 1082 Blue Slate, PC 1024* Dahlia Purple, PC 1009* Parrot Green, PC 1006 Magenta, PC 930 Cerulean Blue, PC 103*

Round 5 Prismacolor Color Tournament

Bracket 1 Ultramarine, PC 902 Periwinkle, PC 1025

Bracket 2 Muted Turquoise, PC 1088 Lavender, PC 934

Bracket 3 Lilac, PC 956 Cobalt Blue Hue, PC 133

Bracket 4 Grass Green, PC 909 Spanish Orange, PC 1003

Bracket 4 Caribbean Sea, PC 1103 Black Raspberry, PC 1095 bye week

Round 5 Prismacolor Color Tournament Loser Bracket

Bracket 1 China Blue, PC 1100 Light Aqua, PC 992 Aquamarine, PC 905 True Blue, PC 903

Bracket 2 Indigo Blue, PC 901 Bye Round Black Cherry, PC 1078 Pomegranate, PC 195

Bracket 3 Dark Purple, PC 931 Mediterranean Blue, PC 1022 Cloud Blue, PC 1023 Cobalt Turquoise, PC 105

Bracket 4 Copenhagen Blue, PC 906 Imperial Violet, PC 1007 Denim Blue, PC 1101 Dark Green, PC 908

Bracket 5 Blue Slate, PC 1024 Deco Pink, PC 1014 Blue Violet Lake, PC 1079 Cerulean Blue, PC 103

Read More »

10 Ways to Blend Colored Pencils with 7 Different Colored Pencils

Colored Pencil Blending...it was something I wanted to do a deep dive into, I even bought all the supplies for it a year ago, but never got around to it. But in the beginning of 2022 I knew I wanted to give it a go. I created a chart, grabbed all the colored pencils I wanted to try and pulled out all of the different blenders I had collected. The results I found were super interesting.

This blog post contains affiliate links.

10 Different Ways to Blend

10 Different ways of blending colored pencils include:

• Layering
• Burnishing
• Burnishing with a White Colored Pencils
• Caran d'ache Full Blender
• Lyra Splender
• Prismacolor Colorless Blender
• Finese Pen
• Meltz from Holbein
• Baby Oil
• Colored Pencil Powder

Wax Vs Oil Based Colored pencils

The different colored pencils will blend differently because the colored pencils are comprised of different materials. A colored pencil can either be wax or oil based. 

Wax based colored pencils use wax to bind with the pigment and then are encased in wood. They are generally softer than oil based colored pencils and blend really well if the wax is high quality. This also means the wax based colored pencils will break more easily. Wax based colored pencils are also more prone to blooming, ie when the wax comes out of the pencil and appears as a white film on the colored pencil lead. 

Oil based colored pencils use oil to bind with the pigment of the colored pencil and are also encased in wood. Oil based pencils are usually the more professional art supply because they create a more polished look than the wax based colored pencils.

It seems to be a secret which colored pencils are wax based and which are oil based. It is not directly advertised on the packaging.

For the colored pencils I used in this experiment the following pencils were wax based: 

• Crayola
• Prismacolor Premier
• Faber-Castell Goldfaber

The following pencils were oil based:

• Lyra Rembrandt Polycolor
• Holbein
• Derwent Lightfast
• Faber-Castell Polychromos

10 Blending Methods Explained and Tested

Here are the results with each method explained. I tested these all on Neenah Bristol Cardstock, which is not super toothy but enough so to really get the pigments out of these pencils. The results vary depending on how well the blender was able to mix with the colored pencils. I will warn that using anything other than the blending methods provided by a company may reduce the lightfastness of the colored pencils.

To see me testing each method watch the YouTube video or scroll on to see the results.

Each of these blending methods produces different results and more than one can be used in a drawing or coloring piece.

Layering is putting down one light color at a time. It is the basis for all of the methods below. There is no pushing hard in this method.

Burnishing starts by layering each colored pencil lightly and then at the very end pushing down really hard with each color on the final layers. The colors become very saturated and dark.

Burnishing with white starts with the layering method and then instead of burnishing with the original colors a white pencil is used. This creates a pastel blend. A lighter color other than white such as gray or another lighter base color could be used also with this method.

The next three blending methods use a colorless blender approach. The colorless blender is applied like a pencil and blends the colored pencil by mixing and unifying colors together. Some colored pencils are easier to blend than others, but for the most part the Caran d'ache did the best job.

Caran d'ache full blender blending starts with the layering method and then uses a colorless blender over the original pigments to bring out the pigments, fill in the white spaces and mix the colors together. This results in a blend that is lighter than the burnishing method, but still very saturated. The Caran d'ache blender was my favorite blender stick or pencil to use. It is not encased in wood, but can be sharpened like a pencil. I have researched and it also comes in a pencil form or just as a full stick. It does say in the product description that the blender will improve lightfastness.

Lyra Splender blending starts with the layering method and then uses a colorless blender to bring out the pigments, fill in the white spaces and mix the colors together. I found that this method left a lot of flakes on my drawing.

Prismacolor Colorless Blender blending starts with the layering method and then uses a colorless blender to bring out the pigments, fill in the white spaces and mix the colors together. This method was most similary to the Lyra Splender. It left a lot of flakes behind and was not as smooth.

Finese Pen blending is basically blending with an alcohol based marker that is packaged as a blending pen. Any alcohol based marker will do. The method starts the same with the layering step and then the finese blending pen lays down alcohol onto the drawing. It blends the colors together as the alcohol binds with colored pencil solution.

Meltz from Holbein Colored Pencil Blender is a blender intended for use with oil-based colored pencils. It is best applied with a brush and crates a watercolor effect for colored oil-based colored pencils. I used this on different colored pencils with various results. It worked best on Holbein Colored Pencils and Polychromos colored pencils. The Meltz comes with a warning not to inhale but does have the AP symbol on it meaning it is safe to use.

Baby Oil can be used with a brush or q-tip over colored pencils to blend colors together and create a watercolor effect with colored pencils. I initially tried this method because Polychromos suggested it in their packaging. I almost did not do it because I did not have any baby oil on hand. The baby oil blending method for blending colored pencils worked better than the Holbein Meltz did. And I liked it too because there were not any unknown chemicals I was putting down on the paper.

Brush and Pencil Colored Pencil Powder is a powder that is preapplied to a surface in order to achieve a blend. It is very messy and a method I would not recommend because there are plenty of other methods that produce easier results with less mess. It is hard to control where the powder goes and may land in places blender is not wanted. I am glad I tried it, but I will not use it often.

Results

All the blending methods produced different results depending on the colored pencil used. The pencils that performed the best for blending in my opinion were the Faber-Castell Polychromos colored pencils. The ones that performed the worst were the Faber-Castell Goldfaber colored pencils. The Crayola blended a lot easier than the Goldfaber. Prismacolor Premier colored pencils performed the best of the wax based colored pencils.

Read More »

150 Prismacolor Premier Soft Core Colored Pencils

My husband is always talking about how amazing Prismacolor colored pencils are. He has a set of 24 he bought years ago. Why are Prismacolor colored pencils so good? They have superior lay down characteristics, blending capabilities, shading characteristics and come in rich saturated colors.  I decided I wanted to put them on my website, but why just put on the 24 pack when I could get the 150 set? I scoured the internet and found the Dick Blick Art Materials website. I had never seen it before. They had everything and really good prices. The best part is they were listed as a official vendor on the Prismacolor website. I decided to give the website a try. They came super fast.

This blog post contains affiliate links.

This is a swatch chart for all the colors. Click here to sign up to get that chart. 

Click here to find on Dick Blick Art Materials.

First off I love the box. It comes in a long box with a magnetic lid! This means it will not open up and have pencils spill out everywhere, which happens quite often. The pencils are in trays in individual spots. They come presorted in color order. There are six total trays. The back of the box feature all the color numbers with swatches. I did a YouTube video of all the colors. There is also a swatch chart for all the colors. Click here to sign up to get that chart. 

Click here to find on Dick Blick Art Materials.

Color Information
Here are all the colors in the box. Each pencil contains a color name and a color number.
What's inside the box: 
10 % Cool Grey (PC 1059), 10 % French Grey (PC 1068), 10 % Warm Grey (PC 1050), 20 % Cool Grey (PC 1060), 20 % French Grey (PC 1069), 20 % Warm Grey (PC 1051), 30 % Cool Grey (PC 1061), 30 % French Grey (PC 1070), 30 % Warm Grey (PC 1052), 50 % Cool Grey (PC 1063), 50 % French Grey (PC 1072), 50 % Warm Grey (PC 1054), 70 % Cool Grey (PC 1065), 70 % French Grey (PC 1074), 70 % Warm Grey (PC 1056), 90 % Cool Grey (PC 1067), 90 % French Grey (PC 1076), 90 % Warm Grey (PC 1058), Apple Green (PC 912), Aquamarine (PC 905), Artichoke (PC 1098), Beige (PC 997), Beige Sienna (PC 1080), Black (PC 935), Black Cherry (PC 1078), Black Grape (PC 996), Black Raspberry (PC 1095), Blue Lake (PC 1102), Blue Slate (PC 1024), Blue Violet Lake (PC 1079), Blush Pink (PC 920), Bronze (PC 1028), Burnt Ochre (PC 943), Cadmium Orange Hue (PC 118), Canary Yellow (PC 916), Caribbean Sea (PC 1103), Carmine Red (PC 926), Celadon Green (PC 1020), Cerulean Blue (PC 103), Chartreuse (PC 989), Chestnut (PC 1081), China Blue (PC 1100), Chocolate (PC 1082), Clay Rose (PC 1017), Cloud Blue (PC 1023), Cobalt Blue Hue (PC 133), Cobalt Turquoise (PC 105), Copenhagen Blue (PC 906), Cream (PC 914), Crimson Lake (PC 925), Crimson Red (PC 924), Dahlia Purple (PC 1009), Dark Brown (PC 946), Dark Green (PC 908), Dark Purple (PC 931), Dark Umber (PC 947), Deco Peach (PC 1013), Deco Pink (PC 1014), Deco Yellow (PC 1011), Denim Blue (PC 1101), Dioxazine Purple Hue (PC 132), Eggshell (PC 140), Electric Blue (PC 1040), Expresso (PC 1099), Ginger Root (PC 1084), Goldenrod (PC 1034), Grass Green (PC 909), Green Ocre (PC 1091), Grey Green Light (PC 289), Greyed Lavender (PC 1026), Henna (PC 1031), Hot Pink (PC 993), Imperial Violet (PC 1007), Indanthrone Blue (PC 208), Indigo Blue (PC 901), Jade Green (PC 1021), Jasmine (PC 1012), Kelly Green (PC 1096), Kelp Green (PC 1090), Lavender (PC 934), Lemon Yellow (PC 915), Light Aqua (PC 992), Light Cerulean Blue (PC 904), Light Green (PC 920), Light Peach (PC 927), Light Umber (PC 941), Lilac (PC 956), Limepeel (PC 1005), Magenta (PC 930), Mahogany Red (PC 1029), Marine Green (PC 988), Mediterranean Blue (PC 1022), Metallic Gold (PC 950), Mineral Orange (PC 1033), Moss Green (PC 1097), Mulberry (PC 995), Muted Turquoise (PC 1088), Nectar (PC 1092), Neon Orange (PC 1036), Neon Pink (PC 1035), Neon Yellow (PC 1035), Non-Photo Blue (PC 919), Olive Green (PC 911), Orange (PC 918), Pale Sage (PC 1089), Pale Vermilion (PC 921), Parma Violet (PC 1008), Parrot Green (PC 1006), Peach (PC 939), Peach Beige (PC 1085), Peacock Blue (PC 1027), Peacock Green (PC 907), Permanent Red (PC 122), Periwinkle (PC 1025), Pink (PC 929), Pink Rose (PC 1018), Pomegranate (PC 195), Poppy Red (PC 922), Powder Blue (PC 1087), Process Red (PC 994), Pumpkin Orange (PC 1032), Putty Beige (PC 1083), Raspberry (PC 1030), Rosy Beige (PC 1019), Prussian Green (PC 109), Salmon Pink (PC 1001), Sand (PC 940), Sandbar Brown (PC 1094), Sap Green Light (PC 120), Scarlet Lake (PC 923), Seashell Pink (PC 1093), Sepia (PC 948), Sienna Brown (PC 945), Silver (PC 949), Sky Blue Light (PC 1086), Slate Grey (PC 936), Spanish Orange (PC 1003), Spring Green (PC 913), Sunburst Yellow (PC 917), Terra Cotta (PC 944), True Blue (PC 903), True Green (PC 910), Tuscan Red (PC 937), Ultramarine (PC 902), Violet (PC 932), Violet Blue (PC 933), White (PC 938), Yellow Chartreuse (PC 1004), Yellow Ochre (PC 942), Yellowed Orange (PC 1002), 0
Where to buy: Dick Blick Art Materials has the best price and is an authorized dealer

Part of the really neat thing about professional pencils is the blending capabilities. I created this fun chart to show how to make 144 colors with just 12 Prismacolor Colored Pencils. Click here to get this chart.

Collecting Information
This would be a great set to collect because there is one of every color in this set.
Boxes: 150 Prismacolor Premier Colored Pencils
Year: 2018
Purchase Information: Dick Blick Art Materials
Where to buy: Dick Blick Art Materials has the best price and is an authorized dealer
Part Number: 2068530
UPC: 070735003843
Manufacturing Location: Mexico

Read More »