Premier Colored Pencils, Soft Core, Assorted Colors, 72 Count - Durable, Vibrant, Ultra-Smooth, Adult Coloring, Drawing, Sketching, Arts & Crafts

I can't compare these to other higher quality pencil sets, this is about all I've ever used as they are the standard in the industry. Of course they do not come without flaws, #1 and most widely known is the breakage issue, the lead basically falls out if you sharpen them too much and before you know it your 7.5" pencil is 2" and you can no longer get a grip on it. There is a message under the FAQ section on the prismacolor website stating "If the core slides out of the pencil this generally means the core was not properly glued to the wood and returning the pencil would be advisable" Well heads up, returning them will not fix the problem, they all have this issue. I was aware of this problem before I bought them but I knew these pencils color so well it wasn't worth risking losing money trying a different brand, so I decided to manage. Well turns out there IS in fact a solution. The next day I went to my local art store and talked to a very knowledgeable employee who is owed a well earned pay raise for fixing this problem, she recommended a pencil sharpener made specifically for soft lead made by 'pro art'. I admit I did not have much confidence this would solve the problem but sure enough I got home and sharpened every dull pencil with no breakage. Best part is it only cost me $2.50. This is the pro art soft sharpener (picture below). Part # is above the bar code on the back & reads 'PRO 3083'. This is a MUST HAVE if you plan to purchase these as a regular sharpener just won't 'cut it' (haha get it?) 2nd gripe I have is with the organization, the flimsy plastic holders that hold the pencils slide the pencils out of order and make a mess. Of course I bought this for the pencils, not the container, but I did find, for me personally -and you may have a better idea- the best way to organize them was to simply rubber band the shades together. I separated the different colors (blue, green, red etc) then put black/white/silver/gold separate, gray tones separate and then skin tones (pinks and tans) separate since I frequently use those 2 sets in conjunction with one another. So far it's worked out very well. If you aren't mobile and have a work desk of course it would make more sense to have some kind of fixed holder. As far as the pencils themselves, they wear very fast but they color and blend very well and that makes it worth the cost if you're serious about your work. They are waxy so they slide on the paper very naturally, I press down hard and they hold up pretty well without ripping through the paper. I used to love art growing up but the past 10 years my life has been work and problems and I got away from my one true talent. I hope if you're dreams are to become an artist you follow them, I regret not following mine but I'm trying to relearn all I lost. 4.5 stars!

I started coloring in adult coloring books a few months ago. I've use Marco Raffine pencils, Artist Loft pencils, Bic Marking markers, Sharpie markers, Artist Loft markers, Stabilo fineline markers, several brands of gel pens, and other things. I thought there couldn't be much of a difference between the Marco Raffine pencils & Prismacolor premier pencils. Then I bought 1 Prismacolor scholar pencil. The minute I used it, I realized what a difference there was. Then Amazon had a special on the 75ct Prismacolor Premier pencil set. These are extraordinary pencils. I am having so much fun blending different colors to get different effects. The colors are so saturated. I've found that if I want a color but just not as dark, I simply apply a lighter amount & then use a blending pencil to get a nice smooth finish. I can see where a true artist might want an even larger set of pencils. But, if you are simply using these to color in adult coloring books, the 75ct provides plenty of variety. Personally, I really like having the 150ct. I have found that I really do use every single pencil. The Marco Raffine pencils seemed fine until I bought these pencils. I will definitely be staying with the Prismacolor pencils. The color is better. They go on much more smoothly. They even sharpen better. UPDATE #1: I recently purchased the 150 ct Prismacolor Premier Pencil Set. Every now and then I run into the problem of having a pencil break. Then, when I sharpen it, no matter how gentle I try to color with it, the pencil continues to break every time I sharpen it. I have tried using several different manual and electric sharpeners: but, the pencil continues to break. This has happened with dark green, pumpkin orange, and several other colors, I don't mind spending the money on the 150 Prismacolor Premier set. But, I am on a tight budget & have to save up to purchase this set. I really don't appreciate throwing my money away. I literally had a pumpkin pencil repeatedly break from brand new condition to too short for me to hold on to. This happened in one evening. I've purchased the 132 ct set in the past and decided to purchase the 150 ct set because I wanted the 18 colors that the 132 ct set didn't have. I couldn't get those colors individually in my local supply store and ordering them online was rather expensive. The cost of the 150 ct set is so reasonable on Amazon that it made more sense for me to buy the 150 ct than to purchase those 18 individual pencils from other online sites. They just cost so much individually that buying this 150 ct set is a no brainer. I checked out what the missing 18 colors were and I knew that I would use all them. I am, however, getting sick and tired of this breakage issue. It happens far to frequently. I previously gave Prismacolor Pencils a 5 star rating but I changed it to a 3 star rating. I can't give a perfect rating to a product that has such an obvious defect. UPDATE #2: 1/27/17: I purchased an Alvin 9866 Brass Bullet Sharpener for $8.76 on Amazon. It's a small brass bullet sharpener with replaceable blades which I also purchased on Amazon. The trouble I was having with pencils breaking has been solved. This little sharpener can give the pencil an extremely sharp point which is perfect for coloring those tiny, detailed areas. You just can't press down hard when you sharpen the pencil to that extreme a point. If you don't need an extremely sharp point, you just don't sharpen the pencil as much. I found some articles that recommend turning the sharpener, not the pencil. So, that's what I do for the most part. I've also found articles that recommend sharpening a regular lead pencil every now and then. While this bullet sharpener doesn't have a compartment to catch the shavings, the small inconvenience of sharpening into a small plastic cup or other container & disposing of the shavings later is quite acceptable given the results it gives compared to every other sharpener I have tried. I love the fact that I can buy replacement blades instead of having to buy a new sharpener when the blade dulls. I still, very rarely, find a pencil that wants to keep breaking. It's usually the pumpkin one. So, I warm in on a heating pad. It makes a big difference. So, I have changed my review back to a 5 star rating. The right sharpener makes all the difference.

Ok, so, heads up, I LOVE THESE!! Any criticism I give is so potential buyers understand what they are getting into before taking a possibly (depending on set size and if you get them on a sale) quite pricey plunge. First off? What do I love about these? To put it simply: A LOT. These soft-cored pencils are buttery smooth and allow for GREAT blending, and the colors in the range I got (132) are GREAT, I have everything I need to the point I see myself only supplementing a few colors not in this set with open-stock. These pencils are also good for layering, and are very beginner friendly for anyone looking to get into colored pencils, or art in general. They lay on very pigmented, so you can start to see results fast. These pencils are especially great for people who have worked with alcohol markers before (as is my specific case.) because their blending abilities may feel more familiar. With every good thing, there’s trade-offs, for one, while that soft-core is great, it also means breakage is very common, and as many people will point out, it’s a bit challenging to keep a very sharp point. I definitely noticed this while coloring. If this particularly bothers you, you may want to look into your other options. Another issue is wax-bloom, but that’s easily fixed with gently using a paper towel. Another thing I’d like to touch on is quality control problems: I did notice a few leads slightly off-center, but nothing as bad as I’ve seen on older reviews, it looks like the company is actively working on this problem, which is great! Over-all I’d say it depends on how much that bothers you, once again. Over-all, in my opinion, these pencils are best for artists who do lots of blending, layering, and have a level of patience to work with them, and the challenges this brand may present you with. They are also great for colorists, as they have lots of room to work with them, and create many fun textures. These pencils are probably not for: impatient people, people who don’t do much layering or blending, and those who need lightfast pencils, as these pencils generally tend to have a pretty low light fastness rating. I’d say these pencils work very well for me, and the type of art I do (which I’ve provided an example of) which means I believe the pros outweigh the cons, but whether they do or not is up to you, the buyer. If you’ve read my review this far, thank you! I hope I’ve given you some information to consider when making an informed purchase with this company, and this specific product they make! Happy creating fellow artists :]

This was my first time buying such a large set of prismacolor pencils, as I started using these colored pencils with a 36 piece set. They have such a smooth feel when used on paper, as they don't feel scratchy or rough. They also blend really well with other colors, so you can achieve many different vibrant effects with your artwork. When you get the package, it comes in a plastic wrap with air packets around the tin box (the colored pencil box). My only issue with this was that the packets that protect the colored pencil box were only on one side of the box and not around the entire box, so they probably rattled around the package a lot and can potentially damage the soft pencil core. Pros: -Smooth feel -A large variety of colors available; however, for the beginning colored pencil artist, you should start with a 36 or 48 piece set in order to master blending with different colors and rely less on a certain color. -Fairly inexpensive, especially compared to other colored pencil brands (I bought them for about 65 cents per pencil) -Easy to blend Cons: -Can be a bit pricy, especially for a first-time buyer; however, this problem can be resolved by using coupons in art retail stores or checking one of the sets price history online. Also, these artist-quality pencils are not nearly as costly as other pencils, such as Faber-Castell Polychromos, Pablo Caran D'ache, Derwent Coloursoft, etc. which can cost as much as 4 dollars per pencil. -The soft core can be easily damaged. Sometimes, the lead can break in the center of the pencil or break in many different areas and you may not know until you get to that part of the pencil, and as a result, you might keep sharpening the pencil and losing a lot of the lead. For me, this hasn't been a major problem yet, so it may be because of poor packaging or quality. -Most of the pencils don't have a high lightfast rating (check the website for ratings). -Wax bloom could occur, but it can be fixed by wiping down the artwork and applying fixative. For some people who may be confused by the change in the look of the pencils, it is because the design of the box and the pencil stamp have changed. For example, the newest pencils have a silver-colored stamp instead of the gold-colored stamp prior to about 2011. Also, the current producer of these pencils is Sanford, which is a branch of the Newell-Rubbermaid corporation. Before that, the producer was Empire, which still used the Berol name from the late 80s to the early 90s. Berol was the producer prior to Empire, which made the prismacolors from the early 70s to the late 80s. The original producer of these pencils is Eagle, which made these pencils before the 1970s (the years are not exact, they are just a close estimate). Overall, I'm very satisfied with these colored pencils and their excellent quality.

Beautiful Colors. Blends well and they have a medium hard lead (not too hard but not so soft they wear down fast) They are nice pencils and this is a nice set as it is all in one box with 3 layers to it. I rated them 5 stars for appearance and ability to do their job. If you want a complete opinion then read on. If not, then just note that they look nice and will color well. The brand is well known of course so you would expect a great level of superior quality. However, is it equivalent to the monetary value? In my opinion,they are not. Though they get the job done, I would EXPECT them to. They are pencils with color. For the price I would expect the best colors and a longer lasting pencil than a cheap brand. Is the color absolutely outstanding and better than any I've seen? Is this pencil the longest lasting I have seen ? Is this the best pencil you can get? No, not really. Is it out of reach for your budget and is this brand necessary for it's intended use? Unless you EXPECT an artist quality or you are just into Name Brand use, then I would select a cheaper brand. I got these for my daughter to use as she is quite the artist and intends it as a career someday. She says this pencil is "meh" for the same reasons listed above. It did meet her needs but she said pencils of much cheaper cost also met her needs. She said that she requested these because they were recommended to her and though she uses them occasionally she said each time she uses them she is thinking of the cost per use and not her artwork. She said she constantly puts them away thinking she will use them when the name brand matters or she needs a color she can't find in her cheaper sets. Because she can get the same quality work with much less expense she chooses to keep these put away. So, having such an item that is constantly being set aside for when it "might be needed" makes the item useless in my opinion. It's like wearing a pair of shoes until they are in tatters because you are saving your others just in case you might need them. I prefer that my daughter have interest and enjoyment in her creation not having to worry about what it costs. With that aside she still says that for the price she truly expects that they should be able to do MORE than what you would expect of them. She said ,for instance, a Crayola colored pencil is expected to have great color, last a while, not be so hard that they tear up the paper, or so soft that they wear down fast. All things expected of the Prismacolor brand. Yet the Prismacolor costs ten times what the Crayola brand costs. So she says that Prismacolor color pencils should do 10 times MORE than Crayola brand pencils and she said that though they are good they are not ten times better and other than the fact that Prismacolor has more colors available, the pencil itself is not really superior. So, in conclusion, if you need specific colors that only Prismacolor provides, or you just like the thought of saying you use Prismacolor brand,then look around at other options. There are lots of brands out there and if you are just starting out in art, sketching or you just want to have a set of color pencils for those adult coloring books, then save yourself some money and read reviews on or of the MANY sets of coloring pencils on Amazon. The reviews can often lead you to a hidden gem if an item that can allow you a savings to put that extra money toward a better paper quality or maybe a bigger set of color pencils than available for the price of this set. It's all about choices. Your choices. This set wasn't right for us,but maybe it is for you. Decide for yourself.

Update: these pencils have exceeded expectations. Soft leads, blend and layer easily. Only one break, and I think I dropped this pencil at one time. None of the others have broken. They work well on toothy paper. I have been using colored pencils for quite a few years and had a smaller set of Prismas that I loved. I purchased this set because of the wider range of colors. I read the reviews and some of the 1 and 2 star reviews talked about missing colors, duplicate white pencils, a blender pencil being included in place of a color, and poor quality overall, so I was ready to check all of them when received. When they arrived, I opened them right away and went through each pencil to make sure they were all there and to be sure they were good quality. As I went through each pencil and compared it to the color chart on the bottom of the box, some pencils were not in the same order (very few though) and right away I saw that there were two white pencils in my box. However, as I compared the pencils to the chart on the back, ALL listed pencils were there, and the blender WAS noted on the chart on the box - it is the second to last space noted. The very last space on the color chart on the box does not have a color assigned to it. I'm making an assumption that a second white was included to fill this last remaining space to make 150 pencils. I can't think of another reason. What I can tell you is that every single pencil color on the color chart on the box WAS in my box. Also my pencils were all in good condition. I did not notice any short pencils, no splits or cracks, all pencils were printed as "Premier" on the pencil barrel. I have not used these pencils yet, so I can't speak to the quality of the leads right now, but if I encounter problems, I will edit this review to let you know. Overall I am pleased with this set so far, and I expect that they will line up with the quality of my previous sets.

The actual colored pencil’s are wax based, soft bright layers nicely, loads of pigment. Some pencils have defects in the wood. Some leads aren’t centered in the shaft of the pencil so the sharpen unevenly and break easier. It came in a sturdy cardboard box with magnet closures and very flimsy thin plastic molded pencil slot trays. They easily bend from the weight of the pencils spilling the pencils. There was pigment on the inside of the box indicating rough handling. That box was labeled with verifiable corporate information written in English and French only and made in Mexico. As I researched that Prismacolor is only available in the USA and Canada. It was wrapped in sealed thin plastic shrink wrap and was inserted into an outer custom fit shipping box, then it was placed in an Amazon box with packing and other items I ordered. It arrived exactly on the date I selected. I purchased this item from Amazon Prime Days sale. As this brand rarely goes on sale and one of my favorite social media professional artists/influencer recommended it as a great buy for Prime days. i can see why they went on sale as they appear to have been on the shelves a long time enduring movement and handling wear and tear. It is quite nice to paint with these! i have been using Castle brand soft wax based colored pencils. These are considered comparable and more economical for the budget minded artists opposed to Prismacolor Premier brand. But the Castle brand has a nicer metal case and sturdier tray with lift loops. But Prismacolor Premier is much nicer to work with layer, blend and not get shiny and waxy. Castle brand can only tolerate a few layers before it becomes too waxy for pigment layers to stick on the canvas. So I’m enjoyed these much better than castle brand especially on coloring books. See example in photos.

I love these pencils. The soft cores make them so vibrant and easy to blend.