Are Colleen Pencils Worth The Price?

[@colorjourneywithkelly1361]

They were originally a Japanese company but sold out to a manufacturer in Thailand. From what I’ve read, the pencils in were beloved in Japan prior to moving to Thailand.

[@ColorMyWorld]

When I first saw them I thought they were a Japanese brand. They just had that look. It's funny how every Country has their own ideas about what a good palette looks like. They just reminded me of the other sets I have seen from Japan. I was surprised that I was wrong about it. Now I understand. Thanks Kelly.

[@Yukime92]

The Colleen 120 set is beautifully packaged. The writing on the pencils is in Japanese. (It just says ‘Colleen Pencil’). I love love the color palette in the 120 set.

[@s4premeofficial469]

I first bought randomly this pencil before and I was surprised because the way it blends just fantastic

[@colorjourneywithkelly1361]

I have the 120 set that you have order directly from Thailand. I purchased mine from EBay. The colors are gorgeous and lush.

[@ColorMyWorld]

I found it on Amazon after searching like 20 times. It's $80. I agree the colors are fantastic.

[@0850895887]

​@@ColorMyWorldin Thailand it's cheap

[@0850895887]

About 16$

[@lanaturner4841]

I am from South Africa and Colleen's are the best quality and most expensive pencils there. But each pencil is two colours, ie the one end is white and the other is black, which means they run out quicker but they are the pencils everybody wanted but not everyone could afford!

[@grannieannie40]

I bought these pencils years ago when the first Johanna Basford coloring book came out as a cheap alternative to Prismacolor, etc., I don’t remember how much I paid but it was nowhere near to today’s prices!

[@grannieannie40]

I just checked mine & they are double ended but there is no dust residue coming off them. They lay down plenty of pigment.

[@deirdrelewis1454]

These are the most easily available pencils in South Africa. They are only available in sets up to 72. Just don’t drop them...the cores break into pieces really easily! They’re reasonably priced here.

[@ColorMyWorld]

The cores are thin so it doesn't surprise me. Still really nice pencils.

[@BeverleyMatthee]

Agreed! We grew up with these in the early 2000s here in South Africa. A Colleen rep(named Colleen, ironically) new my dad and gifted me and my siblings each a set. I believe my mom still has them to this day.

[@felicity_fellie]

Omg the bird seed part is too funny!

[@tinkykurama]

The only thing I don't like is that they shine a lot when they are in the light, but anyway they are super mega recommended!!!

[@tatiartes7257]

I have the 120 Set. I like them

[@ColorMyWorld]

This is a hidden gem.

[@MultiFly5]

I have the 120 set and LOVE them! They are so pigmented and soft! I also have the 2 halved ones too. They are a nice pencil though! I got mine off of Amazon Japan for a decent price.

[@macCALICOmac]

Grew up with these pencils I love them. They are like a cheaper prismacolor. Very soft. They were cheap here, and the only set with proper Barbie pinks and Reds that weren't Orange.( In the 80s and 90s)

[@kocobee]

Thank you for showing us these pencils. I have been curious about them. I have noticed also that they go in and out of stock on Amazon.

[@wavewatcher_]

They’re a Japanese brand but made in thailand The letters on the pencils are in japanese

[@tongtengtv9154]

These colleen color pencils are my favorite!!!

[@terrycfni3657]

I really enjoy these pencils. I have the 72 set I’m saving to purchase the 120 set. I don’t hear many colorist mentioning this set of pencils.

[@tammygeorge1638]

I have never heard of them!

[@nickkifettes5550]

Thank you. I usually buy pencils open stock or in a small set to try them out before buying a larger set, but heard conflicting things about the dual end pencils and this set being different formula. I'll leave the dual end ones and wait till I see these or the 60 set on special (very very rare in the uk) 😂

[@Pixie_Barrow2024]

So I'm sitting in Amazon, as per usual on the last Friday of the month, waffling between getting a set of ColourSoft from Derwent to indulge myself, or a set of Coleen's with the dual purpose of indulging my curiosity and reviewing a lesser-known pencil for my blog (the best-kept secret in the coloring community 🤣). Then I remembered you did this video but I never watched it. Thanks for making my decision easier, the Derwent can wait til Black Friday, I have so many sets of pencils and I've been curious about these for a while. I'm gonna get the tin of 120, though. Judging from your video, I'll probably really like them.

[@ColorMyWorld]

Oh gosh I don't know what I would choose. I have both sets. I don't use my colourSoft as often as I should. They are nice, but so is the Coleen's. Now my brain hurts LOL

[@Pixie_Barrow2024]

@@ColorMyWorld ha! I'm just honestly tired of buying budget. I wanna buy a nice set for a change. Derwent has been reviewed to death so at least this way I KIND of have the justification of "providing information." To both of my followers. 😆🤣

[@Pixie_Barrow2024]

To be fair I have only put up one post since I came back, with one in the draft stage. Because in addition to being an artist and a writer, I'm also lazy 🦥

[@oraweetaphianthong877]

Growing up in Thailand Colleen was my most favourite coloured pencils. I'm so happy to see other people appreciate these pencils. Aren't they just great? I love the smooth colour lay down, I feel they're quite unique in that aspect. A quality product from Thailand and it's so cheap too! So cheap that I can't bring myself to justify the price on Ebay, when I know how much they actually cost in Thailand 😂

[@vihangahesha373]

In which country and from which shop did you buy the pencil?

[@LisasColoringCorner]

Wow these look really nice.

[@jvdm7195]

We get these in almost every stationary shop. When i was young and in school, only the rich kids had them🐞

[@lolavex]

Hi the writing on the pencil is in Japanese. It says 'Korin Color Pencil'.

[@texas.jess.colors]

Awesome video 💜☺

[@consciouscreator2526]

They are very cheap in Asia. I’m shocked with the rest of the world prices. Cheapest in Thailand as their factory is there. Followed by Malaysia. Even the high price in Singapore is cheaper than the west. I highly recommend Colleen! Our childhood colour pencils.

[@deborahmcneill9478]

The set of 120 is $80.00 on Amazon + about $9 shipping

[@RealMelodyBlue]

That's too much money

[@deborahmcneill9478]

@@RealMelodyBlue you can say that again with exclamation points!!!

[@ColorMyWorld]

@@deborahmcneill9478 Yes, that's a lot.

[@consciouscreator2526]

Crazy prices! I paid mine in Thailand for about US$32. In Singapore it’s like US$50.

[@dirtydirtsgt4751]

I live in Thailand and that would like 20$ here

[@cateyes3813]

I like Colleens - they have some unusual colours, which is nice. They also have a 12 pencil Neon set on Etsy and they were okay, but still had that sort of... not-great consistency that you get with Neons. But actually some of their "normal" pencils are so vibrant that they look neon. Oh! Have you done that video yet about the really nice neons that you found? 😃

[@ColorMyWorld]

Neons don't blend. As soon as you touch it with another color it loses it's neoness. They are fantastic for highlights when you are blending it into another color and want to lose the brightness. Thinking.. I should do a neon video.

[@cateyes3813]

@@ColorMyWorld Yes! 😀 That *would* be very great - to show how to use neons properly! But um... remember you mentioned those neons you discovered that were just... wunderbar? I've been eagerly looking for the video every time I log on 😃 Maybe you forget because you are so busy with everything atm, and all that, and you know, anyone would understand that and plus, you know, maybe nobody else asks about neons all the time like I do! 😃

[@ColorMyWorld]

@@cateyes3813 Are you talking about the pencils I got in that big gift box. If you are, it's still being worked on. I am doing another Color it video and I am using them. They are good pencils but BRIGHT. You need sunglasses.

[@cateyes3813]

@@ColorMyWorld Yeah yeah! Those ones! 😁

[@cateyes3813]

@@ColorMyWorld Really? "Sunglasses", you say??? Oh these DO sound good! 💃

[@sarahbaptista6815]

It gets so confusing when so many different sets are reviewed. If a person could only buy one set which one should I get?

[@PaintinHiding]

Awesome review, thank you for sharing! I'm in Thailand and apparently this 72 colour set is locally sold for the equivalent of about $10 USD. Does that make them better value? I read an online Thai review and apparently the Colleens are oil-based. Would you happen to know if they are waterproof? and do they resist water like wax crayons do?

[@ColorMyWorld]

All pencils both wax and oil have some water solubility. This doesn't make them a water color. It's best to use water pencils first, activate them and then move on to a drier medium. They will melt if put under marker so just use markers first or you may want the marker to blend the pencil. Different reactions. I would test them before doing anything with a mixed media.

[@PaintinHiding]

@@ColorMyWorld thank you very much for your insight! i'm just trying to find colour pencils that resist watercolour. but you're right, gotta test them out first. thank you!

[@ColorMyWorld]

@@PaintinHiding I am in the same position, but just use your watercolors first. Let them set and dry. Use your pencils next and you won't have any trouble. The real trouble is the sealing. Seal a very light coat from around 12 inches first. Let that dry and then seal normally and you won't have issues with the pencil dye lifting. I have done it with the cheapest pencils and it works. Also seal flat so nothing runs.

[@PaintinHiding]

@@ColorMyWorld omg thank you so much! such great advice! i gotta write this down.. hehe :) thank you!!!! 😆

[@JohnnyCornbread]

Great pencils “but the package sucks” ha! You are my hero Lori! ❤️ Hadassah

[@catherinele8417]

This is one of the most oil based pencils.. like Pablo caran d ache

[@plady2ulady598]

I have the 120 set. They are oil base. Lay down very nice. I order mine on Japan Amazon. a lot cheaper

[@ColorMyWorld]

They blend like wax and lay down like oil. I had a feeling they were oil, but there is always wax in oil anyways. The ratio may be high. Holebein another pencil from Japan is like that. Personally I have never gotten a bad pencil from Japan. They just do it right.

[@tamaradahlager8233]

I wish I could take a picture of what you did. You said how nice they were before you opened them then said you had never used them. You obviously can’t layer because it shows in the video how you were scraping the previous layer. It looked very scratchy and it looks like you colored then took a knife and tried to scrape it off. Personal opinion. I usually don’t comment on these things unless I can contribute by answering a question that was asked.

[@mchobbit2951]

Feels a bit like someone was paid to leave a "good" review, doesn't it?

[@colorjourneywithkelly1361]

The 120 set is $74 with free shipping on EBay.

[@colorjourneywithkelly1361]

@@NoDontLikeIt Hmm. Proof is in the pudding. Let’s us know when you find it. I’m getting to the point of replacing.

[@StopFear]

What I really know is who Colleen was originally. Was she just some lady from outside of Japan who worked there? Just a cool name the company owners liked? The girl next door? Mother of the owner? lol

[@marleycritcher8068]

In my opinion the double ended Colleens are the same quality as the 72.

[@ColorMyWorld]

That's good to hear. I haven't tested the two sided ones. I love the individual pencils.

[@sherryscoloringandpaintingcorn]

that packaging reminds me of the way the raffines are done and i hated those raffines and the packaging

[@ColorMyWorld]

I don't like the packaging but the pencils are OK. I don't like raffines that much either. Marco has much better pencils. I think the Raffines are the bottom line

[@veystone2580]

Hey... sorry to ask you this here but I always watch your videos and since you know so much, I thought that you might help me. Is there any difference between the 48 Faber Castell Triangular pencils (the ones that have 2 birds on the box) and the Faber Castell Classic Colours, that you know of? ANYONE READING THIS QUESTION, PLEASE FEEL FREE TO ANSWER ME. I have the triangular pencils and I really, really like them... I wonder if the Classic Colours are any different, regarding performance or if it's just the shape what's different!

[@ColorMyWorld]

Not any huge difference. The Farber Castell company puts out a good pencil in general.

[@DianeClancy]

interesting

[@teddynihon]

That's not Chinese not Thai... that's Japanese

[@RealMelodyBlue]

Cyber top used to be my most disliked pencils, but I have found a more terrible pencil! The Fine Touch by Hobby Lobby. No names or numbers on the box or the pencil! They are hard and scratchy, I had to use a death grip on them just to get the color on the paper! They aren't very pigmented and they don't blend. They aren't vibrant either. I thought they were oil based pencils because they didn't blemd ( didn't layer very well either ), but their website says they are wax based. The price, extremely cheap, but I wouldn't buy them if they were free ( and they were free, they were gifted to me ). I can see why my friend gave them to me, LoL 😂😆. Anyway, I couldn't do anything with them, and I'd go as far to say that Crayola and Cra Z Art are better than these, would only be good for kids, but I wouldn't want to scar a child for life, so I'd go with Crayola's. They were that bad.

[@ColorMyWorld]

I remember reading your review on Amazon.

[@RealMelodyBlue]

@@ColorMyWorld they really suck, but the Fine Touch from Hobby Lobby are waaaasy worse

[@yazosoyo]

They cannot be worse than the Staedtler Noris Club

[@RealMelodyBlue]

@@yazosoyo o, they are worse

[@Lexi_3457]

The pencils I cant stand are called LiquidMark. Now they are terrible, like why would a company spend the money to produce something that bad!