Faber-Castell Albrecht Dürer Watercolour Pencil Review & Demo

[@GeezLouiseArtist]

This is honestly the best review I have ever seen! I have been wanting these pencils for long, but your review was so thourough I don't think I can wait till my birthday! :D

[@ClaudiaSketches]

Thank you so much! I'm glad you found the video helpful. :D

[@BornAgainFarmGirl]

I agree , I hope she uploads more videos soon !

[@azalea1404]

Dear Claudia, it is always such a pleasure to watch your reviews. You have clearly a very structured and academic approach to your subject matter, so your viewers get a comprehensive account of the product. In addition, you are a highly skilled and experienced artist, so I always enjoy to see you paint. Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge and skills.

[@ClaudiaSketches]

Thank you so much for your kind words! I try to leave no stone un-turned and I'm glad that comes across. I know from personal experience that it can be frustrating to watch a number of reviews and not have that crucial question answered!

[@novepipps]

Am genuinely amazed at how detailed this review is. I'm not even looking to buy these pencils but I watched the whole thing lol. 🙃

[@fruitpowerofeden-2022]

It is nice to see a detailed review like this. I have been contemplating buying this set in the tin-case-form myself. Your review has definately helped narrow my choices down. Thank you.

[@ClaudiaSketches]

Thank you very much for watching and commenting! I'm glad you found my video helpful. Whatever you choose to buy, I hope you enjoy them :)

[@juststartingover2735]

I love how you used spray to develop a blurred background! Your review/demo was very helpful. I have this set but have never been pleased with outcomes. I will now try application the way you have shown. Thank you!

[@ellym279]

Your demonstration really helped me understand how these pencils work. You are so organized and talented. 🥰

[@sambeawesome]

Great review! :D These seem like a great set, and the artwork is gorgeous :)

[@ClaudiaSketches]

Thank you very much :D

[@NyaMoon_]

My boyfriend gave me the 48 set as a christmas present *.* they are amaing and I´m really looking forward for using them a lot :D

[@jeonjinmiran1877]

Lucky :( that ur bf supports u

[@firegirl441fromga6]

I have this same set of pencils and I do love them! I use them both wet and dry and don't pick up my polychromos as much since I got these. I think this is a great value for the money and if budget is a huge concern one might buy these instead of the polychromos and use them for dry coloring and water coloring. You produced a very nice video and I enjoyed it very much...it is very informative and I found your opinions in line with mine even though I am not a professional artist.

[@ClaudiaSketches]

I've heard that some people prefer them over polychromos- they have different properties in their laydown and a few say that they consider them to be more pigmented. I've yet to do a side-by-side comparison so I can't provide my personal input here. But I do agree with you- they are a very versatile pencil. I'm glad you found my video useful :) I wouldn't consider myself a professional either as I don't earn a living from what I do- maybe in the future though!

[@yolandaantony1675]

A very concise description of the quality of the pencils from the box to the ability of the pencils. Needless to say the minutely described drawing and colouring presentation A master class! Congratulations! Your various demonstrations and comments have helped me a lot in choosing which watercolour pencils to buy. I am going to take a botanical illustration course and your videos have been extremely educational. Please continue to enlighten us all with your talent as an artist and as a teacher. Many, many thanks.

[@ClaudiaSketches]

Thank you so much for commenting, Yolanda! Hearing that you've found my videos so helpful makes me incredibly happy. :)

[@maureennevers9039]

Lovely and informative, as usual! I am so interested to know how/why you choose a particular pencil set for a particular project or drawing. So many of the pencils seem to have overlapping qualities, I can’t imagine how you decide which to use. I also wonder how much of the choice is based on the pencil features versus preferred experience in the moment. Would love to see a video where you showed completed works and discussed what materials you used and why you chose them 😊

[@ClaudiaSketches]

Maureen Nevers Brilliant question! The truth is that I very rarely limit myself to one set of anything apart from with these review videos. Much of my work is with coloured pencil and I use a mix of Polychromos, Pablos, Derwent Artists, Derwent Drawing and a couple of Caran d'Ache Luminance. Some of the the breadth of the collection helps with choosing the closest colour match, otherwise the different laydown and hardness of the pencils has a factor with which I choose. Other than that I usually choose supplies that are lightfast unless it's a personal piece that doesn't matter so much. If something is highly detailed and requires a lot of control I'll use coloured pencil, if it's bright, vibrant and loose I'd choose inks, watercolours or pen.

[@alanjameson8664]

I encountered the same problem with sharpening the AD watercolour pencils. I used a small piece of sandpaper to sand away the ridges and make the pencils round for about 3cm from the tip, and they sharpen up wonderfully. It looks dodgy, but I can live with that. Many thanks for the video--I think I must look into a wiro watercolour journal (I haven't seen them) and a waterbrush.

[@clairewalters8238]

Have had and used these pencils for over 30 yrs & as I own quite a few different brands, including Derwent & prismacolor I still think these are the best in both wet & dry mediums. Thanks for your review.

[@scottwalker2398]

Your reviews and demos leave everyone else's in the dust. Very much appreciated. Thank you.

[@jimbrennan7580]

Jim Brennan - Excellent commentary by the artist, very thorough and covered all issues. BRAVO

[@ClaudiaSketches]

Thank you very much for watching and commenting! Glad you think my video was thorough :)

[@cerambycidae]

Your reviews are the most thorough on youtube! I have the 12 set of these, and I love using them for sketches and for plein air painting, I've been wanting a larger set since I get a lot of use out of them... I love them, the colour is so vibrant and they dissolve so beautifully... the only problem is the pencil sharpener issue 😉 beautiful painting as always, and thanks for the video!

[@ClaudiaSketches]

K. L. Onassis Thank you very much! They really are great for art out-and-about :)

[@elizabethdillinger8735]

Claudia what a fantastic review.. A huge thank you. I’ve been researching watercolor pencils this truly cemented me into purchasing a set.. thanx!

[@stanstevens6289]

Being a lazy old so-and-so it's very much appreciated that you take the time to test all these products to such great depth. Going to have to get myself a set!

[@ClaudiaSketches]

Thank you very much for watching and commenting, Stan! Glad to be of help. :)

[@DQDebra]

Also, your artwork on the toucan is beautiful!

[@lawrencecollins7313]

I have been given a smallish set of these as a gift and have not really used them (once and unsuccessfully), so I found this film most informative.

[@ellym279]

I took out my 36 set and looking at the colors made me happy. Thank you for your video.

[@janecheshire5504]

Hi Claudia, excellent, informed unbiased, review. My hubby had these for his birthday present but said he would have got them on the strength of your hard work and results, thank you so much for confirming that we made the right choice. Brilliant. Thank you .. subbed!

[@garayworkshop]

Best review ever... not just of pencils, as a review in general... no BS, just facts, I didn't even notice it took 26 minutes.

[@kimbearlysoriginal4276]

Always learn a lot from you. Your artwork is always fantastic. Thank you for the review. Have a great weekend.

[@ClaudiaSketches]

Thank you very much Kimbearly :) You too! Happy Easter!

[@jimgordon4685]

This girl has turned this into a science. She is very informative. the bird looks good.

[@c8Lorraine1]

I have the boxed set of Magnus pencils. A Christmas gift to myself. I love them and I can see I’ll need to supplement them with some pencils sourced open stock.

[@nancyhappily9503]

Great review. I have the set of 60 pencils and am thankful every day for the advice given me, to buy the best I could afford at the time and that I would never regret it. Best advice ever.

[@JojozaHannaHawaii]

What an amazing review... you did tests I wouldn't even think of. THANK YOU!

[@gurujad1533]

Magnificent as usual. The video is so detailed and scrutinized. You have left nothing. Very informative indeed. I liked how the demo turned out to be. The colors seem so enjoyable and easy-to-use. Yet, surely they need a talented hand like yours. I have a smaller set of these, but they are still packed. Time to tear the nylon off!! Hahaha. I promised you to try some stored items, and I did. I started with the set of 24 Derwent Pastel Pencils. The colors are so vibrant, but the range of colors is minimal. Mixing was difficult a bit as they overlay.. so if I am adding orange over red, the color will become orange. They were too chalky and it was like after each square, I had to sharpen the pencils. I do not know if these limitations should have been expected. I felt that working on Toned paper was not that a good idea. I preferred the white paper. Blending with fingers or with stump removed 3/4 of the color concentration. White was useless on all colors.. it was only useful on clean toned areas. Yet, I was able to add as many layers as I wanted. I tried a marker on one piece after finishing painting it, the result was amazing. Ink was stable and apparent on the colors. There was no problem with that. On another piece, I used pastet soft chalks for the background, the result was nicer than the result achieved by pencils for the foreground. I might open a new panpastel set to try for the third piece. It is still in process. I found that opening one item at a time is good.. and what is more, focsuing on one medium at a time is much helpful. Any comments would be surely delightedly accepted.. Thank you!

[@ClaudiaSketches]

Thank you so much Guru! I'm pleased you enjoyed the video. I am so glad that you're breaking into your shiny new supplies and experimenting with them. I think it's important to remember that every medium has its challenges. I also found that blending and layering with pastels was very different to many other things I had experienced. This is exactly what practice and experimentation is for though- finding out the obstacles and working out ways to overcome them... or even use them to your advantage! :) It sounds like you did awesomely though to play and have fun with your materials and work out intuitive ways to use them. I'm looking forward to hearing more of your journey. :D

[@krc5210]

You do the most wonderful reviews and videos. I'm sure it was a lot of work so thank you much.

[@BlueNoodle79]

Brilliant review, Claudia! I have ordered the 120 set, and I can't wait :o)

[@ClaudiaSketches]

Thank you very much! How exciting- hope you enjoy your pencils :)

[@BlueNoodle79]

Claudia Sketches Thank you, so do I 😁

[@seahorse5689]

Great and thorough review and lovely piece of art to boot. Thanks for putting this video together.

[@artbyconniedawn9680]

I love your tutorials. You are so thorough with your info as well as being a fab artist.

[@ClaudiaSketches]

Thank you so much! Thoroughness is what I strive for in my review videos, so I'm glad you think so. 😊

[@maureennevers9039]

Love at 18:50 that you said that watercolor pencils need to ‘hit additional specs’ over colored pencils, but that some folks still prefer them used dry vs regular colored pencils. I have had those thoughts too - “aren’t the ‘specialized’ materials better because the manufacturers can focus on a particular outcome?”, but I could not articulate it like you did! It also relates to my other question below about ‘which materials when’ ... Thanks!

[@ClaudiaSketches]

I'm glad you found it helpful and that I made sense :D

[@ml09baker8]

I purchased these and am so very glad you have made this video. Love your instructions on All Your videos. Bless you!!!

[@ClaudiaSketches]

Thank you very much for watching and commenting- glad you find my videos useful :)

[@DQDebra]

Thank you for an excellent review. You gave me some new ideas on using my pencils. I have used mine both dry and wet, and they are lovely either way.

[@lisabellinger2744]

You did an amazing job on this. I love it. Hopefully, I will get better at it. Thanks so much.

[@ClaudiaSketches]

Thank you very much! Glad you like it :D

[@pamsanby8506]

Great pic btw. You’re truly a brill artist, I’ve learnt a lot, thank you.

[@ClaudiaSketches]

Pam Sanby Thank you very much! I'm glad you find my videos helpful :D

[@Irisphotojournal]

Thanks for the review. I already had my eye on the 36 set and I will be getting one for sure.

[@emilyerdbeere9210]

Very beautiful drawing. I tested the pencils on Pastelmat, too. Pastelmat is the only paper I am able to work with them. They seem highly pigmented and vibrant when wet, when dried they look very dull, I made a comparison and put the dry colour swatch next to it without using water. My watercolours from winsor & newton (same colour) are much more vibrant and rich, too

[@robertocatrone715]

Love your videos. You're a wonderful teacher , Clear and concise. Thank you

[@romygime5822]

Great video Thank you for explaining so well. You way manage those colours so well blending them. Very professional Beautiful colours

[@ClaudiaSketches]

Thank you very much :)

[@kimrichmond6308]

Thank you for a thorough review and demonstration. I appreciate your effort time stamping the various features. I am receiving the 120 pencil set which I requested from my hubby after viewing your review along with several others. He also purchased a complete set of the polychromos which I wanted after using the 12 pencil introductory set. I will update my post on the AD watercolors after using them awhile.

[@ClaudiaSketches]

Thank you very much for watching and commenting! I'm very excited for you and look forward to hearing back from you too :D

[@munchiestinsandwich2465]

I keep watching your video cause I can't wait untill my set of 36 comes in in 2days but your video is way informative

[@juststartingover2735]

Love that spray background technique too

[@catbraunwell6450]

Wonderful painting! Good tutorial. Thanks. I also love these pencils.

[@dougg1075]

Wow! That was thorough. Nicely done

[@ClaudiaSketches]

Thank you very much! I like to leave no stone unturned- I understand the frustration of watching a review and the crucial question not being answered.

[@ajlomas7185]

Hi Claudia, since leaving a comment after watching your video, I've since discovered that my electric/battery operated pencil sharpener does a fantastic job of giving me that brilliant fine point that I love to have, so....disappointment has been eradicated I'm happy to say. They are brilliant and yes as expensive as they are, they are DEFINITELY WORTH IT. I thought about buying the full set, but seriously, I'm not a professional artist, and many professionals will say that there is no need to buy the entire range of colours, be it paints or colour pencils, and I agree. I'll continue to have a play with these, and practise some more techniques. I promised myself to just use what art materials I have instead of buying more....we'll see how long that lasts...speak soon Claudia, take care.

[@terinagray9447]

Can you please tell me what pencil sharpener worked with these pencils as I’m struggling to find one that they will fit into?

[@gdstudios-fineartcreations2295]

Lovely demo! I just picked up a set of 60 and I think they are a very good value for money.

[@ClaudiaSketches]

Thank you for watching and commenting!

[@annh.8290]

Your video convinced me to order mine ASAP! Thank you

[@lydiataylor4705]

i have the 72 set of these pencils and I love them, mostly because of the colors. They blend well and can be used with Polychromos color pencils as the colors match.

[@ClaudiaSketches]

The 72 set is one of the ones that comes in the gorgeous wooden box, right? Such luscious presentation... I'm only just dipping my toes in to using them with Polychromos though. But they are divine! I really need to buy some open to expand my collection!

[@ritabrandow1318]

I just got some of these. I really like them. I am a newbie. I was using the cheap ones. Boy there is a different. Also looking at different videos on how to use them. I really needed the help. I am now having fun

[@bethzabecastros7110]

These are great watercolor pencils, I love them! great video

[@ClaudiaSketches]

Thank you for watching and commenting! :)

[@ajlomas7185]

Hi Claudia, a great and very thorough review. I finally ordered mine yesterday as the tin of 60 was on offer at a reduced price so I took the plunge. I received them just over half an hour ago, the one thing that struck me and I did feel slightly disheartened by was the size of the barrel. I thought at first I'd purchased the "magnus" range by mistake but after watching your video I realised that wasn't the case. The thing is I'm so used to using my brilliant crank sharpener to get that brilliant sharp point that it came as a disappointment I wouldn't be able to get that with these. What confused me was that just a couple of years ago, I bought some open stock Albrecht pencils and the barrels were just the standard size and I could sharpen them in all of my pencil sharpeners without any problem, this slightly bigger barrel must be the new size they've brought out to replace the older slightly narrower pencils. Personally I preferred the older designs but as these are expensive pencils I shall have to mentally adjust my way of thinking and use the Faber Castell pencil sharpener instead. I realise it's not the end of the world and it won't spoil my enjoyment of these brilliant pencils, it just means I won't get that super fine point anymore. Faber Castell seem to change their pencil designs quite a lot, I remember they brought out a range of watercolours colours before these, the ones with the row of dots along the barrel and then they brought out the Goldfaber range aswell and their barrels are the standard 3:3 size. Anyway these are just minor things I need to get over, but I will definitely be making good use of these pencils. Thankyou again for a great review, take care.

[@Nana2111]

I own the Albrecht Dürer pencils, and they are extremely nice to work with. Just as you said, they are nice both dry and wet. I actually like the Albrecht Dürer pencils more than their Polychromos counterparts, because I find the Polychromos a bit hard for my taste.

[@lauriekapalka9859]

You did a wonderful job doing thus review. Your art is so beautiful. I wish I could paint/draw like you. I am new to color so I treated myself to both the 120 sets of pencils and the watercolour pencils. I hope I get as good as you. I agree with you. Why would they make a larger pencil ? I guess there us extra pigment for us to use. I am looking forward to see more of your art.

[@setsemit777]

Wow! You did an excellent job I'm really impressed thank you very much. I just got my set of 24 Faber-Castells. Thanks for the pointers. Take care

[@ClaudiaSketches]

Thank you very much for watching and commenting- I'm glad you think so! I hope you enjoy your new supplies :)

[@ginasartcorner5686]

I knew you would love them! They are just amazing~ and you did a wonderful job on using them!

[@ClaudiaSketches]

Thanks Shiroichi :D

[@angelaviolet]

Great review and the toucan is beautifully painted.

[@ClaudiaSketches]

Thank you Angela :)

[@christineschafer1484]

Hallo Claudia Thanks a lot for all this interesting information. Do you think that they can be used together with colored pencils?

[@ClaudiaSketches]

You're welcome, thanks for watching! Yes, watercolour pencils are frequently used with coloured pencils. The best approach is to use the watercolour pencils as a base layer, and then add details with regular coloured pencils. Regular coloured pencils create a water-resistant barrier. As such, this makes it difficult to dissolve watercolour pencil applied underneath regular CP, and can also make it difficult for diluted watercolour pencil to adhere over the top of it.

[@AngelFrancoart]

El Duncan quedó ❤😊 bien realizado!yo yo tengo dos de esos lápices hoy aprendí cómo sacarle más provecho gracias.

[@nicolegrace2410]

Thank you for your very detailed review ! I want these !

[@ClaudiaSketches]

Nicole Martin Thanks Nicole! I can recommend them, they're great fun :D

[@siag7107]

I love these pencils, I made my own set buying them open stock. For sharpenning I use at home Dahle 133 crank handle sharpenner and away from home I use Maped Igloo sharpenner. Thank you for very precise review.

[@5t4n5]

Hi Claudia Faber Castell make a small metal double barrelled sharpener, it has a barrel for normal pencils and a barrel for colour pencils. The colour pencil barrel fits the Albrecht Durer perfectly. It's what Faber Castell recommend for these pencils. You can get them at Jackson's very cheap. My take on getting the pencils cheaper: i also started off with a set of 36 that i got in a sale and have been adding to them from open stock as and when Jackson's have sales that include these. I use the Jackson's 142 pencil case for them which, in my opinion, is a wonderful case for these pencils, especially if you wish to take your pencils out plein air or on holiday. The 142 (without the 8 x 1 star pencils) leaves plenty of room for a few colours from other manufacturers and also the Faber Castell water-soluble graphite pencils. There's also space for some waterbrushes and two of the above sharpeners.

[@juststartingover2735]

I have not tried them on pastelmat but now I will. Good video!

[@pamelagreen2704]

Ive got to have these pencils!! I love your painting!

[@ClaudiaSketches]

Thank you very much, Pamela! :D I hope you enjoy them, they're great pencils.

[@marionwigzell7334]

Hi Claudia. Informative demo and lovely drawing. I would love to see a review on the Derwent watercolour pencils in the future as a comparison. The FC A. Durer pencil 36 set in Oz is $82.25 and the 120 set $273.50 (cheapest I could find). Considerably more expensive in some art stores. Thanks Marion :)

[@ClaudiaSketches]

Hi Marion! I've already completed a review video about the Derwent Watercolour pencils :) Unfortunately it seems like just about everything is more expensive in Australia. An alternative is to look on eBay for some sets second hand that have been barely used. That's how I bought my Pablos at a very low price :)

[@ClaudiaSketches]

$82 AUD is actually not a bad price for the 36 set, it works out to be £46 GBP or $64 USD. :)

[@SayantiFineArts]

I think you do an awesome job at the product reviews// All your videos are good... but the review ones are just awesome// there are many different yet great ways to do product review s - but you nail the A-Z info thing

[@ParasolMushroomStudios]

Oooo you done a toucan!! :D It came out so pretty! :D

[@ClaudiaSketches]

Thank you :D

[@gusmahn111]

Hi Claudia, what a detailed and thorough review, it is the best video/reviewI have seen about Albrecht Dürer pencils. I am a big fan of watercolor and I own Derwent watercolor pencils that I bought years ago when I was starting out. They are chalky and do not dissolve that well, so I was thinking that it was time to upgrade to Faber Castell. I own the Polychromos but I need watercolor pencils. You definitely convinced me to get the Albrecht Dürer. The only question is 36 or 60? Is there any real value to get 60 instead of 36? I have 36 Polychromos and It has been enough, but it´s because I only do a few colored pencil artwork. I mainly do water based illustrations and sketches. Thanks so much for your video and help!

[@ClaudiaSketches]

I think 36 vs 60 is going to entirely depend on what sort of subject matter you see yourself creating often. I haven't actually used the Albrecht Dürers all that much (despite loving them, and yes they are absolutely superior to the Derwent!). If you know what sort of colours you use frequently you can quite easily do well with a smaller set and just add to your collection open-stock by buying the colours you know you'll use. They are watercolour pencils after all as well, so they do have the benefit of mixing together a little better than regular CP too (and in a pinch can be mixed in a palette and applied with a brush). I personally found that the 60 Polychromos set colour selection was unbalanced for my purposes and was missing a lot of the earth tones and neutrals I use a lot... I ended up upgrading to the 120 set but I may have lasted longer if I'd originally bought the 36 set plus some useful colours open stock. Black Friday is coming up soon so it may be worth keeping an eye open on Amazon and the likes just in case a larger set is available for very cheap :)

[@ClaudiaSketches]

Oh! And thank you very much for watching and commenting, glad you found the review helpful :)

[@gusmahn111]

@@ClaudiaSketches Thanks so much, seems like an awesome approach, I will be doing exactly that, 36 set + colors that I will be needing on the go, unless if there is an awesome deal! Now at Blick´s 36 set is US$48 and 60 set is $80. Let´s see if they come down a bit. And yes, your videos are amazing!

[@sharonferrera9049]

You did a great job with a lot of info thank you. There was about 6 others doing a review on these pencils and I could watch them Maybe there to new to doing it videos. ... yours was the best watch threw the whole video

[@Addleysmom]

Such a comprehensive demo review of these pencils. Very helpful and much appreciation!

[@ClaudiaSketches]

So glad you found the review useful! Thanks for watching and commenting.

[@catlady256]

Absolutely stunning, I have these pencils and love them thanks for the video interesting and informative

[@lindastewart5630]

Thank you for this review! I’ve just found you🤗 You are very talented... I adore your Toucan❤️

[@ClaudiaSketches]

Thank you very much for watching and commenting :D Glad you like it!

[@nafordebi]

i have the 24 and 36 set i just need the entire lot! i've found them open stock for 1.94 more than 12/ so i will go this route

[@SUSSDUE]

Thank you for, as usual, a brilliant and thorough review! I suspect the lightfast rating is only valuable for the pencils when used dry. I did a test two years ago with the pencils mixed w water on good watercolour paper and set them in the sun for two months, facing south. The result was really depressing. 37 colours had visibly faded, eleven of them had faded very much. Additional twenty colours had become much more muted. The ones that had faded a lot had numbers: 102,111,107,109,113,226,129,135,145,152. The ones that had become visibly bluer were: 172,155,163 and 162. The other ones that faded were: 225,142,124,128,119,125,134,160,131,130,120,143,151,144,247,157,141,249,137,136. The ones that became more muted were: 117,118,121,219,123,133,183,185,184,182,180,179,178,168,170,173,165,266,167. I hope this is some help for those who buys the pens and want to either frame and expose their artwork on their walls or sell them! I am now planning to do the same test for the Museum aquarelles from Caran dÁche. I hope they perform better. But perhaps it is something with the binders in watercolourpencils that makes them fade when the colour laid down is mixed w water. I did not try them in the sun with dry strokes, only with them blended w water. I cut the watercolour sheets in two and stored the other one in a dark drawer so to make sure the test and comparison was accurate.

[@gorway7]

These seem a lot better than my Derwent WCP - I've really given up on those, scratchy, weak and a bit chalky. I like Inktense a lot more, but there is a big colour discrepancy between dry and wet laydown - Albrecht Durer really seem to deliver here and what you see is what you get.

[@ClaudiaSketches]

I agree! I think the Albrecht Dürer out-compete the Derwent Watercolour quite considerably- they're at around the same price point, but the lightfastness, solubility and intensity of the AD are certainly superior. I admit that I like the subtlety and softness of the colour selection of the Derwent pencils though. :)

[@artbyconniedawn9680]

Love your tutorials. I use these pencils with polychromos for the top layer once the watercolour underpainting has dried. Occasionally I do a lot more building up of hair strokes with the polychromo pencils and I wonder whether I could use OMS on top of the polychromos to blend out a little but I'm worried it would affect the watercolour underpainting. I wonder whether you have ever tried this or if you know if it would work?

[@ClaudiaSketches]

It's not something that I've personally tried, but according to things I've read online, solvents will activate watercolour pencils, just not quite as well as water does. Apparently OMS will activate dry watercolour pencil somewhat, but does very little to watercolour pencil that's been wetted and allowed to dry previously You could also try using a workable fixative to isolate your watercolour layers from your future CP layers. But like any new technique, I recommend experimenting in order to work out the effects you can achieve as well as any limitations. :)

[@artbyconniedawn9680]

Claudia Sketches thank you so much for your help Claudia. I've been having a look at tutorials today and I came across Sandrinesgallery where she has done a watercolour tutorial on a gobstopper sweet machine and she has used coloured pencils on top and has blended them with solvent. It's made the sweets look very smooth and shiny so I may use the technique on something sooner or later but thank you so much for all your help as always you are brilliant.

[@greekveteran2715]

Top review!!! I didn't like how the Canson performed in this video. For watercolours, I wouldn't try anything else than Hahnemuhle Cezanne or Legion Lanaquarelle . Fabriano Artistico: Very overated low quality paper, a step up but still not great, Stonehenge Legion. 2 steps up Arches, still nothing special, just another overated paper, however, it would probably perform better than the Canson. Winsor and newton? Now we are talking!! Can it get any better , Yup, Legion Lanaquarelle or Hahnemuhle Cezanne. If you've tried any of these 2, I would really appriciate your feedback!

[@betsyzelinger]

I own them and also the matching Polychromos set; both sets are the 120 pencils. I love them!

[@ClaudiaSketches]

They work wonderfully together! It's great to hear from somebody who has both complete sets. I'm very tempted to start adding to my collection. :) Do you often use the two pencils in conjunction with each other?

[@gillinacook1477]

I have the 120 set. I love them. So vibrant.

[@jaydee177]

I’m wondering if you could do a video using these pencils dry? They are rumoured to blend better than conventional artist- grade CP without water (or solvents in the case of traditional CP). :-)

[@hannaberglund8228]

I like your own grid!

[@chumston_art]

Can I use the pencils with the brush for the normal paper?

[@ClaudiaSketches]

Yes- I use a water + brush on regular watercolour paper in the swatching, properties & techniques sections of the video.

[@covid-19inthistogether96]

Were you using the "Magnus" pencils? They look thicker than the AD pencils.

[@ClaudiaSketches]

These are the regular Albrecht Dürer. I talk about the Magnus pencils at 21:45 :)

[@mayerikacs]

Awesome review! Love the tucan!!!!!

[@paulvincent2863]

Hi Claudia,What a fabulous picture.The Toucan is one of my most favourite Birds.I have been looking for a tutorial for a Toucan for a while,and coming across this one is awesome.I have the full set of these and the Magnus set but I can't quite make out your colour pallette.I would love to have a go at this painting,so could you let me know what colours you use I would be extremely grateful. If you can't don't worry and I shall take a guess.If it does not turn out I'll keep redrawing it until it does.Many Thanks for a wonderful review.

[@ClaudiaSketches]

Hi Paul, I only used the colours that were present in the 36 set, so that might help narrow down the selection. I have no idea of the names of the pencil colours I used as I go, because I don't keep track of them as I work. When I'm choosing colours, I don't try and pin-point the exact colour right from the pencil. I'll look at my subject matter- say for example the area around the eye, and describe the colours I see. So for example, I see some turquoise-ish blues, then some light greens and fading out into a yellow. I'll look at my swatch chart (make one if you haven't already!) and see what colours look most similar. I'll then use these colours on the piece. If it doesn't look right, e.g. "the green isn't light enough", I'll adjust it by adding white or other pale colours. I'll re-evaluate and carry on taking steps to adjust the colour. There are hundreds of different ways to mix and achieve a colour using the different colours you own in your set. The way I achieve my colours here isn't necessarily the "right" way or even the easiest way! Furthermore, getting the exact right colour isn't strictly important in getting something to look real- it's the difference in values that will make something appear three dimensional. The quickest way to feel comfortable in selecting colours for yourself is to experiment and play around. :D I have a video explaining more tips for how to choose and mix colours which you might find useful: kzbin.info/www/bejne/rJa5mmaHbraKmLM

[@paulvincent2863]

Thank you so much for the advise.I'll look into what you have said,it won't be to difficult as I have all the swatches for all the media I have.I hope i'm not being to much of a nuisance because I only ask all these questions so I can get as much advise as I can.This one is perfect.Many Thanks.

[@ClaudiaSketches]

You're not a nuisance! I encourage question-asking! I believe that for every question asked, there's at least one other person with the same question who perhaps wasn't brave enough to ask. Hopefully the question and answer will benefit other people too :)

[@paulvincent2863]

That makes me feel better.I get a bit shy asking questions.Your reply is spot on.

[@JaneMetcalfe]

What a gorgeous Toucan you have created there! Lovely pencils too although I can't use hexagonal shaped pencils for long periods of time as they did into my fingers, unfortunately.

[@ClaudiaSketches]

Thank you very much, Jane! I also find that the edges push into my fingers a bit, I find myself using a different grip and adjusting a lot more frequently. I'm wondering if those rubber or foam pencil grips would come in handy.

[@JaneMetcalfe]

Yeh, I still haven't bought any of those myself.

[@ClaudiaSketches]

Me neither, I used to use them at school because hexagonal ballpoint pens would hurt my fingers after a while. I'm not sure if they'd fit on these pencils owing to their larger diameter but I have other products they'd be useful for too. :)

[@mariagautier162]

:(

[@nafordebi]

i just bought myself the whole set i'll keep u updated, i love derwent products ans only just started using faber castell and i fell in love with the albercht durer and polychromos bought 40 set of these and apparently the rest of the full set open stock but they hand picked them at the brick ans mortar store of duck blick and 3 not onw were missing now i'll havw to figure out which are missing it's extremely hard to read thw colors in the pencils so i can't really blame any one i wouldn't haves been able to hand pick that many

[@terinagray9447]

Can I ask you what you use to sharpen these pencils please as they don’t fit into my sharpener?

[@cateyes3813]

Hi! You said the colour/colour name and colour number of the Albrecht Dürer matches all those details in the Polychromos, but when you were drawing the bird, you mentioned some people prefer the AD just using that dry than the PC’s. You said that the ADs seemed softer and mentioned something about vibrancy. One of the most important things to me about a colour pencil is its vibrancy. Do you find the AD’s vibrancy a bit more intense than the Polychromos? Very good video by the way. ♥️ from Australia 🇦🇺

[@craftygirlpurple626]

Oh wow love this thank you for sharing have a bless one creative colorful hugs you

[@ClaudiaSketches]

Thank you for watching and commenting! :)

[@grahamekellermeier8280]

Nice pencils bought some 30 years ago still using them.

[@pip110.5]

Very nice demo thanks. I have a Tihoo electric sharpener and my pencils fit perfectly. I hope that helps you. 👍

[@marialauramalventano4014]

Hi again! Do you know if staedler permanent marker works with these pencils as a way of laying the subject matter first? Thanks! 😉😉

[@ClaudiaSketches]

The Staedtler Pigment Liners are waterproof and work fine with any water-based medium- just make sure they're thoroughly dry first. I recommend leaving the line-work for a few hours before you paint over it. Overnight is best. When in doubt, run your own tests on a scrap piece of paper ;) That way you know for certain that your combination of paper, materials and technique are compatible.

[@marialauramalventano4014]

@@ClaudiaSketches Ok, I'll keep that in mind, thank you! 😉😀

[@SuperExadidas]

Thanks for sharing your thoughts, hoping you can also check the lightfast of this product.

[@ClaudiaSketches]

These pencils have lightfastness ratings, each pencil is individually stamped with their rating. 3 stars = Blue Wool 7/8. 2 stars = Blue Wool 5/6. 1 star = Blue Wool 3/4. :)

[@SuperExadidas]

Claudia Sketches l really appreciate your reply.

[@deniseracine6788]

Excellent review! Thank you!

[@elaizae17]

Is your brush wet on 21:30? And I love watching your videos. I learn a lot from them . :) A very detailed review of the product too.

[@ClaudiaSketches]

Thank you very much! Whenever my brush appears, it's at least damp :) I use quite a wet brush on pencil that's dry, and a slightly less wet brush if the paper's already wet.

[@elaizae17]

@@ClaudiaSketches I'll take note of this. :) Thank you.

[@elaizae17]

@@ClaudiaSketches what type of brush you used by the way to blend the color? Thank you again.

[@ClaudiaSketches]

A cheap synthetic filbert brush. :)

[@marklewis4793]

wow,..as medium reviews go,..you delivered the goods,..all the goods,..thanks.

[@ClaudiaSketches]

Thank you very much, Mark :)

[@PsYcoPink]

Love how thorough u r 😃, first time ive seen someone do such a detailed swatch, ty 4 taking the time, much appreciated 😀 . Beautiful toucan drawing, love ur art. Noticed u havnt uploaded in a yr or so, do u have another channel? If not, May i ask how come u havnt continued ur channel? Hope u continue at some point, Subbed and liked neway lol 😀 Peace and paint 🖌️ 🙏 ❤️ 🙏 🖌️

[@ClaudiaSketches]

Glad you liked the video! Thanks for subbing :) I don't have another channel. I'd love to make more videos but I don't know when that will be. I explain why I stopped uploading here: twitter.com/ClaudiaSketches/status/1181656975769313289

[@PsYcoPink]

@@ClaudiaSketches hiya Claudia 😀 ok i totally understand ur reasons for takin YT time out. I actually figured it maybe due to ur studies. And i can empathise with how much time it takes to forfill a wonderful degree as the one ur doing. Ill keep the bell on ur channel so of u ever do restart ill b sure to notice. Neway wishing u the best for the future, good luck with everything and ty so much 4 replying. Peace and beautiful harmonious light to u! 🌻🌵🙏❤️🙏🌵🌻