Marco Raffine Colored Pencils

[@juliemcd444]

I saw a review on amazon where a lady said she dipped the end in water and colored with it. I tried it and WOW! The color became so spreadable and pigmented. I like them for backgrounds because you can really spread the color out. Thanks for this review. It was really good.

[@owingsart]

+Julie M Hi Julie - You just reminded me to try that same thing, I'm sorry I missed doing that in the video. I was really sort of surprised by these pencils, they're quite good actually. Backgrounds are a good idea as well. Thanks Julie and have a great day!!! - Marty

[@gwensimmons_gigi1629]

Julie M Are they watercolor pencils??

[@desireeclarins5491]

Julie M - No they aren't watercolour pencils. But apparently, dipping these pencils' ends in water before laying down on the paper make them spread more easily onto the paper.

[@sweetcup6694]

These are oil based pencils so I find that water will probably have no effect on them. However if you used mineral spirits to blend that would help.

[@jannsteiner]

I do that to my pencils, too. And I add some vinegar to the water as well.

[@Criscosta]

I have the 72 set and use a lot to paint dolls, specially the hair. I think Marco Raffine colors get so beautiful in the hair! In fact, I also think they are a good cost x benefit when you are a beginner. Here in Brazil, for example, there is no 72 color´s set "made in Brazil", so I began with Marco Raffine and Mondeluz. Thanks again for this review. I LOVED the grapes you draw! Pretty cool!

[@owingsart]

+Cris Costa Hi Cris - That's a cool use for them. They are a good value for sure. The grapes took a long time, but these pencils layered nicely. :-) Happy evening from Minnesota.

[@Christine-tj3vc]

Dear Marty, I just bought some of these so I enjoyed your review. Most of all, though, I enjoyed your positive responses to the people who posted comments.

[@owingsart]

+Pinka Pinka Pony Thank you very much for the feedback. I try to be nice to everyone. Happy New Year!! - Marty

[@thephilosopher5799]

Love these pencils. I got them after some of my old cheap pencils ran out. They are great and they retry vibrant.

[@MimosaLockjaw]

Always awesome reviews from somebody who knows what is doing :))

[@owingsart]

+MimosaLockjaw Thank you so much for the kind remarks! Always appreciated.

[@janwolf126]

I just received these, so I really enjoyed your review.Wow! I wish I had your artistic talent! It was a pleasure to watch you draw.

[@owingsart]

+Jan Wolf Thank you Jan. It's more just practice than talent I promise you that. I really appreciate that you took the time to watch and to leave a comment. - Marty

[@julia-qm2td]

I was looking for coloring pencils to start off my art supplies collections. So when I stumbled upon these pencils, I needed a review on them because of how cheap they were. I just want to say thank you for the review! I'm definitely gonna buy these pencils!

[@owingsart]

I hope you like them. Also, my favorite are Faber-Castell Polychromo's and they are outstanding.

[@sumirevbd]

In my opinion this was the best review of the Marco Raffines coloring pencils. You know what you are doing and know what tests are important to accurately review the performance of the pencils. Thank you!

[@owingsart]

Thank you for the very strong endorsement. I appreciate the support. I hope you'll subscribe. ~Marty

[@738polarbear]

A very decent review and i am glad that an artist like yourself never took a high handed approach to these pencils.

[@owingsart]

I am a humble painter.

[@scrapgirl14671]

I always enjoy your reviews because they are very balanced and fair. I can see with these that it will truly be a case of getting what you pay for, and as you said, depending on your need and budget that is fine. Originally when you laid down the colors I got excited thinking maybe they would be good for my sister to add to her pencils for coloring books, but seeing how hard you had to work to blend, etc.. I knew they wouldn't work. She has wrist issues and arthritis and these look like they would flare that up. I truly appreciate that you take the time (and expense) to do these reviews and help us decide what we spend our money on. Thank you Marty.

[@owingsart]

+Maureen Hayes Hi Maureen - I'm happy to do it. Thank you as always for the kind comments and encouragement. Sometimes, it's just good to know a product so you can avoid them, for whatever reason. Glad to hear it helped. Have an awesome day Maureen.

[@BugFolk]

+Maureen Hayes I admit blending like normal colored pencils, with these you have to press hard. I did find they blend with water to some degree. Using semi moist paper towel or a marker blender helped make blending them much easier. These pencils would be good for experimenting. Though for serious artwork stick with the higher quality products if you can afford them.

[@owingsart]

BugFolk Great tips.

[@Hikutachama]

You can try using paint thinner using a paint brush if you want to blend. A youtuber I watch says it's a lot easier on your wrist than burnishing, but it gives it a more painterly effect.

[@owingsart]

Hikaru Uta Thank you Hikaru, this is an excellent tip. - Marty

[@MrSkTmAc]

Oh and thank you Marty for always responding and making awesome videos! ✌

[@owingsart]

:-) Thank you for watching them. ~Marty

[@mewsli]

Thanks again Mary. I was undecided about getting some Marco Raffine pencils. I may try and get a set so my Granddaughter can have a step up from the pencils she has. We work together in some colouring books and she is getting good at using colour and fast outgrowing what I can teach her

[@owingsart]

This is a good set for that work.

[@yunusmshariff]

Good review! V lucid and informative. Some reviewers lack the tone of voice/ manner of speech to captivate and keep the attention of viewers. Not you. You have the kind of voice that draws the audience in and keeps them wanting to hear more even after your video is over. Great quality. Subscribed and about to binge watch all of your videos! Thanks!

[@owingsart]

Thank you for taking the time to leave feedback. I appreciate it. - Marty

[@phebefriddle9133]

Thanks for the review, I was curious about these pencils.

[@owingsart]

+Mama Ren :-)

[@ripley275]

Thanks Marty for reviewing these. I'm not an artist per se, but a Colorist, and just love my high end pencils, but sometimes it's nice to have a lesser quality just for variety, or even if someone comes by and wants to color too. I don't really want to be sharing my Caran D'ache or FC with someone who will not treat them with the respect they deserve, and just not realizing how much one pencil could cost. I have learned so much from you, and I love it when you share your artwork, Blessings to you.

[@owingsart]

+ripley275 Thank you so much for the remarks and the support. I know what you mean about guarding your pencils. :-) I hope you'll keep watching. Have a great week! - Marty

[@ADEYENO]

(Disclaimer : Don't mind me if I say 'coloured' as that is the way you spell it in British English) Thank you so much for reviewing this product, Marty! You literally just saved my life and saved my parents' money. I am 12, and I was willing to get the prismacolor premier/Faber-Castell Polychromos/Caran d'Ache Luminance set of coloured pencils before I discovered this video, and I wanted the whole set of either of those colouring pencils, but my parents weren't convinced by the cost of the pencils, as they costed from a range of £19-£185 (or about $21-$190 as dollars). Until I found this video called '10 Best Colored Pencil Set', which said which ones are a good set of colouring pencils and which ones are not, which considered the Marco Raffine coloured pencil set in 2nd place in the video. I searched on KZbin on a review about that product and I found your video, and you were one of the best reviewers about this product. I really can't believe there is someone in the world like you who reviews these products and their pros and cons. Later on, feeling happy that there is a review about this product, I searched the product on ebay, and the prices were lower than the expected budget my parents would think of. Gladly, I told my parents and they said 'We are going to buy this product next week!'. Gongratulations, you have earned a subscriber. And the new subscriber is me. Also, I viewed your videos about the crayola colouring set, and it encouraged me to keep my old (aka current) colouring pencils from whsmith that I earned as a prize at grade 5. I am so excited to order these with the touch markers I am getting!!!!!

[@ADEYENO]

Sorry if I speak some parts of English wrong, I am still learning.

[@owingsart]

Thank you so much for the note. Even though I reviewed these pencils well, I wouldn't put them in 2nd place among the ones you mention. Both the Faber-Castell Polychromos and Caran d'Ache Luminance are much better pencils than these. If you're looking for a less expensive pencil, you should try Koh-I-Noor pencils or Dick Blick brand pencils. They are better than these again. You should be very proud of your prize and keep up the great work. I hope my comments help. ~Marty

[@jennsenp776]

Thank you for this outstanding, informative & honest review. I really appreciate the explanation & display of the drawbacks of this product. I still plan to purchase it- I now know exactly what I'm getting for my money.

[@shaylexus8550]

Im saving for the 72 pack or maybe the 48 pack, because these really suprised me for how cheap they are!! They look amazing, and work well!! Thanks for the review! Now I know they work just as well as the really high priced pencils!!

[@shaylexus8550]

Well for beginers like me lol.

[@christinechipman9973]

Thank you for this. I have been having real problems with my Derwent pencils and so I bought some of these, and I agree with everything you have said. I love using them, and I don't mind spending a bit of time working with them.

[@owingsart]

+Christine Chipman - Hi Christine - These are really decent pencils for the money. I'm glad you love using them, I do to. Thank you for the comment and for watching! - Marty

[@TanyaOwens]

Thanks for the review. They are perfect for my needs as a new pencil artist and for adult coloring books. Nice pigment color.

[@owingsart]

+Tanya O Thanks for the note Tanya. - Marty

[@CharlotteLWilliams]

Thank you for the review. I just ordered the 72 set online. I thought I'd be more comfortable sharing these than my artist quality pencils and watercolor pencils, and your review was very good.

[@owingsart]

Thank you Charlotte. Great to hear from you. Yes, these are good spare set. ~Marty

[@ArtFadil]

This is a great review!! Thank you !

[@owingsart]

Thank you!

[@trastuspies]

Very instructive video: I'm actually waiting for them to arrive. Those grapes looked very good too.

[@owingsart]

+Gigi AR Hi Gigi - Thanks a ton for watching the video and let me know how you like them when they come! Cheers - Marty

[@Jendollla]

I have the set of 72. I primarily use for coloring books. I like them fine. certainly aren't a polychromos but hey I'm not an artist that has to stress about those things. Thanks for doing the review.

[@owingsart]

+Jen Pospychala Hi Jen - You're right, but for about 1/4 the cost they're not too bad. - Marty

[@erandisilva7501]

greetings from Sri Lanka. Thank you so much for the review because I was looking for a cost effective yet a good quality pencils for coloring in my leisure time and I guess this will suit my purpose.

[@owingsart]

Hi Erandi - Thank you for taking the time to comment. I really appreciate it. Hope you have good luck with them. ~Marty

[@monique-176]

You are really a painter. I loved this graves.

[@karenlorenz9907]

Thanks for the review, you made my choice to purchase these much easier. I appreciate your honesty

[@owingsart]

+Karen Lorenz Hi Karen - I'm glad you found it helpful. Thank you for watching. - Marty

[@danwaite8064]

Thank you. I've been wondering about these pencils.

[@kellyzollo]

This was such a well done video I myself could not justify the cost on the Prismacolor or the other high end brands for my adult coloring books. I have used both Crayola and Roseart and was ready to upgrade to a mid level type pencil. After watching your review and seeing one other one here on KZbin I caved and bought these for super cheap on amazon. Can't wait till they arrive so I can stat coloring in the new books I got for Christmas with these to see how they do.

[@owingsart]

+Kelly Zollo Good luck Kelly and thanks for the note. Let me know how they work out for you. Happy Holidays! - Marty

[@MrSkTmAc]

I have everything from Caran D'Ache Luminance to Faber Castell PolyChromos to Crayolas lol and I still always end up using my Marco Raffine colored pencils with them. I love them! thanks for the vid! ✌

[@owingsart]

Thanks for the comment Caitlin. What do you like about the Marco's that make you go back to them over and over? Just curious? Thanks, marty

[@mytube1728]

Best art reviewer ever!...

[@owingsart]

Thank you very much Hazel.

[@erins.5420]

Glad you did this review! I got these pencils (72set for $32?) because the reviews are actually across the board really good. I came across one reviewer saying she knew of this brand and that they make a higher end artist pencil. No cant find that review to save my life but I recall it started with the same letter. Still looking since once I got them they did well. I didn't want to use my prismas or polychromos pencils in my mandala coloring book so these were affordable enough and actually work quite well for my purpose.

[@erins.5420]

Oh and they are oil based!

[@owingsart]

+Erin S. - Thanks for the good info. I don't know if these are the higher end Artist pencils by Marco you are referring to, but here is a link: marco.cn/web-content/marco_re.html.

[@owingsart]

+Erin S. I looked it up and these seem to be wax based, but you might be thinking that the Renior (the Artist pencils) are oil based?

[@erins.5420]

+Owings Art your good! I knew you did your research but wow you really do your research! Yes Renoir is the name I read in a review I can't find and don't need to anymore. Thanks!!!

[@erins.5420]

+Owings Art I would take your word for it over the listing I purchased from! There are about a million listings for the same pencil on Amazon and after thorough searching I found the 72 for the low $30's. But on that listing which I don't see is showing pencils available anymore says oil. Oh and a different listing I saw show the Marco brand on a watercolor pencil however it was in a smaller set and not available in larger than (if I can remember correctly) 24 or 36? Thanks Marty love your reviews I have a few questions but want to email them to you. What is your contact email?

[@ARareAmber]

Aloha Mr. Owings!! (didnt want to assume I can call you Marty (-: ) Mahalo for your expert review. I've been racking my brain on whether or not to purchase these and yours is an opinion that I consider GOLDEN! Be well.

[@owingsart]

+ARareAmber Hi Amber - Please call me Marty, I'm not a formal person at all, just a regular guy. Thank you for the comment. Yes, these are good pencils and very fun to use. I really appreciate you checking out the video. One of my kids lives in Hawaii :-) - Marty

[@dianayansen2542]

Thank you for the review. I ordered these pencils after watching your review.

[@owingsart]

Hi Diana - Thank you for watching. Much appreciated. ~Marty

[@applestree100]

thank you for your review , im not an artist but doing coloring books, its helped me to decide what to get, as i want to give the books my best try ..

[@owingsart]

Thank you for the note and for watching. I'm glad to hear the videos are helpful to you. :-) Have an awesome day! ~Marty

[@bunnylady6758]

I like the grapes. Even cheap pencils look great with your skills. New subscriber.😊

[@owingsart]

Thank you so much 😃

[@aoitori3990]

I just ordered these pencils from amazon. Thank you for a great review.

[@owingsart]

Thank you for watching, I appreciate it. ~Marty

[@mcginnis713]

I love listening to your reviews. You have such a calming voice. I'm going to try and get a iPhone tripod on Black Friday so hopefully I will be putting a video out on December!!!! The question is, on what subject?!?!?

[@mcginnis713]

Oops. Wrong account. This is MyPandaPaints.

[@owingsart]

+mcginnis713 Hi Panda! - Thank you for the kind words. I can't wait to see your first video. As for subject, will it be Art related ;-)

[@foxloretft]

Fantastic review!! I love the way you added the blending and layering test as well as went through an assortment of colors. I'm not an artist, but want some nice pencils for coloring. I wasn't even considering these pencils prior to your review, but am now adding them to my list. It seems like an oil based color would be my preference since I want a creamy vs scratchy pencil and vibrant color - the problem there is cost. On my short list thus far are Blick Studio Artist, FC Triangular Koalas, Koh-I-Noor Progresso Woodless and Lyra Rembrants at the higher end. I'd pretty much given up on getting an oil based pencil, but maybe these would be a better bet than the other inexpensive alternatives. Blick was at the top of my list.

[@owingsart]

+Foxloretft Thanks for the note. The Blick pencils are also excellent because they're made by Koh-I-Noor in the Czech Republic and the quality is good. Even if you're not labeling yourself an Artist, every time you put pencil to paper to create, you are practicing the art or art, therefore an Artist. And like I advise all Artists, buy the very best you can afford. If you can swing it, buy the Faber-Castell Polychromos or Lyra Rembrandts, brands that invest in quality are your best bet. In the long run it costs less to invest in good quality products. - Marty

[@foxloretft]

+Owings Art Thanks Marty! I would LOVE the Polychromos. They're at the top of my list too - especially after seeing them in action thanks to KZbin. They just look amazing and, like you, I experience wrist fatigue and cramping. That's one reason I considered the triangular shape after watching another review you did. Do you find the Polychromos to be much smoother than the Blick since they're oil based or is it negligible? Your reviews are so helpful - you can really see the pencils in action. Did you ever do a comparison chart? Thanks again and I'm either going with the Blick or splurging on the Polychromos! 😊

[@owingsart]

Foxloretft I love the Poly's. They're my favorite colored pencil and the ones I use the most. I have a colored pencil comparison video out there on my channel. Just hit the search and you'll find it. Have a Happy Day!!! - Marty

[@kimidodd1146]

Thanks for a great video. These will be great for using in my coloring books! 😊

[@owingsart]

+Kimi Bloodworth Glad the video was helpful to you Kimi. Thanks for watching. - Marty

[@TerrieJohnson731]

Thanks for the review! This is my first pencil set. I found a PDF download pre-numbered for them! Just Google swatch sheet for them.

[@owingsart]

Thanks Terrie, I'll check it out. Good share for others as well. Thank you! ~marty

[@dashildabiz]

Thank you so much!!! Your reviews are the most informative. You're the best!

[@owingsart]

Wow! Thank you for the kind words! Happy New Year. ~Marty

[@Windkisssed]

Great review! Tells me I can skip them altogether! I already have Faber Castell Polychromos and Caran d'Ache Supracolors. I love them both for what they're made for!! Thanks for sharing. Lauri

[@owingsart]

+Windkisssed For sure Lauri. You're not going to get better than Caran d'Ache and Faber-Castell unless you buy boutique pencils from monks. :-) These are really just good student grade colored pencils or low end Artist grade. Good for starters and to save a few dollars, but not in the same league as FC or CD.

[@rubyreddress1]

Hi Marty you have helped me to decide to buy going to order them today stay safe .☕️🙋🏻‍♀️

[@owingsart]

Thanks for leaving this nice note.

[@YammyBonBon]

Thanks for making this review! I recently bought a set of 72 for only $20 miraculously, and before buying them I couldn't find a decent review anywhere. I noticed a main concern of yours was that a lot of layers were needed. This might just be my technique, or experience with cheaper pencils, but I thought lots of layers were a necessity with colored pencils. When playing around with my set, seeing how many layers I could do was one of the first things I did. I'd love to know what godlike pencils you've experienced that need minimal layers, that would make life a lot easier! Anyway, great video!

[@owingsart]

+Yammybonbon Hi Yammybonbon and that you for watching. To your point, there aren't very many colored pencils in the world that would not require many layers to deepen the color, however there are a few. The first and most probably most widely used by professional Artists is the Faber-Castell Polychromo's, here is a review for those: kzbin.info/www/bejne/jZfRc4GNoL1jpZY Then there are the very excellent Swiss made Caran d'Ache Luminance colored pencils: kzbin.info/www/bejne/l3zCpX2DmN9maZY These are my opinions based on my own experiences. And finally, one more tip that might help. If you use Gamsol or alcohol on them, you can cut down on the layers. Just apply it carefully. There are lots of videos on KZbin that demonstrate the use of these mediums. I hope that helps you. Thanks again for watching and good luck.

[@amazingdollart4676]

Finally got them and they're great, I just sketch with them but it's fun

[@federicaguzzon7703]

I found these on wish and I looked on youtube to see if they where good and your review really helped! For sure buying them

[@jaline9091]

Very good thank you. I do have them, but today I received my Irojiten pencils from Japan wow. I would like to see a review on them. The very light colors are amazing, I'm very happy.

[@owingsart]

Hi Jaline - I did a review on them some time ago. Here it is: kzbin.info/www/bejne/h3i4Xnh3ept8q8k

[@carmellelapointe7583]

Thank you for the review;) I just bought these 48 color pencils on amazon.

[@owingsart]

Let me know what you think of them. I'm always interested to hear people's thoughts on the gear I review and how they perform. - Marty

[@faedusteddreams]

This review was very helpful! Thanks for your time :)

[@owingsart]

+faedusteddreams Thank you!

[@Shannonishere]

Great review and I love the drawing Marty. :)

[@owingsart]

+Shannon Sand Hi Shannon - Thank you! I've been digging your channel for a while now. Keep up the great work, your personality is so fun!

[@Shannonishere]

+Owings Art Thanks Marty. I really like your reviews a lot they're great and the drawings you do while reviewing them are awesome! :)

[@owingsart]

+Shannon Sand :-) Thanks Shannon.

[@Venuszenith]

Thanks so much I just want them for coloring books and I wanted to know if they were vibrant colors and worked without scratchiness, you could probably draw with a used match stick you're a wonderful artist :)

[@owingsart]

You're very kind to say that, but I don't really deserve the praise. Do you do a lot of adult coloring? ~Marty

[@Venuszenith]

I love coloring, coloring books are a more recent thing I have gotten into I love crafts just about anything crafty I'm always looking for new thing to make, coloring stamped images for cards is a favorite, quite good at copying and drawing cute things but have no imagination of my own, I Sew knit embroider always making something. I purchased the pencils not too sure about them the pigment builds up patchy after a couple of layers I have their watercolor pencils the colors are really vibrant I like them they are OK for coloring books with a water pen.

[@owingsart]

Venuszenith Sounds like fun for sure. Yes, these will get some waxy blooming, but you can control that by not pressing so hard while you're layering. At least that helps for me. :-)

[@bedephoenix980]

Really good review. Thanks

[@owingsart]

Thank you very much!

[@EsmeMSP]

I'm so excited my dad ordered these off ebay for me a few ago for my birthday and it says they're coming tomorrow I can't wait ohmygod

[@EsmeMSP]

a few days ago*

[@owingsart]

Hi Esme- I hope you really enjoy them. Happy Birthday!!!! - Marty

[@EsmeMSP]

Owings Art Thank you :) !!

[@pesto12601]

So.. do you have a chart of something that lists all the pencils you have reviewed with a rating scale in each "category"? That would be so helpful to know if it is worth shelling out for polychromos vs spectrum noir...

[@owingsart]

+pesto12601 - Thanks for the suggestion/question. I don't have a list, but it's a good idea. Maybe at some point soon I'll do that and post it on my website. In the meantime, Faber-Castell Polychromo's are worth the money and better than Spectrum Noir.

[@pesto12601]

Owings Art Thank you for that.. It would be nice to see on the website.. a nice chart with the top performers ranked in each category ... thx for the info on the polys.. I figured they were better but wanted to be sure since they are so much more expensive. I'm no artist.. but I like to use quality product even just to play as I think it makes a difference. Thx again for the videos.. always enjoyable to watch you create and play!

[@owingsart]

pesto12601 Much appreciated. I'm already working on the list. Peace!

[@TazD3vilzz]

Thankyou so much Marty for your review, I've been looking at these pencils for weeks now, unsure whether to buy, after seeing your review I've decided to go for them! I was looking at the renoir but noticed they are far more expensive so I would much rather get my Derwent pencils if I were willing to spend that much. I'll be putting these on order tonight!

[@owingsart]

+TazD3vilzz Let me know what you think of them! - Marty

[@TazD3vilzz]

+Owings Art Hi Marty! I'm just coming back to let you know what I think about the pencils. I'm just doing normal colouring in books etc, nothing fancy and I enjoy them very much! First thing I noticed was how smooth it was to go on the paper, the colours presented on the pencil itself are EXTREMELY close!! I spent nearly $50 for the 72 pack AUD (Including express postage) Though so far they do not blend very well as you've already stated :)

[@owingsart]

TazD3vilzz Thank you for the great follow up. So just as expected. It looks like you're happy overall. - Marty

[@kingmambostudios5623]

thank you so much for your great report on these colors! Greetings from Germany. Alfredo

[@owingsart]

+King Mambo Studios Greetings Alfredo. - Thank you for the note and welcome to the channel. - Marty

[@DIWEllenWolters]

thank for the great review! purchases them!

[@owingsart]

+Ellen Wolters Thank you Ellen.

[@leoniewright1466]

Thank you! Excellent review 😊

[@owingsart]

Thank you!

[@MissNausicaa87]

Any thoughts on the Pablo pencils from Caran D'Ache? I know that they are also oil-based like the Polychromos, and I was thinking about buying one of those to substitute my Prismacolor. Thanks for the review :)

[@owingsart]

+MissNausicaa87 Hi There and thanks for the note. Yes, I reviewed the Pablo's. Here is a link that I hope will be helpful for you as you consider whether to buy them: kzbin.info/www/bejne/aIDcZ5mOmLCEars

[@NoblesseObligedCP]

+MissNausicaa87 Another pretty good oil color pencils that are cheaper then the caran d'ache are the lyra rembrandt polycolor. Not as good as faber castell or caran d'ache but better than prismacolor. Pretty good pencils at a good price check them out he has a review on them also.

[@MissNausicaa87]

+Owings Art Thanks, I'll check it out

[@MissNausicaa87]

+NoblesseObliged I have thought about the lyra rembrant but they are quite difficult to find open stock. But thanks for the tip, I'll check them out :)

[@Makingofabetterlife]

Love your review. Thank you.

[@owingsart]

Thank you Kandi.

[@JennyJames-ArtbyJenny]

Marco Rafinne are also available as a higher quality, as well as an aquarelle. Be great to know if there's a real difference or if its just the packaging!

[@owingsart]

+Jenny James I'll have to check them out Jenny. Thanks for the tip.

[@AismenA]

+Jenny James Are you referring to Marco Renoir (the pencils of a higher quality)? :)

[@JennyJames-ArtbyJenny]

+Jasmina Grbic Yes I am - but I have to check with my supplier now, because the boxes and pencils I have are the Renoir ones, but labelled Raffine! So now I'm a bit confused. I wonder if there really is a difference in their quality or if its just a packaging thing. +Owings Art, do you know?

[@owingsart]

Jenny James Hi Jenny - I just ordered the Renoir set from China and I'll be testing and comparing them very soon so stay tuned. Until then though, it appears that Marco is saying these are student grade and Renoir are Artist grade. We shall see. :-)

[@orionh.900]

I just bought a Renoir set, and I can say that they're artist grade. You can compare them to prismacolor and polychromos and Lyra. They are awesome

[@tqbngoc162]

Thanks for the review :) And what pen did you used to blend?

[@owingsart]

+NeonPlays That is a Derwent blender.

[@sueb-t2183]

thks for this review, I was wondering how good these were.

[@owingsart]

+Susan Thompson I hope the review helped to answer your question.

[@laurageorgina1783]

Hi there, thank you for the review it was really good. Are these oil based or wax based pencils and if oil can I use a wax blender wth them or do I need to buy a special blender? I get confused lol love your channel. Laura x

[@owingsart]

Oil based.

[@owingsart]

No special blender needed Laura. You could try some baby oil and a q-tip.

[@VikingAztec07]

Thanks for share the video. Those pencils looks nice soft like prismacolor

[@owingsart]

They are a bit harder than Prismacolor Premiere.

[@BugFolk]

I found an odd feature in them when using water based blending markers (tombow colorless blender marker) They (and a lot of pencils - example - Faber Castell metallic eco pencils) are semi water soluble. These can be almost painted like a weak watercolor pencil. They can also have their leads softened by dipping them in water. Makes an interesting effect. Overall I like them for my coloring book sketches. I understand the negative reviews about flaking, chipping leads. As you use them, you'll find weak areas that the binding of the lead crumbles. Using water can help save some of the lead breaking issues (dissolves it a little then sticking back into the wood core), though not always helpful.

[@owingsart]

+BugFolk Great tips. Thank you for the excellent information and the detail. This is good info. Thanks - Marty

[@Toutouche]

I have this colored pencils and how i can blend them very smoothly?

[@thephilosopher5799]

Start shading very lighting and then start lightly shading on top of that with the different color pencils. Keep doing that until you get the darkness and mix of color you want.

[@TheTaperCoach]

Thank you. Just what i wanted to know

[@owingsart]

Perfect. Thank you Liesbeth.

[@nicolebrisebois8544]

Hello i ask you earlier this week about the ohuhu pencil because i ordered them . I received then today and it is marco raffine and i like them very much. Just want let you know that ohuhu and marco raffine are the same. Sorry for my english because i am french thank you again.

[@owingsart]

+Nicole Brisebois Hi Nicole - Merci beaucoup pour les commentaires et de me laisser savoir à ce sujet. d'autres vont maintenant être conscient que ce sont les mêmes crayons et ne pas être confondus . Votre anglais est assez bon, donc pas de soucis . Merci d'avoir regardé. - Marty

[@kaygonzalez5299]

Wow! Awesome job you describe everything :)

[@owingsart]

+Kay gonzalez Thank yo Kay.

[@MrSkTmAc]

I use these waaay More then I thought I would. I was pleasantly surprised

[@owingsart]

Thanks for the note Caitlin. ~Marty

[@SaltyJojo]

great reviews, i love using marco raffine, I am looking for a review for artist choice 120 ct. colored pencils I only found, didn't get anycgood info from them

[@owingsart]

Hi Jo - I have no idea about them. Do you have a link?

[@Alexis-ix2cy]

Greetings from Hong Kong - I was amazed when I see a review on Chinese brand. From what I heard, Raffine is like children level color pencil and Renoir are marginally better. Have you heard of Colleen (another cheap brand from Japan)? For me they're even better than Renoir in the budgeted category. I am not overly fond of these two - I like staedtler luna better. But they're quite cheap and works well in my coloring books - I don't know how much you get them, but from here it was like 12USD(Raffine 72 color/Renoir 48 color)/6USD for Colleen(double edge, 60 color).

[@owingsart]

+Alexis Cheung Hi Alexis and thank you for watching and for the comments. I haven't tried the pencils you mentioned, but you just gave me a great idea. Thank you. I will try the Colleen's at some point. I just finished a review of the Renoir and will be posting soon. The Renoir's were about $25 US with shipping included. Have a great day! - Marty

[@nfldshorty21]

I have these and done care for them so much. I am saving for a large set of polychromos

[@owingsart]

Hi Sarah - The FC are also great.

[@michellec9368]

I am just a beginner, beginner, beginner, when it comes to color pencils or art in general. It's been many many years since I have been able to create and I can no longer ignore that deep calling within. So I greatly enjoyed your review as I have purchased some pencils and I am trying to self learn their use from videos like this. I maybe totally off base but it is my understanding are these pencils are manufactured in China by a company called Marco. The Raffine are wax based as you demonstrated but they also have Renoir which are slightly more expensive and I think are oil? It's either that or the Raffine is more for students and Renoir for artists? But I am leaning towards wax and oil. So I would love to see you also review the Renoir by Marco also, that would be greatly appreciated. They are sold in the same come quantities, 12, 24, 48, and 72, but they are sold in a metal tin. Thank you much for the great information you shared in this video and look forward to future reviews.

[@owingsart]

+Michelle Cammarata Welcome to the channel Michelle and glad to have you here. Congratulations to you for embracing your Artist within, that's a big step toward a more joyful life! :-) Yes, I've got the Renior's on my list to review soon. The Raffine and the Renior are both made in China as you point out. Yes, the Raffine are marketed as an Artist grade, but really they're very, slightly above student grade. The Renior are supposed to be better quality and I'll know more when I test them. If you're looking for great pencils and willing to spend a little more for better quality, the good news is that there are better options. Have you checked out the Faber-Castell Polychromo's or the Caran d'Ache Pablo or Luminance pencils? Here are some links to my reviews of them (PLUS I've reviewed dozens of other types of great and affordable pencils): kzbin.info/www/bejne/l3zCpX2DmN9maZY and kzbin.info/www/bejne/jZfRc4GNoL1jpZY

[@rhojonraine]

thanks for the review, could you do a comparison with koh-i-noor polycolor?

[@owingsart]

Thanks for the suggestion.

[@susanpllaha2797]

have you tried the Sudee Stile Pencils? if so, can you tell us what you think of them or do a test video on Them? thanks for sharing.

[@owingsart]

No I haven't tried them.

[@miakamo]

Hello, Thanks for the review, you are great :). So did you have time to try the lightfastness???

[@owingsart]

+miakamo Not complete yet, but early indications are that they are moderately lightfast. :-) - Marty

[@miakamo]

+Owings Art Thanks for the reply :). I also watched your video about Pablo pencils and they are here in offer since yesterday, 1.30 Euro a piece! and I think I will spend a little bit more and get them :)

[@owingsart]

miakamo Great choice. The Pablo's are outstanding and wonderful.

[@LostDesertGirl]

Great review! Thanks!

[@owingsart]

+Lesa LDG :-)

[@isabelaeveline6132]

Hi, You are just amazing

[@owingsart]

+Isabela Eveline Hola Isabela Eveline - Gracias por los amables comentarios que usted . El Caran d'Ache son muy caros y, a veces simplemente demasiado dinero. Estos Marco Raffine son asequibles y hacer un muy buen trabajo en bocetos y dibujos. Gracias por la nota y por favor seguir viendo . - Marty

[@isabelaeveline6132]

+Owings Art thank you for answer just a note that in Brazil we speak portuguese and not spanish so I can not speak spanish, but you are very gentle on trying

[@owingsart]

Isabela Eveline Obrigado Isabella . Sinto muito pela minha ignorância , é claro portugeuse é nativa do Brasil . Eu estava tentando dizer , Caran d'Ache são muito caros e , por vezes, muito pouco dinheiro. Estes Raffine Marco são acessíveis e fazer um trabalho muito bom de esboços e desenhos . Obrigado pela nota e por favor continuem assistindo. - Marty

[@ItsTammy]

I just recently bought these pencils. They were advertised as oil based but they are actually water soluble. I was disappointing in that! I read online that the pencils marked 7100 are supposed to be oil based and those marked 7120 are watercolor pencils. Mine are marked 7100 so I dont know how accurate that info is.

[@owingsart]

That's strange because the ones I have are NOT water-soluble. Perhaps the packaging and pencils got mixed up. And, "Oil-Based" is a dubious claim by them. It's actually a clay, oil and wax mixture. When Faber-Castell says that their Polychromo's pencils are oil based, you can believe them because of the higher oil content in the core. :-) Thanks for the note Tammy. It's Marty. ;-)

[@ytalocarlos1]

Thank you, best review!

[@owingsart]

+MariaLuiza Hi Maria - Now you're making me blush. Thank you for the comment and for watching. Have a GREAT day!

[@nicolebrisebois8544]

Hello do you think that the marco raffine and the ohuhu pencils are the same? If not did you try ohuhu?

[@owingsart]

+Nicole Brisebois Hi Nicole - I've never tried the ohuhu pencils, so I couldn't say for sure. Have you tried both? - Marty

[@carrieruble]

I have these and I love them! Someday I would love to buy the Derwent Colourfast when I can afford them. (I tried the Prisma soft core and didn't care for them. I can't explain why except I don't like how squishy they are.) I love all of your comparison videos and find them very helpful especially for a beginner like me.

[@owingsart]

+Carrie Rubl Thank you for the note Carrie. I appreciate you watching. - Marty

[@estelanavamuel7938]

Hi! At first I would like to say that your video is amazing, I liked it a lot as I am really interested in drawing and art. The second thing I wanna ask you was the type of pencil do you use for bend the colours. It gives a really good texture and it seems great. Thank you.

[@owingsart]

+Estela Navamuel Hello Estela - Thank you for the kind remarks. I use a Derwent blender or just a white colored pencil depending on what I'm trying to blend. You can pick up the blender online or in an Art store. Have a fantastic day! - Marty

[@terrybellowes908]

I hope you don't mind one more shorter question. I have severe RA and still find these pencils acceptable, but mine are called Ouhuh (probably misspelled) Rafffine, not Marco Raffine - is there a difference? Due to my knuckle and wrist pain, I will look into the pencils you recommended. Unusual note: To encourage my drawing as a way to fight the dementia, my doctor raised my RA medication today (the pain was affecting my work). He feels the good outweighs the bad. Thanks!

[@owingsart]

+Terry Bellowes Hi Terry - I'm not familiar with the Ouhuh Raffine so I cannot offer any information regarding comparative differences. Yes, I think art therapy can be a powerful way to manage many of life's difficulties. Seems like a good call by your Doctor. - Cheers - Marty

[@teodoraadrianaoprea2869]

Are they good to make portraits?

[@mr.chaosvicious5968]

As long as they can blend and layer pretty well,then I'd say that they would do just fine for portraits.

[@WrethaOffGrid]

Hi, great video and review, I have these pencils and love them, you mentioned in the video that there is a website with the color names for the pencils? I have not been able to find it, do you have a link? Thanks so much Wretha

[@owingsart]

+WrethaOffGrid Hi Wretha - Thank you. Here is the link you're looking for. inthemidstofmadness.wordpress.com/2015/07/30/marco-raffine-fine-art-oil-based-coloured-pencils-a-review/marco-fine-pencils-001/

[@WrethaOffGrid]

+Owings Art Thank you :)

[@owingsart]

WrethaOffGrid Surely!

[@RaDazzle1]

+Owings Art That chart doesn't include names, but it's a very good chart of the actual colors with their respective numbers. :-)

[@owingsart]

Ilene Rachel :-) You're right.

[@MrSkTmAc]

oh my goodness I hadn't realized I commented on this video a month ago to! lol When I am stuck on what color I want to use I pull out my swatches and it seems I am always grabbing from the Marcos. I'm not exactly sure what it is....😊 They do have a wonderful selection of blues

[@owingsart]

I agree about the blues. :-)

[@Skinnychelle48]

How would u say they compare to Prismas?

[@owingsart]

+Yvette Williams Hi Yvette - These are slightly better in my opinion. - Marty

[@PhilK1080]

Just bought these 72 set Marco Raffine off eBay.co.uk for £11.71. This review convinced me. The difference in quality between these and Polychromos or Primacolour or Derwent was not worth paying 5-6 times MORE

[@owingsart]

Hi Phil - I look forward to your feedback on these. The FC Polychromo's aren't too much more in the US, not 4 to 5 times more anyway. Let me know what you think of the Raffine's. ~Marty

[@muskndusk]

Are these softer and more pigmented than Crayola? Crayola are, to date, my favourite non-artist coloured pencil.

[@owingsart]

+muskndusk Hmmm...I think they're a bit harder than the Crayola's, but definitely more pigmented. :-)

[@DD-d6d3]

Fwiw I prefer Crayola to these.

[@thephilosopher5799]

I prefer these to crayola. Because too soft is annoying to me. See for yourself.

[@MichaelKeeter]

Are you using a lot of pressure when putting these down? The colors look like they really go on a lot smoother than I'm used to with prismacolors.

[@owingsart]

+Michael Keeter (Solo) - Hi Michael - They do go down pretty easily and I'm applying the same pressure for each pencil. These are likely to be on par with Prismacolors, although maybe not as hard. Prismacolor pencils used to be much better before they were bought out by Rubbermaid back in the 90's. They've gone down hill since as they've lost focus on quality. Thanks for stopping by and for the question. Stay tuned. Have a great day!

[@thuytrangle8069]

Can you tell me which kind of paper you used?

[@owingsart]

Yes I used this paper: amzn.to/2fAf59Z

[@niknikagain]

I have bought those pencils (72 colors pack). And I was very surprised those pencils are water soluble, like watercolor pencils. You did not say about that feature.

[@owingsart]

+Dmitrij Sheremetjev Hi Dmitrij - I didn't think to use them that way. I'll give that a try. - Marty

[@kashleyky]

Are marco renoir and marco raffine the same pencils? What's the difference? Thank you for your review!

[@owingsart]

I don't think they are exactly the same. The differences are outlined in each of the videos and it's been so long I can't remember. One maybe oil based and the other wax based.

[@kashleyky]

Thank you! That's what I thought, but I wanted to try and check if you had the same opinion. Thank you for your channel, and best wishes!

[@chikitujachikituja2010]

Hola, estos lapices son con base de oleo o de cera? Gracias

[@TheFineLine920]

how do they work out when you sharpen them?

[@owingsart]

Not bad at all Rea.

[@Hikutachama]

Thanks for the thorough review. A few questions though. How do these work against the Lyra rembrandts? Also, in terms of blendability, which are better? Is the blending better than, say, crayolas?

[@owingsart]

+Hikaru Uta Hi Hikura - I like the Lyra Rembrandt's better because they are better with color, blending and layering overall. The Raffine's are better than Crayola's in every category, but the Crayola's aren't considered Artist grade pencils. Hope that helps! - thanks. - Marty