My FAVOURITE Coloured Pencils!

Links to my favourite products below!
In this video I'll be explaining which pencils I use and why- as well as which ones I don't use. You'll also see the pencils get put to use in a pet portrait to illustrate the ways I use the different products.
Apologies about my hair showing a lot in this video- the camera had to be higher up in order to show the full portrait which meant that my hair had extra room to sneak in.
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Frequently Asked Questions: claudiasketche...
Alyona Nickelsen's Explanation of Oil vs Wax based pencils: / 10209120131660274
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*Derwent Drawing Pencils:
-UK: amzn.to/2GiCAzW
US: amzn.to/2PmiOIN
*Faber-Castell Polychromos:
UK: amzn.to/2BzJbYU
US: amzn.to/2Bt0OcN
*Derwent Artists Black & White:
UK: amzn.to/2J0Wf9c
US: amzn.to/2BJQjCb
*Caran d'Ache Luminance White:
UK: amzn.to/2Gngyfy
US: amzn.to/2MtW3Vu
*Caran d'Ache Pablos:
UK: amzn.to/2I9D8c0
US: amzn.to/2BuBKSC
*Prismacolor Premier:
UK: amzn.to/2J2w8Pl
US: amzn.to/2N96qdI
*By making a purchase through these amazon affiliate links, I get a percentage of the sale at no extra expense to you! If you'd like to contribute my future content, this is an excellent way of supporting my channel. Thank you! :)
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Mentioned videos:
Derwent Drawing Review & Demo: • Derwent Drawing Pencil...
Derwent Drawing Update: • Derwent Drawing Pencil...
Derwent Artists Black & White Review & Demo: • Derwent Artists Black ...
Giveaway announcement: • 2000 SUBSCRIBER GIVEAW...
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Materials:
Pastelmat paper (white)
Prismacolor Col-Erase pencils
Derwent Drawing Pencils
Polychromos
Derwent Artists Black & White Pencils
Caran d'Ache Luminance White
Caran d'Ache Pablos
Zest-it pencil blend
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Music: The Engagement- Silent Partner
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Find me on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and RedBubble!

[@ClaudiaSketches]

Hi again! Since uploading I've made a blog, and have a few blog posts that might be useful if you're looking to purchase coloured pencils. -An overview of all brands I own and have tried: bit.ly/2BnHuxs -Lightfastness rating comparison and overview between popular brands: bit.ly/2LeGXBF -In-depth look at each brand's ratings: bit.ly/2Nn7Roh

[@Lopysimm]

Your colored pencil portraits are heavenly! You deserve WAY more subscribers!

[@ClaudiaSketches]

Thank you very much! Fortunately, I'm gaining a steady stream of subscribers- but building a channel does take time ^_^

[@clearwater7000]

The dog is alive, you just need to give it food and take it for a walk. Perfectly beautiful!💓🌞😊

[@ClaudiaSketches]

Apologies for the incredibly delayed upload! I wasn't happy with the video I made that was scheduled and decided to not upload it (I'll make it again another time). With this video I had some technical issues with my new microphone- which I eventually fixed and managed to get this video completed. What do you guys think about the new audio? :)

[@JaneMetcalfe]

I think the audio is very good Claudia..and so is your drawing. That dog is so cute!

[@ClaudiaSketches]

Thank you very much, Jane! I'm so glad you think so :)

[@JaneMetcalfe]

You're welcome. By the way, I won't be here for that draw you're about to do, at weekend is it? I'll be at my Mum's. She lives in Blackpool, nearly 100 miles away and I really want this snow to go away as hubby's taking me there tomorrow (not sure of the time yet). We just can't cope with snow in this country, it's a bit pathetic really. I bet you don't have any such problems in Norway..just 'get on with it' is my guess!

[@ClaudiaSketches]

The winners will be announced in the next video- likely Sunday, and they have 48 hours to contact me. If they don't, then a new winner/winners will be drawn. In fairness, southern Norway also can't really deal with snow. :P If you don't have snow plows in force everything shuts down. But yep, here we just have to deal with it. I remember being excited for snow in England as it would mean less work (no school!), here it means more work. Luckily the last month or so we've had barely any- looks like you've got it all!

[@salenaswan7471]

The audio is prime! Great video :)

[@pamsanby8506]

Some of the people I follow on KZbin have a system of 'Happy Mail', whereby subscribers send you items of art equipment so's you can try it out and do a review. Some of the KZbinrs also have a public Amazon wish list. Also i want to thank you for your generous tips, lessons and suggestions. My art has improved loads since following you. :)

[@ClaudiaSketches]

Thanks Pam! I'm considering setting up a public amazon wish list but at the same time I'm not sure I feel totally comfortable asking my viewers to buy things for me- even if they wanted to. I had been thinking of setting up a PO box for companies to send me stuff if they'd like to (just makes it more secure), but PO boxes are costly and I can't warrant the expense given that it probably won't be worth my while for the meantime. I'm so glad you find my videos useful and informative! :D

[@pamsanby8506]

I keep meaning to ask you if you have a patreon. Keep forgetting too! lol

[@ClaudiaSketches]

I don't have a patreon yet but I'm planning on setting one up when I have the time- probably some time this summer.

[@pamsanby8506]

Cool, I'll subscribe. I like your content.

[@carolinependleton8445]

I agree they are fabulous pencils ✏️

[@tanjah3502]

Gorgeous portrait Claudia. I am blown away by your "creation". Simply brilliant and a joy to watch. Thanks for sharing.

[@stanstevens6289]

Wow, so much information! Tremendous video and extremely informative. I'd never thought of mixing different brands before (yet it seems such a sensible thing to do!). I Used to use the Derwent studio pencils back in the day. I've recently bought a 120 set of the Faber-Castell Polychromos, after much deliberation, to get back into drawing and am pretty pleased with them so far, Though now I think I'll be investing in a few additions from other brands. I find your level of expertise, Claudia, extremely inspiring: I really need to up my game!

[@ClaudiaSketches]

Thank you so much! So glad you found the video useful. I plan on making an updated version of this video in the near future. The full Polychromos set is a fabulous foundation to any collection and work well on their own and mixed and matched with other brands. I know I've previously (and repeatedly) said that I'm happy with the size my collection, but new pencils are always tempting. It helps to broaden the range of colours I have easily accessible (without having to layer up as much), but also the different qualities of each pencil lend themselves to particular techniques or stages in a drawing. I've now got the majority of Caran d'Ache Luminance pencils in my "active" collection, have recently added a selection of Derwent Lightfast as well as a handful of the Derwent Artists and Studios pencils that score well in terms of lightfastness. I've had more time to play with the Pablos as well although it's a shame that the majority of the collection doesn't score highly enough for me to feel comfortable using them.

[@Juno7325]

Been watching your work Claudia and taking your advice, I have decided to buy the 60 pencil set from Faber Castell they sound like very good pencils. I'm only just getting into watercolour pencils and watercolour work. My Art as always been in photograph, but I have had a burning desire to try my hand at drawing and painting again, I enjoy your work, and also the details of the pencils light fast test etc thank you for your help with my new hobby.

[@ml09baker8]

I am a newbie to CO and I absolutely LUV watching your videos. Your voice is amazing along with the expertise of your knowledge base. Girl you so rock, please never stop your videos..❤️

[@ClaudiaSketches]

Thank you so much for watching and commenting! I'm so glad you enjoy my videos :D Although my uploads aren't quite every week on-the-dot, I don't plan on stopping any time soon!

[@OmarAvilesCreative]

Hi Claudia! Because of your review on the Derwent drawing pencils, I went out and purchase the 24 tin set. They are currently my favorite pencils! Thank you for providing a great review and showcase your skilled and beautiful artwork! I'm waiting for July when the Derwent lightfast pencils will be availble.

[@ClaudiaSketches]

That makes me over the moon to hear! I'm so glad you like them :D Me too, although I think I'll wait a few months before purchasing them because no doubt they'll be expensive as soon as they're released. So glad that Derwent have been listening to artists and customers though- finally a full large set of highly lightfast colours!

[@maureennevers9039]

Wow ... Just what I wanted to know! Hearing your rationale for one pencil set over another based on your intended outcomes and their features was so helpful. I admire how you can talk about the advantages and disadvantages of a set very objectively. You have such a great way of putting abstract thoughts into words. P.S. I have the Closed Caption feature on, so your spoken words are visible...I smiled each time you said “Derwent” and it showed “dough and”, and Caran D’Ache was “Karen -“. 😁

[@ClaudiaSketches]

Although auto-captioning is hilarious, I have made sure to add english subtitles to all of my recent regular uploads because of this reason :P The auto-captioning doesn't handle art jargon or brand names very well. The pacing of the subtitles may be a little different and they won't be perfect, but maybe they're better than the automatic ones. :) I'm glad you found the video helpful and useful! :D It makes me happy to hear that you think I explain things well and thoroughly, from the sounds of it.

[@maureennevers9039]

Claudia Sketches I am actually surprised at how well the CC works - across lots of different channels it does a good job at getting most of the content right. I think I turned the CC on to watch videos without the sound, then just left it on because I realized I liked seeing the words I was hearing 😉 When it shows something unusual, like “dough and”, I have to say the words to myself phonetically to figure out what the original word was. I think the “-“ dash symbol for d’Ache has to be one of the best!

[@ClaudiaSketches]

I like having subtitles too! There's something extra engaging about reading along. I find it amazing how KZbin's captioning system can come to the right conclusion when there are so many different ways of pronouncing a word. On my older videos the captioning had a hard time- I think lower/fuzzier sounding audio causes some issues. I've seen KZbin use symbols for words before - where it wasn't appropriate to- but I can't remember what exactly. It is funny :D

[@April-sn1wf]

This video is great... you're so thorough in how you explain things. I like that because I'm a really fussy shopper who will agonize forever over which thing to buy. I just won a Jerry's Artarama gift certificate so I'm on the hunt for some new art supplies, and since I haven't tried anything by Derwent yet this was really helpful. I own Prismacolor, Luminance, and Polychromos, and to answer your question in the video currently I'd say my favourite is Polychromos, for the excellent detailing capabilities along with the great layering abilities. Thanks for your videos, I'll keep watching them if you keep making them! ;-)

[@ClaudiaSketches]

Congratulations on winning a gift certificate! There's no thing better than "free" art supplies :D Thank you very much for watching and commenting. I love Polychromos too, I think that if I could only ever use one brand, I'd stick to those too. :)

[@claritzairosario68]

Oh, thank you so much for this review, I want to know about your favorite pencils, and this is nice to know it. Ok, my favorite pencils are: Faber castell polychromos, because they are soft, they blend together, they are very good for details, they are my complement for soft pastels work. My first set was 36 and now I have 57, these pencils are my primary. I also love Derwent Drawing pencils, wow! I love them, they are creamy, they mix very well and I love their earth tones, they fascinate me! And I bought the set of 48 Prisma Colors Premier pencils, one thing I don't like it, is that the wood is not a good quality, it breaks, they are very creamy and they are mixed with other types of colored pencils, and their tones are very intense , but, I'm not so sure if they are lightfast ... and I have the Derwent Inktense pencils, wow! It is very innovative, it is an ink pencil, which is activated with water, I love those too.

[@DQDebra]

What a lovely portrait! Thank you for the pencil overview.

[@BabySquirrelBeading]

So grateful for all the information that will help me with my future pencil purchase.

[@ClaudiaSketches]

You're very welcome, I'm glad you found the video helpful :)

[@andrewmarkbrown7943]

Another great video, very informative :) I LOVE the Blick Studio pencils and use them in conjunction with Koh I Noor Polycolors, Prismacolor and Polychromos :)

[@ClaudiaSketches]

I've heard people talk about the Blick Studio pencils! Sounds like a fantastic range you've got there. Thank you very much for watching and commenting :)

[@barbbell6291]

Another beautiful piece Claudia, I love watching and listening to your videos. Very helpful information always. Thank you for making them.

[@ClaudiaSketches]

Thank you very much! I'm so glad you enjoy watching them :D

[@michaelmcewan432]

Derwent drawing pencils my favourite, think that is one of your best drawings, yet fantastic work, love the way you explain everything always very helpful

[@ClaudiaSketches]

Thank you very much, Michael! :D Derwent Drawing pencils are great. What's your favourite thing about them?

[@michaelmcewan432]

Claudia Sketches just so creamy I have done portraits and animals, can be a bit soft, like you I sometimes use carendache pencils for details, the pastel matt does eat at up the Derwents tho, but I sometimes use water colour pencils as well with them, always like to try different things, it's fun

[@Irisphotojournal]

That's a very nice portrait, I'm a just bit envious of your abilities. I'm new to art and colored pencils so this was very helpfull. Thankyou.!

[@ClaudiaSketches]

Envy is natural but don't let it get to you! Everybody is on different paths and at different points along their journey- but we were all absolute beginners are one point. Dedicated informed practice is all it takes to improve; you'll reach your goals with time! Glad you found the video helpful- thanks for watching and commenting :)

[@c8Lorraine1]

I love Carbathello pastel pencils.

[@triciat-b3972]

Great video and information about colour pencils. I have mostly Prismacolor because I was living close to the states until a couple of years ago and they were easy & cheaper to get. But I also have the latest W&N 12 set, just for fun. I have a 24 set of Arteza premier. The expert set is better I have been told, but these are okay for me. I am not doing saleable art with any of them. I also have a couple of Caran D'Ache Luminance and a couple of Pablo, which I like better than the Luminance. And lastly I have two or three Polychromos and similar Derwent Colorsoft. I have a couple of Berol Prismacolor from my son's school days 30 years ago and they are softer than all of the others put together and a no-name purple and green which are even softer and creamer than the Berol, and that I have absolutely no idea what they are ! Like your videos and all the info and hope I haven't waffled on too much

[@ClaudiaSketches]

Sounds like you've had fun exploring lots of different brands! You definitely haven't waffled on, I love hearing about other people's experiences and preferences when it comes to coloured pencil. :)

[@AllyPNW]

This is excellent! I learned so much that I never had a clue about!

[@lynnl2092]

Wow Claudia, this is gorgeous, beautiful job!

[@ClaudiaSketches]

Thank you so much! :)

[@gurujad1533]

Lovely technique in coloring.. I like viewing the development of a painting.. how each stroke become important and a sign of something coming later... The result is very beautiful. Hope they liked it. And best luck with your commissions. :D

[@ClaudiaSketches]

Thank you so much, Guru! Sorry I didn't see your comment earlier, seems like the notification got lost in the KZbin ether. The client was very happy with the result, and that makes me very happy too. :)

[@gurujad1533]

No problem, dear Claudia. It happens a lot. I am thrilled that your work has been liked by the client. All the best!

[@DD-d6d3]

You should have a million subscribers

[@ClaudiaSketches]

That's very kind of you :D

[@sambeawesome]

Love your descriptions of the pencils :) I'd love to be able to give colored pencils a shot, but unfortunately my health doesn't allow it x'D Gorgeous portrait though, wow! :D

[@ClaudiaSketches]

Thank you so much! I wonder, have you tried soft pastels and/or pastel pencils? I've seen artists achieve similar sorts of results as CP (in terms of control) when using sanded paper or pastelmat in particular, but they're a lot softer and quicker to use. No doubt pencil is an intensive medium. Thanks again for watching and commenting, Sam :D

[@virginiaestep6488]

Have you heard of Arteza color pencils? I bought a set of 72 for 29 dollars,65 percent discount. They lay down color really well,almost like prisma color but do not break. Most of the pencils have excellent color ratings. I thought I mention them.

[@ClaudiaSketches]

I'm hopefully getting some soon! I'm looking forward to trying them.

[@momgib2000]

Awesome BEAUTIFUL picture!

[@ClaudiaSketches]

Thank you so much :D

[@pamsanby8506]

Lovely picture

[@ClaudiaSketches]

Thank you very much! :D

[@hobby528]

Great video again! 👍

[@annaloph]

Got the answer here thanks 😄🙏🎨

[@ClaudiaSketches]

Excellent! Glad you found out what you were looking for :)

[@patriciaward7090]

Absolutely fantastic!!!

[@ClaudiaSketches]

Thank you very much :D

[@SharonNolfi]

Great review and portrait!

[@ClaudiaSketches]

Thank you very much Sharon! :)

[@janehurley8032]

Very impressive work

[@ClaudiaSketches]

Thank you very much :)

[@animagicwings4240]

hi is the liquid solvent a unhealthy to use ?

[@maxinelinley1450]

How you get the dog shaped

[@marionwigzell7334]

Beautiful drawing Claudia. What a gorgeous dog. Prismacolor are still quite expensive in Oz. I bought the full set on sale for $140 (less than half price). The 24 set of Derwent drawing are $56 (being the cheapest I can find). Is the pastelmat comparable to Mitentes? Thanks Marion :)

[@ClaudiaSketches]

Being that most of my audience is in America and Europe, I usually judge value from retailers that distribute there (usually Amazon). $140 AUD (£79 GBP) is an exceptionally good price- the 150 set on the UK Amazon is £103 GBP, and I'd consider that a passable price for the set. I have to remind myself that prices in AUD always sound more expensive, but actually the exchange rate is roughly 2 Australian dollars per British pound. I've been using the currency converter XE.com to look at how values compare between the UK and US (and responding to you, the AUS) Amazon sites. The Derwent Drawing pencils are also pretty reasonable at $56 AUD, they're now around £30 on the UK Amazon site for the 24 set but they used to be cheaper (around 22-24 GBP). I think the prices have increased since the new packaging design. Pastelmat is not at all like the regular Canson Mi Teintes. Pastelmat is a card that's been sprayed with a coating of cellulose fibres. It's similar to sanded paper, but less abrasive as the coating is cellulose fibres rather than pumice grit. Canson has a sanded paper called Canson Mi Teintes Touch (not to be confused with regular Canson Mi Teintes) which could be comparable as it's a very fine grit sanded paper.

[@Penciledbykay]

Great pencil choices! Derwent Artist Pencils offer a full 120 set which seems to be the biggest besides the Lightfast, but they can't be bought open stock =(

[@ClaudiaSketches]

Thank you! The Derwent Artists and Studio are the same formula if that helps- so if you can't find Artists easily you can use Studio as a substitute. I do now use these pencils- they aren't super pigmented and are very hard, so I like to use them for subtle detailing- though you could absolutely get similar results from other, more versatile pencils. I buy Derwent Artists open stock- I bought mine from Cult Pens. Unfortunately a very large portion of the sets have poor lightfastness ratings, so I only buy the more lightfast colours.

[@КэтринОхара-р6ж]

Super!!! 👍👍👍👍

[@AB-vb2mm]

Hi, nice Channel! I have a question: I only have/use the Polychromos, and ask myself which other Brand would perfectly fit to the Polychromos? I thought about a wax color pencil, but which? I mainly looked for the Pablo’s, Luminance is too expansive! When having the Polychromos, is there a need for another kind of color pencil? Greetings

[@ClaudiaSketches]

The Polychromos are an excellent primary set because they're so versatile. Owning other types of pencils with different properties will make producing certain effects easier or faster, but isn't necessary. If you're looking for wax based coloured pencils (and something softer than polychromos) there's Luminance, Coloursoft, Derwent Drawing and Prismacolor Premier and even Arteza Expert. Pablos could be considered too, although they're harder than the others. I've tried all of these and they all have different advantages and disadvantages, and it's difficult to really make a recommendation as I don't know what you're looking for in a pencil. I also have a blog post where I've given a brief overview over the coloured pencils I've tried, including links to my review videos: bit.ly/2BnHuxs If you're still unsure, let me know a few things about your art, then I can help give a more tailored recommendation :) E.g: -Is lightfastness important to you? (Do you sell/display your work, or plan to?) -Do you want something to create details with, or for quick laydown? -What sort of subject matter do you like drawing?

[@AB-vb2mm]

Thanks for Answering. My maininterest ist Botanical Art, and there the Big Botanical pencilartists use mainly/solely Polychromos or supplemented with a few Luminance or Prismacolor Pencils or the Verithin ( I have too). I don’t do portraits now and would call me a beginner. But too I don’t want to have at the end 10 Brands of pencils at home just to try. So I am unsure, but would like to try something which would suite to my setup. I thought about the Arteza because prisewise they are nobrainer and other channels praise them(hype?). -Lightfastness for the future would shure be nice. -a quick lay down ist something that would interest me, even as a beginner I find Color pencil relatively slow, and to get it quicker on paper would be nice. I have Gamsol, but didn’t work seariously with it. Maybe this is the key. As a full time worker and Father Time is an issue😒

[@ClaudiaSketches]

Arteza can be ruled out because only a few are lightfast- and they're not open stock so you can't pick and choose. Prismacolor may be of interest if you purchase just the lightfast colours- there are plenty of greens, browns and greys that are lightfast, but the bright colours are rated poorly. Coloursoft may be worth exploring as they have pretty good ratings and have a fairly complete range of colour after removing the non-lightfast colours. Their laydown is very quick, although I don't find they work very well on hot pressed paper. It might be worth buying a handful of colours you think you'd use the most and just giving them a go before you consider buying a whole tin. Derwent Drawing can be excluded as they don't contain colours useful for most botanical studies If you can tolerate (and like the effects of) using solvents then I recommend it. One of the most tedious and time intensive parts (in my opinion) with coloured pencil is getting a smooth base colour to then refine and detail. Solvents greatly speeds the process up.

[@beckyquick4025]

Claudia I love your work!!! I was wondering would it be possible to use watercolor pencils or ink to block in then the colored pencils to avoid solvents. Most solvents still carry a risk even if small can add up after years of use.This is my concern with colored pencils. Do you use watercolor pencils?

[@ClaudiaSketches]

I don't use watercolour pencils, but yes it's possible! Check out Lisa of "Animal Art by LAW". She often uses watercolour pencils as a base for coloured pencil work. I personally prefer using regular coloured pencils throughout the piece. I find that they have a thicker consistency and tend to be a little more opaque, which creates the more oil-painting like quality that I like in my work. Only working in one type of pencil also reduces the start-up costs, too. Solvents may vary in terms of their toxicity. I use Zest-It which is considered non-toxic, and it scores very well for this: www.zest-it.com/zestitin.htm . I still minimise the amount I use and that evaporates (e.g. accessing the solvents when needed via a small jar), as well as having a window ajar for ventilation during and after use. For me personally, the safety information provided also reassures me that there'll be no long-term health effects- but if you could share your sources about long-term health concerns when using solvents I'd be very interest to read! Generally though, I'm more concerned about the heavy metals in some pigments (e.g. lead, cadmium etc) as these bio-accumulate and pose a much larger long-term risk.

[@beckyquick4025]

@@ClaudiaSketches , thank you very much. Lavender spike oil www.jerrysartarama.com/lavender-spike-oil-essence this is suppose to be o.k even in a non ventilated area. I love your look of oil painting with the pencils. If I find any information on I will pass on. thank you.

[@kimbearlysoriginal4276]

This is fantastic. Great video. Wonderful! How many hours did this take? Love it! Thanks for another great video. I love the Pollychromos pencils. :)

[@ClaudiaSketches]

Thank you so much, Kim! The drawing (from sketching to completion) took about 12 hours but there was also around 3-4 hours of prep work involved..

[@jaline9091]

Beautiful drawing and thank you for all the information. I would like to have your opinion on the Irojiten colored pencil I have the 3 sets but have not used them. I wish you lots of success.

[@ClaudiaSketches]

I've not tried the Irojiten pencils so I can't help you here I'm afraid. Thank you for watching and commenting :)

[@kathleenmartell5891]

Hi there! Thanks for this overview. Do you know anything about how the Derwent Colorfast Pencils function? Are they on a par with Derwents Limited drawing collection that you covered here?

[@ClaudiaSketches]

Derwent Lightfast has 100 colours. I have about 40 of them, they're much different to Derwent Drawing. Derwent Lightfast are more translucent, oil based (smooth/less "sticky/grippy" than the waxy drawing pencils". Brighter/larger colour range. More expensive per pencil. Same excellent build quality. I've found they don't dissovle as well with solvents but blend excellently on their own.

[@liz2857]

Thank you for a lovely video! Hope someone can answer my concern; when you say you draw with the pencil to add fur details whilst the paper is still damp, dosnt this damage the tooth of the paper and/or the pencils themselves?

[@ClaudiaSketches]

Thanks for watching and commenting! Zest-it (and other aliphatic solvents) don't "wet" the paper in the same way that water does, and generally I've found that the paper grain doesn't fuzz or damage in the same way that applications of water does. Additionally, because Pastelmat is a coated surface, it doesn't really have a paper grain to get fuzzy like non-coated surfaces do. Even working pencil on top of areas that are damp with water is fine- the only thing I've noticed in this instance is that the paper surface can be indented with firm application if the pencil is sharp (and this could actually be a useful technique!). As for the pencils getting damaged- no, they may wear down more quickly though as more pigments will get distributed onto the paper (but this is partly the intention of applying pencils onto wet paper).

[@liz2857]

​@@ClaudiaSketches Thank you so much for taking the time to answer, much appreciated! Ive just gotten started with color pencils and im still in the research stage, so your tips are very helpful!

[@marialauramalventano4014]

Hi Claudia! Amazing work😉 I'm considering buying these pencils, but I'm in doubt partly becauae I don"t use solvents. Would you recommend anyway? Thanks! 😀😉😍

[@ClaudiaSketches]

Hi again :D Thank you! I don't always use solvents- it just speeds up the process for the type of work I usually want to achieve. I used and mention a lot of different brands in this video- but they all work well with or without solvents. I'll link below some videos where I didn't use solvents: Derwent Drawing: kzbin.info/www/bejne/qnXViIypq9pnfLs Polychromos: (Bird): kzbin.info/www/bejne/rqSTemR5eNNmm7M (Horse): kzbin.info/www/bejne/aJrElneYnr9grpo (Perfume bottles): kzbin.info/www/bejne/ZoaWpXWfqL1qgtU Derwent Black & White: kzbin.info/www/bejne/Y17RiZqmaK6mrs0

[@marialauramalventano4014]

Thank you for answering😉 I'll watch all the videos you linked. I'm your fan and a subscriber.😀 I'm still in doubt between derwent drawing and artists pencils. I"m so delighted I've found your channel😍

[@ClaudiaSketches]

The only Derwent Artists pencils I can recommend is the 6 set with the blacks and whites- and I like them because of their interesting colours. I don't think the other sets of Derwent Artists pencils are really worth purchasing. The Derwent Drawing set I can certainly recommend. If you're a human portrait artist they'll be a very useful addition to polychromos as the polychromos set is quite limited in the skin-tones and earth tones- especially in the 60 set or smaller. No problem, just happy to help! Let me know if you ave any other questions :)

[@marialauramalventano4014]

@@ClaudiaSketches hi again! Regarding black & white, I use mostly derwent charcoal pencils. I don't have polychromos but I might buy a smaller set in the future (I'll check your related videos first😉). I do have the derwent skintones 6-set which I love. Also I have faber castell pastel pencils.😀 Your answers are very helpful and informative as are your videos, plus you have a very cute voice. Thank you!l😉😀😍

[@sueallen952]

They have 36 count sets on eBay and the derwent colour soft come in an even bigger count

[@godwinstaples5270]

Prismas creamy and blendable. Have FC, much harder but hold a point.

[@margaretsmith9954]

Hi, new subscriber. I found your reviews, very informative and really helpful. Would it be possible for a review, on the Marco Renoir pencils. I would really like your honest and informative opinions, of this brand. The dog portrait was beautiful. Can’t wait for your next video 😊🇬🇧

[@ClaudiaSketches]

Hi! Thanks for watching, commenting and subscribing. Unfortunately, I don't own the Marco Renoir pencils and don't currently have any plans for purchasing any more pencils- I already have quite a few brands that I need to review already! (Here's a blog-post summary of the pencils I own (and which ones I have reviewed): bit.ly/2BnHuxs ) I would love to review them eventually though (as well as some other budget alternatives), but reasonably speaking it will likely be months/years before I'm able to. Whilst you're waiting, I know that Marty from Owings Art and The Art Gear Guide have both done a review on them, and I think they make fair and reliable videos :) Thanks again! :D Hope you enjoy the rest of your week.

[@ethanteo3748]

From what I know, the type of binder in the pencil matters less than the amount of it. As a comparison, the Pablos are waxed based, and the Polychromos oil based. You might wonder how then are their performance so similar. This is pretty simple. The method of making the pencil is the same, i.e forming the lead out of pigments and clay before soaking it into the wax and/or oil. It is really justa difference of whether oil or wax is used. Sure, they have different properties and the manufacturer uses them in certain ratios to achieve a specific effect. I'm not claiming that wax and oil work the same in the pencil, just that it mostly depends on the method and the manufacturer can compensate for the properties of the chosen binder by altering the ratios of ingredients. Prismacolor and Luminance are both wax based afaik

[@ClaudiaSketches]

Yep! I explained this in the video and it's also really well explained in the link I provided in the description. :D I'm not sure if you wrote your comment before getting to that part of the video, or perhaps I didn't explain myself clearly? Describing pencils as either wax or oil based is generally done in order to quickly explain the key properties of a pencil and what is to be expected- I have a feeling most people don't really mind too much about the actual formula of the pencil. The discussions arise when people start labelling pencils differently based on different criteria, and that it's often seen as a "black or white" matter. But there are certainly vast differences between pencils that are described this way- e.g. Luminance and Derwent Artists/Studio are both considered wax based, but there's quite a difference in their laydown/hardness, pigmentation and opacity. It's a reductionist and overgeneralised way of describing a pencil in many instances, just like any rule of thumb.

[@ethanteo3748]

Claudia Sketches yeah I didn't hear you mention the part about the method. Just wanted to clarify. Sorry!

[@ClaudiaSketches]

That part is in the link I provided- I didn't want to go into the manufacturing process as the video was already getting long and off-topic enough :P I was just worried that perhaps I hadn't made myself understood or explained poorly which is why I asked (I'm always looking for ways to improve my communication) - don't apologise! :)

[@DrawWithAury]

Amazing skill technique Lady😀😀😀😀 New Follower and great video review ❤️❤️❤️ Big hello from Italian Artist

[@ClaudiaSketches]

Thank you very much! Welcome to the crew :D

[@marysartwork2573]

Hi , This drawing is amazing!! I want to ask that which solvent did you use for blending Derwent drawing pencils . please reply 😊

[@ClaudiaSketches]

Zest-It pencil blend :)

[@marysartwork2573]

@@ClaudiaSketches thank you so much for replying 🙂

[@EmsArtStudio]

Great drawing and thanks for all the information about different types of pencils. I've just invested in some polychromos but now I'm uncertain about whether I need to invest in some sort of blending fluid like you used. What are the firs and against such for blending in this way?

[@ClaudiaSketches]

I'm glad you liked the video! I started off using paint thinners (odourless mineral spirits/ OMS) to begin with, which can be found in any art supply shop, usually near the oil painting things. I now use Zest-It pencil blend which is more costly per milliliter but a lot more pleasant to use. The negatives is that the fumes can be headache inducing and not pleasant smelling. Zest-It smells very citrusy (the product is made with orange oil) which I actually quite like but when using a lot over a long session it can start to get a bit much. Another drawback is that you start to introduce drying times- and not having a drying time is an advantage of working with CP. However, things generally dry quickly and you can use a hairdryer to speed things up further. You'll be limited with what paper you can use too, you'll need to use something thicker that can hold up to the wet solvent. Once solvents have been used with CP on absorbent paper, it will be very difficult to lift or erase the pigments. Solvents can change the colour of the pencil when they are wet, and the colour may appear different once dried. I've noticed that this is especially true for colours that contain white pigment as the white pigment seems to dissolve or become transparent whilst the pigments are wet, and reappear once dried, so occassionally it can be hard to predict the outcome whilst you're working. And of course, there is a learning curve when beginning to use them. As for positives, it can greatly speed up the process of a piece- especially if you want smooth, even coverage over large areas. Using solvents means you don't have to be quite as careful with your pencil marks as you'll be able to dissolve and blend most of them away. Being able to push the pigment around with a brush makes it easier to get the pigment into the grain of the paper without having to apply extra pressure to your pencils or extra layers. As such, because you're preserving the paper grain for longer you'll be able to achieve more layers than you may have been able to otherwise. I find that solvents also helps to "push" the pigments into the paper as well, meaning again, you have more room on the paper surface to layer. And it also helps to dissolve excess wax and binder which seems to help with wax bloom... and again, being able to apply more layers. I personally find that using solvents results in a more painterly outcome. I like to think that when using solvents to blend, coloured pencils are like to oil paint as watercolour pencils are to watercolour. It changes the pacing of creating a piece too, which I like. It helps to break things up a bit. I'm quite an impatient CP artist, so that is a bonus for me. :) You certainly don't need solvents to blend though, I know of many artists who prefer to use their pencils dry. It's definitely a matter of personal preference but I recommend giving it a shot at least to see what you like! :D

[@EmsArtStudio]

Wow, thank you for such a comprehensive reply! I will see if I can get hold of some, I'm also impatient with many art supplies :)

[@rohitbabar8150]

Nice .

[@talimediaart]

Claudia, is it possible for you to create a mixed media piece with colored pencils and the Sakura Koi Brush Pens? Oh and I saw in a comment that you watched Bleach, who's your favorite character?

[@ClaudiaSketches]

I watched it about 8 years ago, I can't remember :P I have something planned coming up with the Sakura Koi pens, but if you want something right away, the Pitt Pen Review I did used brush pens and polychromos coloured pencils to create a piece (kzbin.info/www/bejne/a6bWmX6YqqiAibs ). There's no difference between how the Pitt Pens and Sakura Koi pens would work with coloured pencils. :)

[@talimediaart]

Claudia Sketches Thank you. I"ll take a look. It doesn't really matter if I used a soft lead or hard lead colored pencil, it's going to work anyway?

[@ParasolMushroomStudios]

As long as wet media is dry, generally it doesn't matter what dry media you put on top as long as the dry media is opaque enough. At least in my experience. :3

[@talimediaart]

Parasol Mushroom Art Ah I see. Thank you.

[@ClaudiaSketches]

Parasol hit the nail on the head really :D . Make sure it's dry and make sure you're using a paper that can handle both the moisture and abrasion from the pens and the pencil layering that follows.

[@SathishKumar-pw9fu]

I really wonder till now you haven't get the chance to work with prismacolor yet?

[@ClaudiaSketches]

Like I said in the video, I bought my Prismacolor more than a year and a bit ago. I've made art with them but most of it is sketchbook work because they're not Lightfast. I'm not happy making art for sale or display with them as they'll fade in a relatively short time frame. I didn't use Prismacolor in the drawing shown. Here's one of my earliest videos where I give a first impression of the Prismacolors: kzbin.info/www/bejne/nGOXop2Na8d-b5o

[@clarice657]

Hi, was wondering how long do you usually take for drawing portraits like the one in this vid? :)

[@ClaudiaSketches]

12 hours + 3-4 hours of prep work, according to one of my comments here! I don't keep track of how long every piece takes me so long after I've completed it (so it's lucky that it was written down in a comment), but A4s generally can take anywhere between 8 and 18 hours depending on complexity and detail.

[@neroholic4918]

Can i ask what do you blend with at 0:44? :) It just brings the colors out so much! And whats your opinion on blending with baby oil?

[@ClaudiaSketches]

I use Zest-It pencil blend! I usually leave all my materials in the description box, but I left it out for some reason- I'll edit it now :) I have a couple of explanations describing this: Blending with Zest-it: kzbin.info/www/bejne/pnu1c4ifh7aJpas How I draw fur & pencil techniques: kzbin.info/www/bejne/o2GQfmWNbcSbY7s Great question, by the way! I really don't recommend anybody blend with baby oil to blend their coloured pencils, unless it is *just* for practice. Baby oil is not archival- in other words it will deteriorate and damage your materials over time. It can yellow the paper and also make the paper brittle and generally deteriorate. It can also leave a greasy residue on your paper. You're best off using solvents that have been designed and tested for artistic use which won't cause these issues. This is even more important if you want to sell your artwork, or if you'd like to keep it and want it looking fresh in many years to come. :)

[@neroholic4918]

Thank you for your fast response! I love watching your videos, they're very informational.I'm a begginer at traditional art and i just ordered my first set of colored pencils. My passion so far is digital art, but I think traditional is more rewarding because you actually have the piece in your hands, not just on the screen. I'll look into getting a solvent, possibly zest-it if i can find it in my country (shipping from Amazon is sadly very expensive for me, ofter more than the product itself). I've seen people use alcohol on some videos, is it better than baby oil? I just want something temporary before i get a chance to buy a solvent.

[@ClaudiaSketches]

You're very welcome- only glad to help :D And yes, there is something very special about having something tactile and tangible in front of you. (Making prints of digital work is similar I guess, although there's a little bit of a disconnect). I know the feeling about shipping :( I try and wait, and then order a lot of stuff from the same place all at once to try and make the most of expensive shipping. Whilst you wait, you could also try looking for paint thinners or odourless mineral spirit- which art shops should sell if they sell oil paints. You may also find it in home improvement stores. This is the first solvent I used and I found it to be very effective. The downfall of alcohol and "odourless" mineral spirits/paint thinners is that they're very smelly! You really need to work in a well ventilated space with these as it's not good to breathe them in over extended periods- especially so for the paint thinners/OMS. Baby oil, on the other hand, has a pleasant smell and doesn't carry those health concerns. Another alternative is colourless blenders for alcohol based markers- they work the same as the isopropyl alcohol but because the application is a bit more controlled, it should be less smelly. They all have a sligtly different feel and application though- and I have a feeling that some are more effective than others- although they work in the same way.

[@neroholic4918]

Claudia Sketches I can't thank you enough for your tips ❤️ I hope i can be as good as you one day, you really are an inspiration.

[@ClaudiaSketches]

Any time :) Only happy to help. Be sure to comment again if you have any more questions. Thank you! You can do it- keep practicing and keep up that passion for art!

[@AryanDraws]

Now I see

[@Tsukiyumi3]

When are you going to choose the winners of your giveaway ? 😻

[@ClaudiaSketches]

Sun Shines They've already been chosen. :) The video will be live once I've made it. All information is provided in the giveaway announcement video and the Terms and Conditions.

[@Tsukiyumi3]

Claudia Sketches oh does that mean that you will announce them in a future (live) video or not ? Oh my god I hope to be one of the winners ;-; it will really make me happy especially now I have more than 10 quizzes to study for ;-;

[@ClaudiaSketches]

Sun Shines All the information is in the giveaway announcement video and the T&Cs. Nothing has changed! :)

[@Tsukiyumi3]

Claudia Sketches oh I see thank you :D

[@aliencreation8744]

DERWENT! increase the colour range!

[@Dallas_AWG]

Draw a corgi and a shiba inu please 😩😩

[@ClaudiaSketches]

I will do if somebody commissions me to draw one! :D My pet portraits are either personal pieces or commissions, unfortunately I don't really have time to take breed requests.

[@c8Lorraine1]

Dog’s eyes look sad