Just saw your post! I have several posts on my blog comparing colored pencil brands... you might find answers to some of your questions there...
Mama Dini's Stamperia: pencil comparisons and faq
I prefer Prismacolors when working with wax-based pencils... Dick Blick's wax-based pencils are good too - less colors to choose from, but less expensive. Oil-based pencils are also nice to work with - a little more expensive than wax-based, but smooth color laydown and less breakage issues. All that said... don't feel like you have to have artist's pencils to have good results in your coloring. You might want to start with a student-grade set if you're just starting out, to get the feel of different strokes, pressure, shading, blending, etc.
I love Derwent's watercolor and other water-based pencils, but I didn't prefer their other lines (Coloursoft, Artist, Studio). I wouldn't start with those.
Hope that helps a little! Feel free to keep asking if you have more questions as you explore!
HELP a newbie with colored pencils!
