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FINALLY I have my answer!!!! My brand new Prisma color soft lead pencils can't be blended with Gamsol or any similar product, such as baby oil and mineral spirits. The Sanford company claims they have changed nothing. However, the fact is that my old Prismacolors blend with Gamsol and my new ones don't. I haven't changed anything. So somewhere I heard about scribbletalk.com, and that's where I found the news that production of Prismacolor pencils has moved to Mexico. In fact, there is no major pencil company left in the USA, since December of last year. So if you have a source for the OLD pencils, better get them now, unless you don't care if they won't blend.
If you have old ones you would like to sell to me, I'm particularly interested in buying greens, browns and pastel because I have only 3 of each of those.
By the way, I haven't bought any Prisma watercolor pencils lately, so I don't know if those have changed, but the discussion on Scribbletalk.com leads me to believe the deterioration in quality of pencil products has been relatively constant since 2008. There's much mourning of that fact by Artists who make their living using pencil products.
Lyra, which was going to be my second choice for soft lead colors, used to be produced in Germany but has now moved to China.
Paper, ink, colored pencils, erasers, adhesives......my most-used supplies have deteriorated in quality so dramatically over the past two years, it's probably time I find a new addiction. I'm a Crafter, not an artist, so I should NOT be so fussed about this, that's for sure.
Sorry to be the Bad News Bearer!
Bahb
Gosh, when I heard this I went to Aaron Bros and bought a couple of pencils for some reason i was missing. Didn't know how to tell if they were made in Mexico or not so I bought the ones with the bar code that are on stickers. Some of the pencils have the bar code on the pencil itself so I figured those must be the newer ones (well, my logic anyway). Thanks for the heads up.
I am a Prisma pencil girl. Love them! I use the cardstock from WalMart, Memento Tuxedo Black ink and Liquid Goo-Gone to blend (not the gel-type). I tried baby oil, but it left a stain on the cardstock.
Hopefully someday I'll be able to afford more Copic markers - only have 3 now, can't do much with that!
__________________
-Krissy
www.paperinkspirations.blogspot.com
Daily creativity keeps a Mommy sane!
OK, let's talk about this. I have both Creative Mark ones and ones that are made in China - The CM ones are softer but the ends get fuzzy and out of shape so fast. I think I prefer the China ones as they keep their shape better.
I'm having the same trouble with the paper stumps. I have to keep trimming the ends because they fray.
I am sad to say that some of my replacement Prismas from open stock at Dick Blick seem to be the ones that don't blend well.
I was working on a set of these cards for a swap on SCS and a couple of pencils that had broken leads from my old set needed replacing. The new ones just didn't lay the color down as smoothly or blend with gamsol as well. And it was on the exact same cardstock and all. Very sad about this. I wanted to get better at this technique, now I'll need to migrate to another set of pencils I guess.
Thanks again, Dina for posting the comparisons. I've looked at it several times and I'm sure that I'll refer to it again!
Anyway, here's my creation. Let me have it - tell me what you think! The sky and his eyes bother me...
My sister has that stamp, and he's gorgeous!! I always did like that one!!
Quote:
Originally Posted by luvcardmaking
I'm having the same trouble with the paper stumps. I have to keep trimming the ends because they fray.
I am sad to say that some of my replacement Prismas from open stock at Dick Blick seem to be the ones that don't blend well.
I was working on a set of these cards for a swap on SCS and a couple of pencils that had broken leads from my old set needed replacing. The new ones just didn't lay the color down as smoothly or blend with gamsol as well. And it was on the exact same cardstock and all. Very sad about this. I wanted to get better at this technique, now I'll need to migrate to another set of pencils I guess.
Thanks again, Dina for posting the comparisons. I've looked at it several times and I'm sure that I'll refer to it again!
Anyway, here's my creation. Let me have it - tell me what you think! The sky and his eyes bother me...
On the eye, something I always do is color over the black part of the eye with a black gel ink pen - it stands out more and seems more expressive that way.
FINALLY I have my answer!!!! My brand new Prisma color soft lead pencils can't be blended with Gamsol or any similar product, such as baby oil and mineral spirits. The Sanford company claims they have changed nothing. However, the fact is that my old Prismacolors blend with Gamsol and my new ones don't. I haven't changed anything. So somewhere I heard about scribbletalk.com, and that's where I found the news that production of Prismacolor pencils has moved to Mexico. In fact, there is no major pencil company left in the USA, since December of last year. So if you have a source for the OLD pencils, better get them now, unless you don't care if they won't blend.
If you have old ones you would like to sell to me, I'm particularly interested in buying greens, browns and pastel because I have only 3 of each of those.
By the way, I haven't bought any Prisma watercolor pencils lately, so I don't know if those have changed, but the discussion on Scribbletalk.com leads me to believe the deterioration in quality of pencil products has been relatively constant since 2008. There's much mourning of that fact by Artists who make their living using pencil products.
Lyra, which was going to be my second choice for soft lead colors, used to be produced in Germany but has now moved to China.
Paper, ink, colored pencils, erasers, adhesives......my most-used supplies have deteriorated in quality so dramatically over the past two years, it's probably time I find a new addiction. I'm a Crafter, not an artist, so I should NOT be so fussed about this, that's for sure.
Sorry to be the Bad News Bearer!
Bahb
I went to buy some Faber-Castell pencils today (which used to be made in Germany) and I read the fine print on the back: Made in Indonesia (to Faber-Castell standards - gee I hope so!!) and others were Made in Brazil. So I am guessing that Faber-Castell Polychromos which I understand are waxy like Prismas (correct me if I am wrong) are not made in Germany I was looking at buying a couple from my local Art Store to fill in some gaps that my Prismas colours don't cover - guess I'll just buy one if it's not made in Germany and see if it works with OMS!! Sheesh! What is happening to the world?
Heh - that's interesting! FC is the predominant brand that I see here, though occasionally I've seen watercolor crayons by Caran D'Ache (but really expensive)... I will have to look around and see if the Polychromos are available here! Most of what is 'out there' here is a student grade, and they do have watercolor pencils too, but I haven't looked more closely.
Hi everyone~~JCI. Sooooo, two things~~Dina, do you have any suggestions on how to use the Derwent Studios my children bought me for my birthday. I know they paid full price, and I can't return them.
Second, I am making back to school cards~~suggestions for red hair, I am stumped!!!!!!!!!!
About the pencils made in Mexico that won't blend... very disturbing! I wrote the company to ask for more info, but haven't heard from there. My question is this: On the bottom of my Prisma boxes there's a sticker that says "Made in USA or Mexico. Check pencil for origin".
The pencils have no identifying mark to tell me where they were made. Fortunately, mine must be American because they do blend, but I was trying to help a friend figure out how to identify the blendable ones.. but with a system like that, I don't know how one would. Any clue? Thanks.
I am sure that there is something comparable to prismas out there right? Another brand that works like them? I have always used prismas (and my inktense) so I hadn't really looked at other brands but I am sure they are out there. Anyone have any experience with them or recommendations?
I've used KOH-I-NOOR pencils with great success. They are made in the Czech Republic. I don't know if that matters to you, but I wanted to mention it anyway. There are 24 in the box, which has 2 sliding trays. They are woodless pencils that color and blend more smoothly (IMO) than any other pencil I've ever used. And they are less expensive too. I bought them with a coupon at Michael's and paid only $5! I thought you couldn't buy them individually, but check out this site: Buy KOH-I-NOOR Progresso Woodless Colour Pencils | Online Discount Art Supply Store. You can buy the sets and individual pencils.
On the eye, something I always do is color over the black part of the eye with a black gel ink pen - it stands out more and seems more expressive that way.
Thank you for that suggestion! I'll definitely give it a try.
Although I dont post to this thread often, I would like to thank all of you for sharing your wisdom and talents here. I have learned so much!
Are you serious, this is outstanding!!!!!!!!!! There is nothing to be bothered by, it is beautiful!
Thank you for the kind compliment! You should have seen my lovebird when I was trying to affix the feathers onto the card (lovebirds are very small parrots). She was determined to grab a feather for herself to play with! She eventually did, but they were made in China so I couldn't let her play with it. (Birds should only play with toys colored with vegetable dyes) LOL
Ack! I never wrote you back! My internet connection is really bad right now - I will have to wait to post to my blog on Friday but I think I figured something out for you.
Quote:
Originally Posted by cjcape521
Hi everyone~~JCI. Sooooo, two things~~Dina, do you have any suggestions on how to use the Derwent Studios my children bought me for my birthday. I know they paid full price, and I can't return them.
Second, I am making back to school cards~~suggestions for red hair, I am stumped!!!!!!!!!!
Thanks Dini! I love when you try stuff and post samples for us. Looks like we can get the results we are used to, it just may take an extra step or two and relearning how to apply the color.
I take a coloring class at my LSS once a month. Last month one of the ladies was commenting on how some of the colors blend better than others. She has a brand new box of 132. I'll bet some of hers were made in USA and some in Mexico. Next month if she has some that aren't blending well I'll see if we can tell where they were made. Someone else commented that there isn't anything on the pencil to say. I haven't been able to tell either, but haven't done a side by side comparison of one I knew blended with one that I knew didn't.
After your post with the brand comparisons I bought a few Faber-Castell pencils this week to try. HL had them on sale and buying open stock I could see "made in Germany" stamped on the ones I bought.
About the pencils made in Mexico that won't blend... very disturbing! I wrote the company to ask for more info, but haven't heard from there. My question is this: On the bottom of my Prisma boxes there's a sticker that says "Made in USA or Mexico. Check pencil for origin".
The pencils have no identifying mark to tell me where they were made. Fortunately, mine must be American because they do blend, but I was trying to help a friend figure out how to identify the blendable ones.. but with a system like that, I don't know how one would. Any clue? Thanks.
We figured this out last night! If your pencil is new there is a teeny tiny "USA" stamped on the pencil. One the side where Prismacolor, the color number, and color name are, to the right of the gold words is a tiny USA stamped in the wood. We had to really look for it on a couple of pencils because it was faint. This won't help if you are buying a full set, but it you are buying from open stock you can at least look for it on each pencil.
Interesting and I appreciate the info... but let me ask a dumb question. If the new ones are being made in Mexico, why would is have "USA" on it?
It would have been made in the USA before the factory was moved to Mexico. When I said that your pencil is "new" what I meant was if it had not been sharpened yet. I sharpen from the end opposite from where the # is printed on the pencil. If you sharpen from the same end, by the time you have sharpend a few times this will no longer be there, so you will not find it.
It would have been made in the USA before the factory was moved to Mexico. When I said that your pencil is "new" what I meant was if it had not been sharpened yet. I sharpen from the end opposite from where the # is printed on the pencil. If you sharpen from the same end, by the time you have sharpend a few times this will no longer be there, so you will not find it.
Thanks Dina for all the great information. It got me thinking though, I wonder if a light application of the clear Prisma Blender pencil or Lyra Splender would do the same thing, as your "base". I think I tried it once or twice, the gamsol blending is quite slippy slidey over the blender pencil BUT I used a heavier base. And with a heavy base, it is harder to colour over and get a strong colour application. It has a different look I kind of liked though.
I had an 80 set of the Polychromos during my early teens ( in 40s now) bought at a small discount mom & pop store and I got in a tin for $19.99 CDN I think- I had them all through high school art classes. I still have a few of them in my collection, I saw the price of them now... wowza!!!
I am so not looking forward to replacing my prismas with all this new information. The Lyra Polycolors are tempting me. I think I will always be a pencil girl I just can't believe Prismacolor would actually put out a pencil like that with their name on them! It would be a death nail for them, with all the pencil color artists out there and all the alternative brands. Shame shame.
I haven't had success blending with OMS over the blender pencil - it comes out really uneven. To me.
Hey, while I'm thinking of it, I placed an order with ASW - they have a 'thing' where if you find a lower price than theirs online they will match it plus give you a $10 off coupon for your order. I wrote and showed them the price at Carpe Diem (.78 ) compared to their price (.88 ) on the Prismacolor open stock and they granted me the lower price + coupon. Sad thing was they don't have the newer colors, but I got the other colors on my list there, plus a handful of others that were lower than Dickblick.com - I will order the rest of them there, later. I'm wanting to try the Derwent Drawing pencils - Tim, have you heard of those? Anyway, I meant to say I ordered a set of 12 Creative Mark Raffine pencils - has anyone seen those before? They were only $5 for the set of 12, so I figured - no great loss... especially with the coupon.
Went to HL Sat w/ some gift money hoping to find some Prisma pencils in bulk @ bottom, DH found all tins were made in Mexico! Ended up putting a big handful back!!Verithin bought in May are leaving lines & not blending in like my old ones.
HL had all art kits on 30%.Bought a new brand to try that I have read about. Cheaper than bulk pencils.
In clearance section in a corner ,found a 30 piece set of the Caran d'Ache for $18.a steal!! They retail for $75.Dick Bick had them for $69. I could never afford them @ that price.I
They are w/soluable, I found w/color paper under them for 1/2 price. Got home,it's made in France.Has a good rough texture. Cut up a 1st sheet since they are big sheets to use for b/grounds for my cards.
No More Prism's for me!!
__________________
I luv to cut,color & paste.I must not gotten enough of this as a kid. This is my excuse to play w/ my toys in my room. It's cheaper than therapy!!!
Hey Tim - I just won a set of 12 Inktense pencils on ebay for .99 ...............
Wow. Congrats!! I'm not sure about the Derwent drawing pencils you mentioned. I was at Michaels the other day and looked at them... not exactly sure what they are. I do want those Graphitints you had mentioned. I want to get the 24 set but I guess I'll wait for my birthday.
Thought I would let you know that the one and only Paula has a tutorial on her blog about how she does her beautiful shading. I found it very helpful because I am just awful at this. I usually end up cutting out my image because it looks so terrible.
Paula's instructions were great, I shall have to try shading with the pencils more. I tend to "cheat" and use chalk as I find it quicker and easier and best of all I can erase the mistakes! LOL.
I love that about chalk too, especially shading around detailed items. I have one of those 'click' erasers that I used for fine detail erasing with chalks.
Thought I would let you know that the one and only Paula has a tutorial on her blog about how she does her beautiful shading. I found it very helpful because I am just awful at this. I usually end up cutting out my image because it looks so terrible.
Actually, Paula's blog introduces of friend of hers today, who also does pencils. It might be worth your while to check it out, I am ready for anyone who is a pencil girl!
Thanks to everyone for the information on the "non blending" pencils. I love my Prisma pencils and can't believe they would change them like this. We have a Michaels with few individual Prismas and no nearby art stores, so I'm not sure if I'll find a way to pick up extras of old stock.
1Likes
I'm a Crafter, not an artist, so I should NOT be so fussed about this, that's for sure.
I was looking at buying a couple from my local Art Store to fill in some gaps that my Prismas colours don't cover - guess I'll just buy one if it's not made in Germany and see if it works with OMS!! Sheesh! What is happening to the world?
I just can't believe Prismacolor would actually put out a pencil like that with their name on them! It would be a death nail for them, with all the pencil color artists out there and all the alternative brands. Shame shame.
DH found all tins were made in Mexico!
Ended up putting a big handful back!!Verithin bought in May are leaving lines & not blending in like my old ones.
They retail for $75.Dick 
Bick had them for $69. I could never afford them @ that price.I 
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