Splitcoaststampers.com - the world's #1 papercrafting community
You're currently viewing Splitcoaststampers as a GUEST. We pride ourselves on being great hosts, but guests have limited access to some of our incredible artwork, our lively forums and other super cool features of the site! You can join our incredible papercrafting community at NO COST. So what are you waiting for?
I have died and gone to Heaven and I'm not coming back except for more pencils.
__________________ Linda E
Caution: You are entering an artistic zone. This is not clutter - this is creating. These are not pajamas - it's my work uniform.
I sold some stamps I no longer used, some Copics and refills I never used, and ended up with more than enough to get the set of 120.
Have you seen the work of Marika Rahtu? If not, she designs for Altenew and her cards are breathtaking. She uses Copics and then adds details with the Polychromos. I had never heard of these pencils until I saw her work. And with the little bit I've used them this evening, I'm enchanted with them! I hope you can get yours soon!
__________________ Linda E
Caution: You are entering an artistic zone. This is not clutter - this is creating. These are not pajamas - it's my work uniform.
I agree. My husband got me a set for xmas, and i just received my order today for a few more colors that were not in the set but felt i had to have. I love that they work well with my prismacolors.
Sonia, I just visited your etsy shop; your work is gorgeous!
__________________ Linda E
Caution: You are entering an artistic zone. This is not clutter - this is creating. These are not pajamas - it's my work uniform.
I have died and gone to Heaven and I'm not coming back except for more pencils.
Enjoy! DH gave me the full set a couple of years ago, I love them. And better yet, a school supplies/art shop in town sells them as open stock, so I've already replaced a couple of greens. Anyone using them with Copics, we have a tutorial and associated Technique Spotlight gallery for Copics with pencils, so please do upload your cards to it and grow the resource!!
Added these to my wish list . . . but not gonna hold my breath about getting a set.
Maybe I'll start with a couple individual pencils and grow my collection slowly.
And guess whose brain I'll be picking to help me choose what colors blend well with my current Copics -- you crafty enabler you!
Melissa, right now I'm using the pencils to color the bears in the Bear Hugs set from Mama Elephant. I stamped the bears on kraft CS and am using the pencils to shade. Because these are oil-based pencils, the color seems to flow as easily as using Copics. Loving these!
__________________ Linda E
Caution: You are entering an artistic zone. This is not clutter - this is creating. These are not pajamas - it's my work uniform.
I've had those on my wish list for awhile now. Glad to hear such a great review. I have a small (24) set of Prismacolor pencils, but am really dreaming about a large set of the Faber Castell Polychromos.
I guess I should break out the set I bought two years ago and never used because I have so many open stock Prismas and they're all hand-picked colors. I mean, if they're really that different.
What kind of paper are you coloring on, Linda? I've been doing watercolor pencils on WC paper for so long I am out of practice with regular pencils.
__________________ I have come to the conclusion that buying craft supplies and actually using them are two separate hobbies. RachelRose Designs by Robin... GALLERY
Robin, to me the difference is like night and day. I'm using 65# and 110# Recollections cardstock. So far all I've done is shade some diecuts. But I'll be using XPress-It when I use the pencils with my Copics. And I think I'm gonna have to break down and get some Neenah. That's what Marika Rahtu uses; check her out on YT.
__________________ Linda E
Caution: You are entering an artistic zone. This is not clutter - this is creating. These are not pajamas - it's my work uniform.
I got an email today from Blick Art Materials, their current sale is 40% off the FC Polychromos, so depending on what size set you're looking for, that's a pretty good deal!! Prices are good thru 3/23, and are for online orders.
__________________ Linda E
Caution: You are entering an artistic zone. This is not clutter - this is creating. These are not pajamas - it's my work uniform.
I dont see the polychromos on sale at their website. only their "regular price". so is there an additional percent off?
so the set of 36 is regular price $96, and their current price is $58. but this current price has been the same price for months.
__________________ Creativity is intelligence having fun. - Albert Einstein
About 10 Years ago I did parchment craft and Faber-Castell Polychromos work great on vellum. Dick Blick had a Christmas special of $99 w/ free shipping for the set of 120 colors. And $99 w/free shipping for the Faber-Castell Albrecht Durer watercolor pencil set of 120 colors .
I used my Christmas money from my kids and bought both sets.
I am very happy I bought them when I did . I could never afford to buy them now .
Now all I need to to buy single replacement pencils for the ones I use most often.
Sign up for the Dick Blick newsletter . They have great sales at Christmas and not just on Black Friday .
Barbara
__________________ "I have not failed . I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work" --Thomas A. Edison
I am very happy I bought them when I did . I could never afford to buy them now
I feel the same way about the Copic markers that I bought almost five years ago. DickBlick had one of the lowest prices around. Plus, back then, an additional discount could be taken on the markers. I bought the majority of mine when a friend & I went in together on an order and got the big 25% of discount, bringing each marker down to less than $4 each. :cool:
Now, the Copic markers, like so many of the other pencils and paints, are red tagged, meaning they do not qualify for an additional discount. Also, if I remember correctly, we got the 25% discount with $199 purchase, not the $299 required now.
Lucky you! They are on my wish list for next Christmas...if I can wait that long! I gave away about 100 Copics (yeah...coulda paid for some Polychromos!) just because they made me feel guilty for not using them, lol. I gave them to a friend who needed them because she's starting an Etsy store and needs them for some of what she wants to do and couldn't have afforded them. I have a few individual Polychromos, and was making a card last night with my Prismacolors but had a Poly that matched crumb cake perfectly and I could really tell a difference in the creaminess. And I love my Prismas, but...WOW!
I have experimented! I wanted to use my prismas and polychromos for a painting instead of my usual watercolor art. I tried a few things that were new to me.
1. Large fantasy art using colored pencils
2.using gamsol for blending
3.stonehenge watercolor paper
4. Art nouveau inspired
I've learned a lot and got frustrated a lot. Working on watercolor paper is great, I used hotpress so it is smooth but has lots of tooth unlike cardstock or coloring books. I found I am able to blend in coloring books but not layer much. I did a lot of layering in this piece. Gamsol helps blend but I didnt want to use it too much at first so I lost the tooth of the paper. As I continued I used gamsol for more than just a base layer but I still ended up working till the paper wouldnt hold any more. I scanned the image as it is now, but I will be outlining the faery and the poppies to keep with the art nouveau look. I hope the lines will show since there are a lot of layers on there already. I love how both brands work together just fine even if one is wax and one is oil based.
__________________ Linda E
Caution: You are entering an artistic zone. This is not clutter - this is creating. These are not pajamas - it's my work uniform.
Copperkids, spending that kind of money, I believe I would just bite the bullet and get them here. In the ebay description, they say "silky smooth graphite based on wax", which Polychromos clearly are not; they are oil-based. One of the reviews says "not much color repeats". In the 120 set, which they are supposedly selling, and which I bought from Cheap Joe's, there are no color repeats.
I would steer clear and get them from Cheap Joe's Art Stuff, Jerry's Artarama or Dick Blick; they offer them for the same price and all 3 offer free shipping.
Both Cheap Joe's and Blick offer a 365-day return policy; Jerry's is 30 days.
__________________ Linda E
Caution: You are entering an artistic zone. This is not clutter - this is creating. These are not pajamas - it's my work uniform.
Linda e. You are right. That was my gut instinct too but like to confirm with the lovely people on SCS. !!! Always so sweet and helpful
I worked an extra shift on Easter so I ham hoping when that money comes in - I can treat myself -- ok so the other question is. Should I save and upgrade to caran d ache or faber castell.
__________________ Creativity is intelligence having fun. - Albert Einstein
Well, if you're talking about the Caran d'Ache Luminance pencils, there are 3 reasons I bought the Polychromos instead:
1. There are only 76 colors in the largest Luminance set.
2. They are $75 - $100 more than the Polychromos.
3. The Luminance pencils are wax-based, not oil-based like the Polychromos.
__________________ Linda E
Caution: You are entering an artistic zone. This is not clutter - this is creating. These are not pajamas - it's my work uniform.
Marika could use Crayola pencils and her art would still be brilliant. It's her talent and technique that make her work look so amazing.
Sonia - I LOVE your coloring! Absolutely beautiful.
__________________
Our birth is but a sleep and a forgetting: The Soul that rises with us, our life's Star, Hath had elsewhere its setting, And cometh from afar... (-Wordsworth)
Im posting this here because my experiments are mostly about colored pencils and my new polychromos. I have started a new experiment! Keeping with the art nouveau theme.
1.Watercolor washes first
2. continue in colored pencil
3. darker skinned faery
This is my WIP. So far I only have the watercolor washes done.
Faber-Castell Polychromos
