Of the most commonly used art supplies, a good set of colored pencils rightfully belongs in any artist’s toolbox. Today we will be comparing two popular and highly rated brand sets of colored pencils. The Prismacolor set of 150, against Faber-Castell’s set of 120 colored pencils.
The main and most important difference between these two color pencil brands is in the binder holding the pigment and resin to the graphite. Prismacolor uses a wax-based binder — more popular among color pencils and is the most well-known look. Whereas Faber-Castell uses an oil-based binder — not as common, but generally regarded as better quality and has a different effect than the typical wax-based bound colored pencil.
Prismacolor wax-bound and Faber-Castell oil-bound colored pencils are good for different scenarios and different budgets. However, when it comes to owning one set over another here is what to consider:
Prismacolor Premiem vs. Faber-Castell Polychromos
Prismacolor Premier soft core color pencils excel in terms of texture and color vibrancy that are exceptional for cartoon and animated styles, yet lack in lifespan, blending that requires more than three or four layers of colors, and detailed contrast work.
Faber-Castell Polychromes excel in terms of complex color blending, and high contrast detailed work. Polychromes also hold up over time and are built sturdier than Prismacolor’s soft-core colored pencils. However, these colored pencils are expensive, and when compared to the economy, vibrancy, and texture of Prismacolor Premier’s, it’s more worth your time and money to go with the wax-bound 150 sets of Prismacolor colored pencils.
Where artists achieve bold and textured color patterns with Prismacolors, the Faber-Castell Polychromes are jaw-dropping with the hyper-realistic images artists produce using these colored pencils.
Prismacolor Premier Colored Pencils Set of 150
The Pros:
Prismacolor sticks to a three-component build. The core is the pigmented graphite. The glue membrane between the core and the casing, and of course, the wood around the pencil is referred to as the casing or shell of the pencil.
The Core concerns the pigment, the binder, and the graphite. Prismacolor uses a wax-binder in the core meaning that the pigment powder is combined with wax and resin to the graphite to make a paste that then gets industrially baked, and immediately cooled in wooden cylindrical castes before being cut to size.
The wax binder of these colored pencils is top-notch, arguably the best formula and product for wax-bound colored pencils. Prismacolor pencils are smooth on the paper to draw with, and visually soft for the eyes to look at. These pencils are regarded by the art community as better in texture and brightness than their oil-based competitors, Faber-Castell.
Prismacolor is also a popular choice due to its economy of 150 colors for $90.00 to $100.00 compared to the 120 Faber-Castell pencils that run between $165.00 to $175.00 depending on the seller. Included is a wider variety of vibrant colors on the lighter ends of the color wheel, and a large handful of rich natural-tone pencils. Additionally, there is a colorless binder pencil excellent for blending colors and comes in handy.
Each pencil in the set of 150 colors is unique from other pencils and doesn’t contain duplicate colors. The soft feel of Prismacolor Premiers translates visually to bold colors that leap from the page with a creamy texture. As such, these pencils require less blending to achieve powerful colors and even subtle tones.
The Cons:
Though Prismacolor is hailed for its textures, vibrancy, feel, and deal, these colored pencils aren’t great for mixing more than three or four colors before becoming smudgy. This is because the waxy debris begins to separate from the pigment and paper over time, and is especially noticeable with lighter colors and natural-tone pencils.
The unfortunate side of Prismacolor’s creamy cozy wax-bound pencil is also apparent in the set’s lightfastness — a term used to describe the fading of pigmented or dead colors when facing long-term light exposure. Prismacolors on the page do not age as gracefully as Faber-Castell’s Polychromos and require brushing or wiping the waxy debris from resting on top of the page unbound to the graphite pigment.
Warm texture and the gliding feel when coloring does come with some drawbacks, specifically in the categories of pencil sturdiness.
Remember spending ten minutes sharping light blue to perfection and then two seconds into coloring a good base for some sky the tip breaks again forcing you to sharpen for another ten minutes… annoying right? Well, these pencils have that annoying problem, and though it may not be as frustrating as cheaper wax-based competitors the reality is, that a soft pencil tends to be weaker under pressure. Even if that pressure is clumsily knocking off a few shades of yellow swatches to the ground and finding out later the core has a break or two in it from three lousy feet of gravity.
Thankfully Prismacolor has anticipated this problem and in response decided to go with a long pencil build compared to Faber-Castell, providing more overall product area to break instead of just making a stronger graphing core.
Faber-Castell Polychromos Set of 120
The Pros:
Similar to Prismacolor, Faber-Castell also uses a three-component build in the manufacturing process. However, where these two sets of colored pencils diverge the most is in the binder.
Faber-Castell’s oil-bound pencils are immediately different, dispensing heavy amounts of color on the page that settle into the paper immediately. Where Prismacolor Premier is noted for their bold colors and soft textures, the Faber-Castell’s are refined and definitive in appearance, with a real sharp definition with a profound cohesive finish.
Unlike their wax-bound counterparts, the oil-bound Faber Castell’s blend swaths of colors to create unique and complex tones that cut through images. No need for specialty binding pencils or handfuls of colors to compensate for limited blending options.
Because of how the oil binds the graphite pigment, heavily shaded and blended landscapes, skycaps, and portraits are prominent and definitive when looking at the page since the natural sheen of the oil seeps into the paper and stays. Nothing tackles a variegated lavender and tangerine sunset like the Faber-Castell Polychromo’s offer in the right hands.
The heavily pigmented pencils also offer top-notch detail work than many wax-bound pencils — and even other oil-bound pencil brands. The color is sharp and the texture is slick, a look that lends itself to highly detailed artists looking to make the most of their skill set.
Additionally, these pencils last in both physical build and on the page. Polychromos do not suffer from wax-debris like the Prismacolor’s do and can withstand longer lightfastness exposure ensuring your picture stays top quality over long periods.
The Cons:
Unfortunately, the oil from these pencils tends to churn out pigment onto the page like red wine being spilled on a beige carpet. Once a line has been colored it stays that way. Great for detail work, but not so great for colorists seeking some forgiveness in their colored pencils. One false move and you’ve landed yourself in a blending experiment to figure a way out of a mistake. Not exactly the friendliest of situations to be in with your colored pencils.
This brings us to the feel of the pencil. If Prismacolors were a velvety red carpet dream to draw with, Polychromos are like drawing against a polished marble floor in an overpriced bathroom. Faber-Castell manufactures a hard pencil that doesn’t feel as connected to the page as their soft-core, wax-bound competitors. If you’re not used to this, it can be a curveball and take some time to get used to.
Thus, these pencils require a practiced and or skilled colorist to reach their full potential. This demand is totally fine if you’re already at that level or are willing to put in the time and practice to get there, however, it’s also worth considering how expensive these pencils are.
Did I mention these don’t come cheap? Typically Polychromos and be bought for anywhere between $170.00 to $180.00 depending on availability. These colored pencils have even been listed as high as $419.00 through Amazon. A bit excessive of a price tag if you ask me.
Though these pencils will physically last longer than the Prismacolors because of their HARD-CORE graphite center, that doesn’t make them invincible. The art community typically regards hard-core pencils as being more susceptible to chipping and breaking than soft-core pencils, a criticism Polychromos have mostly avoided because of their superior quality, but don’t be surprised at tips breaking under too much pressure or fall damage. Thankfully the core through the pencil will most likely be okay.
Final Thoughts
Though the Faber-Castell Polychromos are high-end colored pencil that produces top-quality realistic images, it’s hard to justify buying them because of price and skill demand.
Comparatively, the Prismacolor Premier set of 150 colored pencils is not only a better economic choice but also produces better textures and bolder colors all while serving artists of any skill level with a smooth and soft feel against the paper. Just make sure to treat the Prismacolor with love and care to avoid the soft-core breaking from accidental falls or hard pressure sharpening.
Have a lower budget? Check out our article HERE!
Frequently Asked Questions
Still Not Sure Which Set is Right For You?
As a general rule, if you’re looking to color cartoons, animations, and even mandalas, then the Prismacolor Premier is going to provide the texture and bold vibrancy associated with those styles. However, if you’re thinking of coloring landscapes, portraits, conceptual, or highly stylized pieces using impressionism or art-nouveau, then the accuracy and blending with the Faber-Castell Polychromos will be more rewarding to your pictures.
Where Can I Find These Sets?
First and foremost, call your local art store. Bonus points if the store is a locally-owned small business. We can support both the suppliers and our local economies by purchasing from neighborhood shops. This also ensures that you receive a quality product to your hands without any shipping damages or third-party rigmarole. Department stores such as Michaels, Target, or even Walmart may have a set of Prismacolor Premier’s, however, it’s unheard of that any of these retailers would carry Polychromos. There are also online retail options through Blick Art Materials, Jerry’s Artarama, and as always Amazon… but let’s be real, does Jeff Bezos need more money?
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