Marco ade 72-Color Raffine Fine Art Colored Pencils/Drawing Pencils for Sketch/Secret Garden
Marco ade 72-Color Raffine Fine Art Colored Pencils/Drawing Pencils for Sketch/Secret Garden
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I’m reviewing this as a novice artist who has tried several brands of colored pencils. Therefore, I will be making a lot of brand comparisons (especially to my old flame, Crayola, and my new favorite, Prismacolor). I doubt that every box of Raffinés will be exactly the same quality, but here’s what I got from my experience:
Cons:
– The wood has a strong odor (but I honestly didn’t mind it/got used to it)
– Lead is dusty/powdery, especially for darker colors (and some colors were flakey and would break when sharpened)
– Some colors are ridiculously similar- to the point where they’re almost exactly the same*
-An overabundance of greens, but no proper Indigo or Tan colors*
– “Metallic” Gold and Silver are sorta shiny, but not very shimmery or pigmented
– Definitely not as buttery-smooth or rich in deep color as more quality pencils, like Prismacolor
– They aren’t very “portable” (they feel heavier than Crayolas/Prismacolors, and their boxy shape makes it cumbersome to rifle through them. I would recommend keeping them in a cup at home)
-None of the colors have names* (which wouldn’t be so bad- but some of the barrel colors were off when compared to the actual pencil color!)
Pros:
– A whole lot of colors to choose from!* (If you’re stepping up from Crayola pencils, you’ll be happy to see a true Lavender and Prussian Blue)
– Far more pigmented than Artist’s Loft pencils- I’d say they’re barely above Crayola in color richness
-While far from top tier, they’re at least softer and less waxy than brands like Crayola (making them more blendable/layerable)
– Ridiculously cheap compared to more serious art pencils (although I feel the price is justified, not just from quality but the fact that these pencils seem to get used up much more quickly)
– Barrel shape prevents rolling around (great for spreading out on a desk), and (surprisingly) isn’t uncomfortable to hold at all
– The wood itself is of high quality- it doesn’t splinter or thread when sharpened
Overall- I’d say that, if this will be the first collection of color pencils you’ll ever get for artistic purposes, it’s not a bad place to start. It’s definitely great if you’re an art student who doesn’t want to be caught with Crayola, but can’t afford Prismacolors. However, If you’re just a hobbyist or coloring-book enthusiast, I’d say skip these because a Crayola 50-pencil Box is arguably just as good for those purposes for far less cash. And, if you’re a serious artist, I’d recommend passing these and saving up to invest in higher-quality pencils like Polychromos or Prismacolor Premier.
*NOTE: I have attached a Color chart I made, for your convenience 😀 (I’ve seen some online- but they’re hard to find/lower-quality… Also please note that I came up with the color names myself, they are far from official or accurate. ^^; )
72-color Raffine Marco Fine Art Colored Pencils/ Drawing Pencils for Sketch/ Secret Garden Coloring Book (Not Included)
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