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ChirpyCreations In reply to shapeshifter47 [2019-09-28 20:16:27 +0000 UTC]

Sure, not at all. I use a combination of KOH-I-NOOR Polycolor and Faber Castell Polychromos.

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shapeshifter47 In reply to ChirpyCreations [2019-09-28 21:41:07 +0000 UTC]

Oh really? Are they pretty expensive or not? Is the pencil lead pretty soft? Sorry for all the questions. ^^'

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ChirpyCreations In reply to shapeshifter47 [2019-09-29 04:32:24 +0000 UTC]

It's ok, I don't mind.

Price-wise, I guess it depends on what you compare them to really. Most decent quality art pencils can range from about $15 to well into the hundreds depending on the number of pencils, kind and brand. There are 3 kinds: Watercolour, wax and oil. Number of pencil in a set range from 12 to 150 (brand dependent, but most are 12 - 72). Brands, there's loads but the most notable or well known for decent quality are ones like Prismacolour, Faber Castell, Caran D'Ache and Derwent.

The Polycolor and Polychromos are actually oil pencils, meaning they're oil-based instead of wax-based. The difference is with wax pencils, you build up a glossy layer which you can't add more colour to (called a burnishing layer) quicker. While with oils, they don't build but this layer as quick, allowing more layers of colour to be added. Oils also tend to be more expensive.
So that being said, if you compare the price of a few bands of oils with 36 sets, you're looking something like this:

Dewert lightfast -$88
Polychromos - $70
Lyra Polycolor - $28
Koh-i-Noor Polycolor - $29

I got a 72 set of the Koh-i-Noor Polycolors, they don't sell them individually in my area so I fill up my set with the Polychromos when a colour (normally black and a white-grey) runs out. As far as I can tell they're pretty near identical since I use them together and there isn't any real noticeable difference when working with them together and if there is one, it doesn't seem to appear on paper. Individually, however, the Polychromos are much softer, blend easier and the lead tends to brakeless. The Polycolor is a bit harder and doesn't blend as smoothly. 

Overall the Polychromos are better pencils, but they're expensive. While the Polycolor is also of good quality, but not to such a level. Regarding the price tag, with the exception of the black pencil (and one or two other of my most used colour), the pencils have lasted 2 years and most are only just down to 10cm. I use these pencils at least 3-4 times a week so they have a really good life span for the price. 

The only other thing I'll say is the quality of the pencil doesn't really matter too much. Whether you're using the best Polychromos or $5 Crayola, as long as the pigment is decent and you're using the right technique you can make decent art with either. The main trick is just to start light and build it up slowly in the layer using a circular motion.
I hope this helps and you're more than welcome to ask any other question. 

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shapeshifter47 In reply to ChirpyCreations [2019-10-01 00:54:51 +0000 UTC]

Wow, that really helps and you gave me WAY more detail than I was expecting! I appreciate it a lot, and I had no idea that there was different based colored pencils. I mean, I probably should have expected that, since there are different based markers, but it never occurred to me.

Once again, thanks so much for the information!

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ChirpyCreations In reply to shapeshifter47 [2019-10-01 01:21:32 +0000 UTC]

No problem, glad it helps.  ^^

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