Buy more! and more! and more!

I've seen the trend of more and more and even more brands of pencils, but I keep wondering if this is because these bloggers need to earn their money from it. 

You simply do not need another set of pencils. And actually once you have a high end set of pencils all the budget pencils should be off your list....if you have polychromos why on earth would you want to bother with 520 Kalour pencils....pretty to watch, but to colour with....nah

Is it just the wanting then? Greed?

For first time buyers of pencils

There are about 3 price gates for pencils.

1. Budget pencils (Kalour, Brutfuner) - good pencils, but budget pencils. 

2. Artist pencils (polychromos, pablos, prismacolor) - better pencils, more expensive. You can replace them one at a time (open stock)...and let's face it, the enjoyment while colouring is generally greater. If you have these, no use to buy any of the 1 category.

3. Highly pigmented / top of the line (Lightfast, Luminance) - These are not necesarily nicer to color with than category 2, but their lightfastness is higher. Very important if you sell your work, not so important if you just want to color.

So what is my advice?

Are you just wanting to color?

Buy the best set your money can buy. 

Decide on the budget you have available for pencils. Do you have enough money for category 2? Then go to an artist store if you can, and ask if you can spend some time with the pencils there. Find out which one of the artist brands you like best. 

In this category I would generally advice to pick one of the following:

- Faber Castell Polychromos

- Prismacolor premier

- Caran d'Ache Pablo

- Lyra Rembrandt

- Koh I Noor Polycolor

If you do not have an artist store closeby and you really do have the money to spend for one really good set. 

Then order 2 or 3 pencils from each type somewhere. Include the luminance and derwent lightfast pencils in there and try them all together in a drawing at home. 

Make sure they are different colors so you have an almost complete set in the end. 

Then pick one. 

I have many sets, because I wanted to know what the difference is, and while I switch regularly. Just to keep an eye on what is going on. If I would just be colouring and I had money for one set....I would be Polychromos all the way. (Even while I have Luminance and Lightfast pencils). 

If you're really on a budget buy one of the budget sets and just make it work. Stop wanting what others have, just because you read about it. I promise, the brutfuners, starjoy gold, kalour, castle arts and arteza pencils....they are aboutish the same....just take the one that fits your wallet and enjoy the colouring instead of the buying.

And hey...even I have stopped buying pencils....and SHOCK....I am selling several sets of pencils...simply because you can only colour with one pencil at a time and if you have a really really nice yellow pencil...why would you ever colour the sun with a crappier one?