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Prismacolor Premiers vs. Faber Castell Polychromos

3/11/2016

 
Prismacolor Premiers vs. Faber Castell Polychromos. Which was colored with which?
Which was colored with which?
Prismacolor Premiers vs. Faber Castell Polychromos
Tiger from the Beautiful Creatures grayscale coloring book
For a long time I've heard many wonderful things from the coloring community about both Prismacolor Premier colored pencils and Faber Castell Polychromos colored pencils. I've had some Prismacolor Premiers for a while (which I love!) and recently was fortunate enough to also get a set of Faber Castell Polychromos pencils (which I also love!). Once I had both, I decided it was time to conduct a head to head test!!

In this post I will:
  • walk you through the approach I took to coloring so I could make it as fair a comparison as possible
  • reveal which picture was colored with which pencils
  • provide a detailed summary of the differences I experienced & saw with the two sets of colored pencils.

Step 1: Selecting a picture to color

I wanted a picture that had small detailed spaces as well as large spaces for coloring so I could see how the pencils performed in both situations. Since I love to color over grayscale, the image also needed to have some interesting grayscale detail that I would want to enhance with the color. Finally, I wanted an image that would require at least a few different colors and some blending. I settled on the tiger from Beautiful Creatures.  
Picture

Step 2: Choosing my colors

There are many similar colors between the Prismacolors and the FC Polys (as they are affectionately known) but they are not exact. Therefore, I pulled out all colors that were in the color range that I was looking for and did my best to find the closest matches. Here are photos of the colors used.
The Faber Castell Polychromos colored pencils
Faber Castell Polychromos colored pencils
Faber Castell Polychromos colored pencils
The Prismacolor Premier colored pencils
Prismacolor Premier colored pencils
Prismacolor Premier colored pencils

Step 3: Coloring the tiger

When coloring I tried really hard to use the same colors in the same places as well as layer and blend the same amount for both. It was hard to be exact and keep track of everything so you'll notice some spots where I definitely messed up but I made an equal effort with both pictures and feel that I did a fair comparison.

​Here are the key things I was paying attention to when coloring:
  • How easy was it to build layers?
  • Did the colors blend nicely?
  • How did the pencils perform when coloring large areas?
  • How did they perform for the little details?
  • How vibrant was the color?
  • How easily did the pencils color lay down onto the paper?
  • How did the lead hold up?

Step 4: The result

As a reminder, here are the final colored pictures.
Which one do you prefer?
Which was colored with which pencils?
Prismacolor Premier vs Polychromos colored pencils
Which is colored with which?
Prismacolor Premiers vs. Faber Castell Polychromos

The Answer

A = Faber Castell Polychromos colored pencils
B = Prismacolor Premier colored pencils


​Were you right? If so, what gave it away? Did you prefer one over the other? If so, why? I'd love to get your feedback in the comments as well as let me know what your experience has been with either or both sets of pencils.

Summary of the differences

After going through this exercise, my personal preference was the Faber Castell Polychromos. I have always loved using my Prismas and really had no complaints except for the fact that they don't hold a point very well. I've always found them to give wonderful color, to be creamy and blend really nicely.

I had only just gotten my FC Polys so I really didn't know what to expect when I began this comparison. I was quite surprised to find how much the FC Polys won me over in this instance. Now, I may find that I'll feel less this way when coloring other pictures and perhaps when using other sets of colors. Time will tell!! For now, here is a summary of why I preferred the Polys when coloring the grayscale tiger. 

Here's why I preferred the Polys:
  • The Polys kept a point and didn't need to be sharpened once but I kept having to sharpen the Prismas and had a hard time ever achieving a good point. 
    • The sharper point made the little details much easier with the Polys.
  • The Polys layered and blended beautifully and more effortlessly, in my opinion. I could just lightly layer and layer until I got to the depth and blending that I wanted. With the Prismas, it seemed I needed to really work at it and sometimes to push hard to fill in certain areas while making sure not to over layer and cause wax bloom. If you look at these two pictures and click on them to get a really close look (Polys on the left, Prismas on the right) you'll notice that with the Prismas there are a few main issues:
    • Little white spots where the color didn't adhere to the paper (maybe this is a technique thing and I'm not coloring with them correctly). The Polys seemed to lay down easier and were less prone to the white spots, especially after a little layering.
    • Some wax bloom from too much layering and blending. Perhaps this could be avoided by a colorist with better colored pencil layering and blending skills.
    • You can see more of a divide between the two oranges for the Prismas. They didn't seem to blend as easily and nicely as the Polys did. Again, this could be a matter of technique.
    • It was harder to get the little details with the Prismas because they didn't hold a point well. The result was not getting a seamless transition between the black stripes and the orange. Instead there is a bit of uncolored/lightly colored area surrounding the stripes (look at the stripes to the left of the nose). I think this could easily be avoided by being aware of it and making a point (no pun intended!) to focus on those areas when using Prismas.
Colored with Faber Castell Polychromos
Colored with Faber Castell Polychromos
Colored with Prismacolor Premiers
Colored with Prismacolor Premiers
  • Although the Prisma colors seem a bit more vibrant, I found the color of the Polys to be deeper & richer without having to press hard to intensify the color. Instead, I just layered until it was right. I think the nice coverage of the paper (i.e. fewer white spots), the nice blending and the easy layering all contribute to this. I could layer the Prismas as well but I had to watch out for wax bloom if I layered too much &/or pressed too hard.
Two main things I preferred about the Prismas
​Preference #1
I prefer the cream colored pencil that Prismacolor provides versus the cream colored pencil that Faber Castell provides. 
​I find the Faber Castell cream to be too yellow for me. In the future I will opt for their ivory colored pencil over the cream since it seems to provide the soft brightness I'm looking for. Take a look at the photo below. Hopefully you are able to see the difference between the two creams. 

​I love to use the cream color for highlighting as well as for blending. The Prisma cream gives a softer brightness in a way that isn't as sharp as white and that doesn't impact or detract from the other colors. However, with the Faber Castell cream that little bit more yellow in it provides brightness but not that same softness of the Prisma cream. I also find blending with the Prisma cream to work nicely for blending without changing the final color too much. With the FC cream, that extra yellow was just a bit too strong for me.
Picture
Preference #2
The white Prismacolor Premier pencil gave better, more vibrant white coverage over grayscale than the Faber Castell Polychromos white did.. ​This is really important to me, especially when coloring over grayscale. Take a look at the image below. The three teeth on the left were colored with the Poly white and the three teeth on the right were colored with the Prisma white. It isn't a huge difference but for me it's definitely enough that I will lean towards using the white Prisma when I need white over grayscale. Ironically, the white Prisma crumbled on me as I was coloring the middle tooth! I guess you have to take the good with ​the bad :-). 
Picture
There you have it! My personal experience with Prismas vs. Polys. I hope it was helpful. Please keep in mind that my comparison of the two kinds of pencils was specific to this picture, to grayscale coloring and to my coloring abilities. Both brands likely perform in different ways depending on the type of coloring project you are undertaking but I can only speak to this specific experience at this time.

As I mentioned above, I would love to get your feedback and hear about your experiences with one or both types of colored pencils as well as any other colored pencils. I'd also love to hear if and how you select your colored pencils based on the coloring project you are taking on. 

Happy Coloring!
Joyce Elkins
3/11/2016 03:34:00 pm

I would just go pickup the two Prismas at Hobby Lobby or Michaels and use the Faber Castells.

Nicole Stocker link
3/12/2016 03:21:12 pm

I think that could do the trick! Although I want to investigate coloring projects where Prismas might be the optimal choice. Also, I've heard from some people that if you get the technique right the Prismas are beautiful to color with. There's always so much to learn!!

Janet Gunning
3/16/2016 03:23:23 pm

I've found out that to get the little white spots covered I use the bending pencil and it pushes the color down into the tooth of the paper and makes a smoother surfaced in the color.

Sandra S Baumann
11/21/2018 06:38:43 am

Recently I saw a blending technique using a paint brush and vaseline (petroleum jelly). I loved it because it deepened the colors and took out the 'white dots'. Then I got the idea to use a colored pencil to lay down the vaseline and add another layer of color value. I am quite satisfied with those results and am continuing to experiment. It works on my waxed based pencils and my oil based pencils and it makes cheaper version pencils look quite good.

Sandra S Baumann
11/21/2018 06:40:15 am

I forgot to check the box to be notified by email when new comments are posted.

Belle S
6/30/2016 01:57:14 pm

Hey I have both brands, I started out with just prismas, and loved them, depending on the project I did prefer others, ie fashion illustration I preferred the prisma watercolors with alcohol blender, and Derwent artistry for blending + layering on bleedproof paper with baby oil :-)

Prismas are great for my art sketches and character work and I find I don't have any sharp tip issues as I use an electric sharpener :-) ..... Vaseline + paintbrush = no wax run off or white gaps ;-)

Feel free to check out my Instagram: Styled_by_Belinda_G
To see past, present and future projects! :-)

Jessica
3/11/2016 03:38:15 pm

It think this was an excellent head-to-head comparison. I also think it's time for me to get a set of Polychromos! :)

Nicole Stocker link
3/12/2016 03:22:37 pm

Thanks Jessica! Sorry for causing more coloring supply spending ;-).

Angela Campbell link
3/19/2016 06:01:16 pm

This has been a real eye opener for me I have the 132 Prismacolours and managed to pick up just one of the FC polychromo in a shop in Bendigo after reading this I think I need to get more polys. Loved your comparison you did a great job.

Nicole Stocker link
3/19/2016 09:44:05 pm

Thanks so much, Angela. I'm really happy to hear you found it worthwhile!

Brenda Dockery
3/11/2016 05:41:36 pm

This was a great comparison. I have a 48 set of Prismacolors (and I guessed correctly) and have noticed many of the good and bad qualities of those pencils you mentioned. There are also a few colors that have wax bloom nearly immediately and others you can layer and layer so it must have something to do with how they achieve their pigmentation. You definitely make me want to try the FC Polys. Great post!

Nicole Stocker link
3/12/2016 03:25:56 pm

Thanks so much, Brenda! I've always really enjoyed my Prismacolors but after trying the Polys and feeling how wonderful it was to color with them, I expect they will be my go-to pencil from now on. If you do get them I don't think you'll be disappointed!

anita link
3/11/2016 06:03:58 pm

i guessed the right was prisma
I was right
I have a set
they seem richer in color

Nicole Stocker link
3/12/2016 03:26:39 pm

Well done, Anita! You have a keen eye! :-)

Kathy Montgomery link
3/11/2016 06:27:11 pm

Love this post! I agree with many of your points. I find, based on my non-professional coloring style, that the oil-based pencils like the Polys and Caran d'Ache Pablos seem to layer easier without a lot of pressure, with less streaky buildup between layers, and require less use of any type of blender pencil, be it colorless blender or white or cream.

But there are many times when I love the instant brilliance of the Prismacolor Premiers, so I find myself becoming an "equal opportunity color-er" and switching often between the oil based and wax based brands depending on my mood at the moment. LOL

Nicole Stocker link
3/12/2016 03:36:47 pm

Thanks, Kathy!! I love that you are an "equal opportunity color-er"! Haha!! I'm going to make an effort to be one too :-). It really seems that it is a matter of choosing the right combination of materials for each project. I'm slowly figuring out which medium I like best for which purpose. Still so much to learn!!

Tes link
3/11/2016 08:04:25 pm

This was a great experiment, you paid attention to all the important things and gave us thoughtful results. I have Prismacolors, don't have any Polys but have been hearing a LOT of good things about them. Will definitely need to get some soon! :)

Nicole Stocker link
3/12/2016 03:39:17 pm

Thank you, Tes! I'm so happy to hear you found it worthwhile. I apologize for any extra spending I've caused! ;-)

Katie Barber link
3/12/2016 05:10:42 am

I picked them accurately and I only have the prismas, for me it was the nose and tongue that gave it away, as well as the blue eyes. Well done! Great article and critique! Appreciate all your efforts!

Nicole Stocker link
3/12/2016 03:43:39 pm

Thanks so much, Katie! I really appreciate the feedback. Well done on figuring out which was which! I had a hard time keeping them straight and I colored them! LOL! :-)

Deirdre link
3/12/2016 05:32:32 am

Very well done comparison. Even though I don't do grayscale (yet), I have noticed exactly what you commented on for the positives and negatives for both pencils. I switch back and forth depending on the needs of my pictures. I'm going to share this post with my FB coloring club.

Nicole Stocker link
3/12/2016 03:45:04 pm

I'm so glad you enjoyed the comparison, Deirdre! Thank you for sharing the post, I really appreciate that! :-)

KAREN SPEEDY
3/12/2016 11:50:59 am

I HAVE NOT USED FC PENCILS, I PURCHASED AN ELECTRIC SHARPENER BECAUSE OF THE POINT ISSUE BUT ALSO BREAKAGE INSIDE OF PENCIL...WHITE SPOTS I TAKE CARE OF W/A COLORLESS BLENDER, WAX BLOOM FOR ME IS ONLY A PROBLEM WHEN LEFT TO AIR FOR SEVERAL WEEKS, I SPRAY MY FINISHED PICTURES WITH A SPRAY VARNISH FOR PENCIL. I WAS TAUGHT TO USE PC VERITHINS FOR TIGHT DETAIL AND TO CLEAN UP EDGES, I HOPE SOME OF THIS INFO MIGHT BE OF SERVICE, IF NOT TO YOU, MAYBE TO SOMEONE ELSE, THANK YOU FOR THE DEMO, KAREN

Nicole Stocker link
3/12/2016 03:48:44 pm

Thanks so much for the tips, Karen. They are definitely helpful to me and greatly appreciated! There's always more for me to learn!

Charlottelax
3/12/2016 11:57:10 am

Thank u for ur time n effort. Very informative. I am fairly new to this n enjoy everyone's input.

Nicole Stocker link
3/12/2016 03:49:36 pm

My pleasure! I'm so glad you found it worthwhile. :-)

Lynn Marie White link
3/12/2016 01:46:22 pm

What a great experiment! I actually liked the prisma image better, but when I read your comments about how they felt as you were coloring and the problems with sharpening them, you really gave me a lot to think about.

Nicole Stocker link
3/12/2016 03:57:13 pm

Thank you!! This comparison made me realize more fully that there really are two parts to coloring: your coloring experience and the result and both are very subjective. It would be ideal for the two parts to be aligned so that the experience and result can both be fabulous but perhaps that isn't always going to be the case and therefore you might need to compromise a little on one or the other.

Kathy Clavey
3/13/2016 06:29:04 pm

I also, have FBPolys, in a smaller set and the Prismacolor Priemer pencils. I mainly use my Prismacolors and on occassion switch to my Poloys for a certain details. I found your comparisons extremely interesting, but still think I prefer the Prismacolor version the best.

Nicole Stocker link
3/14/2016 07:40:47 am

Thank you, Kathy! I'm glad you found the comparison interesting. Over time I hope to learn what the best parts are of each set so I can use a combo of the pencil sets when I'm coloring. I think that will help me to not only fully enjoy the coloring experience but also to get optimal results.

Sandra
3/16/2016 03:37:17 pm

I was hoping left were the FC Polychromos... and they are! I love polychromos and I liked the left image better, guess that turned out well :) Imho the poly tiger has more of a 3D feel whereas the prisma looks flatter. Poly seems to have more fine details (some black stripes missing top right of the forehead with prisma), though hard to judge on screen. Not a fan of the reddish look on the prisma nose. Thanks for the comparison, I think I made a good call settling on the polychromos last month.

Nicole Stocker link
3/16/2016 08:29:36 pm

Thanks, Sandra! I'm glad you found the comparison worthwhile. Prismas are wonderful pencils but I think you can not go wrong with the Polychromos. I hope you enjoy them!! So far I'm loving them :-).

Ellie Grimes link
3/18/2016 04:20:02 pm

Can you tell my the PC #'s you used? I can see two of them but would like to try with the right colors. Thank you

Nicole Stocker link
3/18/2016 08:00:41 pm

Sure! The FC Polychromos #s are:
101, 102, 108, 111, 115, 144, 152, 130, 131 & 132. Let me know if you wanted the Prismacolor #s as well and I will find them! I unfortunately did not keep a swatch chart. I will next time!!

Jacqueline Tucker
7/18/2016 02:00:23 pm

I have just received your Beautiful Creatures book plus a set of Prismacolor Premier Pencils. If you have the time I would appreciate the numbers your used. I think I made a mistake in buying 132 color set. Too many choices :)
Your comparison of the 2 brands is informative and interesting. I did pick the right example - more of a chance choice, I think. Thanks.

Nicole Stocker link
7/18/2016 09:50:38 pm

Jacqueline, thank you for purchasing Beautiful Creatures! I hear you about too many choices with the colors!! Sometimes it is much simpler to have a very limited palette of colors.

The Prismacolor numbers or color names are:
White
Black
PC914
PC1003
PC1002
PC118
PC904
PC133
PC1013
PC1092
PC928

I hope this helps!

Ken
6/2/2016 03:22:03 pm

Just thought I would toss in my couple of cents worth too. One big factor that I did not see mentioned (apologies if I am mistaken) is Lightfastness. The Poly's are all highly rated for lightfastness (stars on the barrel, 3=100+ years, 2=20-100 years, 1=10-20years) I think only one or 2 pencils are 1's, Most are 3's. With the Prisma's lightfastness is all over the chart, and really not all that good.

Next, White pencils, BEST is the Caran d'Ache Luminance (in white of course, 76 colors in the whole set). These are a wax pencil that are OUTSTANDING. Very opaque white, superior lightfastness across the line. Don't have the tendency to break like the primas, they work great with the poly's. Down side is that they are more expensive than Poly's, got 5 for $18 on Dick Blick's. When it needs to be white, this is my go to pencil! Just looked them up, list price is $5+, Dick has them for less.

Nicole Stocker link
6/2/2016 04:48:43 pm

Thank you so much for sharing this info, Ken. It's so helpful to me and I'm sure to others!

Jacqueline
8/30/2016 12:55:14 pm

Very good information and the color # really help.Thank you so much.

Jackie Steenson
11/14/2016 08:17:55 am

Thank you for that great pencil comparison coloring project. I was wrong in choosing the right pencil to the drawing. I have both sets of pencils and I too find the same problems with Prismas. I have found the Prismas have a look like I added milk to the colors. I didn't realize that look until I did a comparison of two pictures. The polys have a transparent color vs wax covers in a solid color. But that is my opinion. You are right that Polys require only sharpening if you want a very sharp poiint which does not break or crumble. After purchasing the Polys I have been using my Prismas less often and my coloring has taken on a whole new look. I will say that I had to change my technique of coloring with Polys as I can't pull color down from one line of Prismas due to the creaminess of the wax. The colors are more vibrant in the Polys, if you love pinks the colors are breath taking beautiful and there is a lot to choose from,. Magenta is very dark so that is one thing to keep in mind. Look at a chart or try out the colors in the store.
Well done !!!, this exercise has showed me some good information about colored pencils.

Jackie Steenson
11/14/2016 08:40:39 am

Oana
11/29/2016 08:13:26 am

Hello,

I am not an artist, I draw colouring books. Still I like to have good vibrant colour, good blendability, as little sharpening possible, etc. I'm in for the experience more than the final result but still, it's heartbreaking to see a good drawing going bad .

I began with the Polys and I'll love them forever. I bought a box of Prismas later on expecting to be disappointed but actually I noticed a few things:

1. Lightfastness is actually better with Prismas - they are comparable to Luminance. Although Faber Castell says the Polychromos are very lightfast, actual user tests prove otherwise. Apparently "museum conditions" don't translate well to "home conditions". Suffice to say I am very disappointed in the Polys on this regard. The Prismas and Luminance passed the test with flying colours. Don't believe me? Make the test yourself.

2. The white is very good, much better than the Polychromos white. I use it more often than the Luminance one probably because I don't want to consume that one.

3. In a box of 24 I got all the basic colours I need. With the Polys box of 36 I don't get a skin(why not?), a light blue, a light baby pink or a light lilac. These are "of course I need them" colours that perhaps could be recreated by mixing something with white but first the white doesn't work and second for a big surface it's not an option. Bought separately the lilac is the worst professional colour ever. Ok, better than the Bruynzeel design pink with the lead split vertically but still...

4. The Prismas are more pigmented so I don't need to do the back and forth 5 times to cover an area without pushing through the paper. Ok this comes with the disadvantage of less manoeuvrability. This is one of the reasons I use a mix of the these brands. Thankfully the colours are different so it's an addition not a replacement.

The main big downside it's their fragility. I cannot just throw them in my backpack and go visit my parents or colour in the park. In this regard the Polys have made thousands of miles, changed temperatures drastically (airplane hold anyone?), are half used and I can count 3 (three) broken tips in all this time. For transport I use a cardboard cylinder from some Muji pencils and pad the ends with makeup remover pads ;)

The perfect pro pencils are LUMINANCE. No argument about that. Except when they cover too well the printed black lines. But still they are perfect. The price hurts. Even so they remain perfect. There is one thing though - I feel I'm not worthy of them. There are so many talented people out there who are in dire need of some Luminance pencils. I'm reminded of that every time I hold one of these. Didn't I say I was in for the feeling?

So for the not-so-perfect colourists I recommend the Polys for travellers and the Prismas for beginners. A cheap box of 25 contains all that's needed to get a very good start. Polys are best when bought open stock - that tin box is next to useless anyway, to me at least.

So this is my opinion.

Nicole Stocker link
11/29/2016 09:33:57 am

Thank you for your input, Oana. This is so helpful!!

PL Templeton
1/5/2017 09:54:41 am

Comparison will improve what I learn from beginner class: instructor prefers using Polys. I own 2 big Prisma sets. Your review shows real brand differences so trying Polys will be useful experience; I know now to practice with both Polys & Prismas. Reading I don't need biggest set (I assumed opposite) will create discipline + save $. Many thanks!

Rosemarie
3/26/2017 11:51:01 am

Very good comparison. I like the vivid color of the Prisma's but I do like the richness and depth of the Poly's. I am learning so much from everyone. Thanks Nicole for the comparision. An eye opener.

Amanda link
3/28/2017 02:44:08 pm

This helped me so much, thank you! And I love tigers, so how fun to learn about these two pencils while looking at tigers. Thanks again!

Richard Le Page link
11/20/2018 02:57:32 pm

The FC polys shows the hairs better on the nose

Gunda
11/20/2018 04:45:50 pm

I'm about to give up all colored pencil work until someone guides me to a pencil sharpener that doesn't eat up the colored lead. HELP !

Nicole Stocker link
11/21/2018 08:20:59 am

Here are links to two pencil sharpeners that I have had success with. I hope these help! I totally understand your frustration!!
https://www.amazon.com/Kutsuwa-Adjustable-Pencil-Sharpener-RS017LB/dp/B006CQW2LQ/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1542817138&sr=8-3&keywords=tgaal+colored+pencil+sharpener and https://www.amazon.com/OfficePro-Electric-Pencil-Sharpener-Ultra-Portable/dp/B07BQP16MJ/ref=sr_1_8?s=office-products&ie=UTF8&qid=1542817191&sr=1-8&keywords=electric+pencil+sharpener


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