Prismacolor substitue?

[Scentless Apprentice]

When it comes to my art I am at the stage where i'm developing my drawing and shading skills with different grey pencils and ink pens but I would also like to start experimenting with colored pencils. I've used a set of Prismacolors before and thought the quality was excellent. But as most people in the arts know, Prismacolors are quite expensive. I'm somewhat hesitant in buying more because of their price and since i'm just beginning in that meduim. I can't afford a $50.00 set just to experiment. So I was wondering if anyone here knew of any alternatives. Quality might not be as great but something more affordable for a novice. I also want to know what brands you personally use and recommend. Maybe I should start out with Crayola. All opinions welcome. Thanks in advance.

[yuzukelly]

I have a Dick Blick set, and the lead is pretty soft. I like it for a few things, but sometimes it's just too soft for me :/ They're ok overall, though. I'd recommend these probably if you want "artsier" pencils than Crayola but cheap-ish XD Crayola isn't really THAT bad, even with crayons if you get used to a medium enough you can make something great. (C is certainly the best quality out of the childrens/school art class brands I think XD) If you just want to see if you like colored pencils at ALL, then I don't see what's wrong using Crayolas :) (In fact... I have a really cool metallic crayola... I want to get more because that pencil is AWESOME!!!)

http://www.dickblick.com/products/bl...d-pencil-sets/

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I also have used Derwent Colored pencils, have a "Derwent Studio Color" set. They make more, but I wouldn't know of those. I've used their watercolor pencils too, I like those! Not as much as I like the Prismacolor watercolored pencils. Some artists I see use those types of pencils too, so maybe you want to try experimenting with those if you haven't, too :D but the Derwent Studio color pencils are way too hard of a lead for me. I don't know, I haven't done something yet where I need a lead that hard, and make it look good XD and I haven't used them TOO much, Maybe I need to practice, but if that's the kind of lead you want then go for those. Again,I haven't used them as much as the Blick or Prismacolors

http://www.dickblick.com/products/de...lored-pencils/

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My favorite though is Prismacolor. If you want to get into colored pencils(I actually wasn't for a while, the set I got was a gift. but my last piece I used them on black paper and I LOVED them and plan to do much more in the future) I think these are the best. Not too hard, not TOO soft(soft enough) but so great. On this site, I see a tin set of 24 for 20$. If that is too much, and oh my goodness I totally understand if it is xD Art supplies can be expensive... but if you have it, getting that tin and then a couple stray extras and keep them in some cheap box would be nice :) That's what I do XD They are so colorful and not too hard and waxy like the cheaper pencils can be(like roseart which isn't that pigmented or whatever, I always get such light lines with those...).

http://www.dickblick.com/products/pr...d-pencil-sets/

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Sorry, I'm not TOO in the know about art supplies xD and I don't know a lot of artsy vocab. etc. so sorry if I come off stupid xD but I think Crayola would be fun to start out with since they're so cheap ^.^ (I'm going to go buy some of their crayons soon hopefully....) but Prismacolors are just so nice :) (And roseart is shitty.. ugh I dislike them >< don't experiment with those LOL)

[Scentless Apprentice]

Thanks alot yuzukelly. I'll probably try Crayolas and the Blick set and then Derwent.