List Price: $28.99
Sale Price: $18.70
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The Staedler "ergosoft" colored pencils are probably my favorite colored pencils. Although they are probably not up to the levels of the very best colored pencils made by the French and Swiss manufacturers, for the price there is nothing that compares with them, and they'll probably give a run for the money on the more expensive types. There are four reasons why.
First, the lead in these pencils are just the right balance between soft, supple laydown of color and hard, sharpenable format. You can sharpen these guys up to a tack-like pinpoint, but they still lay down smooth, rich color. Only two of the 24 (the orange-red and the off-yellow) do not lay down with smooth, effortless strokes. These pencils are delightful to work with, particularly if you require detailed, sharp lines or edged color fill. The colors are bright and rich, and edges, lines, and fill can all be accomplished with fantastic results.
Second, the shape of the pencils and the material used to encase them are really excellent. The pencils have a smooth triangular shape, and they are therefore much easier to hold and control than the traditional round format shape. In addition, Staedler has covered the case with a semi-smooth material that allows you to easily grip the surface without the surface feeling tacky. It is the combination of the shape and the surface material that makes these pencils stand out from the rest.
Third, the pencils employ a special material interface between the colored lead and the wood that helps reduce breakable and shattering of the color. So far, I've not had a single issue with lead breakage, something I wish I could say for some of the other brands of colored pencils I use.
Finally, the pencils are reasonably priced for such high quality. These pencils are made in Germany, and it shows. Yet the price is nowhere near as high as some of the premier colored pencil brands. True, these pencils are not attempting to compete in the upper end of the market, but when one takes into account all the factors, they are a strong competitor to most any colored pencil.
One final bonus is the blue plastic holder case, which is a nice touch, and works quite well. Why don't all colored pencils in this price range come like this?
Overall, five stars for performance five stars for price. Minor complaint: why can't we have a 36 or 48 color set from Staedler?
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I LOVE these pencils, and, the handy easel case satisfies the 'container junkie' in me. I discount from 5 to 4 stars, only due to the price.I was recently re-introduced to an old love....coloring. I had picked up some Crayola marker packs to carry in my purse when having lunch with my sister and her 3-year-old grandson. When we were kids, 'coloring' was an affordable way to pass the time. In the younger generations of my family, I've noticed they aren't interested in anything that doesn't have moving parts, flashing lights, or require physical interaction beyond pushing buttons. My initial attempt to occupy my grand-nephew, backfired ...... but in a good way. He 'directed' us, my sister and I, on what colors we were to put where (I think he's going to be a movie director when he grows up. LOL!!) We were hooked...again.
Not satisfied with coloring puppies, kittens and Disney characters, I began searching the internet for less juvenile subjects. WARNING: Word your searches carefully. There is a significant difference between 'adult coloring books' and 'coloring books for adults.' Check out 'mandalas' and Dover coloring books (can be found here on Amazon.) As with all 'new interests', I immediately dove into the deep end of the pool and started shopping for colored pencils, crayons and markers. LOL!!! My parents would not have used the word 'affordable' in this reincarnation of an old pass-time.
This set was the second set of pencils I purchased. I started with Crayola pencils (to make sure I was really interested), and quickly moved up the price ladder. I admit, I was first drawn by the easel case. I love to organize..... particularly small items into partitioned containers.. Ironically, I never throw away containers, in case I 'might need them' in the future; and, now, I have a literal 'hoard' of containers in my garage. The containers won't share, so, my car is out in the driveway.
BUT,,,, to get back on point (pun intended).... these pencils sharpen well, and I've had no internal breakage problems with the lead. I was afraid that I wouldn't like color pencils, since I hate writing with graphite pencils (that dry scraping feeling.) These are more like crayons.....smooth, blendable, and have all the lovely colors I might need ..... need, not want......ha, ha. I have since purchased the watercolor pencils and triangular marker pens, both by Staedtler, and in those lovely easel cases. (I wish I could just buy empty cases, to house some of my other pens and pencils, since they are wonderful at protecting them when I am traveling. (STAEDTLER, this is more a request, than a hint.)
DISCLAIMER: These opinions are not those of an artist, unless you count staying within the lines (mostly), the skill of an artist. I am just a grown-up kid who likes lots of pretty colors.
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