List Price: $39.99
Sale Price: $14.99
Today's Bonus: 63% Off
This set is of extremely poor quality. Every material is cheap. Some people might try to rationalize that it's okay to give something like this to a child, because hey, kids don't care if the supplies are crap, right? Well, some kids do care, and the ones who don't know any better will still be frustrated that the materials don't "work" properly. The colored pencils don't even compare in quality to Crayola colored pencils, which aren't the best quality from an artist's standpoint. The pastels are junklike oily crayons...again, a set of Crayola oil pastels are of much better quality than these (Crayola actually makes a pretty good set of oil pastels, and Amazon sells them). The "watercolor cakes" are a complete joke. They're lightly glued in, and every time the case is closed, several of them fall out. The drawing pencils are so cheap that you'd do way better to just use a regular #2 school pencil to draw with. Ours also came with markers, which were the extremely low quality type you get when you buy a book from the dollar store with markers included...horrible. My kids were gifted two sets over Christmas, and while we appreciate the thought behind it, it was shocking how crappy the quality of ALL the materials was.
It's unbelievable that this set could be priced as high as $39.99. Right now it's on sale for $12.95, but honestly, it's still not worth even that much. Don't fall for the temptation to get "80 pieces" for just a few bucks. Those 80 pieces will either end up in the garbage, or cause your budding artist much frustration and disappointment.
Before I sound like an art-supply snob (I'm not!), let me say that this review is not in any way about me trying to sound superior and saying how the expensive professional supplies are superior to discount-store supplies. This is me saying that, while there *are* better options out there than Crayola-type supplies, this set makes Crayola-type supplies look like expensive professional supplies in comparison. I'm saying that these materials are absolute junk, not fit for anyone to use. I felt obligated to do a review, to save someone from wasting even a few bucks on something this bad. You'd do so much better to buy separate, decent sets of oil pastels, watercolors, colored pencils, and drawing pencils. None of these items are expensive on their own, anyway. Again, Crayola makes decent oil pastels and colored pencils. But for just a few dollars more, Michael's and Hobby Lobby sell brands that are artist quality, for reasonable prices; you could probably pick up all these supplies for less than $30 and have quality, lasting art supplies for your child (or yourself).
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I received this set as a well meaning gift from someone who knew I was an artist thinking it would be the perfect gift for me. While the quality is definitely far below the quality I use and would buy for myself it isn't all that horrible either. Well, except for the brushes. Give the brushes to a young child to use with their watercolors and poster paints.Generally, I use the watercolors and color pencils when I'm doing quick drawings and sketches to add a bit of color. And all the products on one thing or another when working out ideas so I'm not using up my better products at the idea stage of things. There are pieces I actually think of as finished art after using these products, along with other more expensive art supplies.
It's a rather nice set for a Junior or Senior High School student who is a budding artist as well as the beginning adult hobbyist. Not bad for the seasoned artist to use when working out ideas or to add color to quick sketches or doodles.
If you think buying this set at this price is going to give you the same sort of products like Prismacolor or Derwent pencils, Winsor Newton Cotman Watercolors, and Holbein Artist's Oil Pastel then you are madder than a hatter and residing on the wrong side of the looking glass.
Best Deals for Darice 80-Piece Deluxe Art Set
The art set looked expensive. Sturdy wooden case containing all the tools needed for a young artist. My 8-yeargranddaughter and I were very happy with it. Perfect for keeping everything in one place.
Honest reviews on Darice 80-Piece Deluxe Art Set
Like the others mentioned, good quality, nice case, plenty of items in it. Got this for my 9yr old daughter who loves to draw and she's more than happy with it. I am a fairly picky buyer especially around quality on amazon products, and this certainly met the mustard. If you are a total art expert and require some very high-end or specific things, then maybe you're best buying your items at an art store individually... but for the rest of us this is great!Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Darice 80-Piece Deluxe Art Set
Definitely a great piece for a beginner artist!Not as large, or as high quality as expected, but is WONDERFUL for the price!
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