Finally I'm writing the review about Castle Arts colored pencils! I've been trying them for some month and now I can give my honest opinion!
On their site you can also find drawing tutorials and a colors guide chart valid for all their products, by their Instagram page you can download printable drawings ready to color. There's also the Castle Arts Club where you can get some benefits including staying in touch with their artists and ask for suggestions! ...I know it doesn't fit with the review but it was nice to mention! LOL
The colored pencils.
Packaging and look
Castle Arts sent to me a set of 72 colored pencils (they sell the 120 pieces set as well). There are two kinds of packaging available, the tin box and the fabric case with compartments, they sent to me the last one and I've been so glad because it's very comfortable and practical: you can pick and storage the pencils easily, they don't slip away and if the case falls down the pencils can't demage (it's important because when a pencil hits the lead may break), it's also easy to carry.
The case is black, with an elastic band keeping the pencils and there are some smaller elastic bands in the middle of the case to put other supplies as pencils, markers or eraser.
Let's talk about the pencils look. They are matt black barreled, on the top there's the swatch of the color, an elegant thin silver line, the logo and name of the company, the "Soft Serie" indication, color code and color name.
Into the case the pencils are numbered from 1 to 72 and sorted by numbers so you can storage them always in the same order.
The company doesn't sell the pencils individually, so if you finish a color you can't replace it, unless buying another full set! XD
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| Pencil case |
Inside the packaging were included a sheet with the colors chart and the list of their whole range of supplies plus a small foldable sheet with instructions to color the gryphon (all their packagings are illustrated with medieval themed scenes).
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| Foldables inside the packaging |
Swatches and impressions
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| Castle Arts colore pencils Swatches on black paper |
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| Castle Arts colored pencils swatches |
Castle Arts colored pencils are wax-based, it means that the binder is made mostly of wax (colored pencils can be oil or wax based).
I tested them both on white and black paper. The results on white paper totally satisfied me because the colors look intense and vibrant. On black paper they are not fully opaque, I wish they could be a bit more intense but the overall result is acceptable.
I like the variety of hues of the 72 set, there's a good rage of colors and there are no tones too much similar each to other.
The soft core of these pencils makes coloring and blending enjoyable and various layers can be added without troubles.
If you color putting pressure the result will be a slighlty glossy finishing, like the wax pastels we used as childrens. If you put multiple light layers you'll notice glossy finishing (just a bit) around the sixth or seventh layer.
The colors don't look dusty on the paper and they don't fade and don't mess the opposite page of the sketchbook/coloring book.
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| In the upward picture I made seven layers using one color and using seven different colors. In the lower pictures I blended various colors. |
I really appreciated the consistence of the lead, it's creamy and soft at the right point and it doesn't crumble and just a few times it broke during the sharpening. I've read other reviews and many people who tried them share the same opinon.
I'm a bit puzzled by the swatches on the barrels because many of them are quite different by the real colors, so it's better you don't trust the appareance and make a test on scrap paper (it looks like a philosophical quote XD) or keep your own swatches on hand!
By the way I've noticed the incoherence between the swatches on the packagings and the actual colors with many brands, included some famous ones!
There are no lightfastness informations. It means you don't know how long each hue resistes under the direct sunlight without fading. As far as I understood the lightfstness tests are expensive and they influence the final price of the products, this is one of the reasons why the colored pencils of some brands are more expensive than others. So, if you want to sell, give or just hang your artwork on the wall I recommend to use a protective spray with UV filter, it will help preventing the color fading and to avoid the "wax bloom", those ugly spots caused by the oxidation of wax. I used the Winsor & Newton spray, one of the finest on the market. Attention to don't use that kind of spray on oli based colored pencils or it will ruin your artwork!
However you won't have any kind of problems usig them on sketchbooks or coloring books.
Watch this video I posted on Instagram to see a work i progress I made with these pencils!
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| This is the spray I use with wax colored pencils. It has UV filters and prevents the "wax bloom". |
These are some artworks I made with Catle Arts colored pencils!
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| Baby Yoda.Castle Arts colored pencils on slightly rough paper. |
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| Pikachu on Van Gogh tree. Castle Arts colored pencils on slightly rough paper. |
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| Moet & Chadon by A. Mucha painted in my style. Watercolor and Castle Arts colored pencils on slightly smooth paper. |
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| Snow Globe illustration. Castle Arts colored pencils and acrylic markers (for hightlights) on black paper. |
Price and reperibility
You can find these pencils and all Castle Arts supplies on Amazon and on their web page. The price of the 72 pieces set is around €40.
Pros & Cons and conclusions
Since I want to be as objective as possible with my rewievs I decided to stop giving a final vote and do a summary list of pros and cons. I hope you like this choice!
PROS
- Good value for money;
- Soft core, easy to blend and layer;
- Intense colors;
- Nice look;
- Resistant lead;
- Color name and code on each pencil;
- Good range of colors;
- Easy to find on the market;
- Comfortable packaging;
CONS
- Pencils are not sold individually;
- No hight opacity on dark paper;
- The swatches on the barrels of some pencils are different by the actual colors;
- No lightfast tested;
Inconclusion I say that I would recommend Castle Art colored pencils.
The medium-hight quality and the low price make them a good product both for beginners who want to practice and for artists who are looking for good pencils on budget.
On my Instagram page someone asked me if I compared them with the Prismacolors. At the moment I've had no chance to do but when I'll take a Prismacolors set I'll write a brand vs brand post!
I hope you like this review! Do you have any question or want to tell your experience with Castle Arts products? Feel free to leave a comment! :)
See you soon!
Sara
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