Here it is at last, the clash of the titans! Let's get straight into it... First of all, an introduction to both pencils. Polychromos are artist quality pencils from one of the world's largest and oldest manufacturer of art supplies, German company Faber-Castell. They are oil based and have fantastic lightfastness (will not discolour over time with exposure to light), and are regarded as one of the best quality coloured pencils on the market. Prismacolor Premier pencils are made in Mexico and are wax based, making them very soft with incredibly vibrant pigments. Each brand has it's pros and cons, so without further ado, let the battle commence! DISCLAIMER: I bought both sets of pencils myself, so nothing about this review is biased (it never is anyway!) or influenced by anything else. Polychromos Polychromos come in several sized sets from single pencils to the full 120 collection. Each colour name is printed on the barrel in gold lettering and the entire pencil is lacquered in its lead colour. They look and feel very high quality. Below is a chart of all 120 colours currently available; notice that Polychromos lean towards darker shades of colour and there aren't too many light/pastel tones included. The cores are vibrant and have a fantastic depth of colour, the silky pigments spreading on the paper smoothly and evenly. The key to using Polychromos is LIGHT LAYERS. Do not expect good results by using hard pressure off the bat - these pencils don't work that way. You must lightly build up layers of colour, one on top of the other, to achieve a full saturation of colour. This is one of the big things that separate them from... Prismacolor The largest number of Prismacolors you can buy is 150 pencils. As you can see from the chart above, this set contains many 'in between' colours that are a balanced mixture of bright and muted tones. Unlike the Polys, a light stroke of Prismacolor will produce a rich colour, not needing to be layered up (although you can still use that method if you prefer). The pigments are very vivid and the lead feels remarkably buttery as it glides over the paper, so soft that you hardly need pressure at all, almost like a kohl eyeliner. The name and colour code are printed on each pencil for ease of identification, but these pencils are thinner and have a cheaper production feel than the Polychromos. For colours, Prismacolor wins out. I find the pigments a lot more intense and varied than the Polychromos. The Polys take longer to get the hang of and need more time spending to achieve the same richness, which some colourists will find challenging.
The wax bloom and discolouration on the Prismas when using too many layers sealed their fate for this one, leaving the Polys a clear winner. However if you're light with your layers and don't go too far, this won't be a problem. Prismacolor seem to smudge more than Polys by default as they are a much softer pencil, but neither of the brands have a major problem in that area. As for erasing and sharpening, there's a vast difference. It's unbelievably difficult to erase Prismas, to the point that I had to go over with the rubber again and again just to erase what you can see in the picture! The Polys disappear quite easily though, leaving about 10% of the colour on the paper. I know it looks like I've used more colour on the Prisma but I used exactly the same pressure- it's just the massive amount of deep pigment that lays down without trying! Prismas are notorious for being fragile and difficult to sharpen without breakages, but I can't say I've had too many problems with them (this could also be due to the sharpener I use). My only qualm is that the Prismas need sharpening much more often than Polys, which, being a harder pencil, retain their point longer. With Polychromos the whole pencil feels stronger, weightier, which probably has something to do with the SV (secure-all) bonding. The whole length of the core is glued to the Cedar wood casing of the pencil, meaning the lead is strengthened throughout and can sharpen to a finer point. If the tip of a Polychromos pencil breaks, it is only the tip that is shattered, not the whole column of lead. The same cannot be said for Prismas, which unfortunately have a track record for splintering and fragmenting with ease. Apparently when Prismas used to be made in the US, the quality was much higher. It's a no brainer for Round 3: Polys come out on top. They are sturdier than Prismas, sharpen brilliantly and erase well. The 120 set of Polychromos retails on average at £140, whilst the 150 box of Prismacolor costs just shy £95. A single Polychromos pencil costs as little as £1.29, and Prismacolor singles sell at around £1.60. You get an extra 30 pencils with the Prismas and at a cheaper price, but the singles are a bit more expensive to restock your set. Polys really are much better quality though, so I can see why they command a higher price than the Prismas. It was a close call in the beginning with all that beautiful creamy colour from the Prismas, but the undeniable build quality and coverage of Faber-Castell's Polychromos makes them the worthy winner in this battle. My advice would be to purchase a few of both and try them yourself. You might favour the buttery, easy to lay down texture of Prismas to the harder Poly lead, or you may love building up layers to create a smooth finish- it really is individual preference.
Guess what- even though Polychromos won my comparison fair and square, Prismacolor Premier will always be my absolute favourite pencil and the one I use the most because I love the effortless vibrancy and find them and quicker to use, which is ideal for the impatient colourist like me who just wants to get the page done and move onto the next!
69 Comments
Kourtney Ferro
10/8/2015 03:13:56 pm
Nice review!
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Roma M Johnston
28/11/2021 02:28:35 am
Helped explain a lot! Very informative!
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Pat Baxter
10/8/2015 03:25:38 pm
very informative!
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Claire Eadie
10/8/2015 03:42:35 pm
Thanks!
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Claire Eadie
10/8/2015 03:42:50 pm
Glad you liked it :)
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Christina de Sa
10/8/2015 03:59:34 pm
Thank you for explains. A review very well done x
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Prue
10/8/2015 05:07:01 pm
Thanks Claire. This is so helpful as most of us don't get to sample both brands.
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Julie Richardson
10/8/2015 06:16:31 pm
You posted all the topics I would wonder about. Thank you!
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Arlene Croucher
10/8/2015 08:33:40 pm
Nice review.
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Jo pritchard
10/8/2015 11:58:36 pm
Great review Claire thank you
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mihaela filipescu
12/8/2015 02:32:35 pm
THANK YOU I WILL ORDER THE FABER CASTELL
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Dorado
30/4/2017 03:49:56 pm
I agree with everyone, nice but i got prismacolor and what you said didn't nearly achieve what I got. Overall, I like the presentation, not the info.... thanks anyway!
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Lisa Rogers
12/8/2015 08:29:48 pm
Very helpful. Want to buy pencils, but there are so many choices...
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nicole johnson
18/8/2015 07:27:21 am
This is one of, if not the best review of this comparison I've seen.
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Alexandra Aspinall
18/8/2015 02:20:15 pm
Loved this review! I've been trying to decide between these two for a while and this really helped! =) Thanks! x
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Pauline
19/8/2015 01:14:10 am
Thanks for this review, really interesting and helpful
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Susan goldfinch
11/9/2015 08:13:16 am
Thank was undecided which ones to buy but polychrome it is. I'm in the UK.
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Annie Evans
13/9/2015 09:45:50 am
Very hard to choose they both have beautiful qualities truly I can't pick would have to buy both 😋
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Sheila
20/12/2015 12:26:39 am
I absolutely agree with this review. I have both brands and Polychromos wins for me as well. Thanks for the great review
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Roriann
13/1/2016 11:19:26 pm
This is all true but the polychromos aren't wax based they are oil based. That's thy they are studier. But great review. I'll be getting some faber castell!
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Claire
15/1/2016 10:12:38 am
Hi Roriann, my review states that Polys are oil based and Prismas are wax based x
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Leslie
16/2/2016 02:45:44 am
Nice review, but I would have to disagree. Just like all other reviews...this is a matter of opinion.
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Larry
8/11/2021 07:39:22 pm
I use my Prismacolor pencils almost everyday, for 2-3 hours a day. I've tried many different brands of sharpeners. I even have a Bostich electric sharpener. I only use that for new unsharpened pencils. It chews up the pencil to fast. The one hand sharpener that I found to be the best is made by Pro Art. It makes a medium size tip that's strong and to the point.. AC Moore used to sell them until they went out of business. But, they are still out there. Just remember to change them out eventually the blade will get dull and start chipping the exposed tip. I get a little more than a year out of one.
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Anna A. Buenaventura
26/4/2016 02:42:51 am
Thanks for the review up until now I'm still undecided which of these high-end pencils I'll purchase when my coloring skills improve. I was thinking of getting prismas because it's "cheaper" and has 30 more shades than polys. However, with my impatient nature and lack of impulse control, I do believe that I'm better off with polys. The prismas may all break on me before I even finish one simple picture/object.
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Joan Rowan
27/4/2016 10:57:21 am
Thank you, as always, very helpful and informative
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lena
4/5/2016 09:45:54 pm
thank you, dear, for making my decision easier after this long agony of which one to pick.
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Rachel
7/5/2016 04:12:31 pm
Thanks for d information. I'm considering purchasing a box of Prismacolors 72 but after reading your reviews might want to buy d 48 instead.
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17/5/2016 08:03:34 pm
Hi Claire - thanks for all your reviews. I bought the polychromos 120 box and have bought replacements though art suppliers online which are much much cheaper than buying them in retail shops. The polychromos are brilliant and if you can afford the full 120 well worth it. Some do tend to break more easily than others and the whole lead can sometimes break. this is particularly so for the metal coloured pencils (the bronze, gold and silver - beautiful though and are indispensable!) They all blend brilliantly. The do tend to bleed onto other pages as oil based.
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Sylvie Bibeau
18/11/2017 12:38:57 am
Claire,
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Kate Richardson
9/6/2016 08:24:56 pm
I read your review of the coloured pencils and at the end of May I bought a tin Faber Castell 120 coloured pencils from Amazon, the colours are amazing and they glide over the paper thank you for the review
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I have been using Faber Castell pencils now for quite some time, but my first set of 'artist' pencils were Caran D'ache aquarelle. Then I went on to the Faber Art Grip aquarelle that are a good partner to the polychromos and I also have a set of pitt pastel pencils too. these three sets from Faber Castel enable me to produce startling results and I love them.
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Karrie Ann
30/7/2016 02:26:59 pm
Thank you for your review. I purchased the Faber Castell but felt like I should have tested the Prisma colors first, but now feel confident that I made the right choice!!
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Heidi
21/8/2016 09:55:58 pm
Great review:) I love my Polys, the benefits of richer colour would be far outweighed by lower durability and needing to sharpen often:) It is worth noting that value for money is dependant on which country you are in. In NZ, Polychromos are way cheaper than Prismas:)
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Bridget
13/9/2016 09:07:15 am
Your review was very good. I started out using Prisma's and later bought the Faber's. I find that I am using them both. I like the wide varity of colors from the Prismas and beautiful color., and I have no problem getting great points on them. I have found an awesome sharpener. Yes, they lead breaks more often but I have never had one pencil with any defects. When I got my Fabers I did get one in the box that the pencil was cracked completely through and I couldn't use it. I love that the lead is harder and last longer but like you said, the color isn't as pretty. So, i still find myself going back to the Prismas. But, both sets sit right next to each other when iI color. :p
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17/9/2016 02:01:35 pm
Thank you very much for your review, very informative and useful ^^
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Neo
7/1/2017 08:33:23 am
The best review of the colour pencils EVER. You have tackled every major point ! .... of course, a triangular match with Koh i Noor would also help.
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Linda
15/1/2017 08:49:40 pm
Nice review and I would concur, I have both sets, plus some Pablo's and Derwent pencils, I enjoy the Polychromos and Pablo's much more for their value and sturdiness. While Prismacolor have great colors and lay down, I find the breakages and the need to sharpen so often puts me off, they are not of the same quality, though I still use them all.
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Maureen
9/3/2017 04:25:39 pm
Do these pencil sets play well together in a drawing or must one choose only one set to use?
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Claire
10/3/2017 11:08:43 am
As they are made from two different base substances they don't work very well together I've found. x
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Jessica Bly
17/4/2017 08:41:41 am
What do you mean by smudge? I have both the Polychromos and the Prismacolors. I'm still undecided which I like best myself, I'm trying to get used to the Polychromos as I've always used Prismacolors. That's why I ask what you mean about smudging. Because one of my major issues with the Prismacolors was that the pencil dust would smear at the lightest pressure and ruin the surrounding colors. So frustrating. But they do lay down so easy and with such vibrant colors!
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WiiWendy
22/5/2017 04:31:59 am
I have the Prismacolors 150 the Lyra Rembrandt Polycolor 72. and Faber-Castell Polychromos 60. Purchased in that order. My prismas just sit on the shelf in their box. I did not like them at all. I couldn't quite afford the Faber-Castells yet so Lyra it was. I LOVE LOVE my Faber-Castells and I use them regularly in conjunction with the Lyra's. In my opinion and experience Claire is SPOT ON!! I truly believe that folks who use Prisma that say not so good things about Faber-Castell Polychromos have NEVER used them. When I use my Prismacolors I feel like Im useing crayons. Wax crayons that the grandkids use. Not expensive pencil crayons. I have been colouring comparison pictures just to show myself (Selina Fenech has awesome coloring books with 2 sets of pics. Plus beautiful Grayscale books). In the comparisons you can see a BIG difference in the texture the colour and just the final pictures look.
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Thank you, I have been looking to increase my coloured pencil range and I wasn't sure which way to go.
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Herbert
17/7/2017 12:40:22 am
Have ordered Fabre- castell from amazon and can't wait to,try them. Read several reviews and am convinced as to their quality.
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Jacqueline Satterlee
21/7/2017 06:30:08 pm
Wonderful explanation. Thank you so much!
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Amy B
3/9/2017 04:30:13 pm
Thank you for this review! Just ordered a set of Polychromos and I'm now even more excited for them!
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Sylvie Bibeau
18/11/2017 12:35:06 am
Very informative. Your review made me able to choose wisely. Thanks,
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Marco
8/12/2017 07:25:22 am
Thank you for the awesome review! At first, I was confused which among the 2 is better than the other. I'm in the mall now & fully confident to buy the polychromos. :)
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I feel t5hat you are one of the sweetest artistic colorists and youtubers ever.The manner you express yourself and provide such wonderful videos is amazing. I want to say I feel that you have brightened up many lovers of coloring ..Our days are so enriched by your being so giving ... you help us relax and get more confidence in our journey of coloring. May you always have health , happiness and good fortune in your days with your loved ones. I know that your love of coloring has been such a benefit for so many fans who watch your videos and we all wish you all the rewards life can bring for you.
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Claire
11/6/2018 06:22:18 pm
Hi Peggy, thank you so much for your message, you've made my day with your beautiful kind words xx
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Nancy Mc Fadden
12/7/2018 03:28:44 pm
Thanks for the test. In the 70's I bought a set of Venus Spectracolor which I still gave and use, but horde since they went defunt in the 80s? Love these pencils, have tried Prismacolor but their construction sucks, shreding eood, crumbling lead. Im using mostly Dewernt and some Faber Castille, but have been curious about the Polychromes, now its time to find a starter set of 12 to play with. Is there ever enough color pencil types to settle with and use,....... uh, nope, 😉.
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Sylvia stafford
19/8/2018 01:46:18 am
I have three sets off oil pencils and I prefer polychrome the prisma break to easily guang hui the colours don’t seem to be deep enough, polychrome is just right lovely blending all round good guys
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Awesome review, thank you so much! I'm from Brazil and here Prismas and Polys are so expensive! I was nearly decided to bought Prismas in the future but still thinking in Polys, I have never seen anyone who disliked them. But your review changed my mind! Totally complete with the important points to see when buying an expensive product like this, and considering that I wanna use them for comissions, the fact that Poly lasts longer, are more sturdy and DONN'T make wax bloom because they are made with oil just convinced me! Thank you for your time and patience.
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I believe Prismacolor quality started declining before they moved production to Mexico. I have a 120-set that I bought in ~2000, made in USA, and several of the pencils have off-center leads. My poor Raspberry pencil's lead is so awful it breaks every time I try to sharpen it even gently. I invested in a 120-Polychromos set the other week and I'm very happy with them so far.
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Amanda Bowoade
15/3/2019 02:53:43 pm
I agree with your review. Polychromos are definitely the better product.
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Marion
8/7/2019 08:27:40 pm
I have only this evening discovered your amazing site and foresee countless happy hours of learning ahead. I have Polychromos and Prismacolor pencils and endorse your result wholeheartedly. I was pleased to discover I use the same pencil sharpener and recommend it without hesitation to anyone who might be considering its purchase. Thank you for your exhaustive, comprehensive, educational and hugely inspirational pages; it's great to see a "Brit" winner. Best wishes Marion in North Somerset, UK
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Irene
2/8/2019 08:40:12 am
The reason i read your article is that recently i tried prismacolor pencils for drawing on metal surfaces. I tried a lot to find them because I live in Europe and nobody sells them (only one and I found him ..Ha!) I got really passionate with them and they serve excellent my purpose! I have not any problems at all but they are really expensive in my country (Greece) and I think that I will try Polychromos ( which come really cheaper here than Prismacolor) after reading your article! Thank you!!!
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Morgan Rutherford
18/9/2019 11:13:47 pm
Polys my new absolute fave after years and years of using Prismas. The rich variety of Prisma colors is still amazing and I love every single one. Sadly, Prismas are now made primarily in China and the quality has plummeted. Drawing with them has become an anxiety producing experience as pencil after pencil breaks continually no matter which sharpener I use or how carefully I handle them. I feel betrayed! Thus my switch to Polys. I love the color, feel and ease of these beautiful, sturdy pencils.
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deb
18/11/2019 09:52:40 pm
A wonderful review. Thankyou for taking the time and effort to show people considering to buy these pencils the difference. I can see that Polychromos seem to be the best but I guess it comes down to personal preference. I was scared when I have heard so much about Prismas breaking easily but apparently they do they lay the colour down a lot more easier than Polychromos. It's a bit of an outlay financially so I guess you want to get it right the first time. Thankyou.
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Michelle
21/4/2020 03:26:04 pm
Thanks. I found this very helpful. I have Prismas and I am thinking of purchasing Polychromos. I was wondering what sharpener you use, that is my biggest issue with Prismas. When I go to color it's hard to fined the part of the tip that hits the paper first. When I am close to the line sometimes I end up going out. It is very frustrating.
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Claire
21/4/2020 06:21:42 pm
I use this one: https://amzn.to/2VGmZ7X
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Beth
17/3/2021 09:35:59 am
This is an amazing review. I bought open stock of each to try out. One tip would be if say you are going to buy a set of 60 Polychromos rather than 120 then buy pencils that are not in the 60 set. I find for colouring books we don't need the full set so I bought 60 Polychromos and have added pinks, greens and blues from open stock as they are the colours I use most. I am thinking of buying a set of 72 Prismacolour.
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NADIA ZABIHACH
10/5/2021 06:48:38 pm
this is the best review of the decade
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