www.penciltopics.co.uk
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STAEDTLER
A German based group based in Nuremburg and operating worldwide, they have a pencil
making history going back to the mid 1600s. The Group is unusual in that it is owned
by an Educational Foundation, the main purpose of which is the promotion of scientific
research at German polytechnics and universities, in particular at the Friedrich-
The group makes a vast array of pencil products mainly for educational and craft use but only one brand falls within our specialist orbit.
The KARAT AQUARELLE pencils are a high quality student brand, and as such, are attractive to artists as a lower priced alternative watercolour pencil.
The pencils are sold only in sets which go up to a full set of 60.
The pencils are quite hard and therefore sharpen to a fine durable point, which makes them useful for fine work.
The colour core dissolves readily to enable good watercolour washes and the pigment behaves well on paper when wet, though care is needed ( as with many aquarelles ) when trying to wash out a drawn line.
Some of the darker colours change when wet, so it is wise ( as with all Aquarelles ) to do a test sheet of the whole colour range in your set to see them on paper both dry and after wetting.
I use these for beginner courses as they are reliable and inexpensive.
Many of the colours are permanent once wet
Available mainly through Internet sale, the full set of 60 retails around £38 making them an excellent introductory set providing a wide selection of useful colours.
They are not perfect as an aquarelle coloured pencil, but they are very usable, and offer superb value.
I use them a lot for making underpainting washes.
Have a look at www.greatart.co.uk
The UK Company Website is at www.staedtler.co.uk
The colour range of the Staedtler karat Aquarelles is shown in the Penciltopics standard chart, together with the colours after addition of water Staedtler Karat set
Latest revision April 2010
Coloured Pencil BRANDS
LIGHTFASTNESS of pencils 1 and LIGHTFASTNESS 2 ( some test5s carried out in strong sunlight by a reader
PRICE & CONTENT of Coloured Pencils : COLOUR COMPARISONS between brands :
and a listing page by page of the various manufacturers selling Coloured Pencils in the United Kingdom and in Europe.
DERWENT ; FABER-
DALER ROWNEY ; CONTE ; CRETACOLOR.