Colored pencils are always a great medium to give to your little ones. Not only does it provide them with hours of clean arty fun, but it also teaches them about colors, blending, and how to correctly hold a pencil.
Colored pencils are not just for children, they are loved by adults too. We are going to look at two brands of pencils Crayola and Prismacolor and will check out why they are the best option for your little one.
With so many great brands available, it can be confusing as to what are the differences and similarities between them.
In this article
Why You Should Consider Either of These Pencil Brands
Crayola and Prismacolor aren’t essentially any different from any other pencil brands. They have a central core of colored pigment and they’re then encased in wood to protect the delicate colored core.
They come in a variety of colors depending on their intended use and the size of the pack that you purchase. The colors vary from a standard range for drawing to a more elaborate range for animation.
Most parents buy colored pencils for their children to experiment with drawing and coloring. They allow a child’s imagination to run wild as they have no restraints.
Main Features – Similarities and Differences
Safety
As most parents know, children have a nasty habit of putting everything in their mouths. That’s why Crayola and Prismacolor pencils are all made from non-toxic materials designed with kids’ safety in mind.
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Usability
Both the Crayola and Prismacolor pencils are both user friendly and are great for blending, shading, and shadows making it easy for any budding artist to use them easily.
The Crayola twistable pencils don’t need any sharpening and are erasable with a small eraser on the top of the pencil.
Durability
Both the Crayola and Prismacolor have soft cores that are made from high-quality materials. They’re relatively difficult to break so should be durable enough to last for many years.
Portability
Most coloring pencils are easily transported as they are not very big. Both these brands come in compact packaging. Although the Prismacolor brand comes in a tin which gives them little more protection if they’re in your child’s school bag.
Color Availability
Crayola tends to come in smaller packs as they’re specifically designed and aimed at young children. This means that the color range is often just the standard range.
While Prismacolor appears to be aimed at older children and adults, they come in bigger packs and so there is a greater variety of colors.
Erasing potential
The vast majority of Crayola pencils now come as erasable, with an eraser built into the top of the pencil. Prismacolors have easily-erasable pigments that allow budding artists to correct any mistakes.
Blending Potential
Both brands can be blended effectively. But the Crayola pencils will require quite considerable force in order to mix the colors together while Prismacolor has a soft core that makes them super easy to blend with.
Cost
Crayola color pencils are far more affordable compared to Prismacolor. This price difference will again reinforce the fat that Crayola is aimed at a far younger user than Prismacolor.
Crayola Twistable Colored Pencils
Crayola Twistables are fantastic for little ones as they are super easy to use. They require no sharpening you just twist the barrel. They are also fully erasable and come with the erasers attached to the pencils.
They are made of durable plastic barrels that protect the core color from the knocks and bangs that come with being around little people.
Crayola state that they are suitable for children 3 years and up but my two years old have used them under supervision since he was around 1 year old.
Pros
- Affordable
- Bright vibrant color selection
- smooth coloring
- Long-lasting
- No sharpening required
- Erasable
Cons
- Color is not quite true to their pencils
- Some issues with the color not screwing back in
Crayola Erasable Colored Pencils
These Crayola Erasable Colored Pencils are a little twist on their original pencils in that they’re now fully erasable with the eraser attached to each pencil.
This means that children can color whatever they please and then erase it and start again if they want. It gives them great control.
This pack contains 10 pencils so the color variety is limited to the basic color selection. These are suitable for children 3 plus. To be honest, I think that this age would be about right for safety and usability.
Pros
- Easily erasable
- Good smooth color
- Sharpen easily without breakage
- Durable
Cons
- Pencils are quite thin so not great for a toddler to hold
- Colors are light and you need to press quite hard to get a darker shade
Prismacolor Premier Soft Core Colored Pencils 12 Pack
The Prismacolor Colored Pencils contain 12 pencils giving a good range of colors. They come in a small tin making them easy to transport and the packaging also protects them from bumps and drops.
They have a soft core that makes them perfect for shading and shadows. They also come pre-sharpened meaning they can be used immediately.
Pros
- Soft cores, great for shading and shadows.
- A good range of vibrant colors
- Durable
- Portable
Cons
- Quite expensive
- Issues with sharpening
Prismacolor Premier Colored Pencils 150 pack
This box comes with 150 colored pencils that have soft cores perfect for blending, shading, and layering. Each pencil contains richly saturated pigments that are lightfast meaning your color choices will stay true for many years to come.
Pros
- Colors stay true as they are lightfast
- Softcore ideal for blending and shading
- Good range of colors
Cons
- Expensive
- Colors are grainy
FAQ
How well do the erasable pencils actually work?
Both the twistable and standard pencils erase well without leaving any stage color or marks behind. The colors aren’t as vibrant as normal pencils. This is more than likely to do with them being erasable.
Are they washable?
They aren’t washable and Crayola advises that their colored pencils may contain colorants that may stain.
What type of erasers are attached to these?
The colored pencil eraser is made from a proprietary latex-free formula rubber designed to provide the optimum erasure of the colored pencils.
The Final Thought
Deciding which colored pencils are the best is going to be defined by the purpose that they are required for and also the age of the person using them.
If you’re looking for pencils that are child friendly, easy to use and that can stand up to the everyday abuse of a 3-year-old then I think any of the Crayola ones will be perfect.
However, if you’re looking for a huge variety of colors that can be shaded, blended, and are to be used by older children or adults then the Prismacolor is going to be your best option.
