TOP WATERCOLOR PENCILS for artists: Find your match! 

Hi, Françoise! Many thanks for this, and the speed at which you made it available for us! I'm sad that the CD fell at the last moment. I was sure I'd posted the following information on one of your other watercolour pencil videos, but I've just checked back, and I haven't. 😮 If you add a couple of drops of *glycerine* to about 100mls of your water, it will dramatically increase the solubility and flow of all but the worst of your w/c pencils. It will usually dissolve those pesky lines left behind, unless they've been made by using too much pressure on the pencil instead of layering (a very common problem!!!) . It will certainly resolve your problem with Museum and improve the Albrecht Durer. Continue using your soft brush - the glycerine won't hurt it, and it rinses out really easily in the clean water jar. It's used in paint manufacturing anyway! If you have hard-to-rewet watercolour pans, it helps with those, too. Adding a single drop when filling the pans is enough (stir it in with a cocktail stick); If already in the pans, add the same amount of glycerine in water as for the w/c pencils, drop it onto those stubborn colours, and leave for a while or overnight, to soak in. I've found that using a water brush for activating the pencils tends to move the pigment around or lift it off, and that plain (tap) water in hard water areas (most of France, I think, but especially where I live, where it is _very_ hard!) doesn't help. I use the Pentel water brushes when I use them at all, but not very often, for my work, and I often wonder how ArtTubers seem to get much better results than I do with the same brush set! Here in France, the pharmacy will sell you a small bottle (100mls) of glycerine for not-very-much, and obviously it will last some time. It does have other uses, though. My local pharmacy decants it from their stock bottle, and it's easier to get and cheaper than at the supermarkets. I'm not sure about other countries, though I suggest trying the pharmacy first. 😊

I have both kinds and prefer the AD, too. Except for the white pencil. I buy extra white Museum Aquarelles because they make the best highlights for coloured pencil work. But for the rest, especially using just watercolour pencils, I find AD easier to control. The MAs are a bit unpredictable in that the colours can vary quite a bit more from the pencil colour and some of them are just a bit too intense when you add water.

**Edit**: FC Albrecht Dürer pencils actually bear a star rating for lightfastness, check for tiny stars at the very top of the pencil, thank you to one of you for pointing this out! Find more about watercolor pencils and water-soluble pencils in this playlist : ru-vid.com/group/PLDOODfin0x04eIrhCotk_UGkxO8hlY6zK

I saw Caran d'Ache Museum info stating they were officially licensed as a Watercolor! They all have pigment numbers... just don't know the link. So, art made with them can be submitted to Society of Watercolor exhibitions.

I have the FCAD 120. Been using them for lots of my animal painting and they're just amazing. I was thinking of buying CdA but abandoned the idea since they're too expensive and FC can be as great as CdA. Thank you for this video, great art and very informative.

I have the largest set of the Albreccht Dürer and of the inktense. I’m really happy about both so I’m not going to try the Caran D’ache ones. But I’m happy to see your comparison and other videos. My first watercolor pencils were Caran D’ache and I loved them for so many years.

Interesting! I only have a few pencils (6-7) of each, bought open stock. For my use I find the Caran dAche to be superior to FCAD! It totally changes the game. I only use them in my sketchbook and on the go, with a waterbrush, though. For «proper» paintings I use regular watercolours. My impression of the CDA compared to FCAD is that the CDA is: - luxury feeling build quality, a step up from FCAD - less streaky - much more intense pigmented colours - less transparent than FCAD, almost feels closer to gouache. This means it gives great coverage, and you don’t get the splotchy look that often occurs when using waterbrush Thanks for the video! I would be interested to see you do the comparison doing a sketchbook painting with a waterbrush, and see if your preference is still Faber Castell for that usage. 😊

I remember how much caran d’ache were adored years ago in elementary school. Everybody loved them so much - or maybe it was just me. It’s time for me to try them again. 🖍

Thanks for this comparison! It is always tempting to want to buy a new set of wc pencils we don't have. As beautiful as the Caran d'Ache are I think i will just stick with my FCAD pencils especially if the difference is this minimal!

Thank you for this. I have the full set of Albrecht Durer pencils and I hope to use them more in 2024. I love seeing your videos and what you do to show the vast scope of possibilities when using this medium. Your videos are wonderful!

Amazing piece of art would not have known this was created from two different sets of pencils. Thanks for the advice and demonstration.

For more about watercolor pencils and water-soluble pencils, watch this playlist next: ru-vid.com/group/PLDOODfin0x04eIrhCotk_UGkxO8hlY6zK

Beautiful work nice

Very informative, many thanks

Finally, someone comparing like for like, both wax and both use blue wool scale. FYI, "fine" rhymes with "lime," 😘

Hi Francoise, I just came across your watercolor pencils videos, because I started using them more. But I’m really just a colorist, not an artist,but I love a lot of art supplies. I was curious did you also tried the Caran D’ache Supracolor II watercolor pencils,because I found many compare them with the FC Albrecht Durer,more so than with the Museum Aquarelle ? Oh, are you by any chance using the Winsor & Newton watercolor paper,cold press? I think I’ve seen it in one of your videos and I find it to be the best paper for FC and Supracolor(I don’t have Museum Aquarelle), I tried many different papers. Although I color in books,but I usually copy the page on watercolor paper, those coloring books don’t take water well.

Great job!

Thank you so much! The Caran d’ache museums definitely aren’t as creamy laying down are they? Tried a few . Everyone always comments how creamy they are but I didn’t experience that…

I like them both tbh. Does the choice of paper have something to do with the results? I've found it affects markers and colored pencils (my current mediums of choice) so I wouldn't be surprised if the paper grade plays a part in the outcome. It would be interesting to see these tested on a sampling of watercolor paper from different brands.

Both are great to use also inktense pencils use them in the same painting.

Faber-Castell Albrecht Durer plus good Hotpress paper from Arches… a couple of “extra whites“… how many colors are enough to start with? Another excellent watercolor pencil video. Thank you! You started with washes...so...washes then drawing?

I dont have either but been thinking about buying Caran d'ache

Hola! Me encantaron tus videos de lápices acuarelables, he aprendido mucho gracias a ti. Tengo los Albrecht Dürer de 120 colores, pero ahora mi set favorito es el AD Magnus de 24 colores, son más gruesos y todos son lightfast, existen 30 colores pero solo venden el set de 24 en mi país. Saludos desde Chile 🇨🇱

Hi! Are yoy trying the Caran'Dache Supra colors? If tou try them, you can make a video tu review this watercolor pencils? Please 🙏🏻😊

Look again at the FC pencils. The lightfastness stars are imprinted just after the color number.

I tried these Faber C. Durer pencils at my work and didn't like the way they put down pigment, at all.. Maybe because of my strong preference for the inktense with their intense vibrant colors. I just love them so much that no other color brand comes close..I have no experience with the Museum, though I don't think I would think different about the Inktense after using those from what I've seen

☺👍🏻

Light fastness is the only important information you could have given in this particular video .