Trying Derwent Lightfast Pencils for the First Time! 

Thank you for sharing your experiences with us!

Thank you! Yeah, I'm not huge on switching, I'd rather just jump right in to a project. I learn the working properties of a supply better that way. I will swatch a bit in some of my videos, but still also do a project after so I can show what a supply is capable of. I'm glad you enjoyed the video and my work! Thank you for watching!

Isn't she great? All that superuseful, practical commentary, and this magical performance with the product at the same time.

@manthasagittarius1 Thank you, I appreciate it! 😊

Thank you so much!! 😊

Thank you!!😊 🥰

Thank you, I use whatever I like to use and whatever gets the job done! Lol

Thank you!! I don't like to have open containers of it lying around in my studio while I work, and it's super convenient to have it in the brush and ready to go.

Thank you so much! I'm glad you enjoyed my video and my work!

Thank you!!

Thank you so much Lindsay, I'm glad you like my work! I love your channel by the way and have been watching your videos for a long time, It's nice to see another Mainer on RU-vid!! Thanks again for commenting, you made my day! 💖

Good points (no pun intended) about wider cores. Not to be a bad influence, but you should definitely try these pencils lol! They'd make a great addition to any collection! Thank you, I'm glad you like my work!

Thank you Dianna!! 💖

Thank you DeeJay!! Definitely my new favorite pencil!

Thanks! Yeah, there was a lot of footage for this one so had to do some editing to make it manageable lol. I'm glad you liked it! These pencils are my favorite now, I use these and the Polychromos the most when I work. I can't recommend them enough, I'm sure you will love them!!

Thank you!!

Thank you!

Thank you so much! 🥰

They really are!

Thank you Heather!! They are fantastic pencils, my new favorite for sure!! I'm sure you will have lots of fun with them when they arrive!!

I'm glad you found this video helpful! Yes, they do have a wonderful range of blues, greens and purples. This is one of my top three pencils now, maybe even THE top favorite of mine lol!

Thank you!! Succulents are such a fun subject! And there is such a variety of them to choose from!

Thank you!

They are fabulous, I'm certain you will love them! ❤️

Thank you! They are fantastic pencils, I use them all the time now!

Thank you Julia!!

They are wonderful pencils!

I think the open stock option is great for that reason! It's nice to have a few to try out ahead of time. Try them out and see how they feel, and then if you like them you can always add more colors as you go! High end pencils can be quite pricey and I understand where you are coming from. It can be hard to justify big purchases and that's one reason it took me so long to get them. But, I'm glad I did because I think they are my top favorite now!

I agree, they have become my go-to pencil since first trying them! Derwent knocked it out of the park with these!

@@CautionArtistatPlay Absolutely, Derwent really did a good job with these. I find their customer service is very good as well so any issues are sorted quickly with them. They're my go-to pencil as well, they even beat the caran d'ache luminance in my opinion & they're gorgeous too. I love the drawing you did by the way and also so nice to hear that I'm not the only one who doesn't swatch the colours! No time for that let's jump I and use them! Thanks for your review, even though I already have these it's great to hear another opinion on them.

I agree, I like these better than the Luminance, I just never find myself reaching for the Luminance. I love Derwent as a company as well, they seem to really care about the artists who are using their products!

@@CautionArtistatPlay Yeah Derwent are really good & do genuinely seem to care and listen to their customers. Interestingly I had a duplicate pencil in my set, I had 2 midnight blacks and no pale peach so unlike you where you can see the mix up between two white pencils, can't really say the same for midnight black & pale peach! Derwent were great, they sent me the replacement pencil immediately so no problem but there's obviously an issue there. I do use my caran d'ache luminance, there are blues in the full 100 set that aren't in the lightfast set so I tend to use the luminance, lightfast & Derwent Drawing (white being the best white available totally agree) together. For me it's the Faber-Castell Polychromos that I am not keen on. Don't get me wrong, they're a good quality pencil but they're just not my favourite. I use them for fine detail as they're good at holding their point but I've just got the 24 set of the Derwent Procolour and they're even better at holding a point so will probably use those in future instead of my Polychromos. I know people love them but they're just not for me. Also wanted to ask, have you used Clairefontaine Pastelmat paper? I can't recommend enough, especially for the Lightfast pencils. It instantly became my favourite paper! It can take so many layers and so much abuse it's amazing! Also works great with watercolour pencils, pastels etc.

So strange about the duplicate pencils! As far as the Luminance, I never did invest in the full set. At the time I didn't have a huge budget and I think I got nervous to use them because of the price, so I didn't use them enough for them to become a favorite. I'm going to have to use them again soon, now that they won't feel so precious to me lol. I do have some Pastelmat, but I haven't tried it for colored pencil yet (which is why I bought it to start with lol.) I have tried it for pastels and love it! I need to try it for CP soon, I have had it for a couple years so it's long overdue lol.

Yeah, I refer to Polychromos as hard because they keep a fine point longer and don't break as easily as other pencils. I agree about the Lightfasts being amazing, and I love having the pigment information too!

Thank you ilona!! I'm glad you found my channel too! Welcome aboard!

Thank you Rose!

Thank you Brandy!

Thank you Lisa 😊

Thank you very much Ronald!

Yes, you are right, and I believe Cult pens also offers a supplementary set to make up the rest of the 100 if you are someone who already has the 72. All of which I found out after doing this video lol. I ended up buying the rest of the colors that interested me open stock, so I don't have the full 100, but I have all the colors I need now.

Thank you Blue Tea!

Thank you Riya!!

Thank you Peggy!!

Thank you!

Thank you!!

You're welcome!

Thank you so much, and yeah the pencils are amazing, they are my absolute favorite now!

Thank you! These pencils are my new favorite, I highly recommend them!

I'm so glad you like them Claritza!! I agree, they do feel like the perfect combination between the Prismacolors and Polychromos! I have noticed that some colors seem a bit softer, but they do blend so quickly and easily, that it they don't take as many layers, so you can get a lot of color payout with lighter layers than other pencils. They are one of my favorite pencils to use now! I bet you will come up with some beautiful artwork with them!!

@@CautionArtistatPlay totally agree with you! It's a bit strange, but at the same time it's a perfect combination! And yes! I can't wait to do a beautiful piece when my order arrived, not like you, but beautiful... 😁 I wish to have the 72 set, but right now is impossible to me 😔 but at least I'm happy to order the 36 set. And for me they are wow! They are awesome colored pencils! And many thanks for your honesty and for describing exactly what these pencils are like! 🤗😁🥰

I think the 36 set is a great set! You will still be able to to plenty with that amount of colors since the pencils are so versatile and blend so well. I'm excited for you!! 😊

@@CautionArtistatPlay ohhh, ok! Thank you Shana!!! Is very important to me 🤗 And thanks for your kindness😁❤️ and your motivation🥰

Anytime Claritza!! 🥰

Thank you!

Thank you! I haven't done a lightfast test with them. Red does tend to be a color that fades very easily in most brands. A lot of red hues don't have very good ratings on them. Not all the Polychromos are lightfast, they have some that are rated lower than others, and even a couple fugitive colors, they just have a high percentage of lightfast pencils compared to some other brands. Where as these pencils have no fugitive colors. What was the star rating on the pencil you tested? Almost every brand will have some colors that fade (other than Luminance and Derwent Lightfast) but the ratings on the pencils should reflect that. I'm quite surprised to hear that about the Luminance though since they are all supposed to be lightfast. However, I believe lightfast ratings that are set out by the manufacturer indicate how long they will last without fading in museum/ideal conditions, not in direct sunlight, which is much harsher. I have read over the years that you should never hang art, (no matter the medium,) in direct sunlight no matter the ratings. So I think if the art is hung in a place that doesn't have blaring sunlight on it, it should be fine. I have a piece on my wall done in Prismacolors years ago, that still looks brand new.

I agree. It's definitely a good idea to try a few open stock before you buy! I am sorry you have had such a bad experience with them. I haven't experienced that issue, but as I mentioned in another comment, it's been a while since I bought mine. I'm really hoping quality control hasn't gone downhill. Have you reached out to Derwent? They usually have really good customer service and may be able to help you out!

Hmmm I'm getting the 36 set next week. It would be great if they did another 36 set for the different colours 🤔 surprised that they don't 😕

I believe cult pens sells a set of the second half of the 72 set..

Caution: Artist at Play - Thanks for pointing me in the right direction! I checked it out and now I’m drooling and coveting the 100-set in the wooden box. Somebody stop me! Please! PLEASE!!

Lol I know what you mean Nick! I'm with you there!

Here is a link for the set with the second batch of lightfast pencils! www.cultpens.com/i/q/DW67476/derwent-lightfast-coloured-pencils-set-2-tin-of-36

I'm so sorry it has taken this long to respond, I didn't get notified of this comment and happened to see it when I replied to someone else. It didn't take long to dry between layers, just a few minutes. Thank you for watching!

Thank you! And welcome aboard!

Thank you!

Awesome! I need to do that so I can have the whole set!! I love it when I meet other lefties!! 💙

Thank you! I used odorless mineral spirits to blend!

I usually keep my OMS in a waterbrush. It's a hollow brush that can be filled with water to be used with watercolors, but I put my OMS in one so I don't have to have an open container of OMS around while I work. OMS is fantastic for blending colored pencil. Another great product for blending which is made specifically for colored pencils is Holbein Meltz. I have recently started using it as it's less toxic than OMS.

@@CautionArtistatPlay Thank you!! I have the hollow brushes so I just need to track those down. (My daughter's been wanting an art store field trip!) 😁👋

You're welcome!! 🥰 Art store field trips are always a good idea!

I used odorless mineral spirits in my brush pen! It works really well! Thanks for watching! 😊

Thank you!!

Thank you!!

Honestly, I don't have extensive experience with the Derwent Artists, but I feel like the Lightfast are more vibrant and blend a bit more easily. But I haven't worked with the Artists a ton as I only have a few in my collection.

Thank you Sherry! I usually wait a minute or two before going back in after I use OMS, and once I see that it isn't as shiny I will go back to it. I have never really timed it. It really all just comes down to experimenting and working with the medium to figure out the timing that works best with your techniques.

I feel like they are pretty well in the middle as far as softness goes. They aren't as soft as Luminance but definitely softer than Polychromos and they blend beautifully! I definitely find myself reaching for these more often than I do my Luminance.

Hello! I use Gamsol odorless mineral spirits inside of a water brush for blending in some areas, and in other areas I just use layering and burnishing techniques with the pencils themselves. I hope this helps!

Thank you! No, these do not blend with water. I am using odorless mineral spirits for blending.

@@CautionArtistatPlay I looked in your notes and realised afterwards, thank you 🙏

@@carolharper268 No problem!

Yes there is!

I am indeed!

Me too

Thank you! It probably took between 15-20 hours at least. I don't remember exactly and I never officially timed it. I know I wasn't able to work on it consecutively, and had to do multiple working sessions. It was time consuming but well worth it!

Good to know! Thanks!

Hello! It's a water brush with odorless mineral spirits in it!

@@CautionArtistatPlay Tyyy!!!!

You're welcome!

Thank you! Yes, I do use OMS in the waterbrush! It's the only way I use it. I don't like to have open containers of OMS around in my studio. The waterbrush is so convenient!

@@CautionArtistatPlay Good idea, has it ever leaked? Which brand is it?

@@CrisCrafts I don't have issues with it leaking, I am always sure to screw the brush together tightly, I do not over fill it and am careful not to over squeeze it when using it. I have gone months before without using the brush and have kept the OMS in it, and came back and it was still all there. I keep it in my drawing desk drawer and haven't had issues with it leaking on things. I can't remember the brand because I have been using it for years, but I believe it could be a pentel one.

@@CrisCrafts Also, I should mention, I always use gloves when filling it. Having a little funnel on hand helps, but also using a dropper to fill it would work as well.

@@CautionArtistatPlay Thank you!

Hey there! I'm using Gamsol Odorless Mineral Spirits in the waterbrush to blend.

Thank you!!

I have odorless mineral spirits in my water brush and am using it to blend.

I think that they claim to be oil based, but definitely blend like they are more on the waxy side. However, I have never had any issues with wax bloom.

They are definitely more expensive in some places than others. Prices are always subject to change too, I would not be surprised if they have gone up since I filmed this 3 years ago. Especially with inflation being what it is. Anytime a price is mentioned in a video, it's never set in stone, all any of us can do is mention the prices at the time we film, but prices are always subject to change with time.

I paid a bit over $ 400 for the 100 set, ordering from Amazon here in Australia.

​@@CautionArtistatPlayus Australian's just pay way more for every art supply even online due to bad exchange rates. Mind you it's still way cheaper than from a physical store here where the prices are often up to double the price of online, probably because the shops overheads like rent electricity etc are so expensive here it's ridiculous and have caused many businesses to fail.

I have a few artist friends in Australia, and they have said the same. What a bummer! Supplies are expensive enough here in the U.S. I couldn't imagine having to pay what you have to pay there!

It's a hollow brush that allows you to put water in it for watercolor painting. When you squeeze it water will come out through the bristles. I fill mine with odorless mineral spirits for blending. I believe the one I have is made by Pentel and can be found on Amazon. I meant to link it in the description with the other supplies but must have forgotten.

@@CautionArtistatPlay I am just watching your video the fifth time. Such great work.

Thank you! In glad you enjoy it so much!! 😊

Yes I am! It's my favorite way to use it so I don't have open containers laying around the studio while I work.

@@CautionArtistatPlay what an awesome idea!! I never thought to use it that way. Thank you

Beautiful work!! You have truly brought this to life

@@mctorres2679 You're welcome!!

@@mctorres2679 thank you, I'm glad you like it!

Thank you so much Jessie!! 💖

A certain amount of pressure will do that, especially when the tip is really sharp. It's still nothing compared to what I have seen with Prismacolors though lol.

Thank you!!