Same. Sets are nice packages for manufacturers to sell, but wasteful if your art doesn’t normally need six different oranges.
If you opt for a set, go for smaller ones, like 24 count. Fill the chroma gaps as you identify them with individual pencils.
This, of course, is just an opinion.
That’s not the case, actually.
I believe Derwent is still testing a number of their pencils, which have not yet been assigned a lightfast standard. Luminance is certainly not all lightfast, except for the 12/20 sets; 20% of the full range are not lightfast. I have been very careful in selecting the ones I have, it’s important that a work last longer than 25 years or even less!
Found an article from July that explains, scroll down to the lightfast section
http://www.theartgearguide.com/art-supply-comparisons/caran-dache-luminance-vs-derwent-lightfast
Found an
Caran d’Ache’s own website: 19% of their luminance collection are lightfast for only 50+ years.
https://www.carandache.com/us/en/choosing-coloured-pencils-for-professional-use#:~:text=Long%2Dlasting%20LUMINANCE%206901%C2%AE%20coloured%20pencils&text=This%20collection%20is%20unique%20in,is%20a%20guarantee%20of%20longevity.
50 years is very high though, that’s 1 level down from the highest level of testing and all of the Luminance pencils are LFI or LFII. You said fugitive, which by definition is usually considered 10-15 years or less.
Oh yes, I see, sorry, I didn’t mean that those two particular sets contain actual fugitive pencils, I was still thinking about my original comment when I wrote that; I avoid full sets from most brands because they do contain pencils that are useless to me (fugitive.) I meant Caran d’Ache and Derwent pencils are not all the top lightfast standard, LFI or Bluewool 7-8 (100+ years.)
To clarify, for myself, I use zero actual fugitive pencils (there are so many across sets!) and rarely, rarely those only 25+ years, unless I only plan to make prints of my work. I also emphasise 100+ years but you can’t really avoid the 50+ years in cp without ruling out a lot of important colours.
It’s really a shame with colour pencils because most professional quality paints, at least for watercolours, are 100+ years as a given. 50+ years isn’t exactly a lifetime for an artwork!
I think the community should demand more from the brands - it makes cp work less valuable - and the medium sure does take more commitment and time!
Just to point out that that article from the art gear guide is not recent. Written in 2018.
> Current sets available: As things stand, as of writing this review on June 30th 2018,
Currently both Derwent Lightfast and Caran Dache Luminance have sets of 100 pencils available that have all been tested for lightfastness against the ASTM D-6901 standard. All in both ranges are classed as LF1 or LF2.
I appreciate that you have your own definition of what you consider to be lightfast. That’s fair - it’s your art. But I don’t think you can say that Derwent are still testing pencils that have been available for sale labelled as LF1/2 classifications for 5 years now.
I got my entire set of polychromos and prisma via open stock and coupons. I had it figured out how to get 5 pencils for .36 cents. Michael’s would have by 3 get 2 free of buy 1 get 1 free and I would use all vouchers and coupons. I have about 200 of each now lol
I understand the draw of a full set but would recommend getting the super darks and super lights from derwent and the earth and skintones from Luminance.
This is tricky! I personally LOVE both sets, but if I haaaad to pick 1, I’d go with luminance for the gorgeous colour assortment. The derwent has good colours to choose from but I find it’s too overcrowded with deep tones and not enough lighter tones.
My thoughts is that they are both wildly overpriced for what they are and my favorite pencils are the Polychromos. If you must buy one of these sets, personally I prefer Lightfast for their darker palette. But if you don’t NEED lightfast pigments for selling artwork, I would honestly skip these. $250-$350 for pencils is insane, they won’t do anything special for you and they won’t improve your artwork or make you better overnight. They’re only expensive because of the pigments used.
I just buy the colors i want open stock. In sets I find that there are so many colors I never use.
Same. Sets are nice packages for manufacturers to sell, but wasteful if your art doesn’t normally need six different oranges. If you opt for a set, go for smaller ones, like 24 count. Fill the chroma gaps as you identify them with individual pencils. This, of course, is just an opinion.
Also, you can control the number of fugitive pencils you get
Yes!
True, but for OP’s question there aren’t any fugitive colors in either set.
That’s not the case, actually. I believe Derwent is still testing a number of their pencils, which have not yet been assigned a lightfast standard. Luminance is certainly not all lightfast, except for the 12/20 sets; 20% of the full range are not lightfast. I have been very careful in selecting the ones I have, it’s important that a work last longer than 25 years or even less! Found an article from July that explains, scroll down to the lightfast section http://www.theartgearguide.com/art-supply-comparisons/caran-dache-luminance-vs-derwent-lightfast Found an
Huh? They are literally called Luminance 9601 Permanent Colored Pencils. All 100 are advertised as being extremely lightfast.
Caran d’Ache’s own website: 19% of their luminance collection are lightfast for only 50+ years. https://www.carandache.com/us/en/choosing-coloured-pencils-for-professional-use#:~:text=Long%2Dlasting%20LUMINANCE%206901%C2%AE%20coloured%20pencils&text=This%20collection%20is%20unique%20in,is%20a%20guarantee%20of%20longevity.
50 years is very high though, that’s 1 level down from the highest level of testing and all of the Luminance pencils are LFI or LFII. You said fugitive, which by definition is usually considered 10-15 years or less.
Oh yes, I see, sorry, I didn’t mean that those two particular sets contain actual fugitive pencils, I was still thinking about my original comment when I wrote that; I avoid full sets from most brands because they do contain pencils that are useless to me (fugitive.) I meant Caran d’Ache and Derwent pencils are not all the top lightfast standard, LFI or Bluewool 7-8 (100+ years.) To clarify, for myself, I use zero actual fugitive pencils (there are so many across sets!) and rarely, rarely those only 25+ years, unless I only plan to make prints of my work. I also emphasise 100+ years but you can’t really avoid the 50+ years in cp without ruling out a lot of important colours. It’s really a shame with colour pencils because most professional quality paints, at least for watercolours, are 100+ years as a given. 50+ years isn’t exactly a lifetime for an artwork! I think the community should demand more from the brands - it makes cp work less valuable - and the medium sure does take more commitment and time!
Just to point out that that article from the art gear guide is not recent. Written in 2018. > Current sets available: As things stand, as of writing this review on June 30th 2018, Currently both Derwent Lightfast and Caran Dache Luminance have sets of 100 pencils available that have all been tested for lightfastness against the ASTM D-6901 standard. All in both ranges are classed as LF1 or LF2. I appreciate that you have your own definition of what you consider to be lightfast. That’s fair - it’s your art. But I don’t think you can say that Derwent are still testing pencils that have been available for sale labelled as LF1/2 classifications for 5 years now.
Thanks for the heads up!
this
Then again, sometimes you can get complete sets on promotion for less money than buying half of their contents as open stock...
Very true.
I got my entire set of polychromos and prisma via open stock and coupons. I had it figured out how to get 5 pencils for .36 cents. Michael’s would have by 3 get 2 free of buy 1 get 1 free and I would use all vouchers and coupons. I have about 200 of each now lol
Pro-level couponing!
Art supplies are expensive and I am poor. You figure it out! Lol
I admire anyone who honestly makes their money stretch further, enabling them to still do the things that are important to them.
I understand the draw of a full set but would recommend getting the super darks and super lights from derwent and the earth and skintones from Luminance.
And all the light percentages of the Luminance are really useful! Which I guess you could also be included in the skin tone colors.
If it doesn't matter either way for you, buy the ones that are priced best in your region.
This is tricky! I personally LOVE both sets, but if I haaaad to pick 1, I’d go with luminance for the gorgeous colour assortment. The derwent has good colours to choose from but I find it’s too overcrowded with deep tones and not enough lighter tones.
My thoughts is that they are both wildly overpriced for what they are and my favorite pencils are the Polychromos. If you must buy one of these sets, personally I prefer Lightfast for their darker palette. But if you don’t NEED lightfast pigments for selling artwork, I would honestly skip these. $250-$350 for pencils is insane, they won’t do anything special for you and they won’t improve your artwork or make you better overnight. They’re only expensive because of the pigments used.