Back to School Art Sale – Prismacolor & More

Save $10 when you spend $70 or at MisterArt.com. Use coupon code stockup10 at checkout. Hurry this sale ends soon!

“Back to School Art Sale – Prismacolor & More” was written by Brenne Meirowitz, BA, MA, MS.
©2012 Brenne Meirowitz.  All Rights Reserved.

Painting Supplies Online

Brenne recommends Richeson Easels and other Richeson Paint and fine painting supplies online!

Prismacolor Pencils is now expanding its website to include painting supplies online.  This comes with the demand of many of our customers and fans on Facebook, who would like to use our site as a one-stop shopping place for all of their art materials online.   Another bonus for our international customers is that they have been unable to buy art supplies from the United States, until now.  We have partnered with several venders that do ship overseas.

While the list of painting supplies online is extensive, these are just some of the general products that we are now offering for sale through our affiliates:

• Paint: oil, acrylic, gauche, watercolors, water mixable oils, enamel, airbrush, encaustic, fabric & textile paints, gesso and primers, spray paint, tempera, pigments, oil bars, oil sticks, and more!
• Artist Mediums
• Easels: tabletop easels, bench easels, full size easels, portable easels, and more!
• Brushes: too many to list!
• Canvas: stretching bars, pre-stretched canvas, linen, canvas boards, wood panels, and more!
• Palettes, painting & palettes knives

In addition to deeply discounted store brand items, the list of fine art manufacturers is also extensive including top brands such as:

• Prismacolor
• Winsor & Newton
• Grumbacher
• Gamblin
• Liquitex
• Princeton Art & Brush Company
• Canson Fine Art Paper
• Itoya Art Portfolio
• Ampersand Artist Panels

Sometimes, though we offer our own inventory of art supplies for sale, which is always at rock bottom prices!  We urge you to subscribe to our feed for weekly updates of specials as they come along.
Further, we offer coupons as presented to us by art supply manufacturers and vendors as often as they are presented to us, which usually is weekly.

For educators:

Through our affiliates, we offer:

• Volume Discounts
• In-stock assortment of over 13,000 Quality Brand name items
• Environmentally preferable products
• Fast delivery

For students:

• We are very student friendly as our director, Brenne Meirowitz, is also an artist and continuing student.
• Special discounts through our vendors.

Now that we offer painting supplies online, we look forward to meeting new artists and students.  Be sure to drop by our artist’s Facebook site – the Prismacolor Pencils Blog!

“Painting Supplies Online” was written by Brenne Meirowitz, BA, MA, MS.
©2012 Brenne Meirowitz.  All Rights Reserved.

Shop before midnight tomorrow – June 18, 2012 to use this coupon from Utrecht. 

*40% Off one non-sale item and Free Ground Shipping on orders of $100 and greater. 

This sale includes PRISMACOLOR  PENCILS and other PRISMACOLOR ART SUPPLIES!

Be sure to complete the PRISMACOLOR $10 rebate form!

*Can be used online and via phone orders. Valid on eligible in-stock merchandise. Discounts do not apply to: “BEST BUY” Collection, sale & clearance items, vendor direct items denoted online as Drop Ship or Truck Ship, any item denoted as “Non-Discountable,” special orders, school kits and gift cards. Offer limited to one use per customer. Cannot be combined with other offers nor can it be applied to a prior purchase. Must present email to redeem in-store. Expires: 11:59 pm EST, 6/18/12. Free shipping on orders over $100 is valid online and via phone only. Free ground shipping of eligible merchandise applies to all orders meeting the $100 minimum purchase requirement.

“PRISMACOLOR Art Supply Coupons” was written by Brenne Meirowitz, BA, MA, MS.
©2012 Brenne Meirowitz.  All Rights Reserved.

PRISMACOLOR Makes the Best Drawing Pencils!

Based on my experience PRISMACOLOR makes the best drawing pencils.  Of course, I am only one person, but if you check our Facebook and Twitter sites, you see that there are hundreds and thousands of people who agree.  Not all fans of PRISMACOLOR Pencils are professional artists.  In fact, it appears that most are just hobbyists who enjoy the high quality and wide variety of colors.  Here’s some extra excitement – PRISMACOLOR just added 18 new vibrant colors to their palette of Premier Colored Pencils!

For me as an artist, my senses tilt when I see new art supplies.  In fact I’ve always been like that.  New art and school supplies were more exciting than toys.  When I talk to other artists and hobbyists, most agree that there’s a special feeling when opening a brand new box of pencils or PRISMACOLOR Markers.  I used to be that way with Crayola crayons.   These new colors are really a great addition to the Premier colored pencil set – making it an even 150 PRISMACOLOR colors!

The first set of new sample colors are Cobalt Turquoise, Cerulean Blue, Cobalt Blue Hue, Eggshell, and Pomegranate.  Since the Pomegranate used to be called Thio Violet, I wonder if this really counts as a new color. Regardless, it blends in well.

This second set includes Deco Yellow, Deco Peach, Deco Pink, Permanent Red, and Indanthrone Blue.

Cadmium Orange Hue, Prussian Green, Sap Green Light, and Grey Green Light come in as our third set of new PRISMACOLOR color pencils.

Our fourth set of the new 18 PRISMACOLOR colors include Dioxazine Purple Hue, Neon Yellow, Neon Orange, and Neon Pink.  Personally, I think some of these colors would also be a super addition to the watercolor pencil group.  This is not at all a complaint about the best drawing pencils on the market today, but I kind of favor using water soluble pencils at times.  It adds a sort of painterly effect to my drawings, whether it is portrait or landscape art.

At the time of this posting, PRISMACOLOR is waiting for its light fast ratings on these new 18 colors. The lightfastness of colour pencils tests the durability of the pigment when exposed to light and applied to a drawing surface.  Of course, the type of paper that an artist uses can also affect a drawing’s long-term quality.  If you didn’t already know, always use acid free paper for your drawings.  Paper that contains acid will deteriorate over time.  When storing artwork, it is also not a good idea to store acid free paper along with paper that contains acid, as it can also hurt any paper that it comes in contact.

To view or download a copy of their current light fast color chart for the original PRISMACOLOR colored pencils 132 Premier set, please CLICK HERE to do that now!

If you’re wondering how or why PRISMACOLOR has gained the reputation of manufacturing the best drawing pencils, it is because they seriously pride themselves on producing the best quality.  Part of that quality is achieved through testing, using non-toxic materials, and not skimping on pigment.   In cooperation with ASTM International (American Society for Testing and Materials) originally formed in 1898 by the Pennsylvania Railroad by chemists and engineers, PRISMACOLOR subjects all its products to scrutiny on a rating scale of I-V (1-5). I represents excellence, while V is poor.  Each of the 132 pencils are rated for your viewing.

“PRISMACOLOR Makes the Best Drawing Pencils” was written by Brenne Meirowitz, BA, MA, MS ©2012 Brenne Meirowitz & Prismacolor Pencils. All Rights Reserved.

PRISMACOLOR PENCILS

This site is all about PRISMACOLOR PENCILS, other PRISMACOLOR products such as PRISMACOLOR MARKERS, as well as other fine art supplies. Here you will find reviews, demonstrations, videos, coupons, sale notices, and drawing tips.  We also have a growing presence on Facebook and a newly launched twitter page where you can interact with other fans.

PRISMACOLOR Pencils come in eight types of art pencils:

• PRISMACOLOR Premier Softcore Colored Pencils
• PRISMACOLOR Premier Verithin® Colored Pencils
• PRISMACOLOR Premier Colorless Blender Pencil
• PRISMACOLOR Premier Art Stix® Colored Pencils
• PRISMACOLOR Premier Watercolor Colored Pencils
• PRISMACOLOR Scholar Erasable Colored Pencils
• PRISMACOLOR Scholar Colored Pencils
• PRISMACOLOR Col-Erase® Colored Pencils

Now, with the addition of 18 new colors in the Premier line, there are 150 brilliant colors to indulge your artistic imagination.  Pencils can be bought separately of in sets of 12, 24, 36, 48, 60, 72, 96, 132, and 150.  These colored pencils have a softer core than the others, giving them a super-smooth quality.  For covering larger surfaces, you may consider also buying PRISMACOLOR Premier Art Stix®, which are made from the same rich compound.  They are PRISMACOLOR PENCILS and not pastels.  These too can be purchased individually or in sets of 12, 24, 36, and 48.  No word yet as to whether the Art Stix® palette will be expanded, but if you need colors that are not offered, you can shave away some of the wooden encasing from any of the Premier pencils.  This is a preferable way of sharpening anyway – using a knife to lengthen the lead and then sharpening it with a accidentally cut off the core.  If you are uncomfortable using a knife, you can always buy the PRISMACOLOR pencil sharpener, which comes with two blades – one accommodating a thicker pencil and one for a thinner one, such as the Premier Verithin®.

The PRISMACOLOR Scholar Colored Pencils are meant for beginning artists.   While they are still soft and creamy, these leads are stronger than the Premier pencils.  These come in pencil sets of 12, 24, 48, and 60 colors, as well as bulk student boxes with 12 and 24 palettes.  Separately, you can buy Scholar Erasable Colored Pencils, but these only come in a pack of 12 colors.  Ideally, students should not get used to erasing when they are drawing. For sharpening, you can purchase the Scholar™ Sharpener, made specifically for Scholar™ pencils.

Col-Erase® Colored Pencils are a much bolder palette of 12 and 24.  These erasable pencils come in handy when grading papers or doing other kinds of paperwork, rather than art work.  In my opinion, these are better suited for teacher use, rather than student drawing.

PRISMACOLOR Premier Verithin® Colored Pencils are generally used for tiny detailed drawing, where accuracy is important.  These leads are harder than the more versatile Softcore line.  Its palette is also much more limited, sold in sets of 12, 24, and 36.

If I had to choose my favorite PRISMACOLOR PENCILS, my personal favorite is PRISMACOLOR Premier Watercolor Colored Pencils, because I enjoy using a wash in my drawings.  I would rather use watercolor pencils instead of using the Colorless Blender Pencil, which contains wax.  Once the wax is down on the drawing, it is difficult to remove it.  The intention is to soft edges, but I so used to using my finger or a blending stump, that I don’t generally use one.

“PRISMACOLOR Makes the Best Drawing Pencils” was written by Brenne Meirowitz, BA, MA, MS ©2012 Brenne Meirowitz & PrismacolorPencils.net. All Rights Reserved.

• Unbeatable prices on Utrecht and Prismacolor Markers and Pencils! Check out these Drawing Best Buys from Utrecht!

• Prismacolor @Amazon

• Shop MisterArt.com for the lowest prices on name-brand art and craft supplies – up to 75% off!

Just received this rebate for any Prismacolor product:
Receive$10 Mail-in-Rebate when you buy $50 of Prismacolor brand products on 1 receipt in store from 6/15/12 – 10/15/12
CLICK HERE for the rebate form: prismacolor-rebate-2012-us

CLICK HERE FOR PRISMACOLOR REBATE FORM!

This is a FANTASTIC savings for any PRISMACOLOR product! All you have to do is send in a completed rebate form and you’ll receive $10 back!  Here are the detail:
Purchase $50.00 in Prismacolor® products and receive a $10.00 rebate by mail.

1. Purchase $50.00 in Prismacolor Premier® Brush|Fine Art Markers or Prismacolor branded products between June 15, 2012 and October 15, 2012 and
must be on one receipt.
2. Complete all required information on official rebate redemption form available at retailers where Prismacolor products are sold.
3. Limit one Prismacolor rebate per person and per household during the promotion period.
4. Mail redemption form, original dated cash register receipt with Prismacolor purchases circled (residents of Rhode Island and where otherwise required by
law may submit a photocopy of the receipt), postmarked by November 15, 2012.

Keep copies of mailed items for your records.

Mail to: Sanford Redemption Center
P.O. Box 289
Elmhurst, IL 60126

Offer valid for qualifying purchases on a single receipt made between June 15, 2012 and October 15, 2012. Limit one Prismacolor rebate per person and per
household during the promotion period. Purchase may not be used to qualify for more than one rebate offer. Rebate will consist of a check. Void where
prohibited, taxed or otherwise restricted by law. This offer is only valid in the United States. Allow 10-12 weeks for shipment following receipt, verification and
processing of request (unless an earlier response is required by law). Not responsible for lost, late, misdirected, damaged, postage due or undeliverable mail.
Unless otherwise required by law, non-conforming, duplicate, illegible or incomplete requests will not be honored, acknowledged or returned. May not be
combined with other offers, including store-specific offers. Offer not available to clubs, groups or other organizations. Fraudulent submissions may result in
prosecution under the US Mail Fraud statutes or other law. For more information, visit: http://www.myofferstatus.com/prismacolor.

So what are you waiting for?  Start shopping today!  We recommend the following art supply stores for the best prices and customer services:

• Unbeatable prices on Utrecht and Prismacolor Markers and Pencils! Check out these Drawing Best Buys from Utrecht!

• Prismacolor @Amazon

• Shop MisterArt.com for the lowest prices on name-brand art and craft supplies – up to 75% off!

Shopping tip:

Make sure you check the shipping terms before you buy.  Sometimes, when shopping online, we forget about the shipping and sometimes handling charges.  So, when I shop online, I always check how much I will be charged in addition to the actual product.  For example, unless you have a coupon, your shipping is free (STANDARD SHIPPING ONLY) for purchases over $100.  They are currently running a special of 40% off the highest priced – NON-SALE item.  So, buying items like – Drawing Supplies Clearance Sale! Rock bottom prices while supplies last! won’t entitle you to an additional 40% off of a single item.  However, buying two or more art supplies would qualify you for both sales if one were at full price.  Then, if they total to $100 (after rebate) then you’ll be entitled to free shipping. If you are ordering from overseas, make sure to check with Utrecht about their shipping policy.  The free shipping may not apply.

Amazon, on the other hand, offers free shipping for all eligible Amazon.com products.  So, make sure your art supplies or other items states that it is eligible. Mister Art has the highest threshold of free standard shipping – you have to purchase $200 or more to take advantage of that.

Once again, we are happy to be able to offer you a $10 mail-in rebate for purchases of PRISMACOLOR PENCILS, markers, or any other PRISMACOLOR product beginning now through October 15, 2012.

“PRISMACOLOR $10 Rebate!” was written by Brenne Meirowitz, BA, MA, MS ©2012 Brenne Meirowitz & Prismacolor Pencils.  All Rights Reserved.

Brenne Meirowitz started the Prismacolor Pencils blog* in 2009 due to her life long love of art and drawing.  She also has a very active PRISMACOLOR Pencils Blog on Facebook* and one on twitter*.  Brenne has earned two higher degrees in art – a BA from Tyler School of Art/Temple University and a MS in Art Education from Pratt Institute.  Brenne does all of the writing, web and graphic design by herself.  You can read about her other interests on Google+ or by visiting her other blogs:

• Critical Interpretations – home business page
• Beatles Rooftop Concert
• Best Medical Schools & Requirements
• Nursing Schools & Programs in California
• Homeschooling in California

Please note, the Prismacolor Pencils blog, PRISMACOLOR Pencils Blog on Facebook and Prismacolor Pens on twitter are not directly associated or endorsed by Newell Rubbermaid Inc. that owns and operates the Prismacolor.com website.

Prismacolor Premier Softcore Colored Pencils is one of eight types of art pencils that Prismacolor  manufacturers.  It is also one of the most colored pencils in demand and therefore, not easy to find online.  It also has one of the largest number of pencils – 132 in the set. In fact, I searched all of our affiliates that sell art supplies online, and the only one that does is Amazon! So, for your convenience, here is a link where you can buy Prismacolor Premier Soft Core Colored Pencils, 132 Colored Pencils (4484), Prismacolor Pencils, as well as other discount art supplies.

Prismacolor Premier Softcore Colored Pencils has a soft, thick core, which makes for good durability and rich blending. However, even though they are resistant to breakage, they will break if dropped on a hard surface. It is recommend to avoid dropping all pencils, as the core pigment will eventually crack and then break. When drawing, I keep my pencils in its box or upon a soft clothed table. I also make sure that they are not on the edge of a table, where they can easily roll off. Take care when you sharpen your pencils too. I usually use a sharp utility knife, shaving off about two inches from the tip. Following this, I use a sandpaper covered wooden block to smoothly sharpen and shape my pencils. I keep separate sanding blocks for colored pencils, graphite pencils, and charcoal. I don’t want to chance that pigment will attach itself to other pencils, especially charcoal. I also keep a cloth to wipe off my pencils after sharpening.

As with other Prismacolor colored pencils, Prismacolor Premier Soft Core Colored Pencils, 132 Colored Pencils (4484), the colors are rich and vivid. Coverage is smooth and quite easy to blend, shade, and make bold highlights to all of your drawings. Prismacolor pigments are made from the highest quality and are certified NON=TOXIC. Therefore, you never have to worry about poisoning yourself or allowing young children to draw with them.
At Amazon, Prismacolor Premier Soft Core Colored Pencils, 132 Colored Pencils (4484) qualifies from FREE SHIPPING! In fact, in most cases, all orders from Amazon over $25 are eligible for their FREE Super Saver Shipping.

Prismacolor Premier Soft Core Colored Pencils, 132 Colored Pencils (4484) are perfect for drawing just about anything where color is involved. Most popular today is drawing celebrities. I am in the process of uploading youtube demonstrations of artists drawing with Prismacolor Pencils and Prismacolor Markers. So far I have two of Johnny Depp – one in the role of Captain Jack Sparrow from the film series, “Pirates of the Caribbean” and the other in his brilliant role as the Mad Hatter in “Alice in Wonderland.” The other drawing demonstration video I have is of the late Heath Ledger in his role as the Joker in “Batman.” I really love watching these wonderful artists demonstrate their talent. However, if you are just a beginner, I would avoid drawing people in make-up, as your drawings can take on a cartoon effect. It’s better that you learn to draw the portrait in a darkened room with a strong spotlight. In my drawing classes, our instructors always make sure that we work in a dimly lit studio, where the shadows are more pronounced. These set-ups make for more dramatic portraits. If you are not looking for drama, but just want to learn how to draw heads, then by all means, work in a well lit studio. It’s always recommended that you use a spot light on your subject, which will truly bring out the color, which you will want to exploit using your Prismacolor Pencils and Prismacolor Premier Soft Core Colored Pencils, 132 Colored Pencils (4484).

Prismacolor Premier Softcore Colored Pencils are so versatile that you can use them to draw any subject! In addition or instead of portrait and figure drawing, you prefer drawing landscapes and still lives.

Here are other links to where you can buy other kinds of Prismacolor Pencils:

Shop for Prismacolor at Bulk Office Supplies

“Prismacolor Premier Softcore Colored Pencils” was written by Brenne Meirowitz, BA, MA, MS. ©2012 Brenne Meirowitz.  All Rights Reserved.

Back to School Discount Art Supplies are available for a limited time when you can use the following coupons from Utrecht, Mister Art , Daniel Smith and to purchase Prismacolor and fine art supplies online. Please make sure to use the code provided on the coupon to get your discount. As an Academy of Art graduate student, I have a special relationship with Utrecht fine art supplies. As a publisher of this blog as well as a student, I have price on my mind all of the time. Utrecht does not always offer 30% off their products, so now is the time to take advantage of this offer. I know I am! According to their slogan,! That is a wonderful claim and I know that you will benefit greatly from searching through their catalog of discount art supplies! In addition to already huge huge savings, if you become a VIP member, you can currently save a flat 40% off of individual Prismacolor Colored Pencils and Prismacolor Art Stix! If you buy Prismacolor Art Stix in a set, current savings range from 36% – 39% off of the suggested retail price. For individual Prismacolor Watercolor Pencils, you save a little less; 29% as a VIP Member and 17% as a non-member. At Mister Art, the Prismacolor Scholar Art Series is currently available at 25% off for non-members and up to 36% off for VIP members. The biggest biggest discount is up to 53% off of Prismacolor Art Markers. You can purchase Prismacolor Markers individually and in sets at Mister Art.

I have been buying my art supplies from Daniel Smithsince I took my first college art classes. My art teacher recommended that I would find a huge selection, especially for hard to find specialty fine art supplies. They were right! So, here’s an opportunity to check their Outlet Center for huge savings and cheap art supplies!

Utrecht is also a very good source for art supplies, and offer a lot of their on quality discount art supplies online. When shopping on their online store, make sure to use the coupon code provided on this website for your discount.I just tested it, and even though the link was expired, it still applied my discount. This coupon requires that you get the 40% discount and FREE shipping if you purchase $100 or more. On the other hand, Mister Art and Daniel Smith will give you free shipping only if you buy more than $200. On the Daniel Smith website (), you can check their shipping rates. In most cases they charge you a flat shipping rate, which is dependent upon how much you buy. In this case, you really have to do your price comparison homework. If you’re out and about and need to pick-up a few discount art supplies at a store, I recommend that you shop at Utrecht, unless you happen to be in Seattle or Bellevue, Washington where you can shop at Daniel Smith. Since I live in San Francisco and am in the graduate program at the Academy of Art University, it is often convenient for me to stop by at Utrecht since it is next door to our main campus at 79 Montgomery Street. I made sure to get their ArtSmart Card which earns me points each time I make a purchase. If you show your student I.D. you also get an additional 10% off in the store.

“Discount Art Supplies – 53% OFF Prismacolor!” was written by Brenne Meirowitz, BA, MA, MS.
©2012 Brenne Meirowitz.  All Rights Reserved.

Prismacolor Pencils takes your privacy seriously. This privacy policy describes what personal information we collect and how we use it. See this privacy policy primer to learn more about privacy policies in general.

Routine Information Collection

All web servers track basic information about their visitors. This information includes, but is not limited to, IP addresses, browser details, timestamps and referring pages. None of this information can personally identify specific visitors to this site. The information is tracked for routine administration and maintenance purposes.

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Where necessary, Prismacolor Pencils uses cookies to store information about a visitor's preferences and history in order to better serve the visitor and/or present the visitor with customized content.

Advertising partners and other third parties may also use cookies, scripts and/or web beacons to track visitors to our site in order to display advertisements and other useful information. Such tracking is done directly by the third parties through their own servers and is subject to their own privacy policies.

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Note that you can change your browser settings to disable cookies if you have privacy concerns. Disabling cookies for all sites is not recommended as it may interfere with your use of some sites. The best option is to disable or enable cookies on a per-site basis. Consult your browser documentation for instructions on how to block cookies and other tracking mechanisms. This list of web browser privacy management links may also be useful.

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Any advertisements served by Google, Inc., and affiliated companies may be controlled using cookies. These cookies allow Google to display ads based on your visits to this site and other sites that use Google advertising services. Learn how to opt out of Google's cookie usage. As mentioned above, any tracking done by Google through cookies and other mechanisms is subject to Google's own privacy policies.

Contact Information

Concerns or questions about this privacy policy can be directed to brenne@prismacolorpencils.net for further clarification.

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Brenne Meirowitz is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.

Prismacolor Colored Pencils make a great gift for almost anyone, whether it is family member, close friend, or for an office party.  That said, I would recommend any Prismacolor product as a gift.  Prismacolor manufacturers the finest art supplies drawing when it comes to drawing pencils and markers.  While fine artists agree that Prismacolor Pencils are the superior drawing pencils, novices alike will also enjoy their rich and smooth quality.  You may click here for a full list of Prismacolor products.  Additionally, for up-to-date art supply specials, bookmark our site and check back often for discount art supplies from any of our trusted partners, such as Utrecht and Daniel Smith.  Additionally, if you are a student or art educator who is registered with Utrecht, you always save an additional 10% with your ArtSmart Card.  If you don’t have the ArtSmart Card, getting it is easy. Just follow our links! If you are shopping for a gift, but not sure what to buy, you can easily buy a Utrecht or Daniel Smith Gift Card.  However, I feel that a gift card is rather impersonal, and rather buy something.  Perhaps you feel the same as I.

Getting back to why you came here. I believe it was to find out more about Prismacolor Colored Pencils.  If you shop at Utrecht, they have a very large selection of Prismacolor Pencils, including single pencils and  pencils sets.  Sets range is number and type of pencil, such as Scholar Colored Pencil Set of 12 Assorted Colors in Easel Stand Case for under $10!  Now that is a thoughtful, inexpensive, and high quality office party gift!  If you are able to spend more and want to add some other drawing supplies in order to put together an art gift kit. I recommend a pad of Utrecht Bristol Paper Illustration Boards Vellum Smooth Surface, erasers, an Exacto knife, and sandpaper for sharpening the pencils. If, you are not sure about the knife and sandpaper, get them a good hand pencil sharpener.  If they are interested in learning more, you might suggest that professional artists do not use pencils sharpeners.  The technique that we use is to shave off about an inch and a half of the pencil from the point and then sand down the inner pencil.  This method makes for a far superior drawing tool.  In art school, NO one uses a sharpener.  We only use knives and sandpaper.  In fact, we mount the sandpaper on a wooden block, so we always have a flat surface to sharpen our pencils and charcoal.  Of course, you don’t need a knife with vine charcoal!  The challenge is to make our point as sharp as needles.

Actually, you can used almost any paper with Prismacolor Colored Pencils, but the reason why I recommended the Utrecht Bristol Paper Illustration Boards Vellum Smooth Surface is because it erases easier and is thicker than drawing paper. This is especially good for novice artists and students. More experienced artists would probably prefer acid-free colored drawing paper sheets, due to their tooth. Tooth means texture. An experienced artist will take advantage of the paper’s texture in their drawing. Texture can be very helpful, especially for subtle blending.  These papers normally come in either sheets or drawing pads.  The best color for fine art is always a light blue.  Therefore, rather than pads, I recommend buying individual sheets, because pads usually come in a variety of colors and therefore is usually is a waste of money.  This recommendation is for fine art portrait work and landscape.  For other types of art, a pad of different colors is perfectly fine. To add an extra splash to your art gift kit, I recommend a sturdy Utrecht Studio Series Portfolio 24 x 36 x 1 inches for storing and carrying fine art.

Have fun shopping at Prismacolor Pencils! Should you have any questions, please feel free to post your question below!

“Prismacolor Colored Pencils Make a Great Gift!” was written by Brenne Meirowitz, BA, MA, MS.
©2011 Brenne Meirowitz.  All Rights Reserved.

I was recently surprised to learn that Jerry Garcia drew with Prismacolor Pencils.  Yes, that’s Jerry Garcia of the Grateful Dead!  In addition to my own love of art and drawing, I am a Deadhead!  When I’m  not drawing, I spend my time playing the mandolin to Grateful Dead music, the Beatles, and other musicians, primarily from the the 1960s.  While doing some Internet surfing, I came across the Weir Gallery, which has a sizable collection of Jerry Garcia art.  While reading about Jerry, I noticed that the gallery owner, Roberta Weir, represented Jerry.  The Weir Gallery is located in Berkeley, California and is considered the foremost expert in Jerry’s work and signature. Roberta Weir assisted Jerry  in every aspect of his visual art, from drawing sessions to etching instruction, creating editions and designing his exhibits.  In addition to Jerry, the Weir Gallery also represents Grateful Dead drummer Mickey Hart.  Jerry and Mickey are not alone as musicians who also are visual artists.  John Lennon went to art school as Jerry did, but chose a music career over art.

I can relate to this, even after earning two degrees in art and currently taking classes at the Academy of Art University in San Francisco, where I am studying classical figurative drawing.  I also have a musical background, learning piano and then the violin as a child.  As a teen I took voice lessons, played music publicly, and took up the mandolin earlier this year.  The mandolin is strung as a violin – G, D, A, E.  I find playing music a big energy booster, something I need to relieve the tension I get from drawing.  Don’t get me wrong – I love to draw, but my classes and homework is very intense and at times becomes stressful.

According to Roberta Weir, “Although Jerry was constantly performing, he never stopped drawing and painting. He was very prolific and has produced in his lifetime over two thousand original works. He was an insomniac, and even after long nights on exhausting tours he stayed up at night drawing and painting, and drinking orange soda. He was also interested in the art of our time and had collected the work of various artists. Jerry’s drawings are a like a tour of his head uncensored and unrestrained, for his art was like his music, as he said “A line on paper is like a note in the air; it’s out there and you can’t take it back,” and he never did, never retraced his steps or corrected a stroke. It was his general philosophy that you don’t look back; and since Jerry did not write an autobiography, these drawings are the closest we can come to seeing the inner workings of a kaleidoscopic mind. Jerry enjoyed the tools of art and used the best Schmincke watercolors, and Prismacolor Pencils, and most of the work is fully archival.”

“Prices on the originals have been steady with sales of originals bringing as much as $100,000 for a single important piece. Jerry painted strictly for his own pleasure and amusement, was a bit shy about his work and somewhat surprised when it began to sell; and very…well…grateful– that others valued it enough to purchase it. He came to the art openings to meet fans, and enjoyed his second career immensely. He kept a playful approach to his work. There are four or five themes or categories in the work – characters and oddballs, including an assortment of aliens, landscapes real and imaginary, stream of consciousness drawings and animals, including an assortment of bugs, bees, and butterflies. As Jerry was growing up the image of the artist was as an intuitive philosopher and interpreter of the times; a seer. ” Drawing from the Weir Gallery archive.

“Jerry Garcia Drew With Prismacolor Pencils” was written by Brenne Meirowitz, BA, MA, MS.
©2011 Brenne Meirowitz.  All Rights Reserved.

Save 40% on Prismacolor at Utrecht!

Can you imagine saving 40% off of Prismacolor Pencils, Prismacolor Markers, and other great art supplies? Well, now you can – for 3 days only! Click here and start saving!

This is the best sale! Prismacolor Pencils at 40% off!!!

Prismacolor Turquoise® Graphite Pencils – For Maximum Precision

• Made from highest quality graphite – makes them great choices for architects
• Strong point makes these pencils good choices for your fine art or technical drawing

Prismacolor Ebony Graphite Pencil – Extra Smooth for Fine Line Work

• Extra smooth graphite pencils designed specifically for sketching, portrait, figure drawing and illustrations.
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• Ultra-smooth, jet black lead produces thick, dark lines
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“Save 40% on Prismacolor at Utrecht!” was written by Brenne Meirowitz, BA, MA, MS.
©2011 Brenne Meirowitz.  All Rights Reserved.

Do You Love To Draw?
Enter Today To Win a $1,700 495-Piece Faber-Castell Colored Pencil Drawing Set!
Entry Deadline is 10/16/11

To help celebrate Faber-Castell’s 250th Anniversary, Utrecht is giving away a beautiful Limited Edition Wood Case Set. The set contains 495 pieces of Faber-Castell’s renowned drawing supplies including the complete color ranges of:

POLYCHROMOS® Colored Pencils
Albrecht Dürer® Watercolor Pencils
POLYCHROMOS® Pastel Crayons
PITT® Pastel Crayons

Plus an assortment of other Charcoal, Graphite and Monochrome products. All 495 pieces are stored in this sophisticated wood case’s 5 slide-out drawers.

All fields are required so that we have multiple options to contact the winner.
Entry deadline is 10/16/11.
If you do not have an email address, call customer service at 1-800-223-9132.