Summary Mixed emotions

Reviewer's Comments

I have mixed feelings for this product. They are nice to draw with. It easy to put down a lot of color on the paper. What I don't like is that there are little crumbs in the color and therefor it's hard to get a "smooth" surface with the color.

I think the pencils are a bargin for the price...and I think they make a nice addition for any artists....but I consider them as extra, not a set you would use as your only set.

Summary Nice Pencils

Reviewer's Comments

I found these pencils excellent compare to prismacolor. For me prismacolor break easily and I occasionally find the lead aren't centered, a problem not found in my colorsoft. I will have to admit once I found graphite in one of the pencil lead of a blue color. I fixed that by flicking it off with a knife. Also these pencils are thicker and are cedar which makes it feel nice in the hand.

The lead is very strong and the pigment is very dense and opaque. It also have a different feel compare to prisma. Colorsoft is a little more scratchy like graphite pencil which I like. The lead never breaks for me yet even if it dropped on the floor. (the point does though) Also like one of the reviews I've read the pigments do clump together like oil pastel but if you have a light touch you can avoid that by layering. Their color is very good for me but that's because I draw fantasy designs which require bright colors. If you're a landscape or nature artist I suggest maybe ordering from open stock and get the colors you need because the sets contain a lot of "brights". They blend very nicely, I was able to create different colors with them.

I think its worth it, considering that on dick blick it is cheaper than prismacolor. Also with strong pigmentation and sturdy construction. What more can you ask for?

Summary Quite good, but...

Reviewer's Comments

I bought a full set of these pencils a year ago, hoping they would provide me with additional pencils similar to their Drawing line (which is, in my opinion, the best Derwent product). While they turned out to be not soft enough (at least most of them) I still find Colousoft pencils quite useful.

Color variety : There are too many colours that I simply won't find any use for. I am not sure if I need so many pinks and bright greens. There are not enough dark colours and Dark Green is too bluish. Favourite colours : both Terracottas, Pimento, Blood Orange, Yellow Green.

Pigment/colour quality : Colours are vivid and most of them are lightfast, including few orange/yellow/red ones, which makes them very useful.

Lead strenght - Of all 72 pencils from the sets and replacements that I bought later, only one of the pencils broke. But I guess I simply might have been lucky ;) I also don't have anything bad to say about quality of construction.

Blendability : While some colours blend very well, many of them can be scratchy. I find it difficult to blend some of the Coloursofts with pencils of different brands.

Value for the money : I live in Europe, so my opinion on the price may not be relevant (there is a difference in prices, especially if you take exchange rates into account) but I think these are priced very well.

Conclusion : Coloursofts are fine but I recommend trying several pencils before buying full set . If someone is looking for bright colours, these pencils are the right choice.

Summary many nice hues but...

Reviewer's Comments

I think too many important hues are too poor
lightfastness. but i love some (only own 24 colorset)
hues when lightfastness not required. also more
jade type hues are needed. valuemoney in my eyes
raises when we can have more lightfast hues imporant
areas and when we can have jade green etc. but these are when i forgot lightfastness problem one of the best pencils i have. but i dont think buy them more becouse i find other
products which are more suitable for me.

Summary Bright colors, lumpy lead

Reviewer's Comments

Derwent Coloursoft is a 72 colour range that has different colours than the "classical" Artists / Studio / Watercolour ranges. Those matt and subdued hues are absent; instead of them there's a lot of lilac, pink, red and warm ochre suitable for portraits, fashion drawings and probably advertizing. Most blues and greens are on the bright side and there is a less than average number of them.

While the pencils are soft, smooth they ain't. The pigment/binder combination tends to form small clods or lumps on smooth paper (like oil pastels), and some of them are almost as sticky as Derwent Watercolours. Not to my taste as a landscape painter, but take a look at the color chart anyway if you like bright and warm colours. (update 29 Jun 2009)