Prismacolor pencils have a huge fan following in the coloring and art world — but do they actually live up to all the hype? In this video, I’m sharing my honest, in-depth review of the Prismacolor Premier colored pencils so you can decide if they’re the right fit for you. I tested both the 24 and 150 pencil sets and looked at everything from blending and color accuracy to comfort, light-fastness, and overall value. Whether you’re a total beginner or a seasoned coloring enthusiast, I think you’re going to find this one really helpful!
Video Description
Are Prismacolor pencils as good as everyone says they are? Watch my in-depth, honest review of the Prismacolor Premier colored pencils. Comprehensive analysis of the 24 and 150 pencil packs, including pencil and packaging quality, ease of use, comfort, blending, light-fastness, price, value, color accuracy and more! Let me know what you think of my ultimate prismacolor colored pencils review.
DOWNLOADS SHOWN IN VIDEO
http://www.coloringpagesbliss.com/prismacolor-premier-colored-pencils-review
PRODUCTS SHOWN IN VIDEO
Prismacolor Premier Soft Core Colored Pencils, 24-Count
http://amzn.to/2ilF84U
Prismacolor Premier Soft Core Colored Pencils, 150-Count
http://amzn.to/2hU7jaj
Springhill Digital Vellum Bristol White Cover, 67 lb., 8-1/2 x 11, White, 250 Sheets/Pack
http://amzn.to/2ipiCbo
KUM 2-hole Pencil Sharpener Magnesium Alloy Wedge Profile
http://amzn.to/2hAmAMC
ADDITIONAL LINKS
Link to more colored pencil reviews:
http://www.coloringpagesbliss.com/ultimate-colored-pencil-reviews
Link to learn about the paper I use for the worksheet and coloring page in this video
https://youtu.be/ln7yo_B2xXU
Link to all of my coloring product reviews:
http://www.coloringpagesbliss.com/reviews
How to Store, Protect and Organize Colored Pencils:
https://youtu.be/-Pd7mtPy248
Prismacolor Premier Colored Pencils 150 Color Swatches:
https://youtu.be/D-adOmWtPUw
Jennifer’s Blending Rule of Thirds:
https://youtu.be/ClW74f2Rj0I
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Website: http://www.coloringpagesbliss.com
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Transcript
Prismacolor Premier Colored Pencils — Review & Demonstration
Hi everyone, this is Jennifer St. from Coloring Pages Bliss. In this video, I’ll be reviewing and demonstrating the Prismacolor Premier colored pencils.
The first half of the video, we’ll take a close look at these pencils and put them through a series of tests to help answer your questions. The second half, I’ll demonstrate how they perform by coloring this charming little bird that I recently drew. You can download and print this and many more coloring pages from my website.
As always, there are links to the coloring page, all the products featured in this video, and my Facebook page, website, and other social media outlets in the description below.
Before I get started, let me say that I always give my honest opinion in reviews. I make every effort to be accurate about all the details, but please do your own research before making any purchases. Now let’s get started.
About the Prismacolor Premier Line
The Premier line is an artist-quality line from Prismacolor. They’ve traditionally marketed to artists, but over the last year or so they’ve been branching out and marketing to colorists and hobbyists as well.
Sets are available in a wide range of quantities and configurations — 12, 24, 36, 48, and all the way up to 150 pencils. There are also specialty sets for portraiture, landscapes, and more. So pretty much any kind of set you’re looking for, you’ll be able to find. They’re also available open stock, and in the US, those open-stock pencils are readily available in hobby and craft stores, art supply stores, and online.
The price range has been dropping over the last year or two. I recently found the 24-set for as low as $14 online, and the 150-set — their largest, which includes all of their colors — for as low as $92. They’re becoming more and more affordable, which is really exciting for those of us who are big Prismacolor fans.
Packaging
The packaging itself is really nice. Most sets come in a tin, like this 24-set. I’m a big fan of the tin sets — they’re easy to drop into an art bag. The back has some basic information and a color chart, although the swatches aren’t very accurate, so don’t rely on those. That said, they do include the color numbers for what’s inside the tin, which is helpful.
Inside, there are removable plastic trays. I’m generally not a fan of these — they’re quite flimsy, especially as the sets get bigger, which I’ll show you in a moment.
Now let me take a peek at the bigger box, which I was really excited to receive. The 150-set comes in a cardboard box with a nice magnetic seal on the front. The back of the box shows how the lid can be flipped over and used as an easel, which is a nice touch. It also has all the colors laid out in a color swatch pattern — again, not very accurate, but it’s great to have them all listed out.
Inside the lid, there’s information about their different products in multiple languages, along with a few tips and techniques. Inside the box, the pencils come in plastic trays. I took them all out and transferred them to a separate case — which I’ll show you in a moment — because those trays are so flimsy, and I was genuinely worried about dropping and spilling my precious Prismacolors. That’s especially important because Prismacolor Premier pencils have a soft core, and you really don’t want to drop them and risk breaking the cores. My box now sits empty on a shelf in my art studio.
Storage
Let me show you where I keep my pencils. I use a case by Global Art, and I’ll put a link in the description where you can learn more about how I organize them. I keep the pencils sorted by color family inside the case.
I ended up buying two large cases so I could spread them out and organize them better — and also to leave room in case Prismacolor releases more colors in the future. The 150-set gives you an enormous range, including a wonderful selection of grays — cool grays, warm grays, and French grays. The set also includes some beautiful metallics, which I’ll show you when we get to the swatching section.
A Closer Look at the Pencils
Let’s take a closer look at the 24-set. The pencils are round, which is comfortable in the hand, and they’re open-ended so you can see the color of the core on both ends as well as at the tip. The wood is cedarwood.
The text on the pencil is printed in silver and is easy to read. It says “Prismacolor Premier,” followed by the color name (for example, “Parma Violet”), the name in French, and then the color number with the “PC” prefix — in this case, PC1008. Every pencil has both a name and a number, making it easy to keep track of your colors and to reorder a pencil you use frequently.
The core is 3.8mm and is a soft wax core, which makes it very creamy to use. It is a delicate core, so treat your pencils with care — don’t drop them, and be careful when sharpening, which we’ll discuss during the sharpening test.
Lightfastness
Lightfast information for these pencils is available, but it’s not printed on the packaging or the pencils themselves. You’ll need to visit the Prismacolor website and find the PDF download in the FAQ section. This chart lists lightfast ratings based on the ASTM D6901-06 standard — which is the important number to reference when comparing brands. Every color is given a rating from Excellent to Poor, so you can evaluate each one individually. For example, Lilac has a Poor rating, while Powder Blue has an Excellent rating.
Color Swatches
The exterior of the pencil generally matches the core color quite well, though occasionally it’s a little off. As a general rule, it’s always a good idea to make your own color swatch charts.
For the 24-set, I made a Prismacolor Premier 24-color chart. The chart on the back of the packaging is inaccurate, so making your own is well worth the effort. For the 150-set, I made a one-page chart where the swatches are small but you can see all the colors at once, as well as a two-page version where they’re larger and easier to compare across color families.
The range is really impressive — deep, rich colors like Crimson Lake and stunning deep blues, beautiful neons, and of course those gorgeous grays. As I was making the swatches, it was very easy to achieve rich, vibrant color with a nice range from light to dark, all without much effort. That’s the beauty of the soft wax core and deep pigmentation of the Prismacolor Premier pencils.
Testing the Pencils
Now let’s move on to testing. I’ll be using an at-a-glance worksheet that I created for this purpose. First, I selected six colors from the 150-set using my pocket color wheel — the closest matches to yellow, green, blue, violet, red, and orange — along with a brown and a black. I also pulled out the metallics for a quick swatch.
The metallics give a true metallic effect — they really catch the light when burnished in. I did a burnished edge on one side and a medium-pressure application on the outer edge so you could see the difference. They’re really fun to work with.
Test 1: Core Usage and Sharpening
For this test, I’m using PC945, Sienna Brown. I’ll sharpen the pencil to a fine point, then cover a 2×2-inch square three times — once with light pressure, once with medium pressure, and finally with a full burnish. After each pass, I’ll show you how much of the core has been used, so you can get a sense of how quickly this pencil wears down.
I’m using a Kum magnesium sharpener, which has a excellent steel blade. Remember — always rotate the sharpener, not the pencil. That protects the core and helps prevent breakage.
As you can see, the pencil sharpens to a really strong, fine point. I’ll fast-forward through the coloring portion so you can watch the progression.
[Time-lapse of light, medium, and burnished layers]
One thing this test demonstrates well is pigment payoff at light pressure. Some pencils barely show up with a light touch, but as you can see, the Prismacolor Premier lays down a nice shade even at light pressure. Moving to medium pressure, there’s still plenty of core left. And for the final burnished layer — which means pressing firmly enough to push the wax and pigment into the tooth of the paper until no white shows through — you can see the core got used up considerably.
In real life, I probably would have sharpened sooner, but this gives you a realistic picture of how much core burnishing requires. That’s the nature of a soft wax core — it does use up more when you’re burnishing. That said, it sharpened right back to a beautiful point with no issues, producing nice long curls and a clean tip.
I’ve honestly never had a problem sharpening Prismacolor Premier pencils, and I attribute that to using a good sharpener, proper technique, and taking good care of my pencils — keeping them in a protected case and never dropping them.
Test 2: Erasing
For the erasing test, I’m using PC922, Permanent Red, laid down in a gradient. I’ll test it with a Factis Black 18 eraser, which is one of my favorites for colored pencils — though there are many options on the market, so feel free to test with your own.
As you can see, you can lift out some of the pigment, which would work for creating highlights or correcting small mistakes. However, the Prismacolor Premier is not designed to be fully erasable. If you need a pencil that erases cleanly, Prismacolor does make a separate line called Color Erase, which is worth looking into.
Test 3: Black Value
One of my pet peeves with colored pencil sets is when the black pencil isn’t truly black — you lay it down and end up with more of a dark charcoal gray. So whenever I get a new set, I test whether the black pencil can produce a genuine, deep black when fully burnished.
Using my pocket color wheel’s value tester as a reference, I burnished out a circle with the Prismacolor Premier black. As you can see, it lands right at the darkest end of the scale — 100% black, value 1. I’m really happy with the black in this set. I’ve always been able to achieve a true, deep black when I needed it.
Test 4: Performance on Dark Paper
While we’re discussing black, I also wanted to test whether the Prismacolor Premier pencils show up on dark or colored paper. I’ll use blue, yellow, and red on black paper.
- Cerulean Blue, PC103
- Canary Yellow, PC916
- Permanent Red, PC122
Holding it up to the light — it’s a little tricky to capture on camera, but in person you can clearly distinguish the blue, yellow, and red. You will lose some of the subtle color variation, but the pencils show up better than I expected on black paper. Colored paper is definitely a viable option with these pencils.
Test 5: Layering
For the layering test, I want to confirm that these pencils can build up multiple light layers successfully — one of the key advantages of quality colored pencils. I’m using Cerulean Blue, Canary Yellow, and Sienna Brown in a long rectangle.
First, I lay down a light layer of Cerulean Blue over the entire rectangle. Then I add Canary Yellow over about two-thirds of it, hoping to see the blue showing through and the two colors beginning to blend into green. Finally, I add Sienna Brown over the last third, checking whether the yellow and blue are still visible underneath.
As you can see, the blue and yellow are still showing through under the brown. This layering ability is what makes these pencils so popular with artists — you can build up tremendous depth and richness through the layering process.
Tests 6–9: Blending
I have four blending tests to demonstrate a variety of techniques.
Blending Test 1 — Jennifer’s Rule of Blending Thirds
This technique uses only the pencils themselves — no additional blending tools. I have a video on my YouTube channel that explains this method in detail. Using yellow, orange, and red:
- Fill the entire square with your lightest color (yellow) at light to medium pressure.
- Add your medium tone (orange) over two-thirds of the square.
- Add your darkest tone (red) over the final third.
- Go back over the two-thirds with your medium tone again.
- Finish by going over the entire square once more with your lightest tone.
You can burnish at the end to eliminate white speckles if you prefer that look — it just depends on the finish you want. The result is a beautiful, smooth blend using nothing but the pencils themselves. That’s one of the real advantages of the Prismacolor Premier line.
Blending Test 2 — White Pencil Overlay
Here I’m blending red and blue together using a white pencil overlay, hoping to achieve a violet in the middle. After laying down both colors, I use the white pencil to burnish through the middle two-thirds, leaving the outer edges unblended so you can see the difference. The white pencil essentially burnishes the colors together and creates a gorgeous, creamy, almost pastel look. This is one of my favorite blending techniques — it has a very dreamy quality — and the Prismacolor pencils lend themselves to it beautifully.
Blending Test 3 — Odorless Mineral Spirits
For this test, I’m blending blue and yellow, hoping to get green in the middle. I apply both colors at medium pressure, then use a blending stump dipped in odorless mineral spirits to blend them together. The mineral spirits dissolve the wax carrier and move the pigment, revealing just how bold and rich the underlying color is. The blue pigment carries quite far into the yellow, and the result is a really beautiful, deep green. This is a great test for evaluating pigment strength.
Blending Test 4 — Colorless Blender Pencil
The final blending test uses the Prismacolor Premier Colorless Blender Pencil, PC1077. I’m blending yellow and red to create orange, applying both colors at medium pressure over two-thirds of the square each. Then, using medium to heavy pressure with the colorless blender — working in strokes or small circles depending on the area — I burnish the colors together, pushing the pigment into the tooth of the paper and eliminating the white specks. The result is a smooth, creamy orange.
Final Notes on the Tests
Overall, I feel these pencils are just fantastic. Here’s a quick summary of my findings:
- Core usage: The core does get used up quickly at heavy pressure, but at light to medium pressure you can cover large areas fast thanks to the high pigmentation.
- Feel: The core is very creamy and easy to apply, which is a real benefit if you experience hand fatigue. You don’t have to press hard to get good color.
- Sharpening: Easy, especially with the right sharpener. I can get a really fine point, which is great for detail work.
- Layering and blending: Excellent. Every layering and blending technique I’ve tried has worked beautifully, especially on paper with good tooth.
- Erasing: Not a strength of this pencil. If eraseability is a priority, look at Prismacolor’s Color Erase line instead.
- Unique features: The 150-set includes genuinely impressive metallics and a spectacular range of grays — cool, warm, and French grays.
And on a personal note — when I first bought these pencils, they made me feel like an artist right away. For the first time, I had the colors and the tools to truly layer, blend, and create in ways I hadn’t been able to before. That experience made me a committed Prismacolor Premier fan.
Coloring Demonstration — Little Bird
Now let’s put these beautiful pencils to work coloring this charming little bird I recently drew. This coloring page is now available for Premier members on my website, so please come and download it.
I’m going to build up the colors slowly in light layers, taking advantage of how well these pencils layer and blend.
Branches:
I start with Goldenrod, PC1034, at light pressure to lay down a warm base. Then I add Sienna Brown, PC945, to build shadow on either side of the trunk, giving it a curved, dimensional feel. I add extra Sienna Brown beneath the bird to reinforce the shadow it would cast on the branch. Then I bring in Apple Green, PC912, for little highlights throughout the branch to give it a natural look, and come back with Goldenrod at light to medium pressure to blend everything together.
Leaves:
Using the same color palette as the branches to keep them feeling cohesive — Goldenrod, Apple Green, and then Dark Green, PC908, at medium pressure for depth. I bring the Goldenrod back into the leaves to tie them to the branches, and finish with Apple Green to unify the whole section.
Bird Body:
I decided to make the bird a cheerful yellow. Starting with Canary Yellow, PC916, at light pressure over the entire bird except the main wing, which I’ll treat separately. Then Spanish Orange, which is a deeper yellow, applied with heavier pressure along the back and blending out lighter toward the center. I build up shadow under the wing and in other recessed areas using progressively darker layers, working slowly and using the power of layering to create dimension.
I bring in Goldenrod again for additional shading, working at light pressure with lots of thin layers. Then I introduce Poppy Red, PC922 — a warm orange-red — as an accent color, deepening it with touches of Sienna Brown and Goldenrod to prevent it from looking flat. I use the sharpened Goldenrod pencil for the fine detail work in the small feathers, using Sienna Brown only along the feather edges for shape and keeping the yellows and bright Poppy Red toward the center and highlights. I use Canary Yellow for final blending passes, working with a piece of wax paper under my hand to protect the areas I’ve already finished.
I add a few hints of red into the lower feathers as well, then build up the beak and the eye area using Goldenrod, Spanish Orange, and Canary Yellow, with just a touch of red near the eye. The top of the head and the arch of the wing stay a light yellow with small speckles of red — I think it looks happy.
Background Sky:
For the background, I bring in Light Cerulean Blue and Cerulean Blue together to create a soft blue sky. I use the darker blue in the shadow areas and lighter blue elsewhere, all at light pressure to keep the sky feeling airy and smooth. A final blending pass makes the sky look even and polished.
Final Thoughts
I’m really pleased with how the little bird turned out. What’s especially impressive is that I completed this entire coloring page in one sitting with only mild hand fatigue at the end. That’s a genuine testament to how easy these pencils are to use, and I’m truly grateful to Prismacolor for making a product that’s both beautiful and kind to your hands.
This coloring page is available as a downloadable PDF on my website, and the completed test worksheet — along with all my other product review worksheets — is posted there for you to compare.
If you found this video helpful, please like it and subscribe to the channel so you don’t miss future reviews. I also host live weekly events on my Facebook page and would love to have you join the community. If there’s a product you’d like me to review, leave a comment below and I’ll see what I can do.
Thanks so much for watching, and have a blissful and colorful day. Bye-bye!
