Kindergarten: a time of naps, snacks, ABCs, and most of all, art. We all had Crayola colored pencils back in those days and treasured them like they were made of gold. Many keep going with art, eventually becoming professionals in the industry. Those artists may have upgraded, using a brand called Prismacolor. The first, most notable, difference is the price. The price difference between these 2 brands is quite astounding, considering we use them for the same purpose. $10.49 is how much a pack of 12 Prismacolor pencils costs, whereas Crayola pencils cost $1.49 at the same store. What makes the prices so different? Many, including myself, agree it is the quality.
Many people, such as I, seem to prefer Prismacolor because of how soft they are. They blend very well with other colors, and I enjoy how smooth the color is afterwards, not waxy, and even. Prismacolor pencils are made for advanced artists, many of whom need that blending capability in their work. Although the price is extremely steep for me, but I do not use mine as often as someone who fully renders their art every day, so the amount of money you spend can vary. Prismacolors are quite daunting, with a high price and professional label, but once you get a feel of them, they are very fulfilling pencils.
Crayola, on the other hand, was originally created for younger kids, as the price is much, much cheaper and of lower quality. They are quite easy to find in almost any store, and many love them. I personally do not use Crayola anymore, as I do not enjoy the very waxy feel the color has afterwards, but many enjoy these beginner friendly pencils. Crayola colored pencils are an extremely easy steppingstone into the art world, allowing new and returning to experience the joy we once had in kindergarten, creating art for the fun of it.
I think Prismacolor colored pencils are one of the best on the market for those who want smooth, rich color and easy blending. While Crayola is not my personal favorite, as the color is often uneven and hard to blend smoothly, although many enjoy them as well. I have loved using Prismacolor colored pencils in the few months I have had some.
Now that we have established Prismacolor vs. Crayola, here is a wild card, dual tipped colored pencils. From Amazon, a pack of 12 colored pencils, dual tipped, costs $4.99. While I cannot personally attest to the quality of the pencils, we can compare them, pricewise, to Crayola and Prismacolor. Per pencil, a Crayola colored pencil costs about 12 cents. This is a big contrast to Prismacolor, where one colored pencil costs about 87 cents. The dual tip pencils cost about 42 cents per pencil. We must keep in mind that these pencils have 2 colors, one on each end, which, if we separate them from each other, each color will cost about 21 cents. Although quality is worth it to check out when buying colored pencils, by price, Crayola is most affordable, while the dual tipped colored pencils offer more colors for less than buying a 24 pack of pencils. Prismacolors are the most expensive out of the bunch.
Everyone has different preferences, but, from experience, I say Prismacolors are the best. You do not have to agree with me, you just must do your research about which colored pencils would fit you best. If you are a beginner artist, affordable and easy to find Crayola is best for you. If you like more colors compared to price, I recommend dual tipped pencils. If you think you will keep at art, and want to invest in quality supplies, Prismacolors are worth looking into. Enjoying art is always the most important thing, expensive colored pencils or not.