As a side note; I've been to Art Mark thrice. The first two times was to make purchases. They stock Bristol boards and Prismacolors, so I was there to shop. The third time was to take pictures for the Prismacolor post. I had noticed that the shop's staff were not as attentive as I wanted them to be, and on another occasion, another staff kept following me all around the shop, staring intently at what I was doing (I presume it was because he was afraid I'd steal something). I thought it was just me over-thinking things, but I've received two comments from people as of today, that stated that they had had bad experiences at Art Mark as well.
Thus, I decided to make this post.
The only other shop in Singapore that I know of that sells Prismacolors, is Straits Art Co. It's a shop run by two brothers, whom are extremely nice people and are very generous with their knowledge in art products. They sell boxed sets of Prismacolors and a limited variety of open-stocked Prismacolors.
Location: North Bridge Centre #01-27, 420 North Bridge Road, (S)188727
Ring ring: 6338 1710
[Related: Prices of Art Materials In Singapore]
Amazon.com and DickBlick.com are also other alternatives. Remember to wait for sales and/or use coupon codes.
Also, do take note of Prismacolor's quality drop. More about this issue here: http://www.everythingis-art.com/2012/05/prismacolors-quality-drop.html
And finally, for the most complete information on all kinds of colored pencils, visit this awesome site: http://colored-pencil-studio.com/
So, that's about it. As always, I'm always willing to answer any art related questions that you may have. Leave me a comment in the doobly-doo, and don't forget to give my blog a shout-out if you've found this post helpful. :)
Hi! Sorry this is not really about colour pencils, but you mentioned DickBlick as an alternative to buying art supplies and I'm wondering if you've bought items from them and how it went? I'm from Singapore as well! Recently, I have been eying some canvases on DickBlick but I am worried about the shipping charges to Singapore... Would you happen to know anything about DickBlick's shipping?
ReplyDeleteIt is soo hard to find art materials in Singapore :( The range here is so limited and to buy them online is hard too because of shipping costs and waiting time etc sigh.
Any advice would be appreciated! Thank you!! :)
I've not bought anything from DickBlick, but I have bought things from Amazon before.
DeleteBoth companies are reputable. I've heard of cases where a person had left a review saying that the item sent to them was damaged and the companies sent them a new one.
I understand your frustrations. Perhaps consider buying Phoenix canvases from Art Friend?
Hi Stephanie,
ReplyDeleteI'm helping my daughter to get a full set of colour pencils. The Fabio/Stabilo type is common (below $20) but I wonder if this is the right one for Visual Arts Students.
You mentioned about Derwent or Prismacolours (at $70... and that is great price?) but I just wonder if these are for students.
And thanks for your post on DAISO. It is great to know that serious artist do use stuff like that too!!
Cherios
EastCDad
It really depends on what kind of a quality you're looking for. A box of colored pencils that cost $20 will definitely not be if equal quality to that of a $70 set.
DeleteSo, first off, how old is your daughter? If she's a kiddo, then I suggest getting a Faber Castell kids set. You can get 42 colors at a decent price and I really stand behind the Faber Castell brand for their packaging, ethics, and good quality for price.
If she's older, or if she's really serious about art and you want to make an investment in the materials she uses, I suggest you buying artist grade colored pencils which are lightfast (they won't fade over time), are more pigmented (the colours are brighter and deeper), and have a better consistency (they feel more buttery when compared to student grade colored pencils.
It really depends on your budget, but if I were you, I'd buy a smaller set of artist grade coloured pencils plus good quality paper like Fabriano or Derwent, and then have her learn how to blend and mix her own colours.
You just really have to know where to spend more, and where you can save on. Like, for a sketchbook, it's just practicing sketching so you can save on it. But as I'm a colored pencil artist, I wouldn't save on colored pencils. It really depends on the individual, and his/her budget.
Hope I helped though. And you're a wonderful father for buying your daughter art materials. I bet she'd be delighted. :)
Yes, don't ever consider getting your art materials from this company. The management is very rude and impolite to their customers. Please re-consider if you would like to buy from this company.
ReplyDeleteHi Stephanie,
ReplyDeleteI was looking for Prisma pencils and copic markers at SG. I found your thread and was quite helpful. Are the pricing of the above brands inexpensive in SG compared to US! Any other store can we find these products other than Artfriend!
Thanks Again.
Hello there. :)
DeleteI'm glad you found the post helpful.
Copic Markers can be purchased at Art Friend:
Copic marker: $5.89
Copic sketch: $5.89
Copies ciao: $4.07
As for coloured pencils, I don't recommend Prismacolor because they have changed their manufacturers and the quality of their products have dropped. I recommend Coloursoft coloured pencils made by Derwent. Or if you have more cash to spare and like your coloured pencils to be more lightfast, you can consider Polychromos by Faber Castell. You can buy Coloursoft and Polychromos pencils at Art Friend too.
Comparing prices;
Prismacolor set of:
12- $32 (at Art Mark)
132- $324 (at Straits Art. Co)
150- $365 (at Art Mark)
Coloursoft set of:
12- $19.80
24-$34.99
36- $51.90
72- $99.94
72 in wooden box- $149.80
Polychromo set of:
12- $45
24- $90
36- $135
Art Friend DOES NOT stock Prismacolor pencils. They can only be bought at Straits Art Co. and Art Mark.
You can also try online sites like Amazon.com or DickBlick.com .
Hope that helps! :)
How I wish I'd read your post earlier. I'm a newbie trying rather late in life to develop drawing skills, and I went down yesterday to Art Friend hoping to find Prismcolors. Came away with a box of Derwent Studio. I really dislike it! Pencils are so hard, difficult to lay down colour. But as a beginner I'll soldier on with them and when I actually have some skills/technique worth talking about, I'll treat myself to the Coloursofts or Polychromo. Thanks so much! Great blog.
ReplyDeleteI'm so sorry to hear that.
DeleteDerwent Studios are not really lightfast, and they're one of the coloured pencils that I like the least for the exact reasons that you don't like them. They are actually meant more for designers than artists.
Having materials that you don't like will cause you to get frustrated. I recommend that you sell your box of Derwent Studio on sites like Carousell or Gumtree and buy a small set of Coloursofts. Coloursofts are much more affordable than Polychromos, and as a beginner, there's no point in shelling out those extra dollars on Polys when Coloursofts are just as good.
A smaller set of good coloured pencils that you love is definitely better than a large set of coloured pencils that you hate.
Hopefully things will work out for you. I'm always here if you have any questions along the way. :)
Hi Stephanie
ReplyDeleteI am glad that i read your post, I will definitely get the coloursofts. Thanks so much !
Hi Jeanne,
DeleteGlad you found the post useful. Coloursofts are a wonderful alternative to Prismacolors. I personally love them very much. :)
And thank you for leaving this nice comment.
Hi Stephanie,
ReplyDeleteI'm a newbie and currently interested in coloring. Recently I had purchased a set of coloursoft coloring pencils, how do I sharper it? As I also had purchased a normal sharpener but it seem like it can't sharpen coloursoft coloring pencils at all. Is there any other sharpener which I can purchase to use?
Hi jassoshi,
DeleteI don't quite understand why a regular sharpener wouldn't be able to sharpen the Coloursoft pencils... Is it that the sharpener you're using is too small? Or that the lead of the coloured pencils keep breaking? If you could provide me with more information, I'll be able to help you better.
I use an electrical sharpener to sharpen all of my pencils/coloured pencils. If that's within your budget, I say it's always a nice thing to have.
Otherwise, you could try Derwent's sharpeners.
Let me know how it works out for you. :)
-Stephanie
Thanks for posting. We are in Singapore as well and needed a few colors -- so we took your suggestion and bought 12 of the Derwent Colorsoft....and OMG like butter is RIGHT. We are converts.
ReplyDeleteI guess "ColourButter" doesn't have as much ring to it as "Coloursoft". Hahaha. :D
DeleteI'm glad you like your Coloursofts. They're still my favourite coloured pencils for their price, colour range, lightfastness, and how soft and buttery they are. :)
Hi, just want to ask where can i get loose pieces of polychromos to try out?
ReplyDeleteYou can't. No one sells Polys in open stock because they're too darn expensive. If you go to the Faber Castell flagship store at ION, you have to buy 4-7 of each colour (I can't remember the exact number, but that's a pain in the butt in itself. why would I need so many of the same colours in one go..?)
DeletePolychromos are nice to have. But not being able to get them in open stock is just frustrating. That's why my preferred brand is still Derwent. Try their Coloursofts. They're comparable to Prismas and Polys. They're available in sets and in open stock at Art Friend. And they're very reasonably priced.
:) Hope that helps~
Hi I have read your post and I am planning to buy some coloursofts but will coloursofts look as vibrant on tanned paper as verithin prisma colours? Sorry i really lack knowledge on art materials... your blog is really helpful btw:))
ReplyDeleteHello there,
DeleteColoursofts are not comparable to Prisma's Verithin. Verithins have very hard leads. I would compare Coloursofts more to Prisma's Premier pencils. I'm sure they'll look just as vibrant on tanned paper. :)