Vanilla Beans: Scratch & Sniff
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WHAT’S NEW ‘ROUND HERE?
It’s definitely spring here on our pretend farm.
The teenage chickens moved outdoors to Cell Block B, where they can meet the main flock through a security fence rather than getting dumped immediately into Gen Pop.
Mr. Johnny Cash (head rooster and employee of the month) did a headcount on Wednesday and realized he has 8 new girlfriends behind bars, so he’s spent the last 3 days atop their pen yelling his fool head off.
FREE THE NEW CHICKS a-doodle-doo!!!
I love the sound of an occasional crow but his non-stop demands are wearing thin.
I purchase most of my art supplies from Dick Blick. Shop using my affiliate link to support this free newsletter.
We’ve been working through my big list, Characteristics of a Quality Colored Pencil.
Last week, I talked about muggles and magic.
Today, let’s take a breath.
SCRATCH & SNIFF
As we discuss colored pencil quality, most of the conversation involves the core.
Pigment load, laydown, hardness, color, opacity…
Just like Marlo Thomas said, it’s what’s inside that counts.
Sorry, a little Gen X brainwashing reference there.
Despite what all the child psychologists and concerned celebrities tell us, it can’t always be about the inside… at least not with colored pencils.
The outside matters a heckuva lot.
Here’s the rainbow set we’ve been talking about for a while.
Every week, I’ve asked you to look a little closer— to see the flaws and quirks in the color selection. The cores and the colors are proof this is a bargain set and not a useful set.
But the truth is, I didn’t need to run through a 29 point list to see the lack of quality here.
I knew at a glance.
One second— that’s all the time it took to confirm this set was rubbish. And I know you’re thinking it has something to do with the colors.
Nope.
See the problem? No?
Hmmm… maybe try smelling it.
Just stick your nose right up to the screen and give it a sniff.
Smell anything?
Still no?
Uh, Amy… you’re asking me to smell my Samsung Galaxy screen…
Yep. Or smell your iPad.
They both probably smell the same as cheap pencils.
You’ve all heard the old joke about smelling colored pencils.
It’s a new car scent kinda thing. Open the box and the smell of new pencils is intoxicating.
Now I’m gonna ask a personal question and please, be honest:
Raise your hand if you don’t understand what we’re smelling.
Well… I guess I’m smelling pencils. Big deal. But I’ll play along since everyone loves the joke.
See, a lot of people rationalize the “new pencil smell”.
You figure we’re smelling the smell of pigment or freshly painted pencils… maybe there’s a bit of cardboard scent from the box itself or plastic from the trays.
I love watching people on YouTube unbox a cheap set of pencils and take a deep breath…
“Ahhhh!”
Lady, whatever you’re smelling there, that ain’t it.
Here’s a clue:
Scratch and sniff the screen now.
That’s California Incense Cedar.
Which doesn’t smell anything like whatever the heck this is:
Want to know if you’re dealing with a cheap set? Take a sniff.
Can’t smell it in person, then look at the color of the wood.
Does it look reddish? Does it have a red grain?
Cheap pencils use cheap wood. Pine, Bass, Poplar. Some brands mix saw dust with plasticizers and call it wood.
Inexpensive blonde wood doesn’t have the same smell as Cedar.
When a pencil artist opens a box and inhales, we’re smelling the Cedar.
We’re smelling quality.
Okay, I just revealed my age.
Because California? <sigh> It’s California.
Once upon a time, they exported high quality, sustainable Incense Cedar all around the world. All the best art supply manufacturers in England, Switzerland, Germany, Japan… they used wood from California.
Then California stopped harvesting and companies found local cedar-ish replacements.
So we’re not all smelling California Cedar anymore but when you do smell the real thing?
Yeah, it takes ya back
What’s the big deal about Cedar?
Three things:
First, Cedar is an incredibly stable wood. Lesser woods bend over time and with humidity. Other wood can split in dry conditions. Cedar pencils stay straight and solid.
Second, Cedar is a fast growing, farmable tree. Sustainablity, remember?
Third, Cedar is soft.
Soft has a couple benefits:
First, it sharpens beautifully and doesn’t dull your sharpener blades.
But soft wood also absorbs impact.
Colored pencil cores are fragile. They need something to take the brunt of the fall and absorb the jolt to keep them from shattering.
Cedar takes the lickin’ so your pencils can keep tickin’.
Gee, I’m full of 70’s references today.
Next week, we’ll get to the last item on my test list… maybe.
Here’s the Pencil Quality Test so far:
Is this pencil available openstock?
Is the laydown thick, smooth, and generous?
Is the pencil hard or soft?
Are there pointless colors in the box?
Are there warm and cool versions of every major hue?
How many repeats and near-repeats are in the box?
How many magic pencils are in the box?
Is the pencil made from cedar or another protective and stable wood?
IF YOU LIKED TODAY’S ARTICLE, SUPPORT FUTURE FREE LESSONS
Blending is a beginner technique.
Yet some of you have struggled to blend for years.
You don’t need another coloring class. If you want to blend, you need a blending class.
Give me 12 weeks and I’ll have you blending in your sleep. Any color combination. Every color combination. It’ll be so automatic, you’ll never think about blending again.
What would you color if your blending technique wasn’t holding you back?
THIS WEEK IN COLOR
CURRENT PASSWORD: RubberDuckie
MARKER LANDSCAPE LESSONS
COLORED PENCILS MADE WITH CEDAR
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