****** - Verified Buyer
4.5
Presentation & Packaging: 10+/10Usability & Durability: 10/10Blending & Layering: 10/10Pigmentation & Lay-down: 9/10Color Selection: 10/10Before I got into coloring, becoming obsessed with colored pencils, and then evolving into a bonafide collector [for comparison purposes-- I own Caran D Ache Luminence & Pablo, Lyra Rembrandt Polycolor, Faber Castell Polychromos, Bruynzeel Color, Tombow Irojiten, Derwent Coloursoft, Artist, Watercolor & Inktense, Koh-I-Noor Polycolor, Fantasia, Marco Renior & Raffine, Platinum Soft Core, Colore Color Pencils, and the ever popular Prismacolor Premier & Verithin] I had no idea that Mitsubishi not only made vehicles, but was also owned Uni-Ball writing mediums and much to my surprise, made professional lines of colored pencils! As I began reading reviews, researching, and looking them up, I was stunned! Firstly, the presentation of these pencils is perhaps the most impressive and elite that I've ever seen. Literally. They come in a brief-case looking box that is covered with the same material used on the covers of 3-ringed binders. Upon opening the brief-case, the pencils lay out before you very neatly in rows, with the top row unfolding and being held out towards you, much like a pop up card works when you open it. IMPRESSIVE. The holders within the case are hard plastic with the pencils names printed in each spot where it belongs. Just stunning. I'd repurchase this set over and over just to simply use the case regardless of whatever pencil is in it! No joke.The pencils themselves are a bit larger than your average colored pencils and have the same lacquer and aesthetic appearance as the Faber Castell Polychromos colored pencils. They have a nice weight in your hand and are comfortable to grip. However, with these being oil based as well, they lay down slightly less pigment than the Polychromos and have harder cores. I would align them closer towards the Prismacolor Verithin colored pencils and the Derwent Artists. However, there is most definitely pigment. After a few passes, and with a well sharpened tip, the pigment becomes rich and well saturated. They require a little more pressure to get contrast between light and dark tones (for shading purposes), but the pencil can definitely handle it without breaking or splitting. I did not have any issues with sharpening. The wood around the core is smooth and doesn't stutter or chip off. The colors layer pretty well and can take up to 5 or 6 layers before it begins to be muddy. There was no wax bloom, as stated before, these are, in all definitions, an oil based colored pencil. Blending is effortless, especially with colors within the same color spectrum. I did not even have to use a blender pencil, or any kind of blending solvent to achieve the look that I was attempting. With this being a 72 count set, the color selection was perfect. For every main color there were all levels of the tone from the lightest progressing to the darkest.Overall, if you're contemplating these... probably because of the price, they're worth it. They're worth every penny, and also, the wait. The time that the manufacturer put into these pencils and presentation of them is undeniable. They're top notch in damn near every realm. Would I purchase again? Definitely... after awhile. The pencils seem to last a long time, but these are not going to be my every day, work-horse, coloring colored pencils that I use daily. They're so pretty and perfect brand new that I let them sit on the shelf for an entire week before forcing myself to use them for the sake of an all-corners-covered review (I've included pictures of the case, pencils, a side-by-side comparison to the Faber Castell Polychromos colored pencils, and a piece I'd finished to show what they're capable of creating).
