Comparable to high end pencils, professional quality.
This set is on par with some very pricey professional grade pencils. They are harder and won't break easily. These layer beautifully, no crumbles, Great for detail work. Love these. Now, if you love softer pencils, these may not be for you. Having said that, I would still highly recommend these. Best quality reasonably priced.... Show more
Yarimar
originally posted on dickblick.com
I love these pencils, one of my top two
I love these pencils for their transparency and color vibrance. They are harder than something like a Prismacolor but still feel very smooth and also do not have any problems with wax bloom, allowing seemingly endless layering. I use these pencils in combination withe more opaque pencils because they are excellent for glazing. I can use the Lyra to subtly or dramatically shift a color or value even if I've maxed out the wax level using a waxier pencil like a Prismacolor or Faber Castell Goldfaber. They're better on smoother papers although on sanded papers they do also have a lovely dither. I absolutely love these pencils and they are my favorites in combination with the Goldfabers. Their main competitor would be the Polychromos which I have not tried, but these are ... MoreI love these pencils for their transparency and color vibrance. They are harder than something like a Prismacolor but still feel very smooth and also do not have any problems with wax bloom, allowing seemingly endless layering. I use these pencils in combination withe more opaque pencils because they are excellent for glazing. I can use the Lyra to subtly or dramatically shift a color or value even if I've maxed out the wax level using a waxier pencil like a Prismacolor or Faber Castell Goldfaber. They're better on smoother papers although on sanded papers they do also have a lovely dither. I absolutely love these pencils and they are my favorites in combination with the Goldfabers. Their main competitor would be the Polychromos which I have not tried, but these are ever so slightly cheaper and I am perfectly happy with their excellent performance.#sweepstakes... Show more
Phill
originally posted on dickblick.com
I own and use many kinds, but this is my new favorite.
The 24 pencil set comes with the best storage/transport roll, way better than the usual tin box, and has the best choice and range of colors within the limits of 24, and beyond that, these colors blend smoothly to create in-between shades and colors. Laying down color, they feel smoooth and leave lots of pigment without heavy pressure. I haven't had one break on me yet, I own, like, and use other artist-grade pencils: Caran d'Ache Luminance and Faber-Castell Polychromos as well as Prismacolor Premier, and keep a daily sketchbook of pencil drawings (both charcoal and colored pencils), some of which i use as ideas for paintings.... Show more
Daily-Sketchbook-Keeper
originally posted on dickblick.com
I would recommend & buy again!
I purchased the Assorted Greys to fulfill the the set of 72 (70 colors & 2 blenders) Polycolors Greys selection. They are very nice oil pencils and they lay down softly, especially on the ocean cards I colored, as they are a very smooth card stock. In the Country Kitchen Charm picture I used the lightest grey for the ceramic kitchen canisters which gave them a great old look as opposed to white, and a darker grey for all the wood, cabinets, counter-top, etc..to help the wood looked aged. Lyra Rembrandts Grey colors are much more useful even purchased alone than one would imagine, as in clouds, trash cans, sidewalks to sinks, faucets, or shoes! It's a great set that can be used for many artist or colorist needs. I have a much harder time with blending the Lyra's, ... MoreI purchased the Assorted Greys to fulfill the the set of 72 (70 colors & 2 blenders) Polycolors Greys selection. They are very nice oil pencils and they lay down softly, especially on the ocean cards I colored, as they are a very smooth card stock. In the Country Kitchen Charm picture I used the lightest grey for the ceramic kitchen canisters which gave them a great old look as opposed to white, and a darker grey for all the wood, cabinets, counter-top, etc..to help the wood looked aged. Lyra Rembrandts Grey colors are much more useful even purchased alone than one would imagine, as in clouds, trash cans, sidewalks to sinks, faucets, or shoes! It's a great set that can be used for many artist or colorist needs. I have a much harder time with blending the Lyra's, probably because I have used only Koh-I-Noor Oil Pencils for over 15 years & it takes time to get to know your pencils!The first set I received the case was dented/damaged in several places and although the pencils appeared to be okay, I was concerned that they could have damage that isn't visible yet. I called Blick's AMAZING CUSTOMER SERVICE, and they sent me a new set immediately. I have never had a company not only resolve the issue so quickly & efficiently, but every person involved was just as kind, helpful, and went above and beyond, all during one of the the busiest times of the year. I recommend the pencils, I just need more time with them and highly recommend Blick..I see why they are #1 in Customer Service, and have been in business for decades! I only gave 4 stars because of the limited colors available to purchase is 80....compared to other brands in the same category. I wish I could give 5 stars for customer service!!... Show more
Kimberly
originally posted on dickblick.com
I would recommend the pencils & defiantly recommend Blick!!
I have been L👀KING at this set for a long time, I even tried several individual pencils first to see how I liked them, because I have primarily used Koh-I-Noor for well over 15 years. I bought the 72 set this past Christmas, and the 12 Greys~with the 6 Warm Greys that completes the Set of 78 colors. Also included was 2-Lyra Blenders as well. I really love the vibrancy of Lyra's colors, and that they can be used on multiple surfaces, but so far have only tried them on different quality paper and card stock. The card stock was my favorite, lay down was very smooth, with a little trace of powder but I have always used a large make-up brush and I have never had any smearing of all the pencils I use. They are round with Cedar and lacquered which is very comfortable to ... MoreI have been L👀KING at this set for a long time, I even tried several individual pencils first to see how I liked them, because I have primarily used Koh-I-Noor for well over 15 years. I bought the 72 set this past Christmas, and the 12 Greys~with the 6 Warm Greys that completes the Set of 78 colors. Also included was 2-Lyra Blenders as well. I really love the vibrancy of Lyra's colors, and that they can be used on multiple surfaces, but so far have only tried them on different quality paper and card stock. The card stock was my favorite, lay down was very smooth, with a little trace of powder but I have always used a large make-up brush and I have never had any smearing of all the pencils I use. They are round with Cedar and lacquered which is very comfortable to hold and you don't have to press hard at all to achieve the colors you desire. The Art Eclect Crab Card I used all Lyra Pencils, and several of the water colors are the same pencil but lighter with a different color in between, so you can't really tell. They sharpen to a nice fine point with a manual sharpener that is great for outlining and very small areas. I did find the selection of colors limited especially in comparison with my Koh-I-Noor 144 set. I also had a difficult time with blending simple colors like a green leaf with some yellow, or brown and yellow for different shades of wood, but with only 1-Brown (VanDyck) & Dark Sepia which is more on the black side, it's difficult to create some colors, thus only 4 stars. The first set I received had a lot of pencils that were bowed, the color stamp was not legible, and they were just off, I called Blick and I was sent a new set via Federal Express. Everyone at Blick was so kind and went above and beyond to ensure that I was pleased, and I know why they are #1 in customer service, and all during the busiest time of the year!! 5 star Customer Service/Selection/Prices.... Show more
Kimberly
originally posted on dickblick.com
Know what you are after.
These pencils are harder than the soft prismacolor premiums, Holbein's artist, but softer than the Prismacolor Verithin. I put them someplace between the Faber Castell Polychromos and the Verithin pencils in hardness. This means they hold a point pretty well, and won't destroy the tooth of the paper while layering, but they won't lay down pigment as fast as the softer pencils. This also means they will last longer. They blend well when not smashed right off the bat into the paper. Take your time and layer them. They are softer than the Verithins so they will go down quicker than them. The pigment is comparable to other premium pencils, but these come in a a value price that makes them a wonderful middle of the road product to purchase to see if you will like working ... MoreThese pencils are harder than the soft prismacolor premiums, Holbein's artist, but softer than the Prismacolor Verithin. I put them someplace between the Faber Castell Polychromos and the Verithin pencils in hardness. This means they hold a point pretty well, and won't destroy the tooth of the paper while layering, but they won't lay down pigment as fast as the softer pencils. This also means they will last longer. They blend well when not smashed right off the bat into the paper. Take your time and layer them. They are softer than the Verithins so they will go down quicker than them. The pigment is comparable to other premium pencils, but these come in a a value price that makes them a wonderful middle of the road product to purchase to see if you will like working with colored pencils. I'd recommend buying a few individual pencils from every manufacturer you are considering, as well as one of another color in each, to see how they layer, blend, and draw. Then buy a set of what you like, or add pencils as you can afford them.... Show more
Snyderssoapbox
originally posted on dickblick.com
Lyra's are a great addition to my Studio Series 50-count set
I wanted to see if I could find a larger set of oil-based colored pencils to supplement my Studio Series 50-count set, so I purchased three Lyra Rembrandts. I wanted a good pencil to use as an alternative to my Prismas, which I love, but which are super soft--too soft sometimes. I love the Lyra Rembrandts! They are smooth, and they hold a point well. I have not ordered a set yet, but I plan to order a set in the near future.... Show more
Laurie
originally posted on dickblick.com
Not Quite 5 Stars
I can't believe I'm about to say something less than 5-star worthy. I was really looking forward to receiving this set of oil based pencils! First of all, although the pencils did come in a metal tin, my tin was plain silver, embossed with LYRA on the top, which was encased in a cardboard sleeve with a picture of pomegranates on it. The sleeve was really tight, I was afraid I would tear it trying to get it off. I was not expecting this at all! I thought it would look like the photo on the web site, with a bowl of pears.Second, there is only one shade of purple in the whole set of 36, and that shade is actually Blue Violet, not plain violet or purple. Two of the blues look almost identical, and three of the reds, the yellows I cannot tell apart. Meanwhile there are ... MoreI can't believe I'm about to say something less than 5-star worthy. I was really looking forward to receiving this set of oil based pencils! First of all, although the pencils did come in a metal tin, my tin was plain silver, embossed with LYRA on the top, which was encased in a cardboard sleeve with a picture of pomegranates on it. The sleeve was really tight, I was afraid I would tear it trying to get it off. I was not expecting this at all! I thought it would look like the photo on the web site, with a bowl of pears.Second, there is only one shade of purple in the whole set of 36, and that shade is actually Blue Violet, not plain violet or purple. Two of the blues look almost identical, and three of the reds, the yellows I cannot tell apart. Meanwhile there are no pastels in this set of 36. My bad, I should have read the specs more closely.So far, all I have colored is a swatch chart. The pencils seem a little gritty; "creamy" is not nearly the word I would use. The Splender Blender helps deepen/improve the color somewhat.No one wants to read a Debbie Downer review like this any more than I enjoy writing it. I truly hope to enjoy these pencils more as I become familiar with them. I never read a single less-than-completely-favorable review of this product, so I can't believe I am having these issues. I wonder if I'm the one with the problem.Would recommend to a friend, with reservations.... Show more
MonaMarieRosemary
originally posted on dickblick.com
set of 24 very poor/illogical selection of colors
This negative review is specifically for the set of 24 as the pencils themselves have a nice feel. All the blues in this set are green-biased and all the reds are orange-biased, even the 2 with "carmine" in their names, so it is not possible to mix a clean violet or purple, which is necessary as the set did not include any violets or purples. There are also none of the standard earth colors (burnt sienna, yellow ochre and burnt umber) that I would use for landscapes but inexplicably, there are 4 pairs of nearly identical colors. Finally, the white is so weak, it's really just a colorless blender - it did not lighten anything I burnished it over. As the hinged metal case would be great for outdoor sketching, I will probably keep the 4 of these pencils that look ... MoreThis negative review is specifically for the set of 24 as the pencils themselves have a nice feel. All the blues in this set are green-biased and all the reds are orange-biased, even the 2 with "carmine" in their names, so it is not possible to mix a clean violet or purple, which is necessary as the set did not include any violets or purples. There are also none of the standard earth colors (burnt sienna, yellow ochre and burnt umber) that I would use for landscapes but inexplicably, there are 4 pairs of nearly identical colors. Finally, the white is so weak, it's really just a colorless blender - it did not lighten anything I burnished it over. As the hinged metal case would be great for outdoor sketching, I will probably keep the 4 of these pencils that look useful and replace the other 20 with a split palette selection of Faber Castells, so this was mostly the purchase of a case.... Show more
SLB NM
originally posted on dickblick.com
Some colors more vibrant than my Polychromos
While coloring for stress relief in coloring books, I have gravitated mostly towards oil-based harder pencils and purchased this set to compliment a Polychromos set. Most of the Lyra Polycolor pencils had smooth lay down except for a few of the light colors which felt dryer and took more effort to apply. PROS: Vibrant color, little to no crumbling, no issues with breakage or sharpening on an electric sharpener, well-packaged by Blick and comes in a sturdy tin. CONS: Thinner barrel diameter for those of us with hand issues, some of the light colors were dry and more challenging to layer. I still regard this as a good purchase and would recommend this set.... Show more
Gini
originally posted on dickblick.com