When Were Colored Pencils First Made?
Compared to graphite pencils, colored pencils are a relatively new artistic medium. Graphite pencils similar to the ones that are widely used today date back to the 17th century, while colored pencils did not appear until the early 19th century. Early colored pencils were limited to a range of 15 to 20 colors and were used mainly for utilitarian purposes. It wasn't until the early 20th century that colored pencils intended for artistic works were introduced.
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Introduction of Artistic Colored Pencils
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Beginning in the early 1920s, the A.W. Faber Company began marketing over 60 different shades of colored pencils for artists. In 1924 in Switzerland, a company named Caran d'Ache was founded and in Germany the following year the Schwann Stabilo Company was established. Both companies became leading makers of artists' colored pencils. In America, the Berol Corporation introduced Prismacolors in 1938. Prismacolors remain one of the most popular brands of colored pencils currently on the market.
How are Colored Pencils Different from Graphite Pencils?
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Like graphite pencils, colored pencils consist of a core of drawing material encased by a wooden cover. The core of a colored pencil is made up of a cylinder of pigment or dye mixed with a binder. The binder most often is made from cellulose gum; other materials used in fillers include paraffin, beeswax and vegetable gums. The quality of the pigment in the core of a colored pencil determines the quality of the pencil, with higher grade colored pencils having a higher proportion of expensive pigments in their core.
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Colored Pencils as an Artistic Medium
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Colored pencils are often used for illustrations, portraits, still lifes and occasionally for landscapes. Colored pencils are a unique artistic medium. Unlike paints and inks that allow pigments to be mixed, colored pencils are used to create layers of color. These layers have the appearance of being mixed when viewed from a distance, but show distinct colors upon closer examination.
Societies for Promotion of Colored Pencils
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Colored pencils have not been widely recognized as a serious artists' medium until recently. The Colored Pencil Society of America was formed in 1990 to help raise the status of colored pencils. The CPSA produces art shows and publications that highlight art works created with colored pencils. It also works with manufacturers to establish color standards for colored pencils. In 2001, a UK Colored Pencil Society formed to perform a similar function in the United Kingdom.
Different Types of Colored Pencils
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Prismacolor is a wax-based colored pencil that will lay down opaque layers of color. This popular brand of pencil comes in over 120 brilliant colors. Verithin colored pencils have less wax than Prismacolor and are better for creating sharp, crisp lines. Prismacolor Col-erase pencils can be easily erased and blended, creating an effect that resembles pastels. Derwent's Studio pencils are clay-based colored pencils that are easily blended and can also be sharpened to a fine point and used to create detailed drawings.
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References
- Photo Credit Wikimedia Commons
