Faber Castell Black Edition Vs Faber Castell Classic Red Colored Pencils.
Faber Castell Black Edition Vs Faber Castell Classic Red Colored Pencils.
About a year or so ago, I reviewed both the Faber Castell Classic Red and the Faber Castell Black Edition, however, at the time of those reviews, I was only able to get hold of the 36 set, the Faber Castell Black Edition was quite new back then. Recently however, Faber Castell released a 100 set and for quite a while the 100 set was difficult to get hold of here in the UK, needless to say, as soon as it became available I purchased it to review.
As soon as I started the testing process of the Faber Castell Black Edition, I thought that a comparison video against the Faber Castell Classic Red set would be beneficial as both sets are aimed at similar artist groups. I wanted to test both pencils and see how they compare against each other and hopefully this will be an interesting and helpful video for those looking to purchase either of the sets.
Before we get into the actual review, I decided to run a test on the review video, so if you would like to try your hand at the test and pit your knowledge of colored pencils against other subscribers, just for a bit of fun, all you have to do is check out the review comparison YouTube video by following the link.
100 Set of Faber Castell Black Edition Vs Faber Castell Classic Red Characteristics
As I mentioned earlier, if you would like to know more specific details about the Faber Castell Black Edition Colored Pencils or the Faber Castell Classic Red Colored Pencils, follow the links to the relevant reviews. In this article we will look at the difference between both sets and talk about which type of artist each pencil is best suited to.
The first thing is the triangular shape of the Black Edition Colored Pencil barrel, when you first get the pencils, you may experience slight difficulty sharpening them using a hand held sharpener. Using a hand crank sharpener does make sharpening easier, so if you suffer with arthritis in your hand or wrist, the Black Edition colored pencil could prove a problem, unless you have a hand crank or electric sharpener. After the first time sharpening them, they do become a little bit easier. The Faber Castell Classic Red Colored Pencils sport a traditional hexagonal barrel and are very easy to sharpen.
Both the Black Edition and Classic Red colored pencils hold a point reasonably well when applying light layers, this could also be down to the fact the core of both pencils sport the break resistant technology, that and the quality of wood used for the barrels. The Classic Red barrel feels like it is made from a lighter wood, whereas the black edition feels heavier and more sturdy.
The first thing I did was swatch the 100 set of Faber Castell Black Edition and as you can see from the swatch there is a nice selection of colors. The only issue I had, which I discovered during my art demonstration, was the lack of dark colors. The reds and greens have a really nice selection, but they both lack really dark tones in my opinion. The Blues have one or two dark tones, however, the earth tones and selection of greys are absolutely gorgeous. There is also a few flesh tone pencils of all persuasions as well as a few neon colors.
Overall I love the Faber Castell Black Edition Colored Pencils, but when I am reviewing a product, I don’t just look at the pencil from my perspective, I try to put myself in the shoes of other artists. One thing I did consider was the artwork on the packaging of the Black Edition. As you can see from the image, the colors on the box artwork look incredibly bright and vibrant, almost like colored chalk on a blackboard. So someone walking into a store, with little to no experience of colored pencils, could see the package artwork and expect the pencils to perform the same. As you will see a little further into the review, this is not entirely the case.
The packaging for both the Faber Castell Black Edition and Faber Castell Classic Red Colored Pencils, they both use the same type of packaging. Both sets can also be purchased in tin format, but their cardboard packaging products provide something a little bit unique for a set of colored pencils and that is the pencil selection unit. This is basically a cardboard plinth that unfolds when removed from the box and displays the pencils in an upright position making selection of the pencils easy and the same for color selection.
Faber Castell Black Edition Vs Faber Castell Classic Red Set Performance
I will talk about the artwork I created using the Faber Castell Black Edition in a bit, but for now I conducted my usual layering and blending tests, allowing you the reader or viewer to study the images for yourself and come to your own conclusion as to which set is right for you.
First up is the layering, for all of these tests I used Strathmore 300 Series Bristol Velum, the same paper I used for the Artwork. As you can see from the image, the results of the Classic Red Colored Pencils are displayed on the left and the Black Edition on the right. At the end of the 5 layers, I have applied a single heavy application of each pencil.
With regards to the layering, I personally felt that the Faber Castell Classic Red layered just that little bit easier, providing a slightly better coverage result, let me explain. You know I am sure by now, that I don’t refer to colored pencils as wax or oil based upon my research into this myth, however for those of you new, if you follow the link I explain everything in this video. With the Faber Castell Classic Red, whilst sporting a medium to soft core, for me, they seem to deliver a drier consistency over that of the Black Edition. The Black Edition has a more silky gloopy consistency, similar to a cake mixture consistency or that of Gloss Paint. I think because of the slightly drier consistency, it provides a more even coverage, in the same way a pastel block when rubbed into the paper with a sponge applicator will provide. Because the Black Edition has that thick, glossy consistency, when applying light layers the coverage is perfect, but when you apply a bit more pressure and thicker coverage, that shiny glossy consistency can clog up from time to time, making the coverage a tad uneven.
That being said, when you apply odourless mineral spirits into the mix the Faber Castell Black Edition in my opinion performs much better. The best way to see this is by watching my YouTube Review where I added a sped up version of applying OMS to both pencils. For now you can see the images provided where I tried to create spheres with the light coming from the top left down, adding the shadow to the bottom right of the object. After layer both pencils, I realised a darker blue would have been really nice, but I used the black to help provide the shadow. Both pencils reacted incredibly well with OMS, of which I used Zest-It, but I feel the Faber Castell Black Edition provided a better end result than that of the Classic Red Set.
Next is the blending and as you can see from the image results, both pencils performed beautifully, they both delivered a third color as they should have, but I personally feel the Faber Castell Black Edition delivers a slightly stronger saturation of color and so the blending results look brighter. If you look back at the single heavy application from both pencils, I think you will see the Black Edition provide that stronger color.
Next up is the black paper test, I have also provided an image of the full 100 range from the Black Edition on black paper so you can also see the neon colors. However, with both pencils side by side, the Classic Red Set on the right and the Black Edition on the left this time, I think it is clear that the Black Edition is certainly the more opaque with the Classic Red Set displaying a bit more translucency.
However, this black paper test goes back to my issue with the Black Edition packaging artwork, if an ordinary young person perhaps new to colored pencils, walks into a store and sees the bright vibrant colors displayed on a black background, I feel they would be a little disappointed when they tried the pencils on black paper for themselves. I am not saying that the results of the Faber Castell Black Edition are bad on dark paper, not at all, they are very good indeed, but they are not to the brightness and vibrancy displayed on the packaging and I find that a bit of an issue. I understand the art of advertising, I just feel that an image displaying a genuine piece of art using the Faber Castell Black Edition on dark paper would be much more beneficial to the potential buyer.
I really enjoyed the artwork using the Faber Castell Black Edition, I did originally think of providing a similar test to the one I produced with the Derwent Artist, ProColour, ColoursSoft and Lightfast. However with the Derwent test, at the time, all sets were a 72 count, my though behind the Faber Castell test was to add the Goldfaber and Polychromos, but the set sizes are all over the place. 60 for the Classic Red, 100 for the Black Edition, 36 for the GoldFaber and 120 for the Polychromos, I felt it was too uneven to produce fair results and to reduce all sets to the lowest set of 36, wouldn’t really display the other sets in their best light.
I also think that going forward, when producing artwork to help demonstrate a product, I need to work smaller, this piece took 11 hours and that is far too long when I have a written review to write, create a video review and edit it as well as edit a speed drawing video and take still images of said artwork. The process is long enough as it is without adding in an 11 hour drawing. Rant aside, I really enjoyed the process, the Black Edition pencils are perfect for Fan Art, beautifully saturated colored pencils, helping to provide bright and colourful images. The Nintendo Super Mario Brothers piece that I completed was done on Strathmore 300 Series Bristol Velum.
Set Sizes and Prices
This is where you discover just how amazing these set from Faber Castell really are, especially the Faber Castell Classic Red Set. Faber Castell make one of the best pencils colored pencil artists the world over use, the Faber Castell Polychromos, however, unlike other big names, whilst the Polychromos are quite expensive, Faber Castell have made three other brands, of which most sets are accessible to financially struggling artists and Mums and Dads buying for their kids, which is so important.
Faber Castell Classic Red for the largest set in the range which is the 60 Set you can expect to pay £13.99 here in the UK. For Artists in the US, you can expect to pay approximately $26.49 and for the quality of pencil the Faber Castell Classic Red Set are, I think the pricing is amazing. I am not suggesting that everyone should be able to afford them, not at all, if anyone understands the various levels of poverty, it is me. But with a little bit of saving, you could get a 60 set of gorgeous colored pencils quite soon.
For the Faber Castell Black Edition, they come in sets of, 12, 24, 36, 50 and 100. For Artists in the UK the 12 set will cost £5.96 which is a good starting point if you would like to try the Black Edition without committing. The 24 Set will cost £11.45, the 36 Set will cost approximately £15.99, the 50 set will cost approximately £18.94 which again I think is an excellent price for a pencil of this quality and 50 colors. The 100 set makes a slightly bigger jump and so in the UK you can expect to pay for the 100 Set £44.95 I understand this is a lot of money, but when you compare this to the 120 set of Faber Castell Polychromos, granted a much higher quality pencil, but in terms of count, the price is reasonable.
For artists in the US, I was unable to locate links and prices on Amazon, I have no idea why this is the case, as when I was researching for my video review, I was able to get this information. I will as always, check back and amend this section as soon as I can, I apologise to you all.
For the Faber Castell Black Edition and Classic Red Colored Pencils, they are not sold open stock, at least not widespread. I have checked on the Faber Castell website and Amazon and can’t find any open stock pencils., that is not to say independent stores won’t sell them open stock.
Faber Castell Black Edition and Classic Red Colored Pencils Lightfast Information.
Neither the Faber Castell Classic Red Set or the Faber Castell Black Edition hold any lightfast ratings. It is important to note that if you are looking for a pencil with high lightfast ratings, the price of the pencils will provide a good indication as to whether or not they are Lightfast. Inexpensive pencils such as the Black Edition and Classic Red are aimed at younger artists and young students, so lightfast is not really a consideration, that being said I am not suggesting that either set can’t be used by use antique artists, I am simply referring to who the company suggest are best suited to using the product.
Faber Castell Classic Red and Faber Castell Black Edition Conclusion
I really enjoyed this test, this comparison between two amazing pencils made by the same amazing company. I wish I had of included the GoldFaber and Polychromos into the mix, but I explained earlier why I didn't, but I did add both those pencils into a fun test of colored pencil knowledge for those that view my YouTube Video Review.
Both pencils are sold at an incredible price point considering the quality of both pencils, I feel that both pencils are suited perfectly for Fan Art colored pencil work, but that is not the limit. With the beautiful natural tones and greens in the 100 set of the Black Edition, botanical work would desirable, as well as human portraiture including all the beautiful skin tones around the world. Both pencils are quite different when we talk about the consistency and thus offering a different experience for artists.
Thank you all so much for your wonderful support and kind comments, I need to buck up my ideas and pull my finger out of my behind and ramp up the video out put both on The Art Gear Guide and Patreon; at the very least you guys deserve this. I have no idea what has happened to me as of late with artwork taking too much time and when I took my break from YouTube, I think the time I had, threw a spanner in the works for me, but I shall work hard to rectify the issues discussed. If you would like to watch my YouTube Comparison Video of both pencil and take part in my fun test of colored pencil knowledge. I have also provided a quick speed drawing video of my Nintendo Super Mario Brothers demonstration drawing as well as still images on The Art Gear Guide which you are invited to view at your own leisure, enlarge and inspect.
