Prismacolor Verithin Best Alternative
Prismacolor Verithin Best Alternative
This is just going to be a short written account, but hopefully helpful nonetheless. I am often asked if I can recommend a good colored pencil, watercolour pencil etc for a particular genre or artist and these are the type of questions I love as I find them to be a bit of a challenge.
Often, artists in various parts of the world, are unable to get hold of a product they have once used or watched their favourite artist used and so I will be asked if I know of a good alternative. One such art supply I have been asked a lot about is the Prismacolor Verithin, this is a colored pencil, many colored pencil artists love to use for its precision, however, Prismacolor products tend to be more easily sourced in America. As a result, colored pencil artists, particularly here in the UK and Europe, whilst desiring to use the Prismacolor Verithin, are unable to do so primarily due to availability.
Prismacolor Verithin Characteristics
I have completed an individual review of the Prismacolor Verithin Colored Pencil quite a few years ago, if you would like check out my full review, you can do so by clicking the link. I don’t mean to talk down to anyone but the main feature of the Prismacolor Verithin is its incredibly thin core and barrel, which is obviously highlighted by the title.
The Prismacolor Verithin core is a delicate 2.5mm which is housed in a slender 6.6mm barrel, perhaps the slimiest colored pencil on the market. It is this core and barrel size that makes the pencil so attractive to a lot of different colored pencil artists, cartoonists, Anime artists and illustrators
The Prismacolor Verithin pencils work incredibly well along side other Prismacolor products such as the Prismacolor Premier Colored Pencils and Prismacolor Col-Erase, the Col-Erase is fairly similar in dimensions to the Verithin. Despite the slimline core of the Verithin, the pigment strength when using the pencils is surprisingly strong and clear. Many illustrators use the Verithin to sketch out their artwork as opposed to using graphite, graphite lines can appear quite harsh when it comes to inking, but using a blue or red Verithin pencil blends into the work when ink and color is applied.
Stabilo Original Colored Pencil The Best Alternative To Prismacolor Verithin.
There are not many colored pencils on the market with the same dimensions of the Prismacolor Veritihin with the exception of one pencil that not only carries the same dimensions, but also the same set sizes, the Stabilo Original Colored Pencil.
Stabilo is a German based company and so for colored pencil artists and illustrators in the UK and Europe are much more likely to obtain the Stabilo Original Colored Pencils. The vast majority of artists who ask for an alternative to the Verithin are from the UK, Europe and sometimes Australia, artists in Canada, America and South America can purchase Verithin pencils relatively easily, but the same group of artists can also obtain Stabilo Original Colored Pencils.
Stabilo do make a few other colored pencil sets, the Stabilo Aquacolor, Stabilo Color and the Stabilo All, but it is the Stabilo Original that is the closest comparison to the Prismacolor Verithin.
The Stabilo Original Colored Pencil sports an equally slimline 2.5mm core with a slightly larger barrel, weighing in at 6.8mm, so 0.2mm difference to the Prismacolor Verithin. It is also worth noting that both the Stabilo Original and Prismacolor Verithin sport hexagonal barrels which is incredibly helpful, given the delicate nature of the thin cores, the last thing an artist needs is for such pencils to roll of their desk onto the ground to possibly shatter.
Comparing Prismacolor Verithin Against Stabilo Original Tests
The first comparison test is this simple swatch, when I completed the individual reviews of both the Stabilo Original and Prismacolor Verithin, I was only able to purchase the 24 sets for both pencils. Below you can see a simple swatch on Strathmore 300 Series Bristol Velum paper of both pencils.
In my opinion I think the pigment strength is stronger with the Stabilo Original Colored Pencils, when applying the colors I also felt like the Stabilo Original applied a smoother layer. However, this is why I include the images so that you can take a look at the swatch for yourself and your eyes may see something different to me and you may have a different opinion to me which is the beauty of reviews.
Next test is the blending test, however this time I used a cheaper sketching paper from Castle Arts, nevertheless you can see how both pencils blend and create a third color. At the bottom of the test I have applied the black pencils for both sets, just a single heavy application, I know that most colored pencil artists refrain from using just black, but I still find it important to include the black pencils in the test
The final test and perhaps the clearest test showing the strength of pigment etc is both white pencils on black paper. This test simply shows which pencil is more opaque and which is more translucent, but what I think it also shows is, the Stabilo Original white colored pencil is not a bad white to have in your arsenal. Colored Pencil artists find it difficult to achieve highlights when using just colored pencils, the Stabilo Original white prides a fine, opaque colored pencil for applying highlights.
One distinction between both the Prismacolor Verithin and Stabilo Original Colored Pencils that might be worth mentioning is the lightfast ratings for the Stabilo Original. As you can see from the images I have supplied, you can see a star system on the end of the Stabilo Original barrel, you can check out the ratings for the Original in my full review, but lightfastness for such pencils may or may not be important to you, but it is worth a mention.
Derwent Alternative
Obviously I will have to make a different video a post regarding whatever is going on at Derwent, but before Derwent decided to discontinue the Derwent Studio Colored Pencils, I would have also placed them as a good alternative to the Verithin, but of course they are discontinued.
Pricing and Set Sizes
Another similarity that both the Stabilo Original and Prismacolor Verithin deliver to the artist is the set sizes. Both pencils sell sets of 12 and 24, the Prismacolor Verithin largest set is 36 and the Stabilo Original largest set is 38, so as with the barrel sizes, not much of a difference, only a 2 pencil addition in the Stabilo Original range.
The prices for the sets are a bit all over the place, I have taken the prices from Amazon, but for artists in America, check out stores like Dick Blicks and Jerrys Artarama where you may find cheaper prices for the Prismacolor Verithin.
Artist in the UK, for the 12 set of Stabilo Original you can expect to pay £13, for the 24 set of Stabilo Original you can expect to pay £26 and for the largest Stabilo Original set you can expect to pay £33
Artists in the US can expect to pay approximately $23 of the set of 12 Stabilo Original, $44 for the 24 set of Stabilo Original and $68 for the largest 38 set of Stabilo Original. Obviously the prices reflect the fact Stabilo exports from Germany for US artists as is the case for artists in the UK and Europe regarding Prismacolor Verithin being exported from Mexico.
For a set of 12 Prismacolor Verithin, artists in the UK can expect to pay £20. Unfortunately I was unable to locate prices for the 24 and 36 sets but as and when they become available I will update the post. But this only helps to illustrate why artists in the UK , Europe and further afield are seeking alternatives.
For artists in the US, a set of 12 Prismacolor Verithin Colored Pencils will cost $14.31 on Amazon or $10 in Blicks, for the 24 set of Prismacolor Verithin you can expect to pay $20 in Blick’s, I was unable to locate a 24 set on Amazon. For the largest 36 set of Verithin you can expect to pay $23 in Blick’s and again I was unable to find a 36 set on Amazon.
Stabilo Original And Prismacolor Verithin Conclusion
This isn’t really a comparison video in the true sense of the meaning, however, I hope I have displayed for those of you looking for an alternative to the Prismacolor Verithin, that the Stabilo Original is the best alternative on the market. I do want to make it clear that I am not suggesting for a second, that if you are happy using the Prismacolor Verithin and you can gain access to them as and when you need them, to stop using them and switch, not at all.
This is not the purpose of this video, this is only really aimed at those artists who find it frustratingly infuriating to stock back up again when your Prismacolor Verithin Colored Pencils run out. This is mainly going to only be due to where you live in the world, if you use Prismacolor Verithin Colored Pencils and you can purchase them whenever you run out, there really is no need to change. However, if the opposite is true and you have been looking for an alternative I definitely recommend you trying the Stabilo Original Colored Pencils. I would definitely advise to either purchase a few pencils open stock and test them out or even just purchase a 12 set.
It can be really upsetting when you find a pencil you love using and after a while it becomes almost impossible to replenish that pencil. In this instance I hope I have satisfied your frustration with what I consider to be the best alternative to the Prismacolor Verithin. Don’t forget you can check out my YouTube review showcasing the Prismacolor Verithin and Stabilo Original Colored Pencils by clicking the link.
