Spectrum noir ColourTint
Spectrum noir ColourTint
There is absolutely no doubt about it, throughout late 2016 and 2017, Spectrum Noir and Crafters Companion have delivered an extensive new line up for crafters and artists alike. They have practically renewed their previous line of products and added some wonderful new products, of which the Spectrum Noir ColourTint range is among them.
The Spectrum Noir ColourTint is one of their newest range of water soluble pencils on the market and when I received the sets I was so incredibly excited to try them. I can tell you that I was not disappointed when I started to test and use the ColourTint. I have to say that when I first received the sets, I felt that the Spectrum Noir ColourTint may be similar to the Derwent Graphitint, but I soon discovered that they are nothing like them.
ColourTint Specifications
As with many water soluble pencils, the core of the ColourTint pencils are robust, sporting an ample 3.8mm core, housed in a 8mm Cedar wood casing. The barrel is round like so many of the Spectrum Noir pencils and although the barrel shape has no real significance on the pencils performance, artists, crafters and colourists do have their preference on barrel shape, mostly to do with preventing pencils from rolling off the surface and shattering.
Unsharpened ColourTint Core
Sharpened ColourTint Core
The barrel color is a Payne's Grey color, capped with a color flash indicating the actual pigment color. along the barrel in silver print is the name of the pencil brand which in this case is obviously "ColourTint" followed by the company name "Spectrum Noir". Further along the barrel toward the end is the color name "Leaf Green" which is stopped with a silver ring separating the barrel color and the pigment flash indicator.
Spectrum Noir ColourTint
Sets Available
The Spectrum Noir ColourTint come in two sets of 12, a Primary set and a Nature set, totalling 24 pencils in the complete line. If there was anything I have to pick up bad about these pencils, it would be the low number of pencils in the range because I love them so much I am greedy and want more colors.
Spectrum Noir ColourTint Nature Set
Spectrum Noir ColourTint Primary Set
Both sets come in tins and each pencil is held in place with a plastic tray, this is really the standard form of packaging for colored pencils. The art work on both the Nature and Primary sets actually demonstrates the full potential and beauty of the ColourTint pencils nicely.
Both 12 Sets Of Spectrum Noir ColourTint
ColourTint Performance
Obviously with ordinary colored pencils, we talk about whether or not they are oil or wax based pencils which clearly is not an issue with water soluble pencils. However, the Lightfast ratings of water soluble pencils has always been a bone of contention for me. When talking to various companies about lightfastness of their water soluble pencils, some don't have any rating, other companies explain that once the pigments are activated with water, the lightfast ratings are lost, were as others claim this not to be the case. Unfortunately I am unable to find any lightfast information for the ColourTint, but as soon as this information is available I will of course update this review accordingly.
Nature Colors From The ColourTint Range
Perhaps the most significant difference between the Spectrum noir ColourTint and the Spectrum Noir AquaBlend is the beautifully muted tones of the ColourTint. When testing the ColourTint, although the pencils can of course be used for any artist creation you want, I personally thin they are best suited to botanical, seascape or landscape type art. Due to the beautifully muted colors, there is an almost antique feel to the art, a richness that is difficult to find in any other medium.
Primary Colors From the ColourTint Collection
When laying down the pigment on watercolor paper, you immediately see a smooth seamless layer of color, however, once the pigment is activated, the colors really come to life and the full potential of the pigments appreciated.
Check out my real time video demonstration on The Art Gear Guide Youtube channel where you can see the pigment activated, the blending properties of the ColourTint. I have completed a painting using the Spectrum Noir ColourTint along with Spectrum Noir's Aqua Markers, to see a speed painting of this as well as how the pencils perform follow the link.
Spectrum Noir ColourTint Pricing
For those of you in the UK, should you want to get either set of these wonderful muted tones, as with all Spectrum Noir products they are incredibly well priced. For the Primary and Nature set they will cost you approximately £13 to £16.
If you live in America, again for either the Nature or Primary set, they will cost you approximately $27 each. Unfortunately for those of you living in Europe, I was unable to find any of the sets on Amazon. As they are considerably new to the Spectrum Noir range I am sure they will be available soon, however you can always head over to either the Spectrum Noir or Crafters Companion web site and order them direct. If however they don't deliver to your country, you can always send them an email and ask how or when they will be available for you, in my experience the help and professionalism from Spectrum Noir staff is absolutely amazing and the same goes for Crafters Companion which are one in the same company.
Conclusion
As I previously mentioned, Spectrum Noir over the last year have really excelled themselves, delivering fantastic product after fantastic product. Unfortunately I was never in a position to test or try any of their older products, such as their markers, aqua markers or older colored pencils and so unable to make any serious comparisons. However, I am able to make comparisons against other products in the same genres and so feel confident in saying this.
If there was ever any doubt that Spectrum Noir were not in the same league as some of the other older and well known companies, I think that tide has very much turned. Spectrum noir and Crafters Companion are a formidable company delivering at a phenomenal pace new high quality markers such as the Illustrator, Graphic and Aqua; colored pencils such as the AquaBlend, ColourBlend, Colorista range and ColourTint. This is just a small percentage of their new products and of all the new products I have tested, they have all been of high quality and absolutely fit to be pitted against any other brand on the market.
The ColourTint are no exception and make a wonderful addition to an ever increasingly growing wonderful range of products from Spectrum Noir and Crafters Companion.
