Pencils have been in production since ages. Today, let’s delve into the story of colour pencils. Colour pencils are those that are made of wax, pigments, additives and binding agents. Some colour pencils are wax, oil-based or water-soluble.
Wax: Pigments are bound together with wax to create hard or soft pencil cores (the coloured part of a colour pencil). Wax-based pencils provide excellent coverage but are prone to breakage, quick wear and debris. They also produce bloom, a coating of powdery film that appears after the colour has been applied.
Oil: The binder (substance that holds the pigment together) consists of vegetable oil, which does not produce bloom. Oil-based pencils are slightly harder than wax-based.
Water-soluble: These pencils can be either wax or oil based, either hard or soft. An emulsifier is added, allowing the pigment to be liquefied with water.
ORIGIN OF COLOUR PENCILS
It is known that ancient Greeks used wax-based crayons and even the Romans used coloured crayons based on wax. First coloured pencils appeared in the 19th century and were used for “checking and marking” in documents.
In 1834, Staedtler, a German company owned by Johann Sebastian Staedtler invented coloured oil pastel pencil. In the early 20th century, production of coloured pencils for art purposes commenced. The first art colour pencils were invented and produced in 1924 by Faber-Castell and Caran d’Ache. Berol made its colour pencils in 1938. Other manufacturers that also made colour pencils were Lyra Rembrandt, Blick Studio, Derwent and Progresso. Some manufacturers even claim that they were the first ones to invent the first art watercolour pencil.
Colour pencils are used in two techniques - layering and burnishing. Layering is a technique that is usually used at the beginning of drawing. Its idea is to use primary colours in layers and with that to get different tones. Burnishing is done on layers. The outcome is a shiny surface of blended colours.
Colour pencils are used in animation because they are easier to erase than standard graphite pencils and they don't smudge easily.
Now that you have read about colour pencils, won’t you agree that they are not any less fascinating than historical objects and as an art medium?
Hope you found this article interesting and learnt how colour pencils were born. If you are a budding artist, colour pencils are a great way to unleash your creativity and paint your imagination!
FAQs
The first art colour pencils were invented and produced in 1924 by Faber-Castell and Caran d'Ache. Berol made its colour pencils in 1938. Other manufacturers that also made colour pencils were Lyra Rembrandt, Blick Studio, Derwent and Progresso.
What are some fun facts about colored pencils? ›
The average colored pencil is capable of drawing a line more than 30 miles long. Jainthan Francis holds the world record for the longest colored pencil drawing. Completed in 2009, his record-breaking artwork measured 500 yards long.
Why are colored pencils called map pencils? ›
A lot of people don't know that colored pencils are sometimes called map pencils because they were originally meant for drawing maps.
What is the science behind colored pencils? ›
Unlike graphite and charcoal pencils, colored pencils' cores are wax- or oil-based and contain varying proportions of pigments, additives, and binding agents. Water-soluble (watercolor) pencils and pastel pencils are also manufactured as well as colored cores for mechanical pencils.
What are the three types of colored pencils? ›
There are three main types of colored pencil: wax-based, oil-based, and water-soluble.
What color was the first colored pencil? ›
Colored pencils, often called marking pencils, were first produced in 1835 by J.S. Staetler. These early pencils were composed of a few selected pigments (Prussian blue, Chrome yellow, Chrome green, etc.) dispersed in Clay then baked to form a hard stick.
What are some historical facts about pencils? ›
Nuremberg, Germany was the birthplace of the first mass-produced pencils in 1662. Spurred by Faber-Castell (established in 1761), Lyra, Steadtler and other companies, an active pencil industry developed throughout the 19th century industrial revolution.
What country invented colored pencils? ›
ORIGIN OF COLOUR PENCILS
In 1834, Staedtler, a German company owned by Johann Sebastian Staedtler invented coloured oil pastel pencil. In the early 20th century, production of coloured pencils for art purposes commenced. The first art colour pencils were invented and produced in 1924 by Faber-Castell and Caran d'Ache.
What are the disadvantages of colored pencils? ›
Colored Pencil is less erasable, leaving more pigment adhered to the surface of the paper. Electric erasers can sometimes lift more than others can but also may destroy the paper. Both are paper-dependent; some papers will erase better than others, so test it out.
Why are so many pencils painted yellow? ›
The one thing that is agreed upon is that in the late 1800s, when people started painting pencils, the finest graphite in the world was coming from China. And so yellow became a color that was associated with a pencil because it was a way of indicating that your pencil was made with superior Chinese graphite.
What is another word for colored pencil?
| pastel | crayon |
|---|
| pencil crayon | coloring pencil |
| colored wax | crayola |
| drawing stick | colored chalk |
| chalk | oil pastel |
Not that cheap at all in the end. Second, professional-grade pencils have more pigment and less binder, which makes them appear more vibrant. And third, less evident for a beginning artist is that professional-grade pencils have richer and more unusual colors.
How old are colored pencils? ›
The first art colour pencils were invented and produced in 1924 by Faber-Castell and Caran d'Ache. Berol made its colour pencils in 1938.
How many colored pencils are made each year? ›
In addition to making crayons, Crayola makes 600 million Crayola Colored Pencils, 465 million markers, 110 million sticks of chalk, 9 million Silly Putty eggs, and 1.5 million jars of paint. Learn more about Crayola products here.
What color are most pencils? ›
The tradition of yellow pencils began 120 years ago when a Hungarian company started manufacturing high quality yellow pencils that were named after a famous yellow diamond called Koh-I-Noor.
What is unique about pencils? ›
A pencil stroke is erasable and thus correctable. Pencil Writing is environmentally friendly, since all materials used in manufacture are of "natural" origin. Moreover, wood is a renewable natural resource. A pencil writes in and under water, in a vacuum and upside down.
