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I just got my Prismacolor Pencils today and I can't wait to use them. I just have to sharpen all of them. Guess I'll have to put a movie in and get busy.
Has anyone use an electric pencil sharpener with the pencils or is it best to use the sharpener that came with them? I really don't want to mess them up!
HI! Mine didn't come with a sharpener...I used my old fashioned crank sharpener that DH mounted on our pantry wall...left handed...I sharpened 120 pencils backwards.....Keri
If you search, you can find threads on this. But the conclusion was:
Don't use your electric sharpener
Put them in the freezer for an hour before sharpening
Use a small hand-held sharpener that's meant for eyeliner pencils
The electric sharpener eats them. I have one that is 2 inches shorter than all the others!! After it eats them the lead breaks real easy.
Use the hand held. Tanya
I've been sharpening for 2 days and still have 30 to go! I never realized that you could have three "famililies" of grey (cool grey, warm grey, french grey) - each with mulitple shades!!
I would say not to use the electric sharpener also. I read in the description of the pencils that the actual color pencil (core) is very soft. The freezing idea sounds great - I just got my set and haven't sharpened yet - I'll be trying that - thanks for the suggestion!
I used the sharpener that came with my set. I tried an electric sharpener first...that pencil does not look like the others..has some chew marks on it and is shorter than the others now. I have the 48 pencil set and it didn't take too long to sharpen them, but I did end up with a "sore" thumb! But well worth it!
I was really afraid the electric sharpener would eat them up. Glad I didn't try it. Thanks everyone for the great tips. I'm off to put my pencils in the freezer so I can get busy.
I'm using the small sharpener that came with them and sharpening as I use them. I can't imagine doing all 120 at once! :shock:
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I took as art class at our local Community College, we used Prismacolor, (that's where I discovered them and fell in love)...and the teacher was insistant that we use a little hand held sharpener...for all the reasons listed here!!! I'll have to try the freezer idea!! thanks
The art teacher at my daughter's school (Is that DD?) told me that the graphite used in color pencils and watercolor pencils is very soft, and it actually breaks inside the pencil if they are dropped. So, when you sharpen them the lead breaks off- it can be because the have endured 'trauma'....... With that in mind, I think I would sharpen them by hand..... And, hide them from the kids- or people who drop everything (like me!!!).
Has anyone tried doing the intital sharpening (after they have been in the freezer) with an electric sharpener--just till you get to the lead, and then finishing with the small hand held sharpener? Might save some sore fingers! Can't wait to try mine--I have the 120 set coming from Viking!
I just ordered my pencils the other day and I've seen some other posts about the Prismacolor pencils and how to use them, but I'm a little confused. Do you use them like the watercolor pencils and a blender pen to blend the colors together? What's with the gamasol and mineral spirits? Someone also mentioned using neutral shoe polish. Is that the paste kind? Is there a resource thread that talks about these things? Thanks for any help.
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“Often when you think you're at the end of something, you're at the beginning of something else.” – Fred Rogers
I guess I was lucky. I sharpened all 120 of them in my electric sharpener without any problems. I was gentle with them....
The Prismacolor pencils are wax based, so you use Gamsol or mineral spirits to break down the pigment and blend them just as a blender pen does with watercolor pencils. Enjoy!
I too sharpened mine (120) set with an electric pencil sharpener yesterday. I also tried to be gentle with them and the pencil sharpener is one that automatically stops when the pencil is sharp so it doesn't eat up the pencil. I had no trouble and had all 120 sharpened in pretty quick time.
Use the sharpener that comes with the Prismas ~ they are an investment and Sanford supplies the best sharpener for them in the tin, the tin has a supplied sharpener, the cardboard box set doesn't. Anyway, while it is time consuming, you won't regret it.
Sharpening Prisma Color Pencils?
