Does anyone know how these compare with Prismacolor Soft core pencils?

These are oil-based pencils, whereas Prismacolor pencils are wax-based. The original Prismacolor pencils were very good, but ownership changed. I recently bought the 150-pencil Prismacolor set and was very disappointed with it. The leads aren’t centered properly in the cores and they very easily break when I sharpen them. I also find any oil-based pencil much easier to blend than a wax-based pencil. Oil-based pencils don’t get the glossy shine wax pencils get with layers. My two cents—buy these—forget the Prismacolors.

These pencils are not just pastel colors correct?

Correct. They are not just pastel colors. All of the colors are beautiful. You may vary the shade by varying the amount of pressure. Beautiful pencils. Worth every penny.

When using artist-grade Polychromos, is there a noticeable difference from the student-grade Fiber Castell classic pencils?

The Faber Castell Polychromos Pencils will perform in a very noticeably different way than their classic colored pencils. The Polychromos have a small measure of mineral oil incorporated into the pencil core, which causes the colors to lay more smoothly onto the paper surface, and appear more rich and vibrant. They are easier to layer and blend, without getting a waxy "bloom" or haze developing on the surface. Polychromos Pencils also use pigments with very stable lightfast ratings for greater permanence.

Do you need to use baby oil or whatever oil to blend the colors or can I just blend them without the oil?

Depends on what sort of effect you're after. I blended one picture I did with Gamsol (an odorless paint thinner) after layering and blending several layers of pencils to produce more of a "paint-like" effect. I usually just self-blend them. Some people, especially those used to layering and blending the creamy, wax-based Prismacolor pencils, seem to have difficulty working with the oil-based, somewhat firmer "drier" Polychromos. There is always some sort of learning curve when trying out new types of art materials. Since I never use baby oil to blend anything, I honestly can't even tell you how well they work with Polychromos pencils. I can tell you that personally I find these pencils very easy to layer and blend on their own and they are a pleasure to work with. I suggest that if you haven't worked with these pencils before, that rather than invest into a big sbcet, just buy the smallest set available, or because they are available singly (open stock), you purchase a few of your favorite colors and just experiment with them.

Manufacturer	Faber-Castell
Brand	Faber-Castell
Item Weight	1.54 pounds
Product Dimensions	47.24 x 31.5 x 1.69 inches
Item model number	110011
Is Discontinued By Manufacturer	No
Color	Multicolor
Closure	Hinge
Grip Type	Smooth
Pencil Lead Degree (Hardness)	H
Material Type	Wood
Number of Items	1
Size	1 Count (Pack of 1)
Point Type	Fine
Line Size	1_0_1_9mm
Ink Color	assorted Colors
Manufacturer Part Number	F110011

Polychromos Artists' Color Pencils - Tin of 120 Colors - Premium Quality Artist Pencils

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