Vanilla Beans: Poly Oh Nos
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WHAT’S NEW ‘ROUND HERE?
We had some flooding earlier this week but the Goz Squad was on the job.
And we gather snacks… Well, some of us gather snacks. Others snitch snacks instead of picking their own.
I purchase most of my art supplies from Dick Blick. Shop using my affiliate link to support this free newsletter.
We’ve been working through the Ten Characteristics of a Quality Colored Pencil,
We finished off the list last week by thinking about the things you color most.
Today, let’s talk about reach.
POLY OH NOS
Every so often, I buy a set of Polychromos.
And if you’re standing in the right spot when I finally give up in frustration, you can buy my barely used set at a great discount.
Not. Kidding.
I think I’ve bought and sold four sets over the years. I’m currently Polychro-less but I’ve been thinking and pricing.
I bought the last set in a wintery February and sold them by June.
And as stupid as it sounds, I might try ‘em again.
<sigh>
They’re the world’s favorite pencil, so I always feel like I’m missing something.
What does everyone see that I don’t?
Beats me. I can’t figure it out. I keep trying and crying.
I want to like them. I really do. But when I color with Polys, the censors have to bleep every third word out of my mouth.
I just can’t <bleepin’> understand what the big <bleepin’> fuss is about.
So even though we’ve just spent the better part of three months talking about what goes into a high quality pencil,
I’m actually a great example of how a pencil can score an A+ across the board and still feel like total garbage in your hand.
Pencils are a personal thing.
This is why I shudder when I hear someone say their favorite brand of pencil is the best brand for all mankind.
Usually they’re recommending Polychromos… but honestly, I object when any brand is called the best.
It ain’t that easy.
Even if there isn’t one brand to rule them all, I still want you to go through the ten steps. Think ‘em all through. Make sure your box of potentials passes every test.
But you really won’t know if they’re any good until you get them home and start using them.
Because the final test, let’s call it Test #11…
Is whether you enjoy using them.
It’s called the Reach Test.
And no, I didn’t just make that up. Even though I Googled it and didn’t come up with any other mentions, this really is a thing. We talked about it a lot in art school.
The right brand of pencil or paint or honestly, any art supply…
The best brand is the brand you reach for time and time again.
A brand can fail a couple of the ten tests but it absolutely must not fail #11.
Because you’re going to do test #11 whether you mean to or not.
The reach is an automatic, unconscious thing. You sit down to color and notice your favorite color is already in your hand.
There’s a comfort when you find a product that clicks with your brain and your heart. The right brand feels like an extension of your fingers. It feels like it was made especially for you.
And you feel lost without it.
Now I know; I completely understand. It totally sucks that you’ve got to buy the pencils and use them long enough that you can’t return them before you know if they pass #11.
Wouldn’t it be great if you could borrow something before buying it?
Like a library for art supplies?
But I can’t be a fount’ of sympathy on this one because I’ve had to buy and test thousands of products myself.
And in the case of Polychromos, I do it once a decade. I’m a slow learner.
Every artist does this. It’s one of the biggest hidden costs of art and we don’t talk about it nearly enough.
For the record, a library wouldn’t work because you’ve got to use a product for several months to understand how it works and then another month beyond the learning phase to decide if you actually enjoy it. You’d be returning an empty box of pencils to the Lending Library.
Anyway, that’s the Reach Test.
Do you like this brand of pencil enough to reach for it more than any other brand?
Only time and usage will tell.
Is this pencil available openstock?
Is the laydown thick, smooth, and generous?
Is the pencil hard or soft and do you have a balance of both?
Are there pointless colors in the box?
Are there warm and cool versions of every major hue?
How many repeats and near-repeats are in the box?
How many magic pencils are in the box?
Is the pencil made from cedar or another protective and stable wood?
What do you color most and does the set provide your key colors?
Bonus: Does it pass the Reach Test?
Next week, we’ll discuss things that don’t matter.
IF YOU LIKED TODAY’S ARTICLE, SUPPORT FUTURE FREE LESSONS
When was the last time you were completely proud of the bouquet you colored?
Most people love the line art but are bummed about how they colored it. You write it off as a lack of skill or not blending well enough but that’s actually not the problem.
May Bouquet explores the chief reason why flower arrangements fail. It’s all about value and I’ll show you how to get it right, every time.
Our monthly UPstream broadcast includes a fun color discussion plus short demos for key flowers.
Bouquet printables are available for download in May. Watch the livestream recording any time over the next 12 months.
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