Derwent or Faber-Castell Albrecht Durer Watercolour and Artist's pencils - 120 in a Wooden Box

Miss Dior on 30/12/2015 - 13:13

I need pencils, specifically the good varieties that artists use. I've searched high and low for a good bargain price since before Christmas but so far no luck. I'm looking for:

● Watercolour pencils first, then Artists pencils when the bank balance recovers.
● Either Derwent or Faber-Castell Albrecht Durer pencils in a wooden box.
● Complete set of 120 if Faber-Castell AD or Derwent Artists; Complete set of 72 if Derwent Watercolour.

I'm looking for a good wooden boxed set which will form the basis of a collection and permits refills as needed.

Suggestions please for where I can buy these at bargain prices, if indeed they ever come close to bargain prices? Is there a better time of year to purchase than New Year/Back to Study? I've found cheaper smaller sets or tinned sets but I'm looking for the full set in the wooden boxes.

Also personal experience with the pencils would be helpful. Has anyone preferred one brand over another for any particular reason? They will be used by someone with smaller feminine hands and fine fingers so larger pencils are less comfortable.

Thank you in advance for all assistance offered. I'm exhausted from looking for these.

Find Me A Bargain

Comments

  • spackbace on 30/12/2015 - 13:21
    +1

    I've searched high and low for a good bargain price since before Christmas but so far no luck.

    Might be useful to state where you've looked, what you consider to be a 'bargain price' etc. People could go on the hunt but it might be the prices you've already found.

    • Miss Dior on 30/12/2015 - 15:13

      Thank you. Tried lots of online searches, Eckersleys, Office works, Big W, smaller art shops. Found part of sets at buyinvite and ozsale but not the full sets and it was unclear in the specs whether it was Albrecht Durer. Even so, they sold out immediately. The full sets of 120 are over $300 and some up in the $500 bracket so below $250 is bargain price, and below $300 is cheap if it is boxed. It does vary a bit on the brand and which pencil set as well as which shop. So far Eckersleys had them cheaper but were out of stock, still not a bargain though, and most of them were lower numbers of pencils, not the full colour range. Thanks again.

  • jimbobaus on 30/12/2015 - 13:25
    +1

    I know we got a set of the Derwent Water colour at Costco about 6m ago
    We were with an artist who uses them i dont remember the price but our friend bought 3 sets lol.. cause he said they were super cheap

    This reply is probably of no help to you to be honest.

    • Miss Dior on 30/12/2015 - 15:17

      Actually this is a help. I have a Costco within range of where I am so I will walk in and take a look. It would make it worthwhile to become a member. On the other hand, I have a friend who is a member so if I find the pencils they will be able to pick them up for me. Costco may bring them in again for Back to school/study/work. Thank you.

      • PVA on 11/01/2016 - 23:11

        Thought you can only go in the store if you are a member, you cant just wander around first and look.

        • Miss Dior on 11/01/2016 - 23:14

          I do have a friend who is a member and also a neighbour so not really a big issue for me. I just haven't had the opportunity to get there yet so can't answer this with certainty.

        • PVA on 11/01/2016 - 23:21
          +1

          @Miss Dior:

          fair enough.

          My son was doing fashion design study last year - lots of drawing, a lot was with watercolour type pens (kinda like felt pens). We went to an art store and the helpful staff member explained what was good and bad of each brand they sold - some brands dont blend well with other brands, some bleed more on certain paper. ended up with Copic brand - these arent pencils though but great watercolour pens.
          It really is worth while going to maybe a smaller store and asking and let them guide you.
          The biggest recommendation was to not buy big sets of colours, you are much better to buy just the colours you want when you need them.

          we bought from here, not online but in store http://www.musgraveart.com.au/

        • Miss Dior on 11/01/2016 - 23:59
          +1

          @PVA:

          Thanks for that. Interesting. Not one of the stores I had come across online so a good find. You are probably right about the big sets, especially when a student. I would have loved to have studied what your son is. Instead I studied many, many other things, from business to teaching and even dressmaking. One day I may get the opportunity to study product design which is more my interest these days. The rag trade is a hard industry. A contact has just closed his doors and handed the online part of his business to his son after decades as one of Australia's top country menswear lines. Manufacturing involves so much overseas travel since the Government put an end to most of it in Australia and the big department stores hold all the cards in negotiating contracts.

          As someone much older than your son I suspect, I am in a different position and tend to dabble with my hobbies as well as liking things in convenient sets so I think that will work for me. At your son's stage he will be having fun trying so many different mediums and tools before finding his favourites. I will be looking out for the Copic pens when next I am in store. I wish your son a great career. Let me know when he lands a job or goes out on his own and I will keep a look out for his work. Thanks again for the advice.

        • PVA on 12/01/2016 - 09:55

          @Miss Dior:
          Thanks for the kind words.
          That was last year and a17 year old changes minds often. The course ended up too hard, a lot of work on top of school studies. There was also a lot of prac work too. And most students were mid 20s and older. He liked it but was overwhelmed with the amount of work involved. He did get to do modelling at a few shows too so loved the variety.
          Sounds like it would be ideal for you. Cert 4 in fashion design and technology. Or a diploma if you want.
          He may go back and do the other half but this year it's school, year 12 plus a traineeship at a big hotel plus a social life makes a busy boy.

          Back to pens. Just buy a couple of comic pens and see how you like them, there's hundreds of colours plus outline pens and blending pens.

  • snc07 on 31/12/2015 - 00:27
    +1

    Costco had artist 72 pack for $58.99 as I bought 2 packs also

    • Miss Dior on 31/12/2015 - 00:54

      Thank you. I will go and look. Didn't realise Costco did this sort of item. It is very hard to get the wooden boxed ones. It seems they sell out quickly the moment they become available.

  • babylon on 03/01/2016 - 09:34
    +1

    Has anyone preferred one brand over another for any particular reason?

    My colour pencil of choice has always been Prismacolor. But I have never seen it sold out of artist supply stores. I've found that a lot of the school student set type pencils, like Derwent, have been tough and chalky and unpigmented to use, especially the students watercolour pencil series which you had to scrape to get any colour on the paper. Prismacolour is a supersoft and blendable pencil, almost crayon-y, if you prefer that. It requires a lot of control not to go too dark too quickly so there's a bit of learning curve.

    • Miss Dior on 11/01/2016 - 23:08

      Thank you. Sorry I am late in replying… a rather busy Christmas period has worn me down. I think this may be a bit too much of a learning curve at this point in time, but definitely something to keep in mind for further down the track. Thank you for the suggestion. It will be another thing for me to look for in the art shops when I head to Sydney. May need to test run these at the shop so as not to expend money needlessly. Thanks again.

  • [Deactivated] on 06/01/2016 - 07:41
    +1

    Early and arty New Year resolution, or were these intended as a gift, Miss Dior?

    Are you maybe getting in on the 'Adult/Mindfulness Colouring-in Book' craze? Quite the phenomenon, or so I gather.

    Absent that, can we expect a photo of a drawing of an Eastern Rosella, atop Kelpie Dior's head, linked in this thread? I'd like to see that.

    Maybe you intend to get even more adventurous with your new pencils?

    https://www.instagram.com/p/_l0i4llxfR/
    https://www.instagram.com/p/_7Co3-s9B-/

    Some other and inspirational links in the description of that second photo.

    Maybe with more urgency, I think that Jar Jar Binks may well commission you for something arty…
    He appears to be avatar-less at the moment and certainly must be feeling a little bit naked (and afraid) without his Spiderman suit. :-(

  • Miss Dior on 11/01/2016 - 23:39
    +1

    Hi Tas, Nice to hear from you. It has been an intense few months and I am not keeping up with Ozbargain other than a "look see". Hope you are well and enjoying an extended Christmas/New Year break.

    No not a New Year's resolution, nor the mindfulness craze. Not even sure if it's a gift yet. I finally got some time last year to spend on some of my creative pursuits and art was one of them. Thought that the time of year for sales was a good as any to go looking for pencils. If I get more time this year, and I plan to, then I would use them myself and if they rested too long and became clutter then I have several people who would value them if they became a gift.

    As for drawing Rosellas, perhaps not. I'm more inclined towards other images when exercising my own "creativity" and I use the word loosely. Now, to Kelpie, who is not too happy with me at the moment because I scolded him after he very cleverly managed to remove himself from a number of new collars while tethered, then focused his energy on destroying them. I finally caught him in the act and gave him what for. He is deciding whether to test my limits or whether to trust me again. He really isn't sure which. Either way I would appreciate him ceasing with his digging and other pursuits playing chain games with his tether in the early hours of the morning since he is breaking my much needed rest. He spent today sleeping inside in our ridiculous heat so if I make it to sleep tonight it may not be for long (another deadline looms) since he is all rested up for another session. If I can get him to sit still for long enough to sketch a bit then yes there may be an artwork of him if inspiration strikes.

    It would be fun to draw something with those pencils for JJB, but since I know little about Sci-Fi (?) and comic book characters he may not appreciate what my inspiration conjures up. Given some of his posts I am not sure he would be afraid in that circumstance. In fact, it's probably a circumstance he is familiar with… being caught naked and without his Spiderman suit. Speaking of JJB I haven't seen Wiki around here (now there would be a pretty portrait I expect)… where has she disappeared to? Not Mauritius I hope.

    • [Deactivated] on 12/01/2016 - 15:38

      Hello Miss Dior,

      Mercifully, I lack any current knowledge relating to the activities of the Melbourne for-the-moment pair. I would imagine that Mauritius still beckons for the former-ozbargaining-wiki, one. I am aware that JJB's cat, Darthie, left him to live with another man - some conflict at home and the provision of crap-quality catnip, likely to blame. Maybe those things have now changed. I do not know.

      Kelpie Dior appears to be denying you any moments of quiet, calm, repose. Colouring-in books aside, you may actually be a very suitable candidate for some of that proper 'Mindfulness Meditation'. If the meditation doesn't work, show Kelpie Dior this photo. Threaten him with similar gymnastic training - designed to expel his energy - if he doesn't otherwise behave for you. He is clearly being particularly naughty at the moment.

      I tend not to follow the 'shoutout' pages on Instagram, as most start to spam with multiple posts, every single day, but if you scan through some of the ones linked in the second photo in the comment above, you will see some Sci-Fi-style stuff to maybe inspire. Also, various-style graphic novels have become (remain) a huge thing. Plenty of reviews via 'booktubers' on Youtube, if you're looking for some inspiration there, first.

      If you would like your Sci-Fi-drawing stuff to be less 'dark', as tends, and 'bright and shiny', instead, maybe take some inspiration from this Kiwi girl's pencil-drawing talent: https://www.instagram.com/colour_me_creative She's become a little bit 'famoose' on Instagram, and with good reason.

      Or just come up with some stuff, yourself - always the happier path.

      All the best. (Not to you, Kelpie Dior. Bad Dog!)

    • [Deactivated] on 18/01/2016 - 17:12

      A 'crap-quality catnip' tongue-twister can only amuse me (Jar Jar, presumably not at all) for so long, Miss Dior.

      Did Kelpie's behaviour improve, or have you gone with the tucker-him-out gymnastics training as suggested? Update, please.

      If latter by anticipated necessity, is his level of proficiency now here, or is there still a ways to go?

      Thanks. Enquiring minds.. Specifically, mine. Woof.

  • chinezejew on 22/05/2016 - 16:26

    Officework Pricematched polychromos 120 boxed set for me.

    345 x 0.95 = $327.50
    Had a few gift cards too

  • O O on 23/06/2016 - 17:13

    I just wonder if you're still looking for artist grade watercolour pencils. Here are the sets you're looking for

    Faber-Castell Artists' Watercolour Pencils 120-Pack Wooden Box Set $229.99 + $9.95 devlivery
    Derwent Artist Pencils 120-Piece Wooden Box Set $249 + $9.95 delivery

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