Polycolors, Polychromos, Luminance, Procolour, Prismacolor Verithins

"Sprouting"
Polycolors on 30.5x22.9cm
Dawler Rowney Lyndhurst Double Sided High White Smooth Cartridge Paper

Now and then I get back into colored pencil drawing and have to put aside the oil paints. I think it was the recent USK event that got me started this time (my USK sketch). Koh-I-Noor's Polycolors are my go-to sketching pencils. Not only do they produce strong colors but they are less expensive, lighter to carry around and don't slip out of my hands.

I also have a nearly-complete set of Faber Castell's Polychromos. In fact, both these colored pencils suit my drawing technique. My only gripe with the Polychromos is that they are round-barrelled which means I tend to drop them if I'm not careful. That's why I prefer keeping them on a table in the studio. This morning I read a good review of the Polychromos: http://www.theartgearguide.com/home/faber-castell-polychromos

Then, last week, I  ran across Caran d'Ache's Luminance exhibit at a local art shop. They were advertised as extremely lightfast so I tried them out on the nearby pad of black paper -- wow, that convinced me! They are even pricier than FCs but I had to get a few. Reviewers agree that they "pop out": Luminance Review  

"Moving the plants indoors"
Polycolors, Luminance, Prismacolor Verithins and Procolour on 30.5x22.9cm Dawler Rowney Lyndhurst Double Sided High White Smooth Cartridge Paper

I used to be reluctant to mix different pencil brands but in the above drawing I found that the delicate lines of Verithins, strong colors of Luminance, and a blue indigo Procolour pencil, work well with my Polycolors.

There are so many colored pencils on the market that it's difficult to wade through all the reviews and decide what to buy. We can only experiment and find our own preferences.