Colored pencils can be called a strategic item in the arsenal of stationery supplies. They are always needed. By everyone. And in large quantities. These "magic wands" (besides occasionally rolling behind dressers, getting lost, and substituting for a hairpin in the office) are capable of transferring the brightest artistic fantasies onto a blank sheet of paper. In a child's worldview, pencils are endowed with a mysterious, magical aura, as new colorful sets are often found under the Christmas tree, and sometimes they can be exchanged for a baby tooth with the Tooth Fairy. A new set of pencils is never superfluous. For school or as a gift for any holiday, pencils are something that boys and girls, toddlers and teenagers all need. The only thing left is not to get lost in the variety of choices and buy a quality product. But this may not be as simple as it seems at first glance.
What do all pencils have in common?
Shape. They all look roughly the same. "A pencil is a pencil," thinks an thrifty adult, choosing the cheapest option. And it is at this point that the magic can disappear, the carriage can turn into a pumpkin, and the prospect of drawing bright illustrations can turn into nervous scratching of an album sheet with a dull lead. Let's rewind the tape and tell you how to choose colored pencils correctly. After all, price is far from the first parameter you need to pay attention to.
To buy really good drawing pencils, pay attention to this:
Pencil softness
Despite the vibrant decor of all wrappers without exception, not all pencils can transfer rich color onto paper. Familiarize yourself with the lead's softness marking, or try to draw a bright line without pressing hard on the pencil. If the softness is good, put the first checkmark on your successful purchase checklist.
Quality of coloring pigments
As they say, not by softness alone... Bright and even lines can only be created by quality pencils with a high concentration of pigment. Here, to avoid making a mistake, it's worth paying attention to the manufacturer. Kite colored pencils are the brand's pride: high-quality materials are reflected in the richness and good color blending (where one pencil can create different shades from light to dark by simply changing the pressure).
Wood
So, the "soul" of the pencil is beautiful – the core is pigmented, moderately soft, but is that enough? For a good pencil, appearance matters too. Don't be afraid to be picky and "judge by the cover" here; it's appropriate. The wood determines how long the pencil will last and how easy it will be to sharpen. With good quality material, the pencil will sharpen easily, without chips or nicks. If the manufacturer didn't pay due attention to the wooden casing, then every sharpening risks cracks and breaks. As a result of such "torture" by the sharpener, the pencil will quickly wear down, or may even break into splinters. Therefore, it's better to immediately choose Kite pencils, which use quality materials for both the lead and its casing.
The coating of the pencil body is not only decorative. Besides indicating the color of the lead, the paint protects the wood from drying out and extends the product's lifespan. But what if a child occasionally bites pencils? In the case of poor-quality goods, this can harm health. Kite developers anticipated this too - the wood of Kite pencils is coated with a safe water-based varnish.
Lead thickness
Here it's like with pastries. Sometimes you have to eat half of it to get to the coveted filling. The same goes for pencils – some poor-quality specimens have a very thin core that not only breaks quickly but is also difficult to free from the wood when sharpening. Conclusion: the larger the diameter of the lead, the longer the pencil will last.
Lead gluing is something we don't even think about, but often encounter in real life. Imagine: a pencil falls on the floor (which happens quite often, especially with children) and the core falls out. Or during sharpening, a part of the lead "pops out," leaving an empty and lifeless wooden body in your hands. Sound familiar? This happens with pencils whose lead is poorly glued. Kite pays attention to details and ensures quality gluing of the lead along the entire length of the product.
These are the main "pillars" upon which the prospect of a successful pencil purchase rests. Further on, it's a matter of your preferences: the number of colors, packaging design, shape. And remember: Kite stationery stands guard to ensure that you and your children get only pleasure from drawing.
