Lyra is one of the oldest German stationery brands that has become a world legend since 1806. In 2008, the company joined the F.I.L.A. family, a large Italian group with the heritage dating back to 1920.
Known for high-quality products dedicated to artistic drawing, Lyra continues expanding the range of its goods. This time, I’m posting the review of the Lyra Rembrandt Polycolor colored pencils that I really like for their unique characteristics and unsurpassed application.
Best Lyra Rembrandt Polycolor Colored Pencils
This collection of pencils is available in various sets. Regardless of the number of media in each set, all of them come in solid packaging that prevents them from accidental breakage. The kit can be chosen depending on the individual requirements of each artist.
| Review | Name | Box | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lyra Rembrandt Polycolor Set of 100 Colored Pencils View Details | Wooden | 9.9 |
| Lyra Rembrandt Polycolor Set of 72 Pencils View Details | Metal | 9.8 |
| Lyra Rembrandt Polycolor Set of 36 Pencils View Details | Metal | 9.7 |
| Lyra Rembrandt Polycolor Set of 24 Pencils View Details | Metal | 9.6 |
| Lyra Rembrandt Polycolor Set of 12 Pencils View Details | Metal | 9.5 |
Features of Lyra Rembrandt Polycolor Colored Pencils
The Rembrandt Polycolor pencils from Lyra are premium drawing tools designed for professional artists, architects, and designers but also suitable for newbies. They feature a plain wood grain barrel with one side indicating the LYRA logo and the pencil brand in black print. The bar code, the pigment name written in English and German, and a seven-digit color number run along the opposite side of the round barrel. The end of each pencil is capped with a color identifier, which is one inch long. The hue identifier makes the color selection visually easy.
The pencils seem very slim in the hand with a barrel being 7.4 mm. The pigment core is 4 mm, which is quite impressive in relation to the size of the barrel.
These coloring instruments are oil-based. They come with a lower price tag than those offered by some world-known brands, but they compete in the drawing quality and are almost equal in color intensity and vividness to more expensive pencil sets.
The media can be used on cardboard and paper but also applied to wood, textiles, and synthetic materials. They are good for drawing, coloring, and sketching designs. The pencils are water-resistant.
The Rembrandt Polycolors sharpen well and hold a sharpened point for a long time. Since the pencils come with a thin layer of a wooden barrel, the best way to sharpen them is using a hand-held sharpener. The electric device will eat up a soft core very quickly.
Some artists like to draw on dark paper and may be interested in how opaque or translucent the Rembrandt Polycolors are. These indications denote if a pigment is opaque/translucent when applied on a dark surface and if a black background shows through. The test with these media showed that some colors are really opaque (like blue and white), while red and yellow are quite translucent.
Talking about the lightfast rating, the drawing tools under discussion сome with a quite good ratio. The largest set of colored pencils includes 72 colors with 47 of them having 3 stars (extremely good lightfastness), 21 tools having 2 stars (good lightfastness), and 4 pencils having 1 star (satisfying lightfastness).
Color Chart
The Lyra Rembrandt Polycolor pencils are available in 12, 24, 36, and 72-color sets. The set of 100 pieces comes with 68 colored pencils, 22 regular Rembrandt pencils for drawing, and 10 writing tools of gray shades.
Each set includes a color swatch. A great bonus of these media is that they are also available in an open stock format. You can purchase any individual color if it runs out.
The brand has also launched a set of 12 gray Polycolor pencils, and that was a welcomed addition.
In open stock, the brand offers 78 colors. They include 72 colors available in the largest set plus 6 gray colors (actually, the gray set contains 12 gray hues, but 6 of them are already present in a 72-pencil set).
Design of Packaging
Smaller sets come in metal tins that are quite durable. The tins have grooved shells to accommodate the media. The largest set (a total of 105 pieces) comes in a luxury wooden box and includes extra accessories: a sharpening knife, a kneadable eraser, paper wipes, and a sandpaper block.
The quality of the storage boxes for the tools offered by the company is considered above average. This is great because a solid container will keep the media safe without being broken.
In addition, each tin arrives in a cardboard sleeve that prevents the box from scratching and being bent during transportation. The sleeve features artwork, which is very attractive. On the backside of the sleeve, there is a color chart and lightfast information, which is very helpful.
Quality of Drawing and Durability
The pencil lead is very smooth and feels like butter while drawing. It allows users to draw fine strokes, color large areas, and achieve delicate merges. The media are good at layering. Dark pigments are rich and deep. The blending techniques also look fantastic. Mixing various shades, you can achieve gorgeous colors. In addition, larger collections come with Lyra blending pencils. If you own a smaller set, you can use any blender.
On rough and thick paper, the pencils require higher application pressure. In fact, this issue is typical for most oil-based writing tools. As the core is too creamy, it is too soft and may cause tip breaking.
Pros and Cons
Despite the fact that these pencils have multiple advantages over coloring media from other brands, there are some points that users want to change or improve in them. This list will help you decide if you can put up with these minuses.
- The pencils can be bought separately
- Can be used on various materials aside from paper
- Lightfast and water-resistant
- Come in a variety of assorted colors
- Solid packaging
- Made of certified cedar wood from sustainably managed forests
- A moderate price tag
- People with hand/wrist problems or arthritis may have a problem sharpening the pencils with a manual sharpener
- The application is a bit scratchy
- The media may require applying more pressure while coloring
- The pencil tips are prone to breakage and require more frequent sharpening
The most reliable way is to visit the official website of the manufacturer and order the required pencil collection directly from the company.
Also, Amazon and eBay are huge traders that provide convenient services and may attract buyers by offering lower prices. Naturally, large online stores that sell art supplies and materials have multiple offerings for any artist. The most popular ones are Blick Art Materials, Hobby Lobby, Michaels, Office Depot, etc.
Sum Up
If you haven’t tested oil-based colored pencils, this Lyra collection is a worthy candidate to try. You’ll get an exceptional drawing experience and great color output that cannot be compared to the application offered by regular or wax-based media. A big bonus of acquiring these tools is their price that is lower in comparison with price tags from other stationery giants. These drawing instruments are affordable for entry-level artists but can also be used by professionals thanks to their high lightfast rating. Due to gorgeous packaging, any of these sets can be a wonderful gift idea.
References
- Lyra Rembrandt Polycolor Set | FILA– https://www.fila.it/
- Lyra Rembrandt Polycolor Review Renewed (Video) – https://www.youtube.com/