The most common ways to sort Prismacolor pencils are by Color and by Numbering. These methods help artists organize their sets for easy access and efficient workflow.
Popular Methods for Sorting Prismacolor Pencils
Organizing colored pencils, especially a large set of Prismacolors, is crucial for finding the right shade quickly and maintaining your tools. The method you choose often depends on your personal preference and how you use your pencils. As mentioned in resources discussing organizing colored pencils, two primary approaches stand out: sorting by color family and sorting by the unique numbers printed on each pencil.
1. Sorting by Color
Sorting by color is perhaps the most intuitive method for many artists. This involves arranging pencils into groups based on their hue.
- How it works: You gather all reds together, all blues, greens, yellows, etc. Within each color family, you can then arrange them by shade, typically from lightest to darkest.
- Advantages:
- Visual: Easy to see the range of colors you have.
- Intuitive: Matches how artists often think about selecting colors.
- Flexible: Works well regardless of the set size.
- Practical Tips:
- Start by separating broad categories (red, blue, green, yellow, orange, purple, brown, gray, black, white).
- Then, within each category, arrange by lightness/darkness or warmth/coolness.
- Consider using color charts you create yourself to see how the colors layer and blend.
2. Sorting by Numbering
Prismacolor pencils have unique names and numbers printed on their barrels. Sorting by number means arranging the pencils sequentially according to these numbers.
- How it works: Each pencil has a specific number (e.g., PC 901, PC 1096). You arrange the pencils from the lowest number to the highest number.
- Advantages:
- Matches Manufacturer Set: Keeps the pencils in the order they might come in the original packaging or match a printed color chart from the manufacturer.
- Easy Replacement: If you need to replace a specific color, finding its number is easy, and sorting by number makes it simple to place the new pencil back in the correct spot.
- Consistency: Provides a rigid, objective sorting system.
- Practical Tips:
- Refer to a printed Prismacolor color chart that includes numbers if available.
- Be mindful that some older or discontinued colors might have numbers that don't fit perfectly into a current numerical sequence if you have a mixed set.
Summary Table of Sorting Methods
Method | Description | Primary Benefit | Best For |
---|---|---|---|
Color | Arrange by hue (reds, blues, greens, etc.) | Visual color selection | Artists who choose colors based on visual need |
Numbering | Arrange by the unique number on the pencil | Matching sets & easy replacement | Artists who use color charts or need rigid order |
Both Color and Numbering are effective methods discussed for organizing colored pencils like Prismacolors, offering different benefits depending on your artistic process.