Prang Art Supplies – Who Knew They Could Be So Different?

Disclosure:  I received the products below to review in exchange for sharing my honest opinion.

Now that my kids are really using art and school supplies, I have started to notice that there really is a difference amongst the different products.  You do get what you pay for in some of these cases.  Dixon Ticonderoga is a company well-known for their yellow No. 2 pencils, but they also carry Prang art supply products.  I got the chance to check out a bunch of Prang art supplies and their competitors and there was definitely a difference.  Not that their is anything wrong with the competitors products, but the Prang supplies were just better and nicer to use.

I tried out:

• Prang Oval Pan Watercolors ($2.47)
• Prang Art Markers Classic ($4.99)
• Prang Triangular Colored Pencils ($5.47)
• Ticonderoga 30 count pre-sharpened pencils ($7.99)

And here are the competitor products I tried:

Now first off I noticed that the prices of the Prang products were a little higher than what I’m used to paying, but let me tell you they are worth it!  I am especailly in love with the Prang Art Markers.  If your child leaves the cap off the marker (which we have capless markers all over my house) you don’t have to worry about the markers drying out for 24 hours!  I actually tested these theory (okay honestly I found a marker later) and two days later the capless marker still worked perfectly!  I cannot tell you how many markers I have thrown away because an hour or few hours later it was dried out already.  Totally worth the $5 to me to have markers that won’t dry out right away!

Awesomeness!

Ventilated caps:

Watercolors were next on my list to try.  The Prang Oval Pan Watercolors come in a hard clamshell case that is so durable you can actually buy the refill paints to replace your used ones.  These watercolors actually showed colors, while others we tried just were watery and very lightly colored.  I really though appreciated the hard case that fits the paint and paintbrush nicely inside.

I never really thought about triangular pencils, but what a great idea!  The Prang Triangular Colored Pencils allows kids to grasp the pencil correctly and won’t roll away from them!  The tips come pre-sharpened and they are thicker so they draw and color nicer.  I actually prefer colored pencils over crayons and these ones do glide nicely on the paper leaving a perfect colored trail.

Finally I tested out the Ticonderoga 30 count pre-sharpened pencils.  Now I had no clue that pencils could vary with their quality, but after my son going through five store-brand pencils in one night, I was fed up.  I couldn’t even sharpen the competitor pencils right, they just kept breaking!  First off the Ticonderoga pencils come pre-sharpened, yeah for not searching for a pencil sharpener!  Next their is the softness of them, they are crafted from premium wood and just easier to hold that others.  The eraser is latex-free, perfect for those with allergies and the satin finish contains Microban® anti-microbial protection to inhibit the growth of odor and stain causing bacteria on the pencil.  I can definitely see why the Ticonderoga is the world’s best pencil.  Amazing!  I will no longer be buying cheap pencils!  No more breaking or splitting pencils!

Stupid competitor pencils that kept breaking:

BUY IT:  Look for Ticonderoga and Prang products at your local retailer or learn more on their website.