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I am an colorist, I have been coloring all my life. I have 2 sets of the 72 ct. They are amazing and fun to use. Here is my review (well best I can do as 1...PROS:1. Smooth and Bright bold colors2. Soft core very close to Prisma3. Water Soluble (works best when dip pencil tip in water or apply water to paper first)4. Pre-sharpened in box5. Easy to sharpen6. Tips last a long time7. Well pigmented (also on black paper)8. Nicely packaged for most people9. Awesome for Layering and blendingCONS:1. There is no proper color chart and/or color names2. There should be larger sets of these pencils (Marco just came out with an 100 ct for renior for less then $60.00, just waiting for Raffine to have a larger sets)3. A few of the colors are off with the dip end of the pencils

I love to color with adult coloring books and find it chalanging to get decent color varity in and quality for a price I can afford.that being said, this set is quite varied in color. no 2 the same though there is a beautiful gradient type of thing. second the price is fantastic and the quality is comparable to crayola or better.that being said the only real issue i have with it is that the colors aren't named. the back ends have colors on them to represent the colors and numbers for that color but some really have to be colored with to really see. the box isn't preferable for display but also is easy to fix up to be.I suggest this for people who want to color for fun but want something nice to use. this is not a professional set but the price is not that of a professional set ether.

I'm reviewing this as a novice artist who has tried several brands of colored pencils. Therefore, I will be making a lot of brand comparisons (especially to my old flame, Crayola, and my new favorite, Prismacolor). I doubt that every box of Raffinés will be exactly the same quality, but here's what I got from my experience:Cons:- The wood has a strong odor (but I honestly didn't mind it/got used to it)- Lead is dusty/powdery, especially for darker colors (and some colors were flakey and would break when sharpened)- Some colors are ridiculously similar- to the point where they're almost exactly the same*- An overabundance of greens, but no proper Indigo or Tan colors*- "Metallic" Gold and Silver are sorta shiny, but not very shimmery or pigmented- Definitely not as buttery-smooth or rich in deep color as more quality pencils, like Prismacolor- They aren't very "portable" (they feel heavier than Crayolas/Prismacolors, and their boxy shape makes it cumbersome to rifle through them. I would recommend keeping them in a cup at home)- None of the colors have names* (which wouldn't be so bad- but some of the barrel colors were off when compared to the actual pencil color!)Pros:- A whole lot of colors to choose from!* (If you're stepping up from Crayola pencils, you'll be happy to see a true Lavender and Prussian Blue)- Far more pigmented than Artist's Loft pencils- I'd say they're barely above Crayola in color richness- While far from top tier, they're at least softer and less waxy than brands like Crayola (making them more blendable/layerable)- Ridiculously cheap compared to more serious art pencils (although I feel the price is justified, not just from quality but the fact that these pencils seem to get used up much more quickly)- Barrel shape prevents rolling around (great for spreading out on a desk), and (surprisingly) isn't uncomfortable to hold at all- The wood itself is of high quality- it doesn't splinter or thread when sharpenedOverall- I'd say that, if this will be the first collection of color pencils you'll ever get for artistic purposes, it's not a bad place to start. It's definitely great if you're an art student who doesn't want to be caught with Crayola, but can't afford Prismacolors. However, If you're just a hobbyist or coloring-book enthusiast, I'd say skip these because a Crayola 50-pencil Box is arguably just as good for those purposes for far less cash. And, if you're a serious artist, I'd recommend passing these and saving up to invest in higher-quality pencils like Polychromos or Prismacolor Premier.*NOTE: I have attached a Color chart I made, for your convenience :D (I've seen some online- but they're hard to find/lower-quality... Also please note that I came up with the color names myself, they are far from official or accurate. ^^; )

I'm not an artist but I love to color. It helps me relax and makes my brain feel good.I bought these because of the price and because they say they are oil based.I'm really impressed with these pencils. The colors are very vibrant and the lead is smooth, haven't found one scratchy pencil yet!I do wish they'd shade and blend a little better but for the money and what I use them for they're just fine.And they sharpen EASILY! The tip doesn't immediately break off, forcing you to go through half a pencil per page like the last set of Prismacolor pencils I bought.I'm actually done with buying Prismacolor pencils now that I've found these. I may pick up my favorite colors from open stock, but after the last set I bought (from Amazon) I'd rather not waste my money. They've gone way down in quality and the set I just purchased are more than half gone bc every time I sharpen the tips break...over and over. Doesn't matter what kind of sharpener, they just break and they're too expensive to not easily sharpen and not break constantly.I do like the Verithins, but I believe they have a harder lead than the other PC Premier pencils.

Having purchased my first adult coloring book and after much research, I settled on this Raffine box of coloring pencils. I must admit....it was a GREAT choice.This box came with a wide variety of colors. Though six (6) of them are very close in color to one another, I've decided 6 out of 72 isn't bad! They color nicely when used with both a light and heavy hand. A couple of tips have broken after sharpening, but again, a few out of 72 isn't a big deal.A few of the colors don't exactly match with the colored tips, so I suggest writing on a white piece of paper to make sure it's the color you expect.I also purchased a few Faber Castell (in singles) from my local craft store. While there is a slight difference (the Faber's have a slightly creamier feel and are a little better quality), I can't say there is such a significant difference that I'd want to pay for the more expensive Faber brand.I'm extremely happy with my purchase and highly recommend this boxed set.