Verithin Pencils are not being discontinued.
Some time ago, I heard a rumor that Prismacolor was discontinuing this product. You may have heard that rumor, too.
I didn’t think anything of the rumor at the time. My only reaction was to note that the pencils were still available through Dick Blick.
I’ve since heard through a friend and fellow artist that Prismacolor has no current plans to discontinue the Verithin line. That information comes from Prismacolor.
Eating a Little Crow
However, there’s more to the story.
You see, I mentioned the rumor in the March issue of CP Magic!. Although I said it was rumor, it seems to have triggered concern among fans of Verithin pencils. (I’ve since corrected that issue of the magazine.)
So I decided to squelch the rumor. The fastest way I could think of to do that was with this post.
I also need to apologize to all of you for including that comment in the magazine. I always try to verify the information I pass on either by personal experience or by contacting the necessary people for confirmation. If I can’t verify something, I don’t mention it.
Most of the time.
I didn’t do that this time, and that failure sheds no glory on me.
I made a mistake, and I apologize to all of you, my faithful readers.
The Good News Is….
For those of you who use Prismacolor Verithin pencils, have no fear. Prismacolor has no intention of discontinuing them.
Verithin pencils are still are available through Dick Blick and many other sources.
So if you like Verithin pencils, you can take a deep breath. The rumor I heard (and which I passed on to other without verification) is not true. These pencil will continue to be available for the foreseeable future.
In short, Prismacolor Verithin pencils are not being discontinued.
I’m a fan of Verithin colored pencils for the sharp points I can achieve. But, I worry about the lightfastness of the Verithin pencils based on the regular Prismacolor pencil fading issue you have warned us about. I normally use the Verithin pencils for defining an edge, not for filling in the body of my painting. I think my two sets of Verithins will last forever because of the limited use in my work. What do you think about counting on them in future creations? Thank you.
Patti,
Thank you for your comment. I, too, like Verithins because they hold a sharp point for so long. They’re also great for under drawings if you start with a limited palette.
I have a PDF version of the Verithin color chart. I don’t know for sure how old it is, but according to it, about half of the colors are Rated 1 (I) or 2 (II) and the other half are 3 (III) or lower. The lightfast colors are:
Lemon Yellow (I)
Canary Yellow (II)
Spanish Orange (II)
Goldenrod (II)
Pumpkin Orange (II)
Light Peach (II)
Aquamarine (II)
Grass Green (I)
Peacock Green (I)
Terra Cotta (I)
Dark Umber (I)
Dark Brown (I)
Warm Grey 20% (I)
Cool Grey 70% (II)
Black (I)
Metallic Silver (I)
Metallic Gold (I)
White (I)
In other words, mostly earth tones, black and white with a few yellows, blues and greens mixed in.
When I use Prismacolor pencils for portraits or exhibit art (things I want to sell,) I usually limit myself to colors rated I or II, but that’s an entirely personal preference.
I hope that helps you out.
I’m starting to get confused. Blick website has and continues to say, when adding the remaining stock to a cart, that the line is being discontinued. And in fact their stock has dwindled down to near nothing. I called Dick Blick yesterday and was told they are being discontinued. I called Prismacolor myself yesterday.. the answer I got there from what’s clearly an outsourced phone bank was that a decision has not yet been made. And now I’m reading your article as I research this more and you’re saying you’ve heard they will continue to be available. Apologies, I’m not frustrated with your reporting I’m just frustrated with getting a clear answer on this… these pencils have been THE most important part of my process for over a decade.
Daniel,
The best information I have comes from Prismacolor through CPSA (Colored Pencil Society of America). A person in the research department at CPSA has a direct contact with Prismacolor and that contact indicated that Prismacolor has no intention of discontinuing the Verithin line. According to that source, open stock colors are being discontinued, but Verithin pencils will continue to be available in sets.
Hi Carrie!
I was so glad to see that they are not being discontinued. I am having still having trouble finding them in bulk (for one color) and/or not in the pack with all colors. I lurk daily on Ebay and on other places to see if I can find someone’s hoard of black or dark brown. I used to be able to buy a box of twelve (12) with no problem at Utrecht/Blick or Amazon but I can only find single pencils for $5+ or have to purchased the varied pack. I am still seeing the pack of 12 white and the larger color variation pack on Amazon. Verithins are the only hard pencils I use and I regretfully haven’t bene able to find a alternative. If I no longer have access in the future, I would probably have to use the Faber Castell 9000 series (graphite). But these are just the preferences of an old timer. 😀 Thank you for the article.
Crystal,
It is going to become more and more difficult to find open stock Verithin pencils. Searching online auctions is a good idea.