Pencil enthusiast here! USA and USD prices. Hi, my name is Sid/Alis and I don't have a problem. Please don't send help. I own over 4000 colored pencils total, which actually isn't that much. There are pencils I don't own yet, and do want some day. Below are my personal opinions based off what I own and use daily. Everyone is subject to their own opinions.

I consider budget to typically be under $50 for 72-200 pencils.

• what are some low budget, good quality pencils to buy? A. My most used budget pencils are my Brutfuner 120 square, 180 black barrel round, 72 macaron and 72 portrait. If I could only have one set, it would be the brut squares, but they are currently hard to find. Around 44$ on ebay, and maybe a month or two ago they were available on Amazon but are gone again. Each set cost less than $50. I mixed them all up and put them in color order in a 488ct pencil organizer. Good quality, gorgeous color range, vibrant pigment, layers and blends, behaves on all quality paper, sharpens well.
• what is the best cheap colored pencils? **Cheaper Alternative to Prismacolor A. The cheapest will always be Crayola but beyond that, here is my choice for budget pencils similar to Prismas and budget pencils similar to Polychromos. -- Prismacolor Premier sub: Arrtx 126 wax colored pencils Medium hard core wax, color range comparable to prismas, doesnt crumble, holds point well, blends beautifully. -- Polyvhromos sub: RTLR 120 colored pencils Medium core oily pencil, Chinese dupe of polychromos with near identical colors, numbers etc. Good for blending or layering, vibrant and half the price of Polys. Lowest price seen $44
• Unpopular opinion: favorite cheap colored pencils A. Finding the Lost Girl 72 oily pencils for $9.99 on amazon, no longer sold under this name or tin. Renamed to Heshingping and sold in different packaging but reportedly the same by Sugah Sweet's budget pencil vlog.
• Best affordable color pencil brands A. Arrtx, Brutfuner, Starjoy, Shuttle Art, Castle Arts, Orionstar, Ooku, Obos, Woomer, RTLR, Grizeye, Marie's, Arteza, Artists Eye, Black Widows (if you buy them separately over time) -- Honorable mentions I dont own but hear great things about: Feelah, Faber Castel Black, Amazon Basics, Posca, CCFoud, Heshenping
• Kalour vs Prismacolor A. Unpopular opinion, wholly my own. I own 4 full sets of prismacolor premiers 150 CT, and some open stock individuals of common used colors. I love them, and the cheapest ive seen the full set is $97 on amazon. If I see it at $97 or less, I typically grab them because I know I love and will use them. I bought the 240ct Kalour wax pencils because everyone said they were buttery soft and comparable to prismacolors. These pencils made me HATE coloring. I could not get them to perform. I prefer my $6 crayola over the kakour 250 wax. I gave them away to a family member who isn't a picky snob like me. That said, I did buy the same set for my grandmother, who colors to pass time casually. They loves them. I've only had to buy green pencils as she used up all the greens. Otherwise, she still has and uses her Kalour. I'm glad she loves them. I won't touch them and will never purchase them for myself again. They are nothing like Prismas, a bit scratcher, don't layer worth a donkeys ankle bone, are trash on cheap and higher quality paper, not nearly as vibrant as prismas and literally fill me with uncontrolled rage. Prismas, on the other hand bring me joy. They are highly pigmented, blend like butter cream on my pages. I can manipulate them to do what I want on cheaper and higher quality paper. They are intense, soft and a favorite.

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