Monday 5 April 2010

Updating Coloured Pencils

I've been updating my information site Coloured Pencils - Resources for Artists and creating separate modules for all the different manufacturers.

I cannot tell you how tired I got of manufacturers whose websites don't have absolutely basic information for a commercial website - like a page title and a page description set up within the code for the site. How on earth they ever get found on the internet is beyond me - because this is the MOST important information on any web page.

The only manufacturer which distinguished itself was Caran d'Ache which had paid attention to the detail that matters on websites.

Others didn't even have separate pages for the individual product brand names. Websites aren't expensive so this approach to marketing leaves me speechless - so I'm not telling who - but you'll be able to guess when you start to look at the new modules (on for each manufacturer)! ;)

Other information missing includes:
  • colour charts (Derwent gets full marks here for having a link on the individual page for each brand- and it gives their lightfastness assessments)
  • lightfastness ratings - there's a lot of silence on this point! I wonder why...........
The update was prompted by somebody telling me recently that Sanford had eliminated its lightfast range - and lo and behold I find a new website (with a new website address for the product information - which leaves me wondering how many other people have links pointing to a webpage which doesn't exist!) and absolutely no information about where the the 'new' lightfast pencils are or the lightfastness of any the Sanford pencil products. I think the poll on my website might provide part of the explanation.....

It also appears as if the USA is now not getting all the brands of European pencils which are available. They've not been discontinued - you've just not got them!


I am however very impressed with the Prismacolor Digital Color Coordinator which is a really useful innovation on their new website. All you have to do is choose a colour or enter a colour value to view the closest-matching Prismacolor products. If you choose a colour it gives you the CMYK and RGB profiles.

Coloured Pencils - Resources for Artists
Find out about coloured pencils. This leading resource has information for everybody from experienced artists to beginners wanting to learn all they can. Topics include
  • tips and techniques for working with coloured pencils,
  • information about coloured pencil brands and associated products (CHECK OUT the poll - find out which make of artist grade coloured pencils is the favourite.)
  • coloured pencil societies,
  • coloured pencil artists and
  • forums where you can discuss coloured pencil matters with artists working in coloured pencils


3 comments:

dougm said...

The comment that the USA isn't getting all the European colored pencils is true. Canson has the distibution rights to the Talens products but has stopped importing the colored pencil lines. I wasn't given a reason, just that they no longer imported them.

Making A Mark said...

Thanks for the comment Doug. I couldn't find any evidence of them being available but wasn't sure who had the import rights.

dougm said...

I don't know if we can influence them or not or perhaps get someone else to import them. I had written to Talens who told me who told me that Canson was the importer. If enough people ask, perhaps the will change their mind.

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...