I finally have enough Crayola Color Sticks to use with a whole class*. I tested them at a KAEA conference a couple years ago and decided to give them a shot. The students really like them so far and I'm pretty impressed too. I wanted to make sure they were really a good value so I decided to be a little scientific and compare them head to head with Crayola Colored Pencils.
*Last year I didn't notice that a class pack only has 10 of each color so there were not enough for a whole class.
I applied even pressure for both supplies and only put down one layer of color. You can see that the layers of color look almost identical. The students seem to be able to get richer color with the color sticks than the colored pencils. They must be easier for little hands to regulate. Of course, I'm not suggesting we get rid of colored pencils. There are certainly times when colored pencils would be the better choice. For example, when trying to color in small, precise spaces.
The box boasts "Create think lines & broad strokes" and that works to a certain extent- use the flat side for broad strokes and an edge for thin lines, but once the corners get worn down a little bit, the edges don't work easily, at least for me and my students. I tried using them color sticks on a mandala and found that I was having a hard time getting into small spaces. If I was having a hard time, then the students definitely would have. It would take some getting used to. I'm actually planning to let the students use color sticks and colored pencils together on our next project. It will save them time sharpening when they only need colored pencils for small spaces and when they need different colors.
So up next, a Pros and Cons list for Color Sticks.
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Pros
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Cons
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Better value- lasts 4x longer
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Bigger upfront investment
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Rich color
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Not as many color choices
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Bold, broad strokes
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Harder to get into little spaces
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No sharpening required- less wasted time and materials
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Blends well
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Seems sturdy
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Pentagonal shape doesn’t roll off tables
easily
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And now, the final comparison- PRICE!
At first, the Color Sticks appear to be much more expensive, and they are. But I will argue that they save money in the long run.
*Prices from Sax.
Crayola Colored Pencil Classpack- 12 color set, Pack of 240
$37.99
Crayola Color Sticks- 12 color set, Pack of 120
$59.87
To get the equivalent number of pieces, two boxes of Color Sticks are $119.74
But don't give up on them yet! Since Color Sticks last 4 times longer, here is how the prices really come out.
Crayola Color Sticks $119.74
Crayola Colored Pencils $37.99 x 4= $151.96
If you have room in your budget to invest in some Color Sticks, I recommend them!
