Today I’m going to test my hypothesis that an “art pencil” that you write with is a writing pencil. The Prismacolor Turquoise, a pencil widely known in the sketching community but rarely seen in the hands of a writer, is today’s review subject. Let’s take a look at both the HB and the 2B grades; the ones likely to be most relevant to writers.

The very first thing I noticed about the Prismacolor Turquoise pencil is how damn good it looks. The barrels are finished in (you guessed it!) a silky turquoise lacquer that really pops on the shelf against all of the black or nearly-black paint jobs surrounding it in the high-end pencil section. I was debating about which of the usual suspects to pick up for my next review when the Turquoise caught my eye the next shelf down. It had me thinking, “whoa, what’s that?” Closer inspection revealed an impeccable silver imprint with the usual information (brand, model, grade and such). There are some perceptible tool marks near the top ends of the barrels but it’s not really a turn-off. And to top it all off — literally — this pencil features neither an eraser tip nor a dipped end, but a unique aluminum cap with a single red stripe. A very smart, attractive look indeed.

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