I bought these based on reviews I had seen both on here and by artists elsewhere on the internet. I should have gotten Prismacolor, but so many people had said oil-based pencils were much smoother and didn't break as easily, so I ordered a set. Unfortunately, they were not what I was hoping for. Unlike other wax-based colored pencils, these do not seem to blend very well with one another (even with a blender pencil I specifically bought to go with oil-based pencils) and they do not have good coverage. I should be able to sketch and fill in my drawings with normal pressure and achieve smooth, even color. However, I have to press way too hard with these to even keep the paper from showing through. They do not make my drawings look professional at all. I had better results with a $6 box of Target brand colored pencils than I did with these!

Here is an example of the difference between Lyra pencils (oil-based) and Target's brand (wax-based) so you can see why I'm giving the low rating. In the photos below, the sunflower was created using Lyra's pencils and the flamingo was created using the $6 pencils from Target. I did not use any blending tools for either drawing - all blending was done solely with the colored pencils themselves. Both drawings were also done on the same type of paper (Strathmore brand) - toned and without any tooth. See the splotchy look of the Lyra pencils? No smooth transition between colors and no matter how much I go over the area or how hard I press, I cannot get an even appearance. I went over that leaf a dozen times and I can still see spots where the paper is showing. With Target's pencils, my flamingo looks velvety. The colors blend and layer with ease. That is what you want from a colored pencil. That is how your finished drawing should look.

So why bother giving two stars if I dislike them so much? Well, for one, the colors are bright and rich. Despite not laying well on paper, the colors are gorgeous, so I can't complain about that. The pencils come packaged nicely in a metal tin and their overall appearance is pleasing - natural wood with only the back ends colored to differentiate between the options. They look like pencils made for an artist rather than for a school kid. Unfortunately, they do not live up to artist expectations.
I bought these based on reviews I had seen both on here and by artists elsewhere on the internet. I should have gotten Prismacolor, but so many people had said oil-based pencils were much smoother and didn't break as easily, so I ordered a set. Unfortunately, they were not what I was hoping for. Unlike other wax-based colored pencils, these do not seem to blend very well with one another (even with a blender pencil I specifically bought to go with oil-based pencils) and they do not have good coverage. I should be able to sketch and fill in my drawings with normal pressure and achieve smooth, even color. However, I have to press way too hard with these to even keep the paper from showing through. They do not make my drawings look professional at all. I had better results with a $6 box of Target brand colored pencils than I did with these! Here is an example of the difference between Lyra pencils (oil-based) and Target's brand (wax-based) so you can see why I'm giving the low rating. In the photos below, the sunflower was created using Lyra's pencils and the flamingo was created using the $6 pencils from Target. I did not use any blending tools for either drawing - all blending was done solely with the colored pencils themselves. Both drawings were also done on the same type of paper (Strathmore brand) - toned and without any tooth. See the splotchy look of the Lyra pencils? No smooth transition between colors and no matter how much I go over the area or how hard I press, I cannot get an even appearance. I went over that leaf a dozen times and I can still see spots where the paper is showing. With Target's pencils, my flamingo looks velvety. The colors blend and layer with ease. That is what you want from a colored pencil. That is how your finished drawing should look. So why bother giving two stars if I dislike them so much? Well, for one, the colors are bright and rich. Despite not laying well on paper, the colors are gorgeous, so I can't complain about that. The pencils come packaged nicely in a metal tin and their overall appearance is pleasing - natural wood with only the back ends colored to differentiate between the options. They look like pencils made for an artist rather than for a school kid. Unfortunately, they do not live up to artist expectations.