Is there something special about the LYRA pencils?

[sophi4ka]

I keep seeing the LYRA brand crayons and pencils on many natural toys/waldorf style websites.
Is there something special about them?
Are they any better then regular Cryola ones?
They cost so much more, so I wonder...

[Madame Pomfrey]

You'll notice the difference immediately. The Lyra and Stockmeyer pencils use natural color pigments and waxes (like beeswax) surrounded by a wood casing. Some of their art pencils are true artist quality. The triangular shaped barrels and thickness on some of their pencils are great for small hands & early writing/drawing.

They do last longer than crayolas which IMHO makes them worth the expense.

[LilyGrace]

Very worth it. My Lyra Ferbys have been dropped, thrown, used to play soldiers...after two years they still look amazing. The chunkiness and triangular grip makes it easy for the littles to use when they come over and the color is bright and bold for my 5th grader's works. They don't break in the pencil sharpener, either, which is a huge plus. $10 for a set, but they've replaced the cheap Crayolas many times over.

[SageR]

We're not crazy about our Stockmar crayons (but then, they don't like any crayons) but our Lyra pencils are wonderful! I agree with what pp's have said. Even though they are more $$ up front I think they are a good deal because they last so long and can be used by all ages - my 8 year old, 4 year old, and even the 18 mo old use them.

[LauraLoo]

Please - where is the best place to get Lyra pencils? I should get some asap.

[Lillian J]

Originally Posted by sophi4ka

I keep seeing the LYRA brand crayons and pencils on many natural toys/waldorf style websites.
Is there something special about them?
Are they any better then regular Cryola ones?
They cost so much more, so I wonder...

YES ! There is very much "something special about them"! They're waxy and gorgeous - they enhance anything you do with them. We used them for everything! I'm talking about the fat ones and the Ferbies - not the thinner ones used for art. Get some - you won't be sorry. Lillian

[Lillian J]

Originally Posted by LauraLoo

Please - where is the best place to get Lyra pencils? I should get some asap.

Here's a good source - Waldorf Supplies - but remember that you want the big fat ones or the Ferbies. Lillian

[phroggies]

Originally Posted by Lillian J

I'm talking about the fat ones and the Ferbies - not the thinner ones used for art. Lillian

Sorry to jump in on the thread, but is something wrong with the thinner art ones? I was going to get some as an x-mas present for a kid who has had bad luck with Crayola's, etc. breaking. Would the art ones be okay?

[Jen+2monkeys]

Originally Posted by LauraLoo

Please - where is the best place to get Lyra pencils? I should get some asap.

I have actually found Magic Cabin to have the best prices for the set of 12.

Palumba also has an okay price. This is also a set of 12. This is where I got ours. They are a Christmas gift, but I briefly tried a couple when we got them and they are amazing!

[lynsage]

Lyra also makes a set of twelve skin tone pencils which are great and open up a lot of choices besides peach and brown for coloring/drawing all different kinds of people.

[sophi4ka]

Wow! I didn't expect so many rave reviews. I guess those pencils are special

[Lillian J]

Originally Posted by phroggies

Sorry to jump in on the thread, but is something wrong with the thinner art ones? I was going to get some as an x-mas present for a kid who has had bad luck with Crayola's, etc. breaking. Would the art ones be okay?

Nothing's wrong with the thinner art ones - they're fine for what they are - but they don't have the wax content that make the fatter ones glow the way the do. You might also try to get a few of the fatter ones or the Ferbie's so you can see the difference. - Lillian

[AJP]

The Lyra pencils do have nice colors, but my son doesn't like using them at all. He's into details, and found it frustrating that they don't keep a sharp point well. The lead is wide and soft, so it goes dull very quickly. He much prefers using thinner pencils (his favorites have been Caran D'Ache brand). He doesn't like the thick, triangular shape, either, doesn't find it comfortable to hold. We haven't tried the thinner Lyras. He's 10 now, and has had the thick Lyras since he was 7, they're practically unused because he almost always chooses to use others. It also irritated him that there's no black pencil in the Lyra set, which I gather is a Waldorf thing.

[Lillian J]

Originally Posted by AJP

The Lyra pencils do have nice colors, but my son doesn't like using them at all. He's into details, and found it frustrating that they don't keep a sharp point well. The lead is wide and soft, so it goes dull very quickly. He much prefers using thinner pencils (his favorites have been Caran D'Ache brand). He doesn't like the thick, triangular shape, either, doesn't find it comfortable to hold. We haven't tried the thinner Lyras. He's 10 now, and has had the thick Lyras since he was 7, they're practically unused because he almost always chooses to use others.

I guess this is a classic case of "different strokes for different folks." Funny - that's how a lot of children feel about the Stockmar beeswax crayons that parents love so much! Lillian

[craft_media_hero]

Originally Posted by AJP

The Lyra pencils do have nice colors, but my son doesn't like using them at all. He's into details, and found it frustrating that they don't keep a sharp point well. The lead is wide and soft, so it goes dull very quickly. He much prefers using thinner pencils (his favorites have been Caran D'Ache brand). He doesn't like the thick, triangular shape, either, doesn't find it comfortable to hold. We haven't tried the thinner Lyras. He's 10 now, and has had the thick Lyras since he was 7, they're practically unused because he almost always chooses to use others. It also irritated him that there's no black pencil in the Lyra set, which I gather is a Waldorf thing.

Heehee, can you send them to me?

We don't have any of the pencils yet, but we have the Lyra block and stick beeswax crayons, and we love and use them all the time. My DD wishes she had a gray and black as well. The only place I've seen those offered is in the "supplemental" set at Hip Mountain Mama's site. I'm also drooling over the skin tone pencils. I think they'd come in very handy for geography/landscape/map drawing, too. I want them, badddd!

[Leta]

Okay, now I desperately want some of these... for me.

Honestly, if I got these, I would hide them from my kids and selfishly keep them all to myself.

(If it makes it any better, yes, I do draw and paint.)

[Lillian J]

Originally Posted by Leta

Honestly, if I got these, I would hide them from my kids and selfishly keep them all to myself.

Nah...you'd just toss them in the middle of the table and share - they're big and sturdy and sensually appealing... Lillian

[FireWithin]

We don't have the lyra. We have Prismacolor, and boy are they lovely. I don't know if they compare to lyra. But compared to crayola or cheaper pencils, they are awesome. They are much softer and break more easily, but the color and ease is nice.
We are able to buy prismacolor from Michael's with coupons.

[theretohere]

Originally Posted by Mammo2Sammo

We don't have the lyra. We have Prismacolor, and boy are they lovely. I don't know if they compare to lyra. But compared to crayola or cheaper pencils, they are awesome. They are much softer and break more easily, but the color and ease is nice.
We are able to buy prismacolor from Michael's with coupons.

Yeah, I'd be interested in how Prismacolors and Lyras compare. I use the Prismacolor myself for art, and I've never used the Lyras.

[Lillian J]

Originally Posted by theretohere

Yeah, I'd be interested in how Prismacolors and Lyras compare. I use the Prismacolor myself for art, and I've never used the Lyras.

As I recall, the narrower ones are quite similar to one another - whereas the big fat ones or Ferbies have more of a softer, waxy texture. Funny - just now I tried googling "wax content of lyra pencils" and this thread is what came up first. Lillian