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Why Pencils Are Yellow (2017)

artsy.net

21–30 of 117 posts

Re: Why Pencils Are Yellow (2017)

#21
post #20
post #13

At the time, many yellow paints had lead in them. I wonder of that was the true then... makes me think about chewed-upon pencils.

Or cadmium is also a yellow pigment. I do remember chewing on my pencils. Maybe I should get a lead blood test. Or maybe I shouldn't cause it's too late anyway...

It may be tough to detect vs the background noise in the United States these days, https://www.google.com/amp/s/mobile.reuters.com/article/amp/...

Re: Why Pencils Are Yellow (2017)

#22
post #10
post #5

Almost all the pencils in my childhood were red. The manufacturer was Berol. Of course, my schools didn't necessarily buy the highest quality pencils for the children, and they probably all came from the same supplier. The high-quality ones, which a relative who was a draughtsman used, were dark green [1] [1] https://www.ebay.ie/itm/12-x-Berol-Venus-H-Fine-Quality-Writ...

Across the water in Scotland, the most common pencils in school were black and yellow striped -- the Staedtler Noris, back then made in Wales and stamped "Made in Great Britain". These were the ones the school provided and also the ones parents bought. Still a great pencil today, but no longer made in the UK. High-quality ones, used by a couple of artists and a draughtsman my parents knew, were blue: Staedtler Mars L…

Berol were kind of the British Sharpie, in some respects. Not exactly the same product but similarly ubiquitous. They were made in King’s Lynn, Norfolk, I think.

Re: Why Pencils Are Yellow (2017)

#24
I think this needs more detail:

In China, yellow had long been tied to royalty... Eventually, the shade came to represent happiness, glory, and wisdom.

Was this true outside of China too? Did buyers in the western world really associate the color with Chinese Royalty? Or did they just like the bright color?

Re: Why Pencils Are Yellow (2017)

#25
post #23

"Hardtmuth settled on yellow to communicate the graphite’s geographical origins", China because "yellow had long been tied to royalty." Please stop clickbait.

Without the clickbait title, you might have missed the beautiful pop-up that obscures the entire window requesting a subscription.

Nowadays, every page seems to have one of those or the cookie disclaimer. Advertisers and idiotic laws are close to reaching their goal of definitely ruining web experience.

Re: Why Pencils Are Yellow (2017)

#26
post #18

Explains my confusion with early internet "cliparts" and icons being always in yellow. I am sure most non westerns might be equally confused. Pencil meant black and red for us in India - Natraj FTW

It's not even Western, from my experience it's just the US. In Australia, I don't think I'd ever seen a yellow pencil, other than one that came in a set of coloured pencils for art. I hadn't realised it was the norm in the US until relatively recently.

We have these, just for example:

https://www.faber-castell.com/products/GraphitepencilGoldfab...

https://www.staedtler.com.au/en/products/pencils-accessories...

Re: Why Pencils Are Yellow (2017)

#29
post #4

I associate it with these actually: https://hobbyklei.nl/1816-large_default/bic-potlood-gilbert-... Maybe a Belgian / Netherlands thing? Or perhaps just me :)

The default Bruynzeel pencils often used in schools in the Netherlands were yellow. But that may just be _my_ bubble.

Re: Why Pencils Are Yellow (2017)

#30

In my mind, Faber-Castell will forever be the ultimate pencil. I think yellow pencils are a staple of American culture but in my mind pencils are green... http://www.fabercastell.com/products/pencils/GraphitepencilC...

How is this particular item a "spare" pencil? > Spare pencil for the Castell 9000 perfect pencil

Surely any time you buy a new pencil it is a spare or replacement for the pencil you already have?

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