Next, I pulled out my Prismacolor blending pencil and used it on the top image. I used the Lyra splender blender pencil on the second one. I used a blending stump and solvent on the bottom image. Here's how they turned out.
I really couldn't tell much of a difference between the results of the two blender pencils. Both did blend colors to a certain extent and deepened them. The blending stump with solvent (Sansodor, Gamsol, Mona Lisa, to name a few) produced better blending and more vivid colors. It looked more like a watercolor effect than coloring by the time I was finished, and it virtually eliminated all evidence of pencil strokes.
So, blender pencils work and they're a good option for people who don't like to use chemicals or who can't tolerate the odor. They're also easier to use in that you just color with them, rubbing off the tip on scrap paper between colors so that you don't carry them over. The blending stump and solvent, however, allow for better blending of colors and brighter colors as well. The drawback is the possible odor, having to use a blending stump, and having to either use a stump for each color family or in some way remove the color from the end of the stump when changing colors. The best choice will just be a matter of personal preference.
