Artist Grade Colored Pencils

These pencils are designed for professional artists and art enthusiasts seeking the highest quality in their work. They feature higher concentrations of high-quality pigments, resulting in intense and long-lasting colors. Additionally, their break resistance and water resistance make them ideal for demanding artistic projects.

• Advantages: Intense pigmentation, wide range of available colors, and durability of the lead are some of the highlighted advantages of artist grade pencils.

• Examples: Brands like Prismacolor, Faber-Castell, and Caran d’Ache offer sets of 72 colors or more, providing artists with a broad palette to work with.

Student Grade Colored Pencils

These pencils are more affordable and aimed at students and beginner artists looking for budget-friendly options. While their pigmentation and durability may be lower compared to artist grade pencils, they are still suitable for school projects and basic drawing practice.

• Advantages: Accessibility and lower price point are the main advantages of student and school grade pencils. They are ideal for students of all ages and skill levels.

• Examples: Sets of 24 or 36 colors are common in brands like Crayola and Staedtler, offering affordable options for school projects.

Oil-Based Colored Pencils

Oil-based colored pencils offer rich, vibrant colors and a smooth texture, making them ideal for blending and layering. They are versatile and can be used on various surfaces, including paper, wood, and canvas.

• Advantages: Rich color saturation, blendability, and versatility across different surfaces.

• Examples: Brands like Faber-Castell Polychromos and Caran d’Ache Luminance are known for their high-quality oil-based colored pencils.

Watercolor Pencils

Watercolor pencils, also called Water-soluble pencils, can be used dry like traditional colored pencils or wet with water to create watercolor effects. They are perfect for achieving delicate washes, blending colors, and adding fine details to artworks.

• Advantages: Versatility to create both dry and wet effects, easy to blend and layer, ideal for mixed media artwork.

• Examples: Sets from brands such as Derwent Inktense and Faber-Castell Albrecht Dürer offer a wide range of colors and excellent watercolor capabilities.

Pastel Pencils

Pastel pencils have a similar texture to soft pastels but with the convenience of a pencil form. They are great for adding fine details to pastel drawings, creating precise lines and layering colors.

• Advantages: Fine point for detailed work, less messy than traditional soft pastels, easy to blend and layer.

• Examples: Brands like Caran d’Ache Pastel Pencils and Stabilo CarbOthello offer sets of pastel pencils in various colors suitable for artists of all levels.

CORE HARDNESS

The hardness of the pencil core, often indicated by a numerical scale, determines the texture of the stroke produced. Softer cores have a higher concentration of pigment and less binder, resulting in smoother, more intense color laydown. They are ideal for blending and shading, as they allow for easy layering and mixing of colors. On the other hand, harder cores contain more binder and less pigment, making them suitable for fine details and precise lines. Artists often choose pencils with varying degrees of hardness based on their specific drawing or coloring needs.

NUMBER OF COLORS

Colored pencils are available in a staggering array of colors, ranging from basic sets with a dozen hues to professional-grade collections boasting over a hundred shades. The diversity of colors allows artists to express their creativity with precision and detail, whether they’re working on intricate illustrations or vibrant landscapes. Some manufacturers offer themed sets or color families, facilitating color coordination and harmonization in artworks.

PIGMENT QUALITY

The quality of the pigment used in colored pencils significantly impacts the richness, vibrancy, and lightfastness of the colors. High-quality pigments are finely ground and evenly distributed throughout the pencil core, resulting in colors that are vivid and long-lasting. These pigments are often resistant to fading, ensuring that artworks retain their brilliance over time, even when exposed to light. Artists seeking professional results often invest in colored pencils made with lightfast, archival-grade pigments to ensure the longevity of their creations.

BLENDABILITY

Blendability refers to the ease with which colored pencils can be mixed and layered to create smooth transitions and subtle gradients. Pencils designed for blending have softer cores and a creamy texture that allows colors to blend seamlessly when layered or overlapped. Artists use various blending techniques, such as burnishing with a colorless blender or blending stump, to achieve a polished, painterly effect in their artwork. Blendable pencils are particularly popular among illustrators, portrait artists, and mixed-media creators seeking to achieve depth and dimension in their compositions.

LIGHTFASTNESS

Lightfastness is a critical consideration for artists who want their colored pencil artworks to stand the test of time. It refers to the ability of colors to resist fading or shifting when exposed to light, particularly sunlight. Colored pencils made with lightfast pigments are less prone to fading and are more resistant to UV radiation, ensuring that artworks retain their original brilliance and vibrancy over the years. Artists should check the lightfastness ratings of colored pencils, typically indicated on packaging or product descriptions, to select materials that meet their longevity requirements and preserve the integrity of their artwork.

There are numerous well-established brands in the market renowned for offering top-tier colored pencils. These brands are consistently lauded for their rich pigmentation, smoothness of application, and long-lasting durability. Their products excel in producing vibrant and precise strokes, making them the preferred choice for both professional artists and creative enthusiasts alike.

Our preferred brands are Prismacolor, Caran d’Ache, Faber-Castell and Derwent. These companies boast established reputations and offer top-notch artist-grade materials.

When it comes to colored pencils, you’re not limited to sticking with just one brand. Since you can blend different pencils together in your artwork, it’s advantageous to experiment with individual pencils from various brands. This allows you to find what suits your preferences best. Once you’ve identified a favorite brand, it might be worthwhile to invest in a complete set. Below, we’ve provided links to the relevant products so you can easily locate them on Amazon. If you make a purchase after clicking on one of these links, we’ll receive a small commission at no extra cost to you.

The Faber-Castell Polychromos pencils stand out as the preferred choice for numerous professional artists, offering unmatched quality in the colored pencil market. With their high lightfast rating, these pencils ensure that your artwork retains its vibrancy over many years, making them an ideal investment for professionals.

While oil-based pencils require a bit more skill and practice to blend and layer compared to wax-based ones, the Polychromos pencils boast a sturdy core and ease of sharpening, making them perfect for intricate details, a feature lacking in many other pencils marketed as blendable.

Many artists opt to combine Polychromos pencils with another brand such as Prismacolor or Caran d’Ache Luminance to achieve optimal results in blending and fine detailing.

Caran d’Ache Luminance Pencils stand out as possibly the finest colored pencils available, albeit at a premium price point. Despite their higher cost, they offer superior pigments known for their exceptional lightfastness and vibrant hues. While they may not be as soft as Prismacolors, they still maintain a smooth and creamy texture with minimal wax bloom. Unless you’re a professional artist or have an unlimited budget, these pencils may seem excessive, but they undeniably represent the pinnacle of quality.

For most people, the Prismacolor Premier Soft Core Colored Pencils are the top choice, offering an optimal balance of affordability and performance.

Known for their softness and creamy texture, Prismacolors boast a vast range of 150 vibrant colors that blend effortlessly. While they may require more frequent sharpening and can be prone to breakage due to their softness.

However, Prismacolors aren’t without their drawbacks. Their softness can pose challenges for detailed work, but this is mitigated by pairing them with Prismacolor Verithin pencils for sharper points when needed. Additionally, their lightfastness may not be as high as more expensive brands.

For oil-based colored pencils, our recommendation goes to the Faber-Castell Polychromos Pencils. While pricier than Prismacolors, they excel in permanence and durability. Consider these if you’re concerned about wax bloom or find Prismacolors too soft.

Within the realm of colored pencils tailored for students, there exists a diverse array of brands known for providing reliable and budget-friendly options. While not always matching the premium quality of professional-grade pencils, these brands are celebrated for their balance of affordability and performance. With decent pigmentation, ease of use, and durability, student-grade colored pencils offer budding artists the opportunity to explore their creativity without breaking the bank. While they may not produce strokes as vibrant or precise as their professional counterparts, they remain a popular choice for students and beginners seeking to hone their artistic skills.

The Staedtler Ergosoft colored pencil, although not marketed explicitly for professional use, serves as an exceptional option for students and amateur artists. Its ergonomic design ensures comfortable handling, allowing for extended periods of use without discomfort. With its smooth lead, it facilitates effortless application, making it particularly suitable for various school projects and creative endeavors.

While the price point might initially seem steep for students, the pencil’s high quality and durability make it a worthwhile investment. Its vibrant colors and reliable performance contribute to consistent and impressive results in artwork and assignments alike. Furthermore, its ergonomic design promotes proper grip and control, which can be beneficial for learners honing their artistic skills.

Castle Arts colored pencils present an appealing option for students and art enthusiasts seeking a balance between quality and affordability. These pencils offer vibrant pigmentation that allows for smooth and uniform application of color on paper. Furthermore, their durability is noteworthy, with the leads resisting breakage and sharpening easily to maintain a precise point.

One of the standout features of Castle Arts pencils is their smoothness and texture, making them ideal for creating fine details and covering larger areas with ease. This combination of characteristics makes them suitable for a wide variety of artistic projects, from sketches and drawings to more detailed illustrations.

While some users may find Castle Arts pencils not as creamy as higher-end brands, and their color selection may be somewhat limited compared to premium options, their quality and accessible price make them a popular choice among those seeking reliable colored pencils without breaking the bank.

Crayola Colored Pencils offer a budget-friendly choice with a collection of wax-based colors, making them a popular option for classrooms. Based on testing, we find it difficult to recommend them to anyone unless you’re looking for the most budget-friendly option. Their hard cores are easy to sharpen and maintain a sharp point. While they provide decent coverage, the colors appear lighter on the page compared to other brands, especially on white paper.

One advantage of the hard cores is their resistance to smudging, which could be beneficial for young children. However, we would still recommend higher-quality pencils, such as student-grade options from Faber-Castell, Staedtler, or even Prismacolor Premiers, for young artists.