Did you know, the first use of colored pencils was not for artistic purposes but rather for reading through and marking documents? Nonetheless, colored pencils now are being widely used by artists for their own artistic pieces.
Colored pencils are a favorite to artists and hobbyists since they are convenient and allow better control over the mixture of colors. Furthermore, they are a lot cleaner to work with compared to other artistic mediums available such as watercolors and oil paints.
With this, whether you are a beginner to these pencils or want to try something different, our team of experts searched for all the best options to help you make an incredible choice. By highlighting the quality, type, durability, and price of each item, we came up with the five best colored pencils in the market. To check them on Amazon, please click the yellow button below and feast with their best deals!
Best Colored Pencils Comparison & Rating
Colored Pencils | Features |
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1. Crayola Colored Pencils
Brand | Crayola |
Number of Colors | 120 |
Type | Oil-based Wax |
Core | Soft |
This pack is quite affordable, even for a wide range of colors. If you want to buy more than a package, you will not feel the pinch on the price. They have less wax bloom, so you won't feel like your image is heavy. Moreover, they may not be the ideal choice for a professional but will make an excellent match for the kids and hobbyists trying to grow in art. Whenever inspiration comes knocking, take out your package, and draw away with the unique shades.
2. Shuttle Art 80 Professional Colored Pencils
Brand | Shuttle Art |
Number of Colors | 80 |
Type | Oil-based |
Core | Soft |
This is the ideal drawing and painting kit you can ever buy. With all the work tools included, all you need is the motivation, and you are good to go anytime and anywhere. Also, the overlapping way of arrangement in the tin makes it easy to keep in place. Hence, you don't have to fear dropping or losing them one by one. The only breakage that will occur is if you go so hard on these pencils. Otherwise, they are durable even when you want to achieve darker shades. The pencil extender will come in handy if you feel like adding length to execute certain angles properly.
3. Castle Art Supplies Premium Colored Pencils
Brand | Castle Art |
Number of Colors | 72 |
Type | Wax-based |
Core | Soft |
Apart from an attractive black theme on the tin and colors, the round barrels are a unique design from the usual hexagonal ones. The pigments blend easily with different brands and even themselves. Furthermore, there's no issue of constant wax bloom, which is a deal-breaker for most brands. Remarkably, they break less often hence needing less sharpening. They are also light, which enables the user to maneuver easily in shading or shadowing.
4. Black Widow Colored Pencils
Brand | Black Widow |
Number of Colors | 24 |
Type | Wax-based |
Core | Hard |
If you are looking for something that is both striking and of high performance, then you just hit the jackpot. The black barrel makes the lead's color pop and stands out, adding oomph to the appearance. The pencil is smooth and needs no pressure; hence this Black widow set allows you to enjoy all styles of coloring. The rich shades enhance the true identity of your piece of art without any blurriness. Generally, this is a great set, and the only challenge you will have is not buying the complete set of 72 pencils that will add more to your colorful world.
5. Prismacolor Premier Colored Pencils
Brand | Prismacolor |
Number of Colors | 24 |
Type | Wax-based |
Core | Soft |
If you are looking to expand on your artistic skills, then this is it. From the feel to performance and durability, rest assured of quality for the price. Owing to the anti-crack and hard to break leads, you won't have to shop anytime sooner. With the rich shades, your images will appear more real, delivering the exact message you desire. These colored pencils will make a perfect gift for anyone who loves and appreciates art.
Best Colored Pencils - Buyer's Guide
When buying colored pencils, quality is vital. Please choose the artist-grade rather than the student grade. Even though the artist grade cost more, they have a more comprehensive color range that you can use individually. Also, the high pigment levels in the colors produce richer tones for a desirable result. They are too soft, making them very easy to blend and use.
he enjoyment of your colored pencils relies on the softness or hardness of the lead. These two qualities vary with the manufacturer's choice of ingredients to make them. Of course, they both have very different effects hence results on your art piece. The soft leads are a favorite to a majority of artists because they blend and lay down easily. Also, they give bolder and more pigment in their vibrant shades. However, they will need constant sharpening. Conversely, the hard leads are a perfect choice for detailed work because they offer fine lines. They hardly crumble because of the fine tips. Nevertheless, it is hard blending and applying more color with a formidable lead.
Colored pencils come in 3 types of wax, oil-based, and water-soluble. Luckily, even with the different types, you can mix all of them in one artwork. They give you the freedom of having and working with more than one class and brand. It is good to know each’s pros and cons to choosing a priority in the different types. As a beginner, buying all the types could be on the higher side, so take your time and research on what would be better for a start.
mong all the artistic mediums, you cannot mix the colored pencils' shades. Therefore, make sure you go for a set that has a wide range of colors, not to miss desirable shades. Conversely, you don't want to end up with pencils that you will never use because of the shades. You can start with the lowest setting and then advance as you grow your desire for more. Make a color chart that will make you buy what you don’t have instead of repeating the colors.
Art is prone to fading due to the humidity and light that weaken the molecular bonds of colors. But, ‘'lightfastness is how colors resist that fading ability. Therefore, look for colored pencils that are fade-resistant. Preferably, buy the artistic grade ones, enabling you to post your work on the web without worrying about lower work quality.
Best Colored Pencils - FAQs
The best answer to this is 36 or 48 pieces. This is for any average artist or hobbyist who wants to do more for less cash. This is because of the excellent value regarding price and containing all the colors one would need for a simple art to detailed sketch.
The best choice will vary with your personal preference, but we recommend the Crayola Colored Pencils. This brand has a rich depth of colors and extraordinary layering abilities that show off uniform tonal graduates.
Rubbing alcohol is an excellent solvent for colored pencils. It disintegrates the wax binder in several colored pencils and lets the shades blend easily like paint. It's also great for repairing the paper's tooth. Rubbing alcohol is less toxic and easily obtainable compared to other solvents.
Yes. This is because the closer you hold to the tip, the more pressure you exert on the pencil. Also when you hold it in the middle closer to the end, the pressure is less on the lead since the pencil is horizontal. Conversely, holding on to the end gives you less control over the pressure effect. This makes you draw using the side of the tip; hence you can't detail any drawing.
