best colored pencils for adult coloring
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The Ultimate Colored Pencil Comparison: Testing all the Best Colored Pencils
Today my goal is to take some of the guesswork out of choosing pencils by putting 26 popular colored pencil sets to the test so you can find the set that's right for you.
As a coloring book artist, I get asked all the time about what the best coloring pencils are for beginners, or for adult coloring books, or the best quality if budget wasn't a concern. So I decided it was time to find out definitively… once and for all.
I've been researching and shopping online for months to track down the best quality, most expensive, most affordable and most highly recommended wax and oil colored pencil brands available.
I've ended up with 26 different sets of pencils that I'll be comparing in this video, including some of the most sought-after brands and best quality pencils in the world.
(Please note: This blog post is still being updated, so you may notice some info is missing at the moment, including price ranges, but I'm working on it! I'll have more pricing, color swatches, color ranges and information included in the coming weeks, so check back soon! All the purchase links still work if you would like to know specific pricing).
Affiliation/Sponsorship Notes: This content is NOT sponsored or endorsed by any of the brands mentioned in this post or video. This post contains affiliate links for Amazon and Blick and I may earn a commission if you click them and make a purchase (at no cost to you). I have not been asked to write a review for any of these brands, and all opinions are my own. Further to this, the only pencils reviewed that I have received for free from a brand were the Black Widow Monarch set, which were given to me for a previous video, not this one. All other pencils reviewed were purchased by me or gifted by personal friends/family.
Important considerations when comparing colored pencils
When it comes to choosing pencils, a lot comes down to preference, but there are a few things in particular that I was looking for in this testing:
1. Color Vibrancy
I looked at how vibrant the colors were. While you won't always want crazy bright colors on every picture, I think it's important to be able to achieve different levels of saturation.
2. Core Strength & Softness
I looked at how soft or hard the cores were. Softer cores are great for blending, but are often brittle and prone to breakage. Harder cores are better for keeping a sharp point and fine details. Both are considerations when choosing the right pencils for your artwork.
3. Ease of Blending
Easy blending was also an important feature for me – because blending can be one of the most enjoyable parts of drawing and coloring with colored pencils, but also the most frustrating things to learn as a beginner if you're using the wrong pencils. As you get more advanced, you can blend with almost any pencils – but for beginners, it's better to choose a set of pencils that are softer and help with the blending process, like I showed you in my last video where I used just Prismacolors pencils to create this rainbow gradient.
4. Price & Availability of Open Stock
I also looked at price – because some of the best quality pencils aren't necessarily the most expensive. I won't be talking much about pricing in this video, but I've included a full breakdown of pricing of each set of pencils in the detailed reviews below.
Pencils which were classified as 'budget' pencils were less than 50 cents each, whereas 'average' pencils ranged between 50 cents and a dollar per pencil. On the higher end of the scale, 'premium' pencils were between 1 and 2 dollars per pencil, and 'expensive' ones were greater than2 dollars each. These prices were from Amazon.com in January 2021 and are in US Dollars.
I also compared set sizes, performance on dark paper, color ranges, and which brands were available to buy as open stock.
Colored Pencils Reviewed:
Notes about table below: * when binding includes an asterisk, it means this information has come directly from the manufacturer.
| Derwent Artists Pencils | Derwent Coloursoft Pencils | Derwent Studio Pencils | Derwent Lightfast Pencils | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best for | Any skill level | .. | Hobbyist | Artist |
| Pencil type (binding) | Wax* | Wax* | Wax* | Oil* |
| Texture/feel | Firm | Soft & smooth | Firm & smooth | Soft & creamy |
| Core size | 4mm | 4mm | 3.5mm | 4mm |
| Barrel shape | Round | Round | Hexagon | Round |
| No. of colors available | 126 | 72 | 72 | 36 |
| Ease of blending | | | | |
| Color intensity | | | | |
| Opacity on dark paper | | | | |
| Ability to keep a sharp point | | | | |
| Price range | Premium | Premium | Premium | Expensive |
| Available as open stock | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Available set sizes | 12, 24, 36, 48, 72, 120 | 6, 12, 24, 36, 48, 72 | 6, 12, 24, 36, 72 | 12, 24, 36, 72, 100 |
| Where to buy | Amazon: 12 | 24 | 36 | 48 | 72 | 120 Blick: 12 | 24 | 72 | 120 | Amazon: 1 | 12 | 24 | 36 | 48 | 72 Skintone 6 Blick: Standard 1 | 12 | 24 | 36 | 72 Skintone 6 | Amazon: Standard 6 | 12 | 24 | 36 | 72 Blick: Standard 1 | 12 | 24 | 36 | 72 Metallic 12 | Amazon: 1 | 12 | 24 | 36 | 72 Blick: 1 | 12 | 24 | 36 | 72 | 100 |
Derwent Artists Pencils
These pencils belonged to my Mum who bought them for us as kids over 20 years ago and I recently found them again when going through her art supplies, and I definitely underestimated them! I always thought they were a beginner pencil, but they have really good colors and blend quite well.
The casing felt a little rough in my sharpener, but they didn't break.
The pencils themselves are nice to use – quite smooth, easy to blend, and they hold a sharp point really well.
They aren't that soft, buttery core like some of the other pencils I've become used to – but that doesn't seem to affect their ability to blend or their vibrancy. They still perform great on each of the different papers I've tried, including the black paper. Personally, I particularly like their results on the Bristol Vellum and colored pencil papers.
I think Mum would be very happy to know that her set of pencils are about to get a second life, because I will definitely be using these again – Even though I love my Prismacolors, these will be great for those areas where I want a firmer pencil or need a sharper point without losing the bright colors.
Pros:
- Large variety of colors
- Keeps a sharp point really well
Cons:
- Not as easy to blend as other pencils
Derwent Coloursoft Pencils
The Derwent Colorsoft Pencils are wax-based, artist-quality pencils – they are easier to blend than the artist range and are comparable to Prismacolor Premier pencils in a lot of ways, except that they come at a higher price.
They are really easy to blend, layer and mix colors. The colors are vibrant and they feel firm but smooth – not as waxy as Prismacolor – which can be a good thing, depending on your personal preference.
I like how these feel. And while the did lose a bit of color vibrancy on the Smooth Bristol paper, they were still quite good colors, and performed well on the toned and black papers too. They aren't the best for details because they don't keep a sharp point for long, which is a similar trait for most of the softest wax-based pencils.
Pros:
- Easy to blend and layer
- Vibrant colors
Cons:
- Doesn't hold a sharp point for long
- Slight wax build-up
- Expensive (Much more expensive than Prismacolor)
Derwent Studio Pencils
My first impression of the Derwent Studio pencils wasn't good – they quickly became my least favorite from the Derwent range – they aren't as easy to blend or layer and the colors are less vibrant.
However, they do have a much smaller, stronger core that keeps a sharp point really well and is resistant to breakage, which makes them great for fine details.
As I have been using them more, I can see a really good purpose to these, and I think I will actually end up using them quite often – But not as a stand-alone set.
I think these pencils are a great companion for the other Derwent pencil sets, rather than as a set on their own. They would be great to use alongside a softer set to enhance fine details like grass, feathers or hair that the other pencils won't do as well.
In the short testing I did, I found they worked particularly well on the toned paper and the smooth Bristol, but not very well at all on the cheap printer paper – so quality paper is important for a set like this.
Pros:
- Holds a point well, good for fine details
- Strong core that is resistant to breakage
Cons:
- Colors aren't as vibrant
- Not as easy to blend or layer compared to other Derwent pencils
Good for:
Fine details like hair, fur, grass and feathers. A good companion to another set.
Lightfastness:
Only 16 pencils out of the range of 72 colors are rated as lightfast on Derwent's website.
Color variety:
The color selection includes a good mix of hues, especially ranging from yellows to reds and browns. It is quite a natural palette, but personally, I'd like to see a few less yellows and a few more pinks, teals and grays.
Derwent Lightfast Pencils
Derwent's Lightfast pencils are their first oil-based pencils and are very impressive.
Even though they aren't wax-based, they are soft and creamy and easy to blend. My first impression is that they are really nice to use and remind me somewhat of the Caran d'Ache Luminance.
All pencils in the Derwent Lightfast range are 100% Lightfast. Colors will not fade at these values for up to 100 years under museum conditions.
In the small 12 set I purchased, I was quite disappointed in the color range, so you'll have to purchase a larger set to get a better mix of colors, or buy these pencils as open stock in addition to other pencil sets to make up for a bigger color range… because buying the full set of Lightfast pencils is quite costly!
These are one of the nicest pencils I've come across, and I think the price is justified, but it definitely puts them out of reach for many amateur artists or beginners.
The good thing is that they blend so well that you can make up a lot of the colors that you are missing, so you can still start with a small-ish set and work your way up to a larger collection over time.
Pros:
- Professional artist-quality pencils, 100% lightfastness
- Easy to blend and layer
- Vibrant colors and pigmentation
Cons:
- Limited color range
- Very expensive
Good for:
Professional art, portraits and landscapes.
Lightfastness:
All pencils in the Derwent Lightfast range are 100% Lightfast. Colors will not fade at these values for up to 100 years under museum conditions.
Color variety:
There are some noticeable gaps in the color ranges of the smaller sets, but as Derwent have released more pencils, the larger set now includes a good variety of colors, neutrals and grays.
| Faber-Castell Classic Color Pencils | Faber-Castell Goldfaber | Faber-Castell Black Edition | Faber-Castell Polychromos Color Pencils | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best for | Beginner | Hobbyist | Beginner | Artist |
| Pencil type (binding) | … | Wax* | … | Oil & wax |
| Texture/feel | Firm | Soft & creamy | Soft & creamy | Firm & smooth |
| Core size | 3mm | 3.3mm | 3.3mm | 3.8mm |
| Barrel shape | Hexagon | Round | Triangular | Round |
| No. of colors available | 60 | 48 | 36 | 120 |
| Ease of blending | | | | |
| Color intensity | | | | |
| Opacity on dark paper | | | | |
| Ability to keep a sharp point | | | | |
| Price range | Budget | Average | Average | Premium |
| Available as open stock | No | Yes | No | Yes |
| Available set sizes | 12, 24, 36, 48 | 12, 24, 36, 48 | 12, 24, 36 | 12, 24, 36, 60, 68, 120 |
| Where to buy | Amazon: 12 | 24 | 36 | 48 Blick: 36 | 48 | Amazon: 12 | 24 | 36 | 48 Blick: 1 | 12 | 24 | 36 | 48 | Amazon: 12 | 24 | 36 | Amazon: 12 | 24 | 36 | 60 | 68 | 120 Blick: 12 | 24 | 36 | 60 | 68 | 120 |
Faber-Castell Classic Color Pencils
This is Faber-Castell's beginner set, and it's a great set for kids, comparable to the quality of Crayolas – in fact, it ended up in this review after someone bought it as a gift for my son! But also great for beginners or amateur adult colorists on a low budget.
The core is strong and holds a point well. They are firm but smooth and layer easily, although they aren't anything special when it comes to blending.
Because they are hard to blend, it would be better to get a larger set instead of trying to mix colors from a smaller set.
The colors are bright and have a good variety, but they aren't designed for black paper… but Faber-Castell have a new answer for that which we'll come to shortly!
Pros:
- Decent quality for the price
- Strong core, holds a point well
Cons:
- More difficult to blend and mix colors than artist-quality pencils
- Colors are not very vibrant
Good for:
Coloring books, kids or students.
Lightfastness:
There's no lightfastness information available for this set.
Color variety:
Each set has a good variety of colors for the price. There are no obvious gaps in colors.
Faber-Castell Goldfaber
These pencils feel great and are smooth to use, with beautiful vibrant colors.
They are easy to blend and vibrant colors– even on the black. I found it was really easy to layer and mix colors together, meaning you don't need a big set to produce great results with these pencils.
The cores are strong and break-resistent, and these are very high-quality. They are not waxy and still keep a sharp point fairly well.
I think these are a great overall pencil, and would be suitable for any skill level, so they are definitely one I would consider trying, either as open stock or in a small set if you're wanting to test out a few different brands for yourself. They even worked on the black paper, much like our next pencil…
Faber-Castell Black Edition
These pencils weren't in my original list by I stumbled across them at the last minute and couldn't resist. Advertised as "supersoft lead for great effects on colored and dark paper" I was a little surprised that the 12 and 24 packs didn't include a white pencil, but I grabbed them anyway.
And while the packaging makes me think these are aimed at a younger audience, I was impressed! First of all, they performed great on the black paper, as they should. They were a softer wax than the classic pencils, more opaque and much easier to blend. They have that lovely creamy texture that I enjoy in a wax-based pencil… which does come with a bit of a wax build-up too, but that's expected.
Despite being aimed at children, I think these are fantastic for any colorist – the colors are vibrant and highly pigmented. And they keep a sharp point fairly well, which makes them a great pencil overall.
On a downside though, is that these pencils don't have any numbers or names on them – which makes swatching a pain and means that buying open stock isn't an option. That, combined with the small color range, really keeps these in the beginner category and makes them a better gift for kids. If they change that, I'd highly recommend these for adults too.
Pros:
- Very easy to blend
- Vibrant colors on white, colored or black paper
- Keeps a sharp point fairly well
Pros:
- No numbers or names on the pencils
- Not available as open stock
- Small color range (36 colors)
Good for:
Coloring books. Great for kids or beginners. Not good for professionals because of the lack of numbers on the pencils (even though the quality is great!)
Lightfastness:
I was unable to find lightfastness ratings for the Faber Castell Black Edition colored pencils.
Color variety:
There seems to be a good variety of colors in each of the sets of Black Edition pencils, with no obvious gaps in colors. The white pencil is only available in the set of 36.
Faber-Castell Polychromos Color Pencils
The Faber-Castell Polychromos are the go-to pencils for many professional artists. They are one of the highest quality pencils you can buy. They are made of a combination of oil and wax, and have a firm, break-resistant lead. Being a firmer, oil-based pencil, they are very easy to keep sharp and are perfect for fine details, which is one of the reasons they are very popular with professional portrait artists. They take a bit more skill and practice to blend and layer than wax-based pencils, but the final results will last a lifetime.
At about 3 x the price of Prismacolors, they're not cheap… but they are available in open stock, so you can build up your collection slowly.
Personally, I like to use these in a combination with other sets of pencils, so I can use the easy blending of a set like my Prismacolors, and use my Polychromos for the fine details. I prefer to use the Polychromos pencils on paper with a heavier tooth, like the Strathmore colored pencil paper… I don't like how it performs as much on the smooth Bristol paper, but that's just my preference.
Pros:
- Very high quality pencil. One of the best money can buy
- Very strong core, break-resistant
- Keeps a strong point. Great for drawing fine details
Cons:
- Very expensive
- Takes more skill and practice to blend colors
Good for:
Professional artwork. Very good for portraits or art with fine details like hair, fur and grass.
Lightfastness:
Polychromos are extremely lightfast, which is why they are so popular with professional artists. 102 out of the 120 colors have a 3-star lightfast rating.
Color variety:
The Faber-Castell Polychromos pencils have a huge variety of colors and neutrals, with no obvious gaps in the color range.
| Chameleon Color Tones Colored Pencils | Castle Arts Premium Colored Pencils | Black Widow Monarch Pencils | Crayola Signature Blend & Shade Colored Pencils | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best for | Beginner or hobbyist | Hobbyist | Hobbyist | Hobbyist |
| Pencil type (binding) | Wax & oil* | Wax* | Wax | Wax |
| Texture/feel | Smooth & creamy | Soft & creamy | Soft & creamy | Soft & creamy |
| Core size | … | … | … | 3.3mm |
| Barrel shape | Round | Hexagon | Hexagon | Round |
| No. of colors available | 50 | 120 | … | 50 |
| Ease of blending | | | | |
| Color intensity | | | | |
| Opacity on dark paper | | | | |
| Ability to keep a sharp point | | | | |
| Price range | Budget | Average | Average | Average |
| Available as open stock | … | … | … | No |
| Available set sizes | 50 | 72, 120 | 12, 24, 48 | 24, 50 |
| Where to buy | Amazon: 50 | Amazon: | Amazon: Skin – Light (12) Skin – Dark (12) Spider (24) Scorpion (24) Cobra (24) Monarch (48) | Amazon: 24 | 50 Blick: 24 | 50 |
Chameleon Color Tones Colored Pencils
These are a unique pencil – each pencil comes with the perfect blending color on the other end. At first, I thought this was a bit of a gimmick, good for beginners, and I didn't expect to like them.
But I'll admit… after using them a bit more, they started to get addictive. It was really fun to create blends with a single pencil – just draw, flip, draw, flip… and I think these would be a really fun pencil to use in adult coloring books, especially if you're coloring something like mandalas or patterns when you're just wanting something relaxing or mindless with bright colors and quick blending that will always look good.
In terms of their actual performance – They are made of a mix of wax and oil and are highly pigmented, so the colors are bright and they blend really well.
They have a buttery, smooth texture and I didn't experience any wax build-up when using them.
They are advertised as "break-resistant" and have quite a thick core – in my experience, they held a sharp point really well despite their large size, and didn't break once during my tests.
And while I haven't mentioned packaging throughout these reviews, this packaging is so unique and well thought-out that it's worth showing you- as it flips perfectly into a pencil stand with click-in pencil holders and color swatches.
I was really impressed, and while I don't think these are the right choice for professional artists, they are great for adult coloring or for some quick, fun art with easy color choices.
Pros:
- Colors already matched with perfect color blends
- Break-resistant and holds a sharp point
- Vibrant colors
- Very easy to blend
Cons:
- Limited color range
- Pencils are double-sided (Not everyone likes this feature)
Good for:
Adult coloring books.
Color variety:
While the color range is small, I feel it is a good variety of colors and neutrals with no obvious gaps.
Castle Arts Premium Colored Pencils
If you remember back to my previous video, my first impression of these pencils wasn't great – the packaging had a strong smell – although it faded pretty quickly and they don't smell anymore. The pencils themselves are great and have a smooth wax texture with a buttery core, making them easy to blend. They keep a fairly sharp point compared to other blending pencils and have a pretty good vibrancy.
They didn't perform as well on the toned or dark paper, and when I tested them further, I found that personally, I got the most enjoyment using them on the colored pencil paper with the medium surface. They still performed well and had vibrant colors on the simple printer paper and coloring book, making them a great choice for adult coloring, but not necessarily for professional artists.
Pros:
- Smooth buttery texture, easy to blend
- Keeps a sharper point than similar wax-based pencils
- Vibrant colors
Cons:
- Can't build up as many layers as Prismacolor
- Minor wax build up
Good for:
Adult coloring books, hobby or amateur artists
Black Widow Monarch Pencils
The Black Widow pencils are a very soft, buttery wax-based pencil with vibrant colors that blend beautifully. They are not quite as opaque or smooth as other similar brands, but are still a good quality wax-based pencil for adult coloring or amateur artists, and I don't think you'll be disappointed.
Black Widow pencils come in multiple color ranges that you collect, rather than in a big set like most of the other pencil brands. The Monarch set I'm using have a great range of unique pastels – which means they are not great as a stand-alone set but make a great addition to an existing set of pencils, especially if you own the other Black Widow ranges.
Crayola Signature Blend & Shade Colored Pencils
This is Crayola's Signature range of colored pencils. They are significantly better than the kids' set of Crayolas, with a wax-base, soft, buttery core, beautiful colors, and lots of pigment. They are really easy to use, and they layer well. They are comparable to the Prismacolors – and were included along with the Black Widows and Castle Arts pencils in my recent video I just mentioned, looking at affordable alternatives to Prismacolor, where all 3 brands performed quite well.
But with the Crayolas, I struggled with breakage a lot, with both my Staedtler and my brand-new Faber Castell sharpener. The wooden casing on one of my pencils in particular kept splintering in my sharpeners and damaging the core. I feel like this is a huge disappointment, because these perform really well otherwise!
| Crayola Colored Pencils | Marco Raffine Fine Art | Koh-I-Noor Polycolor Artist's Color Pencil | Fantasia Colored Pencils | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best for | Beginner | Beginner or hobbyist | Hobbyist | Beginner |
| Pencil type (binding) | Wax | Oil | Wax & oil | Wax |
| Texture/feel | Firm | Firm | Firm & smooth | Firm |
| Core size | … | 3.3mm | 3.6mm | … |
| Barrel shape | Round | Hexagon | Hexagon | Hexagon |
| No. of colors available | … | 72 | … | 36 |
| Ease of blending | | | | |
| Color intensity | | | | |
| Opacity on dark paper | | | | |
| Ability to keep a sharp point | | | | |
| Price range | Budget | Budget | Average | Average |
| Available as open stock | … | … | … | … |
| Available set sizes | 8, 12, 24, 36, 50, 64, 100, 120 | 48, 72 | 12, 24, 36, 48, 72 | 12, 24, 36, 48 |
| Where to buy | Amazon: 12 | 24 | 64 | 100 | 120 Blick: 8 | 12 | 24 | 36 | 50 | 100 | Amazon: 48 | 72 | Amazon: Standard 12 | 24 | 36 | 48 | 72 Brown Line 12 Grey Line 12 Landscape 24 Portrait 24 Retro 72 Blick: Standard 12 | 24 | 36 | 72 | Amazon: 12 | 24 | 36 | 48 Blick: 12 | 24 | 36 | 48 |
Crayola Colored Pencils
These Crayolas are some of the cheapest pencils you can buy, without losing out on quality completely. They are definitely not artist-grade pencils, but they can still produce beautiful results.
Compared to the other pencils we are testing today, the colors aren't as bright and they take a lot more work to blend together, but they do hold a sharp point well and they have a huge range of colors available at a very affordable price.
Better quality paper makes a huge difference with beginner pencils like the Crayolas. They worked surprisingly well on the toned paper… In fact, I wish I had used this paper in my previous video when I was trying to blend them together in this sunset gradient! It would have produced a much better end result with less effort.
Marco Raffine Fine Art
The Marco Raffine are another great option if you're trying to keep your budget low. They didn't perform well in my previous test on the Bristol smooth paper, so I tried some different papers today and was both surprised and impressed at how much better they performed with the right paper.
On the smooth Bristol and the cheaper papers, they really lacked the vibrancy that I'm looking for in colored pencils. The colors weren't as bright, and they didn't allow me to build up as many layers as some of the other brands, but they were still a good pencil, especially when you compare their price against all of the other pencils I'm testing today.
But when using the better quality paper, like the Bristol Vellum or the Canson drawing paper, the colors really pop and these pencils blend far easier, making them a steal at their low price.
They feel good to hold, the leads are harder so they hold a sharp point really well.
I think they are a great set for beginners or artists on a budget, although I do think their blending and color vibrancy lets them down overall, so choosing the right paper is key when using these pencils.
Koh-I-Noor Polycolor Artist's Color Pencil
I hadn't really heard of these much at all so didn't know what to expect. They felt nice and smooth to use and kept a sharp point really well. The core was firm, so they are probably better for details than for blending.
The colors weren't as vibrant as many of the other pencils I've tried, and they didn't blend as easily as most… but what surprised me is that they seemed to perform better on the cheap printer paper and the coloring book paper than on any of the artist papers I tried. They blended a little easier and the colors were noticeably brighter. So in a strange way, that makes these a good set for a beginner if you're looking for that harder core, maybe to compliment a softer set that doesn't do details as well in your adult coloring pages.
And if I'm going to be really picky here – I've just noticed they have 2 sets of numbers on each pencil, so I'm not sure the difference – but I do think it's a bad idea having the name of each color so close to the top of the pencil, as it will disappear as the pencil gets shorter, so hopefully this other number at the bottom will still be useful in identifying each color separately.
Fantasia Colored Pencils
My first experience with the Fantasia pencils was in my previous video where I compared them against my Prismacolor pencils, and the colors weren't vibrant at all. After some more experimenting, I've noticed that they perform quite differently on different paper. The smooth Bristol and cheap printer paper both lost a lot of vibrancy, while the similar coloring book had the most vibrant colors of all.
These pencils are not bad and they have a LOT of good reviews online. The hold a sharp point well and are smooth and consistent to use. But they take a lot of effort to blend and don't allow many layers of color, so it's hard to mix colors, which is frustrating with only 36 colors available.
Personally, I'm not a big fan. But they CAN still produce some great results with the right paper.
Blick Studio Artist's Colored Pencils
The Blick studio artist pencils really surprised me. They were nice to use, simple but smooth, with a wax-core that wasn't too soft and buttery but still blended quite well.
They performed equally well on the different papers I tried, although the colors weren't quite as vibrant on the smooth Bristol and the toned paper, and they don't do well on black paper.
These pencils were very easy to use, and other than some crumbs on the paper, I enjoyed using them.
Pros:
- Good value and affordable price
- Easy to blend
Cons:
- Colors aren't as vibrant on certain papers
- A bit crumbly
Good for:
Adult coloring books, amateur or intermediate art
Lightfastness:
Blick have created a 1-4 star rating for their pencils, with 66 out of 91 pencils rating 3 or 4 stars (high lightfastness)
Color variety:
There are 91 colors available, spread across multiple sets to collect.
ColourBlend by Spectrum Noir
I was really excited to see that Spectrum Noir had brought out a line of pencils, but I think they've got some improvements to make before really stacking up to the other pencils I've tested today
They come in different color ranges that you collect, rather than in small, medium or large sets, so I've purchased the Floral color set, that mostly includes pinks and some analogous colors either side.
These are easy to blend and have a buttery wax-based core, although they didn't feel as nice and smooth as some of the other brands I've used today. The colors are vibrant, although they lose a lot of impact on the toned paper and didn't work at all on the black paper – which is fine if you're planning to use them in coloring books.
Unfortunately, I also had a LOT of pencil breakage with this particular set. 3 out of my 24 pencils were completely crumbled in the core, and couldn't be sharpened at all with either of my brand new sharpeners.
When this happens with so many pencils in a small set, I recommend writing to the company to see if they will replace the pencils, because it shouldn't be this common to experience breakage in a new set – so I'll do that and report back to you in my blog post to let you know what Spectrum Noir said about this breakage.
And even though I purchased the floral set and expected a lot of pinks, there were quite a few colors that were almost the same, so a bit more variety would have been nice for a set of 24.
Overall, these are not a bad set for beginners or for adult coloring and are quite affordable, but not a set I expect to use again.
Pros:
- Vibrant colors
- Keeps a fairly sharp point
- Easy to blend
Cons:
- Soft-cores increase likelihood of breakage
- Not as nice as other brands tested today
Good for:
Adult coloring books or beginner artists
Staedtler Ergosoft Colored Pencils
These pencils are smooth and blend well, without the buttery or waxy texture that other pencils have. They are quite thin, but keep a sharp point really well and have a very strong core that's break-resistant.
The colors are very bright, but not as heavily pigmented as some of the other brands I'm comparing them with today. They work very well on the black paper.
The pencils are triangular shaped and don't have any color names or numbers on them, which leads me to think these are aimed at kids or beginners rather than professional artists. They come in a limited range of colors and don't allow much build up of layers, but overall, they perform pretty well.
I think these would be fantastic pencils for kids, and even great for adult beginners or hobbyists, but I don't think they are suited to experienced artists when there are so many other brands available.
Pros:
- Easy to blend
- Keeps a sharp point
- Anti-breakage system, durable core
Cons:
- No color names or numbers on pencils
- Small color range
Good for:
Kids or beginners and coloring books with bright colors.
Lightfastness:
No lightfast information available.
Color variety:
The color range is small, but includes a good range of colors.
| Prismacolor Premier Soft-Core Colored Pencils | Arteza Premium Colored Pencils | Lyra Rembrandt Polycolor | Cretacolor Mega Colored Pencils | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best for | Hobbyist or artist | Beginner or hobbyist | All skill levels | … |
| Pencil type (binding) | Wax | Wax | Oil | Wax |
| Texture/feel | Soft & creamy | Soft & creamy | Smooth | Soft & creamy |
| Core size | 3.8mm | 4.5mm | 4mm | 6.4mm |
| Barrel shape | Round | Triangular | Round | Hexagon |
| No. of colors available | … | … | … | … |
| Ease of blending | | | | |
| Color intensity | | | | |
| Opacity on dark paper | | | | |
| Ability to keep a sharp point | | | | |
| Price range | Average | Average | Premium | Premium |
| Available as open stock | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
| Available set sizes | 12, 23, 24, 36, 48, 72, 132, 150 | 48 | 12, 24, 36, 72, 105 | 12, 24, 36 |
| Where to buy | Amazon: 1 | 12 | 23 | 24 | 36 | 132 | 150 Blick: Standard 1 | 12 | 36 | 48 | 72 | 132 | 150 Highlighting and Shading 24 Botanical 12 Landscape 12 Under the Sea 12 | Amazon: | Amazon: Standard 1 | 12 | 24 | 36 | 72 | 105 Greys 12 Blick: Standard 12 | 24 | 36 | 72 Greys 12 | Amazon: 12 | 24 | 36 Blick: 12 | 24 | 36 |
Prismacolor Premier Soft-Core Colored Pencils
After trying SO many pencils, I still find myself coming back to these.
These pencils are popular because of their extremely soft wax-based core that is smooth and buttery to lay down – which feels great to use and is easy to blend.
The colors are vibrant, and work on any type of paper without losing opacity – they are event bright on the black paper, and the white pencil is one of the best available.
These pencils are used by many professional artists because they produce such beautiful results, but they are also very easy for beginners to use. They do come with a few downsides, including the wax-build up and wax bloom that can appear over time, and the breakage that often happens with the soft cores.
They don't keep a sharp point well, which can be a deal breaker for some artists. For others, the best work-around is to use these alongside another brand that can handle those details, like the Faber-Castell Polychromos, so you get the benefits of the blending of the Prismacolors and the fine details of the Polychromos. Together, they make a great team.
These pencils aren't the BEST pencils out there, but they are one of the more affordable artist-grade options available, and any pencils that I personally would rate higher come with a much higher price tag.
After all this, I think I'll still be using my Prismacolors more than most of these other pencils. They are no longer my absolute favorite, but they come close.
Pros:
- Very easy to blend and layer
- Soft, buttery core, nice to use
- Vibrant colors, works well on all paper types
Cons:
- Soft-core is prone to breakage
- Some wax-build up and can cause wax bloom over time
- Doesn't hold a sharp point for long
Good for:
Adult coloring books, professional art, any skill level.
Arteza Premium Colored Pencils
I bought the Arteza Premium colored pencils before realizing that they actually offer 2 different sets, and I probably should have bought the Expert set for this comparison – but I've been assured that the only difference is the shape – these are triangular rather than round, but otherwise they apparently perform the same. The Premium set only comes in this set of 48, but the Expert set offers more color choices and bigger sets, which is what I would buy if I were to buy these again.
These are an impressive wax-based pencil, that really surprised me. They have a soft, buttery core that's smooth, but a little firmer than many of the other wax-based pencils we've tried. This means they keep a sharper point but still perform beautifully when it comes to blending and layering.
These didn't perform great on the black paper, but otherwise, they are a great pencil for beginners and hobbyists, and are very enjoyable to use. Their range of bright colors make them great for adult coloring but probably not for professional portraits.
I will definitely be using these again.
Pros:
- Soft, buttery core that's easy to blend
- Stronger than other wax-based pencils with similar blending
- Holds a point fairly well
Cons:
- Not good on black or colored paper
Good for:
Adult coloring books
Lightfastness:
The pencils each include the lightfastness rating on the barrel, and with longievity ranging from 10-100 years on different colors.
Color variety:
The 72 set includes a good variety of colors overall, with a huge range of greens, purples and yellows in particular (perfect for coloring floral scenes). It would be good to see more blues and oranges included in the set.
Lyra Rembrandt Polycolor
These are quite a thin oil-based pencil, and are very nice to hold. They are surprisingly light but seem to have a strong, firm core. They feel really nice to use and lay down really smoothly. They hold a sharp point and blend really well – which are two features that not many other pencils seem to be able to do at the same time.
A few of the pencils were slightly scratchy on the toned paper, but otherwise they seemed to work beautifully and keep their vibrant colors on every other paper, my favorite being the Bristol Vellum paper.
They seem to allow me to build up quite a few layers, which is great for blending and mixing colors.
Being oil-based, there's no wax-build up on these, but I am finding they are leaving some crumbs on the paper when I use a lot of pressure – but that's easy to fix with a brush on hand, it's just something to keep in mind.
I can definitely see myself using these pencils again, and the only reason I wouldn't is because I've only got a small range of colors here that I bought individually. I would definitely recommend them as a good oil-based set for any skill level.
Cretacolor Mega Colored Pencils
The Cretacolor Mega Colored pencils are huge… and take a little getting used to. They have an extra thick core and look like something I'd expect from a kids' pencil – but they are definitely not the quality of a kids pencil.
They are highly pigmented, super vibrant and really easy to blend. And they feel AMAZING… almost like using pastels or paints.
They work really well on every kind of paper I tried, and the colors are amazing. They are very good quality and every color is highly lightfast, although there are only 36 colors currently available.
Because they are so big, they aren't great for details – instead, I think these are great for filling large areas like backgrounds – so I wouldn't buy them as your first set or only set of pencils. Instead, use them to compliment a set you already have. You'll also need a bigger sharpener. These JUST fit in the jumbo side of my Faber-Castell sharpener I've been using.
And maybe buy a few as open stock like I have – because they are quite unique and probably won't be for everyone.
Personally, I will definitely be using these again.
Pros:
- Very good pigments, vibrant colors
- Extremely easy to blend and layer
Cons:
- Small color range
- Extremely large size, difficult to hold
- Not suitable for detailed work
Good for:
Coloring large areas and backgrounds
Lightfastness:
All 36 colours are rated at LF1 or LF2 for maximum lightfastness.
Color variety:
There are only 36 colors included in the range, with a variety of light and dark values of each hue on the color wheel.
| Caran d'Ache Luminance 6901 | Uni-Posca Colored Pencils | Holbein Artists' Colored Pencils | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best for | Artist | … | Artist |
| Pencil type (binding) | Wax & oil | Wax & oil* | Wax, oil & fat |
| Texture/feel | Soft & creamy | Soft & creamy | Soft & creamy |
| Core size | 3.8mm | 4.2mm | 3.8mm |
| Barrel shape | Round | Round | Round |
| No. of colors available | 100 | 240 | 150 |
| Ease of blending | | | |
| Color intensity | | | |
| Opacity on dark paper | | | |
| Ability to keep a sharp point | | | |
| Price range | Expensive | Expensive | Expensive |
| Available as open stock | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Available set sizes | 12, 20, 40, 76, 80 | 36 | 12, 24, 36, 50, 100, 150 |
| Where to buy | Amazon: Standard 1 | 20 | 40 | 76 Blick: Standard 1 | 12 | 20 | 40 | 76 | 80 Portrait 20 | Blick: 1 | 36 | Blick: Basic Tones 1 | 12 | 50 Design Tones 1 | 12 Pastel Tones 1 | 12 | 50 Assorted Tones 1 | 24 | 36 | 100 | 150 |
Caran d'Ache Luminance 6901
If you've watched my previous video, you'll know that I have been using the Caran d'Ache Luminance pencils for a short time now and I love them. They are made of a mix of wax and oil and are one of the highest quality pencils available.
I've tried a LOT of pencils today, and wasn't sure if I'd leave with a new favorite… and at this point, I still feel VERY at home with the Luminance.
They aren't a cheap pencil – in fact, I wouldn't recommend buying these as a hobby pencil for coloring books. I think these are a great pencil to work your way up to as you grow your skills and your collection – even if you start by just buying a few pencils at a time.
They have thick, vibrant colors, with a heavy pigment, and a smooth buttery texture. They aren't TOO soft for me personally, unlike some of the cheaper wax pencils. You can build layer upon layer, even beyond burnishing, allowing you to have really good control over your colors and blending.
The colors work great on almost any paper, although personally I really liked them on the smooth Bristol more than the colored pencil paper with the extra tooth.
When I first bought these, I considered them to be a mix between my Prismacolors and Polychromos – they were easy to blend like the Prismacolors, but with the stronger core like the Polychromos. They don't quite hold a point as well as the Polychromos, but I've found them to be pretty good.
They are 100% Lightfast, and the small color range is growing, with 100 pencils now available at the time of this video.
If you've got the money to spend, I don't think you'll be disappointed with these pencils.
Pros:
- Highest lightfastness rating
- Very easy to blend and layer
- Rich, vibrant colors
- Strong core, resilient to breakages
Cons:
- Limited color range (although it is growing)
- Very expensive
Good for:
Professional artwork, portraits and skin tones.
Lightfastness:
All pencils are 100% lightfast (the highest lightfastness possible).
Color variety:
The Caran d'Ache Luminance range includes a variety of colors and neturals. There are no obvious color gaps in the range, and they include a good variety of skin tone colors.
Uni-Posca Colored Pencils
I only bought a few of the Uni-Posca colored pencils in open stock, but I really like these pencils. The core is a mix of oil and wax and can apparently be used on paper, wood, glass, stone, plastic or metal!
So it's no surprise that they performed great on the black paper, in fact, they were one of the most vibrant and pigmented pencils I tried today.
I really love the smooth and creamy texture of these pencils. They are easy to blend and allow a lot of layering, even after burnishing – so it's easy to adjust colors and create really smooth blends.
They aren't cheap, and they can be hard to find. In fact, they released 5000 units of an exclusive 240 set for their 50th anniversary years ago, but other than that, I can only find sets of up to 100, and even those are hard to find, which seems to be a trend with Japanese pencils, like the last pencil on my list today, the famous Holbeins!
Pros:
- Very smooth and creamy, great blending
- Allows a lot of layering, even after burnishing
- Exceptional on black paper
- Works on other surfaces too
Cons:
- Can leave quite a lot of dust/crumbs on the paper
- Quite expensive
- Quite hard to find
Good for:
Mixed media or drawing on different surfaces and dark paper.
Lightfastness:
Unfortunately I couldn't find any lightfastness information about the Uni-Posca Colored Pencils.
Holbein Artists' Colored Pencils
- The Holbeins. Just like the Uni-Posca pencils, these are from Japan and were quite hard to find online. Out of all the pencils I bought, these were the MOST expensive, and I ended up purchasing a few pencils open stock instead of a set.
They are made of a mixture of wax, fat and oil and have a color range unlike almost any other brand – with a huge range of pastels and some really bright neons. They are incredibly easy to blend and layer and are nice and buttery smooth like some of the other pencils we've used today.
I'm going to be completely honest – I expected to be blown away by these pencils, and instead I didn't find any reason why they should be SO much more expensive than the other pencils I've tested today.
I did a little more research after my tests to see if maybe I'd chosen the wrong colors or made a mistake in my order somehow, because people rave about these pencils online like they are the best in the world.
But I'll be honest – I don't think I can give a fully positive review of these without trying more pencils, because my experience with the few pencils I bought was underwhelming…. And at the same time, I think it's my own fault.
First, the white pencil was a really weird, sticky consistency. I didn't like how it felt and I found it really hard to blend with any of the other pencils. It was, however, by far the most opaque white pencil out of any of the pencils tested today.
As it turns out, they actually offer 2 different white pencils, and I had ordered the more opaque one, which explains why the consistency was so strange. And not necessarily a bad thing if you know what you are getting!
In fact, all the pencil colors were crazy bright, even on the black. Just look at that yellow, wow! But the pigment and texture was SO inconsistent between pencils. Some felt waxier than others, some felt oilier than others. And again… this was my own mistake. It turns out that 2 of the colors I've purchased are "Luminous", which means they are part of the neon range – which may explain why the consistency is so different to the other pencils.
So when I take this into consideration, I can see why I was confused, and that I need to give the Holbeins another go with a bigger range of colors to try. But honestly, after all this, I don't think I'll be buying any more pencils for a while, so that video might have to wait! If you've been lucky enough to try them for yourself, – or if you've had similar or different experiences with ANY of the pencils I've tried today, I'd love to hear what you thought, so please let me know in the comments below!
Pros:
- Amazing range of pastel colors
- Very good blending and layering
- 2 different white pencils (no other brand offers this)
Cons:
- Price: These are VERY expensive
- Unavailable in many locations
Good for:
Adult coloring or professional art, especially with pastel colors unavailable elsewhere.
Lightfastness:
72 of the colors are *** rating, 60 colors are ** and 12 colors are *. The 6 luminous colors have not been rated.
Color variety:
The Holbein Artists' pencils are famous for their huge range of pastel tones. The largest set includes 2 different whites, 2 different blacks, and a huge variety of different colors and neutrals.
You don't need fancy tools, solvents or even expensive pencils to create beautiful gradients with your colored pencils. You just need pencils, paper, patience and practice.
If you've found this article helpful, please comment below and remember to share it with your friends!
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best colored pencils for adult coloring
Source: https://sarahrenaeclark.com/ultimate-colored-pencil-comparison/
Posted by: casnerwherted.blogspot.com
15 Comments
Thank you for your patience and hard work to get the results for this extensive study for me. Be well and have a lovely day. Bye now
I Sarah, you are a fabulous webmaster and youtuber. Your videos are so instructive, complet and well describe. They are very hepfull.
I would like to know if you made (or maybee it can be an idea for the furtur) videos that compare the greatest ease to blending brands together. In this page, you comment some brands ease blend whith other, but I thing that will be very interesting to developpe on it. Personally, I find some brands are good for the first layers, but they don't perform well on top. For exemple, I use Primacholor Premier for first layers and Polychromos to fisnish and details (as you describe before).
Furthermore it might be intersting to know whitch colors, in the same brand, are more waxy or smoth and they sould be uses just for blendind than details. In Prismacolor P., I notice that some colors, if you use them on top, they "blend" the lower layer and it becomes difficult to use other pencils to make more layers and details. I dont know if you understand what I'm trying to explain (because, in fact, I'm french Canadian ;-), but I hope it's OK !
Well, it's just some suggestions. I didn't find on the web. Many youtuber compare brands and test blendind, but not the facility to blend togheter different brands and what colors to use at the end…
In your video "how to blend colored pensil", I find it really instructiv and you're very generous to give your knowledge. But I'm asking to myself if it will be a good idea to make an video for trying some blending liquids (as zest it) and test the facility to layering after apply the liquid. I don't know if I'm using the right method but, even if I seen many videos on that subjet, I continue to have problem using pencils over these liquids…
Well, I hope you enjoyed to red me, because I loved reading you and watch you.
Thank you very mutch for your time and wish you a very nice day,
Véronique Gagnon, @veroniceart
Hi Véronique! Thanks so much for the thoughtful comment!
I agree with your ideas – it would definitely be helpful to have this information, and I'll see if it's something I can work on developing for some future videos – it's a topic I need to explore more for myself first too, as I'm still a beginner at mixing brands at the moment!
But yes, I agree. My experience has been the same. Some brands work great in teams but in a certain layering order. And I'm not sure if all brands would work well with other brands. It would definitely be interesting to compare.
I would also like to create a blending video comparing the different liquids. Personally, I haven't had much luck with them (which is another reason I don't recommend them for beginners!) but I'd like to give them a go and learn them more – and if I'm successful, teach them too! At the moment, I have a great video from Claire (Colour With Claire) on my website who shows some of these different methods: https://sarahrenaeclark.com/how-to-blend-colored-pencils/
Great work Sarah!! This is the most helpful post I've seen for coloured pencils. Thank You!!
Very good video and very informative. Thank you for trying so many pencils.
Thank you so much Sarah. Please could you also review the Felissimo 500. I am contemplating to buy it or not.
I just discovered your channel and very much enjoyed the colored pencil brand comparisons. I was hoping to find "Zenacolor' colored pencils on your list of pencils since I have read a number of excellent reviews about them. It appears they were originally marketed on Amazon as 'Cezan' (NOT spelled 'Cezanne') colored pencils. They disappeared and, the story has it that they returned as 'Zenacolor', also market on Amazon. Apparently, they have the same color range and color numbers, as well as appearance and packaging as the original 'Cezan' brand. They seem to be a bit of a mystery and not easy to find unless you are searching for them specifically. The people who have sought them out RAVE about them and compare them to the highest grade colored pencils available, but a a spectacularly better price point! I thought these would be a contender for your colored pencil comparison blog.
Thanks for the recommendation!
Wow! You really did a lot of work for this! What a fantastic resource for us all. I've only been doing adult coloring for a while. I got into through making cards. Now I'm hooked on colored pencils. My husband keeps asking me how many more sets I need. Lo.
Thank you for all information.
Hi. Do you know what type of pencils the Derwent Cumberland 1900 series are?
Excellent reviews! I have not seen such a comprehensive review of so many pencil brands. Thank you for your time and patience. Wish I would have stumbled across this before purchased a few of my sets, and a few I may now consider.
Truly comprehensive and spectacular post! Not to add more work for you but I would enjoy a way to sort these brands by skill level or blendability or oil vs wax or any of the other categories you listed per pencil. Regardless, a hearty thank you!
really awesome review except for an obvious omission – caran d'ache pablos. they are another artist brand but so very worth the price, unlike holbein which i think are a niche pencil – sales bolstered by internet chatter.
i tried holbeins – twice. and found them uneven and hard to blend. really hard to blend! an old blog post mentioned there is a special blending solution but by the time i found the product and saw the price and how long it was going to take to receive it, i said "phooey" and sold the whole set to a lady who really really wanted them because all her colouring buddies touted them. (this was a couple of years ago before the pencils were really available in the US)
she also hated them.
but people were really saying they were so good, so i figure it must be me and bought a smaller set as well as the pastels.
no, i still hated them. back on ebay they went. i have one colour left which i love – Raisin.
when i see examples of colouring book pages done with holbeins i am amazed folks like them. they always look smudge-y. uneven colour and blending.
it's interesting to see brands i've not heard of before in your review as i quit coloring for a couple of years, but i think you should take a look at caran d'ache pablos.
The Pablo pencils are one of the only pencils I regret not buying at the time of doing this. I'm now saving up to buy the full set, because I'm confident I'll love them from everything I've heard, and expect to use them regularly myself! I'll definitely add them to this review when I finally have them in my hands.