If you love drawing, you should know which are the best colored pencils for drawing. After knowing this list, you will be ready to start adding color to your drawings and make them more attractive and interesting.
In this article, we will tell you what are the names of the best colored pencils and how to choose the most suitable ones for you, we will also tell you about the best brands of professional and school colors, and we will see what types of colored pencils there are.
If you don’t know how to choose the best colored pencils or what types of brands there are, don’t worry, because this article will be your best guide. are you ready to dive into the world of the best colored pencils? Let’s get started!
what are the best colored pencils for drawing?
There are many types and brands, so it is very convenient that you know which are the recommended colored pencils based on their characteristics, quality and recognition of the company that manufactures them.
Here is a list of the top 10 colored pencils for drawing that you can find today.
1. Prismacolor Premier ($19.53, set of 24)
These colored pencils are very well made, have artistic quality and come protected in a metal box.
Their pigmentation is of high quality and their coloring is soft-toned. Since they come with soft leads, they are not the best choice if you want to work on a drawing with fine strokes and details.
The biggest benefit of Prismacolor Premier colored pencils is their ability to blend and shade, which gives the final drawing a very defined and professional finish.
Here are some other features of Prismacolor Premier:
It is resistant to break easily.
Comes in 24, 36 and 48 color sets.
Each pencil comes with a case.
Each color has a name and number on the pencil itself.
Source: Amazon
2. Faber-Castell Albrecht Dürer ($24, set of 24)
This is a watercolor drawing pencil made for any serious professional artist. You can get them in many sizes and they are outstanding for blurring, allowing you to render almost any color you have in mind.
If you add a little water, the color effect becomes very vivid and can also be spread on different areas of the canvas or surface you are working on.
From this flexibility of this Faber-Castell pencil, you can easily lighten or darken the color tone.
More features of the Faber-Castell Albrecht Dürer pencils:
Sets of up to 120 colored pencils.
The core is oil-based, making it resistant to repeated use.
Comes in a sturdy metal tin or thick cardboard box.
Price is a bit higher than the average brand.
Source: Amazon
3. Staedtler Ergosoft Triangular ($34.99, set of 24)
These colored pencils are similar to the Prismacolor Premier, mentioned first. They are just as durable and have similarities in lead quality.
Their colors are saturated and, when applied to paper, tend to spread and flow naturally for drawing.
This drawing pencil is not water-soluble, so if you want to use it for the blurring technique, you should try another method.
Here is a short list with additional features of Staedtler Ergosoft Triangular colored pencils:
Only has sets of up to a maximum of 36 pencils.
It has an ultra-slip grip and comes in a triangular shape, which makes it very comfortable to use.
The colored pencil has a protective coating, a feature that ensures its durability.
The box is a patented Staedtler box and protects the pencils very well.
Source: Amazon
4. Caran d’Ache Aquarelle Museum ($74.80, set of 20)
When it comes to professional pencils for drawing with really vivid colors, this presentation of the Caran d’Ache brand stands out for its quite intense pigmentations, which gives an enhancement to any drawing.
The core of the pencil is soluble, so a small dose of moisture is enough to generate magical effects. The color result that can be achieved on paper is very striking and allows very artistic touches on the work.
This is a wax-based pencil that, curiously, offers very soft characteristics, more typical of oil-based colored pencils.
As for their characteristics, Caran d’Ache Aquarelle Museum pencils show the following:
They are hexagonal-shaped pencils.
The color application is smooth and greasy texture.
There are sets of colors from 12 to 80.
The packaging in which it comes has a very well cared for design and pleasing to the eye.
Source: Amazon
5. Derwent Coloursoft Coloring ($30.26, set of 24)
These types of coloring pencils are made to work on different styles of artistic drawings.
One of the most important positive aspects of Derwent coloring pencils, is their ability to allow vibrant and eye-catching colors instantly.
Because they tend to be soft, you can use these pencils to draw landscapes or to sketch very detailed strokes in illustrations. You can even sharpen the tip to its sharpest form.
The only negative is that you need to be careful not to strain the tip too much, as they are easy to break.
Here is a list of more features of the Derwent Coursoft Coloring:
There are sets from 6 to 72 colors.
Lightfast colors.
Comes in an attractively designed box presentation.
The graphite is 4mm rounded bark.
Source: Amazon
6. Arteza Professional Colored ($28.99, set of 48)
Arteza doesn’t have as many years on the market as the other well-known colored pencil brands, but this professional colored pencil for drawing offers some serious benefits.
It’s perfect for experimenting with blending in drawings and comes made of a soft wax-based lead. Given its pigmentation, you can achieve varied and highly tonal colors.
Despite its price, compared to Faber-Castell or Prismacolor professional colored pencils, it ends up defending itself due to the ease it offers to manipulate the colors, whether you want to make blends by hand, with an eraser or with some solvent.
If you are still not convinced of the quality of Arteza Professional Colored pencils, here are some of their additional attributes:
They are hexagonal in shape.
They come in presentations of 48 and 72 colors.
They are semi water-soluble colored pencils.
They have a very resistant protective case.
Source: Amazon
7. Mitsubishi Uni ($32.99, set of 36)
Believe it or not, the Mitsubishi car brand has also forayed into professional colored pencils for drawing.
The performance of their pencil colors is quite good, as they stand up decently to light exposure, which offers a subtly muted color reflection. This comes in handy if you want to work on areas that don’t need to be highlighted in the drawing.
Of their best professional drawing colors, they have Cobalt Blue, Gold Ochre and Scarlet.
other aspects of the Mitsubishi Uni pencil are as follows:
Color sets from 36 to 240 colors.
The pencils are rounded in shape.
It has a unique case with compartments that organize the pencils very well.
The lead is wax-based.
Source: Amazon
8. Bruynzeel Design Colour ($40.63, set of 24)
From the range of drawing pencils, this one produces lots and lots of colors due to an extremely soft wax and a thick core.
One of its most important features is its generous color application, which, with little pressure, generates large amounts of color on the drawing surface.
It has the quality to withstand exposure to light, so it is evident that they can last for many years.
Although the lead tends to be soft, it does not reach the extreme of some colored pencils that prevent smooth strokes.
These are some of the outstanding features of the Bruynzeel Design Colour pencil:
They come in sets of 12, 24 and 48.
They have a rounded shape.
They are easy to sharpen.
They are presented in an attractive box with jewelry-like drawer species.
Source: Amazon
9. Castle Arts Colored ($29.99, set of 72)
Of the specialty colored pencils for drawing, the Castle Arts is one that really stands out.
It is of great quality, they are rounded in shape and show a very smooth finish to the touch, which makes it quite usable for the fingers for extended drawing times.
When you use them, you can notice that their blending and gradient results are excellent, and they satisfy any artistic need for those purposes.
Their colors are soft and creamy, and they come very well labeled, making it very easy for you to find the shade of color you want to use for a certain stroke.
Here is a short list with more features of Castle Arts colored pencils:
They come in presentations of up to 120 colors.
They are very easy to handle and sharpen.
Their tips are very compact, which avoids breakage due to use.
Their case is a simple, but very well designed box.
Source: Amazon
10. Monarch Premium Grade Black Widow ($21.85, set of 48)
These colored pencils are designed around soft wax cores, which are perfect for the blending, shading, and overlapping work that many artists apply to their drawings.
Their pigmentation is of very good quality, so you can go from strokes with strong lines to much softer shades in tone and density.
The result in the drawings is a deep color with a waxy finish, which gives a professional art look. They are pencils with a structure that is easy to hold and manipulate.
Other features of Monarch Premium Grade Black Widow pencils are as follows:
The largest color set is 48 colors.
They are designed in a very stylish black finish.
The colors are clearly labeled on each pencil.
They do not tend to break when sharpened.
The best brands of professional colored pencils
While in the first part of this article we named 10 good colored pencils for drawing that can certainly be a great choice, now we want to detail the characteristics of professional brands for colored pencils and what are the general features that stand out in each of their products.
Below, we leave you with a list of the best brands of professional colored pencils so you can start to get an idea of the options that exist and you can choose the one that best suits your needs if you are looking for a pencil of a specific brand that is not listed in our top 10.
We chose these brands of professional colored pencils because they are the best value for money and are relatively easy to get. learn about their top features and find out which one might be right for you!
1. Faber-Castell Professional Colored Pencils
Faber-Castell professional colored pencils are known for the quality of their materials. While the leads of other brands tend to break easily, the colored pencils of this brand are resistant and have no factory defects.
Their leads are hard and can sometimes be a little difficult to blend.
You don’t need to constantly sharpen them and they are easy to sharpen.
They are round in shape, so they are comfortable to hold.
The best professional colored pencils for those who are looking for quality and resistance.
Source: Unsplash
2. Caran d’Ache professional colored pencils
Caran d’Ache is a Swiss crayon brand that has been producing writing instruments since 1915. Its colored pencils have always been valued by generations of artists and schoolchildren and has a great recognition in the world of fine arts.
These professional drawing colors are made of cedar wood with FSC Premium certification (promotes sustainable forest management).
They are hexagonal in shape and include the number and name of the color.
Their lead has a diameter of 3.8 mm for clean, precise lines.
They are light resistant.
The best professional colored pencils for creating mixed media works.
Source: Unsplash
3. Staedtler Professional Colored Pencils
Staedtler professional colored pencils have a stronger stroke and last longer due to their high resistance to breakage. In addition, the German company is environmentally friendly in the procurement and processing of wood.
Its product range comprises up to five colored pencil presentations. Most of them, aimed at professionals, adults and children, are available both as a set and individually.
The best professional colored pencils for outlining and drawing very small details.
Source: Unsplash
4. Prismacolor Professional Colored Pencils
Prismacolor professional colored pencils are soft and creamy, which makes them perfect for blending. They have a wide range of shades and presentations, from 12 pencils to 150. They are more fragile than the previous ones, so be careful that they don’t fall on the floor or get bumped.
The best professional colored pencils for creating smooth color transitions and blends.
Source: Unsplash
5. Derwent professional colored pencils
Derwent colored pencils are of good quality and allow you to blend colors easily. They have a wide range of colors, including metallic colors, which help to add highlights to a professional colored pencil drawing.
Source: Unsplash
You can find these and other brands of professional colored pencils at art supply stores like Lumen or buy them online through platforms like Amazon.
Tip: Remember that, when making professional drawings with colored pencils, it’s important to consider the type of paper you’re going to use. If you buy good colors to draw professionally and the paper is not the right one, the results will not be the best.
The best brands of inexpensive colored pencils
If you have just started coloring with colored pencils and you still want to practice a little more before making a bigger investment, we recommend you to try some of the best brands of school colored pencils. These inexpensive colored pencil brands are ideal for beginners and just because they are priced lower than the professional ones doesn’t mean they are of poor quality.
If you want to let your creativity run wild and apply some coloring techniques, it’s time to encourage you to try the best cheap coloring pencils:
1. Cra-Z-Art colored pencils
At first glance, Cra-Z-Art cheap coloring pencils are a dream, due to their wide selection of colors and affordable price. For about $10 USD you can get a pack of 72 colored pencils that you can use to color mandalas or your favorite coloring book.
2. Crayola colored pencils
Crayola brand crayons are the best crayons for kids and adults, who enjoy their free time coloring. But, if you’re looking for artistic quality crayons that are buttery smooth, Crayola won’t do. However, it’s a good choice to start drawing and have fun.
3. Sargent Art colored pencils
Sargent Art’s wide variety of colored pencils allows you to color your drawings with different shades. The sets come in a variety of pigments, from a 12-pack to a 52-pack.
These are the best inexpensive colored pencils you can find if you like to collect colored pencils. Also, the pencil lead is 3.3 millimeters thick, making it easy to sharpen and quite durable.
4. Faber-Castell colored pencils
Faber-Castell colored pencils never fail. Once you start using these colored pencils, you will see a change in the quality of your drawings.
The 24-pack offers a nice variety of colors including silver and three shades of brown. Something else that sets them apart is the shape, each pencil is triangular to allow for better control of the colored pencil.
Without a doubt, Faber-Castell colors are the best colored pencils for a hobbyist on a budget. And the best part is that these colored pencils are eco-friendly.
Source: Unsplash
how to choose the best colored pencils?
Although the above list shows 10 of the best colored pencils for drawing, selecting one quickly, without knowing other important aspects, can lead you to a hasty purchase.
To know how to choose the best colored pencils, first of all, you need to know some of their main features and functions.
The design and shape of colored pencils allow us to trace, draw and color easily on paper surfaces. They also have an almost infinite color range, making them one of the most popular art materials in existence to this day.
But how do you choose the best colored pencils, and how do you know which colored pencils are right for you? This will depend mainly on the style and drawing techniques you prefer, the comfort of the pencils and the purpose for which you are going to use them.
In other words, the best colored pencils for coloring mandalas, which should have a basic color range and a strong lead, are not the same as the best professional colored pencils for realistic portraits, which should have a much wider color range and soft leads.
Below, you will find in detail some of the most important characteristics of each type of colored pencil, which will help you to clarify your doubts and choose wisely which colored pencils to buy.
Source: Unsplash
Types of colored pencils
do you already know what kind of colored pencils you need to color your drawing? Next, we’ll tell you a bit about the types of colored pencils that exist and what functions each one has.
We can classify the different types of colored pencils in this way:
1. Types of colored pencils by lead
As you know, colored pencils are an art instrument consisting of a wooden stick, the inside of which has a pigmented lead. Although it is usually made of wax, this lead can be made of different materials, and each one brings a different effect to the drawing .
Some of the types of colored pencils according to their lead are:
Wax crayons
They are the most common and cheapest. we can find them in both school and professional presentations.
Those with a better quality wax are softer and easier to blend, while those of lower quality turn out to be hard and poorly pigmented.
Oil-based pencils
This type of colored pencils are of artistic quality and are highly appreciated by illustrators, since, having an oil-based lead, the colors blend very well together. In addition, they can be diluted with turpentine to achieve an oil-like finish.
Watercolor pencils
Watercolor pencils have water-soluble leads that have a finish similar to watercolors and can be used as such. The consistency of the lead is a bit grainy and is usually thicker, as well as not highly pigmented on paper until activated with water.
Erasable colored pencils
The leads of these colors are specially treated so that they are as easy to erase as graphite pencils. they are available in school and professional presentations.
Tinted graphite pencils
The lead of this type of colored pencils consists of a mixture of graphite and watercolor pigments. Their color range is reduced, with colors in dark and deep tones.
Source: Unsplash
2. Types of colored pencils by shape
On the other hand, according to their body shape, colored pencils fall into three categories:
Hexagonal pencils
This type of colored pencils are quite common and, as the name suggests, the shape of the cylinder covering the pencil lead is hexagonal. This shape allows the pencil to be held at different angles more easily.
If you have difficulty holding pencils, these are the best colored pencils for you.
Source: Unsplash
Triangular pencils
This type of colored pencils are made for children, as their triangular shape is useful for learning the correct pencil grip and they are easier to handle. It is more common to find them in extra large sizes (Jumbo pencils) and school presentation.
They are the best crayons for kids.
Source: Unsplash
Round colored pencils
Round colored pencils are the most common type of colored pencils on the market and we can find them in all kinds of presentations.
Their variety will allow you to find the best crayons.
Source: Unsplash
3. Types of crayons according to their composition
As you know, the body of colored pencils is usually composed of wood, but did you know that there are colored pencils that are made from other materials?
By creating colored pencils with other materials, you reduce the use of virgin wood and can produce sturdier pencils that won’t splinter or break, ideal for rough use.
In addition to wooden pencils, there are two types of colored pencils:
Wopex pencils: wopex is a material that mixes graphite, plastic and sawdust.
Resin pencils: these are pencils created with a type of plastic similar to wopex.
If you are not usually very careful, these are the best crayons for you.
Source: Unsplash
4. Other types of colored pencils
In addition to the above, there are other types of colored pencils that do not have a specific classification. Some of these, are:
Bicolor pencils: double-ended pencils, each of one color. They are the best colored pencils for those who do not have much space but want a good amount of colors.
Multicolor pencils: these pencils have a lead with 4 different colors, so they make random color changes. They are the best colored pencils for those who love to experiment and try new things.
Metallic pencils: the lead of these colors contains sparkles that generate a metallic effect when coloring, the most common are gold and silver. They are the best colors to use on black paper to create metal textures.
Tips to find the best colored pencils
great! Now you know what types of colored pencils there are and their characteristics, as well as some of the best brands of professional and school colored pencils to choose from.
Before we finish this article, we would like to give you some extra tips to keep in mind when choosing the best colored pencils for you. Take note of these tips and be sure to carefully evaluate the colored pencils available in your area with this new knowledge.
1. Wood quality
This characteristic usually plays a very important role when talking about quality in colored pencils. There are woods that splinter or break very easily, affecting the lead as well, which would completely ruin the pencil. So this is an important point to consider if you want to get the best colored pencils.
2. Excellence of the stroke
The stroke is an important factor when choosing professional drawing colored pencils. Make sure they allow you to get a precise, smooth, clean and intense stroke. If you can test them beforehand to make sure they are the best colored pencils, so much the better.
3. Comfort of use
A good design will allow you to hold the pencil more easily and comfortably, allowing you an easy and relaxed stroke. In that sense, pencils with an ergonomic triangular design are the best colored pencils, but it all depends on your taste.
4. Wide range of colors
With a pack of professional colored pencils you can get many shades like the ones in this botanical color palette, but for more elaborate drawings, you may require specific shades, so it is better to choose colored pencils with a wide variety of tones.
Source: Unsplash
5. Resistance of the lead
Leads are usually of different quality depending on the brand of colored pencils you use. It’s best to look for a soft, sturdy lead to make it easy for you to blend and blend shades.
Generally, a good lead has a deep color and is resistant to breakage. This aspect is of utmost importance when looking for the best colored pencils for drawing, that is why there are brands that include a protector in the lead.
6. Pigment quantity
The best professional colored pencils usually have much more pigment than conventional quality colors or school colored pencils. This point is important to determine the quality of your colored pencils.
7. Evaluate the price
Not always the most expensive colors will be the best for you. There are brands of inexpensive colored pencils of great quality and the most important thing is your drawing skills.
8. Origin of production
Because colored pencils are made of wood, it is recommended that the brand you choose is concerned about protecting the environment. what does this mean? That the wood they are made from comes from sustainably managed forests.
Make sure your professional drawing colors include FSC certification from the Forest Stewardship Council, an international non-profit organization that promotes responsible management of the world’s forest resources.
Source: Unsplash
that’s it! Now you know what the best colored pencils are and how to choose yours to become an expert sketcher. Keep your colored pencils handy and chart your artistic path