Faber Castell Polychromos
Caran D'ache Luminance
Prismacolor Premier
Hey there, artists and color enthusiasts! Let’s cut to the chase: You’re here because you care about your art, and so do I. I’ve spent years honing my craft with coloring pencils, and I’ve learned a thing or two about what separates the great pencils from the good, and the good from the utterly forgettable.
You see, the right set of coloring pencils impacts everything, you don’t want a pencil with a lead that snaps when you’re in the middle of your artistic hyperfocus. Or a pencil that doesn’t have enough pigment and gets your paper all waxy instead. Also, art isn’t just about bold strokes and bright colors; it’s also about the subtleties. That’s where blending comes in, and that is also where many brands fail.
And that’s the issue, with that many options available online, so many different types of pencils and brands that offer the moon and the stars but deliver low-quality pencils that will set you back instead of helping you improve your craft. Navigating this colorful maze of choices has become a chore and a risky one at that.
That’s exactly what we’re going to discuss today, based on years of personal experience and endless hours of artistic exploration you’ll learn all you need to know about coloring pencils and how to find the best ones for you. Let’s get started!
Types of Coloring Pencils
There are different types of coloring pencils in the market, and sometimes if you don’t know your stuff, you might get the wrong type or use it incorrectly. Let’s review them quickly:
Wax-Based Pencils
Wax-based pencils are easy to use, they’re often the go-to choice for beginners who are just dipping their toes into the world of colored pencil art. They glide effortlessly on paper and offer excellent blending capabilities, however, they do come with their drawbacks.
Over time, wax-based pencils, no matter how high quality, are prone to “bloom”, which means that a cloudy film of “wax” can appear on your artwork. Plus, they tend to be softer, which might not be ideal for fine detailing. Overall, they’re versatile but require some care to prevent issues like wax bloom and breakage.
Oil-Based Pencils
Oil-based pencils, on the other hand, are like the trusty old-timers of the colored pencil community, these pencils are more durable and resistant than other types of pencils. Their core is harder, allowing for more precise lines and making them less prone to breakage, however, they are not as easy to blend, especially for artists who are used to the creaminess of wax-based pencils. Still, once you get the hang of it, they’re unparalleled for techniques like layering and burnishing.
Pastel Pencils
Pastel Pencils are for those who love the vibrant, punchy colors of pastels but not the mess and lack of control that comes with them, they deliver highly pigmented colors and are especially useful for blending and creating gradients. But you must be extra careful, as their soft cores make them fragile and prone to breakage. So, handle them with care!
How to Find the Best Coloring Pencils for Artists
Pigment Quality
First and foremost, the quality of pigment is a game-changer. The last thing you want is a set of pencils that skimp on the pigment and end up giving you a washed-out version of the color you were aiming for. High-quality pigment ensures that each stroke is vibrant, rich, and true-to-color, but not only that, high-quality pigments also ensure your work stays as it is through time, which is crucial for those selling or exhibiting their work.
You must always make sure the set you’re getting has a high lightfastness rate or else your work might fade or yellow over time.
Presentation
When we discuss the presentation, we’re not focusing on how attractive or luxurious the pencil box appears. While a visually pleasing box is undoubtedly a nice touch, what truly matters is its functionality. The key questions are: Does the box store the pencils adequately? Is it durable? Is it portable? Is it user-friendly? Or does retrieving the pencils become a cumbersome task?
Not only that, we must consider how many pencils we’re getting and which ones come included in the box. As an artist, you probably know which pigments work best with your style and palette and that a limited color range is not always the answer.
Color Range
Thinking of color range when buying a new colored pencil set it’s not as simple as grabbing the box with the most pencils and calling it a day, first off, you want a set that nails the basics: the primary colors, a good selection of neutrals, and some versatile shades for skin tones and natural elements.
Then you might want to look for sets that offer specialized shades, like pigment variations of the same color, neons, or pastels, which can add that extra flair to your art. Also, always ask this question: Are the pencils sold individually?
This is a biggie. If you find yourself constantly running out of cerulean blue but never touching the lemon yellow, or if you’re looking for a color that’s not included in your set but you don’t want to get a larger set just for that single color you’ll want the option to buy individual pencils.
Price
Quality often comes with a higher price tag, and that’s especially true for colored pencils, if you’re just starting out or are on a tight budget, there are mid-range options that offer decent quality without breaking the bank but high-quality pencils will always be more than an investment than just a simple purchase.
Price should never be the sole factor in your decision, but it’s an important one, think of it like this: What you’re really investing in is the quality and longevity of your work. So next time you’re staring at a set of colored pencils, contemplating the price tag, ask yourself: What is my art worth to me?
The 6 Best Colored Pencils for Artists on the Market Today
- Best Colored Pencils Overall — Faber Castell Polychromos
- Best Colored Pencils for Professionals — Caran D’ache Luminance
- Best Colored Pencils for Value — Prismacolor Premier
- Best Colored Pastel Pencils — Faber Castell PITT Pastel Pencils
- Best Colored Pencils for Mixed Media — Derwent Inktense
- Best Colored Pencils for Beginners — Faber-Castell Goldfaber Colored Pencils
#1. Best Colored Pencils Overall — Faber Castell Polychromos
Selection Criteria
- Presentation: Metal tin, Set of 24.
- Our Score: 8/10
- Pigment Quality: High Pigmentation, High lightfastness.
- Our Score: 9/10
- Type of Pencil: Oil Based.
- Our Score: 8/10
- Color Range: 120 Colors.
- Our Score: 9/10
- Price: $14.00.
- Our Score: 7/10
About the Faber Castell Polychromos
Faber Castell has produced some of the best coloring pencils since they started back in 1908 and they certainly haven’t stopped. The Polychromos are one of the best if not the best oil-based coloring pencils. They come in a metal tin set of 24 and boast high pigmentation and lightfastness, plus their oil-based nature allows you to use solvents for blending like you would with oil paints and enhances the durability of the lead.
The set is versatile enough for any artistic project and despite containing a limited palette, it is versatile enough to achieve a broader range through mixing, blending, and burnishing, however, despite the price seeming relatively affordable, larger sets can be expensive even for professional artists. On the bright side, Faber Castell does sell individual units and is fairly available online and in most art stores.
Pros
- Vibrant colors
- Oil-based
- Durable tips
Cons
- Expensive
- Heavier feel
2. Best Colored Pencils for Professional — Caran D’ache Luminance
Selection Criteria
- Presentation: Box, set of 40.
- Our Score: 8/10
- Pigment Quality: High Pigmentation, Very high Lightfastness.
- Our Score: 9/10
- Type of Pencil: Wax Based.
- Our Score: 8/10
- Color Range: 100 Colors.
- Our Score: 9/10
- Price: $113.40.
- Our Score: 7/10
About the Caran D’ache Luminance
Professional artists know that there is nothing better than Caran d’Ache when talking about wax-based coloring pencils. The pigment intensity, quality, and bendability of these coloring pencils are unmatched making them very popular among portrait artists, manga artists, and illustrators.
The set is made with high-quality pigments and because of that, it has an excellent overall lightfastness rating with only a few pencils with low ratings, ensuring permanence and longevity in your work.
On the downside, these pencils are very, very expensive and can be slightly hard to find as separate units, but they do sell them, so finding them is not impossible.
Pros
- High pigmentation
- Lightfast
- Soft texture
Cons
- Very costly
- Limited availability
3. Best Colored Pencils for Value — Prismacolor Premier
Selection Criteria
- Presentation: Metal tin, set of 72.
- Our Score: 8/10
- Pigment Quality: High Pigmentation, High lightfastness.
- Our Score: 9/10
- Type of Pencil: Wax Based.
- Our Score: 8/10
- Color Range: 150 Colors.
- Our Score: 9/10
- Price: $49.98.
- Our Score: 8/10
About the Prismacolor Premier
Prismacolor Premier pencils are one of the most popular brands when speaking about coloring pencils, known for their high pigmentation and lightfastness, these wax-based pencils are highly blendable and easy to use which makes them perfect for both beginners and pros alike.
They come in a metal tin with 72 pencils and have a huge color range of 150 shades, making them popular among artists who require a versatile medium. With a reasonable price of less than $1 per pencil, they offer a reasonable middle ground between affordability and professional quality. On the downside, it’s well known that the wax-based nature of these pencils can result in a wax bloom over time, affecting the artwork’s longevity.
Pros
- Blendable
- Wide palette
- Affordable
Cons
- Blendable
- Wide palette
- Affordable
4. Best Colored Pastel Pencils — Faber Castell PITT Pastel Pencils
Selection Criteria
- Presentation: Metal tin, set of 60.
- Our Score: 8/10
- Pigment Quality: High Pigmentation, Very High Lightfastness.
- Our Score: 9/10
- Type of Pencil: Pastel Based.
- Our Score: 8/10
- Color Range: 120 Colors.
- Our Score: 9/10
- Price: $96.95.
- Our Score: 7/10
About the Faber Castell PITT Pastel Pencils.
Faber-Castell Pastel Pitt Pencils are your go-to pencils if you’re seeking the best of both worlds, they combine the vivid, rich colors of pastels, but also have the durability closer to their oil-based counterparts. They have excellent quality pigment and more importantly, they blend like a dream, perfect for detailing and for those who love the intensity of pastels but like to have more control.
Thanks to their extra strong wood casing and lead you won’t experience those mood-killing, lead-snapping moments in the middle of your creative process, and despite being very high quality, they are not as expensive as other brands.
Pros
- Smooth application
- Pastel vibrancy
- Sturdy casing
Cons
- Niche use
- Expensive
- Dusty residue
5. Best Colored Pencils for Mixed Media — Derwent Inktense.
Selection Criteria
- Presentation: Metal Tin, set of 24.
- Our Score: 8/10
- Pigment Quality: High Pigmentation, Very High Lightfastness.
- Our Score: 9/10
- Type of Pencil: Water Soluble.
- Our Score: 8/10
- Color Range: 72 Colors.
- Our Score: 8/10
- Price: $35.49.
- Our Score: 8/10
About the Derwent Inktense
The Derwent Inktense are an interesting color pencil variety with a unique quality that makes them perfect for mixed media art. They are water-soluble.
In contrast to your average watercolor pencils that once exposed to water become slightly muted and diluted, the Derwent Inktense coloring pencils don’t lose any vividness but become even more pigmented and bright.
Even if they are water soluble, they don’t use the same base as watercolor pencils, which makes them permanent once they dry. You can paint on top of acrylics, gesso, paper, cardstock, etc., making them one of the most versatile pencils on the market.
Pros
- Water-soluble
- Intense colors
- Versatile
Cons
- Not lightfast
- Dries quickly
6. Best Colored Pencils for Beginners — Faber-Castell Goldfaber Colored Pencils.
Selection Criteria
- Presentation: Metal tin, set of 48.
- Our Score: 8/10
- Pigment Quality: High Pigmentation, Excellent lightfastness.
- Our Score: 9/10
- Type of Pencil: Water Soluble.
- Our Score: 8/10
- Color Range: 50 Colors.
- Our Score: 8/10
- Price: $38.89.
- Our Score: 8/10
About the Faber-Castell Goldfaber Watercolor Pencils.
For those who are looking for coloring pencils that are both high quality and affordable, Faber Castell has recently launched their “Gold Faber” line, which is a student-grade version of their professional coloring pencils line Polychromos.
These pencils have a less broad range than their professional counterpart and are only sold in sets, however, they are very pigmented, soft, and easy to use and blend. Definitely a great alternative for students, hobbyists, and serious beginners who want to try the medium.
On the downside, these coloring pencil pigments are not as precise as other brands and are slightly harder to find in art stores and online.
Pros
- Budget-friendly
- Easy blending
Cons
- Lower pigmentation
- Limited durability
- Basic range
What Other Types of Watercolor Pencils Are Good for Artists?
There are many types of colored pencils and pens that artists can use for their artwork. One example is Watercolor Pencils, which add additional medium to an artists range. If this sounds interesting to you, we have put together our own guide for the Best Watercolor Pencils, please check it out!
