Best Colored Pencil Sets For Beginners And Professional Artists

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Colour is the life of art. And the right medium tin really make colors popular off the page; colored pencils being a honey medium for traditional work.

But there are and so many different packs and they vary so much between styles.

How do you know what colored pencil set to choose? How practise y'all pick betwixt student, professional, and artist grades? Which types of leads blend the all-time?

In this article I'll examine all of these features and a whole lot more than to assist y'all choice the very best colored pencils for your needs.

Whether you're looking to color an adult coloring book or depict your own work from scratch, in that location is a perfect colored pencil set with your name on it.

Our Top Option

Prismacolor 4484 Premier Pencils

This creative person grade set uses thick, soft cores that are almost pure pigment to go out silky and opaque lines. Blending, shading, and combining colors feels effortless with the Prismacolor Premier gear up.

The thick lead stays sharper longer, resists flaking, and gives a wear-resistant and waterproof finish to go along your artwork in-tact for years.

All-time Features:

Soft wax-based cadre gives very vivid colors
High quality pencils with a trusted brand
Thick cores resist flaking and acuminate easily
Well over 100+ colors to selection from

Features To Look For

Choosing the right colored pencil set isn't as easy every bit going to the store and picking upward the showtime box you come beyond.

While you can go this route, you volition probably end upwardly disappointed with the effect.

So what do y'all demand to consider when selecting a set?

Upkeep

Your budget is going to play a large factor in the choice process.

Colored pencils range in price from a couple of dollars to over a hundred. Yes, really!

Quality, number of pencils, and what comes in the set volition impact the overall cost.

You volition have to set a budget range you lot are comfortable with. As the quondam saying goes: "You become what you pay for."

Yet yous can be frugal and even so walk away with a great pencil gear up.

Know Your Needs

Just similar beingness a carpenter or a repairman, artists need the right tools for the job.

What is that job, though? Nearly smaller sets are marketed to adults for coloring in books. If that'due south what y'all're looking for and so about any set will work.

If you are creating your ain drawings yous may need more specialized sets.

There are several grades of colored pencils; nevertheless, the three almost common are Student(or Scholar), Professional, and Artist.

It can go confusing since not all sets are labeled with their grade, and some companies use the professional and artist grades interchangeably.

Depending on your needs, knowing what class and how the pencils are made will go a long fashion towards finding the perfect set up.

Closeup on colored pencil pack — Image source

Pupil Class

These pencils are a step up from the basic colored pencils.

Their cores(which I call lead, fifty-fifty though they aren't made of lead anymore) are hard, brittle and ho-hum quickly. Pupil grade pencils tend to color well merely leave behind the tell-tale signs of pencil marks and scratches.

Pupil grade pencils are designed for colors other than pencil gray, but only barely. They offer more than composite material and less pigment. The colors are brighter than the pencils from 3rd form art class but aren't super vivid.

You won't often find student form pencils that are waterproof or clothing-resistant. Notwithstanding they volition save you a lot of money.

Student grade pencils tend to cost 50 to 60 pct less than the higher grade ones. Though they don't last as long and then you lot may end upwards paying more than in the long run.

Professional Form

With professional class pencils you tin have either soft or hard cores. And depending on the other factors they will be better used for blending, shading, or filling in.

The cores are medium to thick depending on the brand and are less probable to flake or need constant sharpening.

You will likewise observe that you pay more for the professional form than y'all volition for educatee form sets.

Though if you go professional person you volition know where your money went. The colors are vibrant and most volition be wear-resistant. If yous search enough you can find a set that is also waterproof.

Creative person Grade

So artist grade pencils are going to be the most expensive when it comes to initial costs.

However you will detect that these pencils terminal a lot longer than any other grade.

In the long run this offsets the cost and the longer you use them to depict or create, the less they will cease upward costing you.

Artist grade pencils tend to have thick, soft leads and contain more pigment than any other grade.

Commonly these will be oil based cores instead of wax-based similar the educatee and some professional grades. Considering of this, the colors will glide smoothly on the newspaper without a lot of skipping, jumping or blanking.

Absolutely perfect for professional artists or anyone practicing to become an artist with serious effort.

Wax or Oil?

The cores of colored pencils are colored with pigments that are either wax based or oil based. Either will work, over again depending on what your primary utilize is.

Oil-based cores tend to exist harder, more rigid, and are decumbent to flaking and breaking. This means you will terminate more often to acuminate the pencils.

Wax-based cores, on the other paw, are soft. While cartoon they almost seem to cook right into the paper. This makes drawing a piddling more difficult but in one case you get used to it y'all won't want to go back to oil.

The oil-based colors agree more than paint (in general) than their wax-based counterparts.

This translates into more vibrant colors and the ability to blend and mix a lot easier.

You tin also do shading piece of work simply it is more than hard with oil leads than with wax.

The Small-scale Details

Grade, price, and core materials are going to be the largest factors in deciding on which set to purchase.

However at that place are some smaller details that some people like to have (or avoid).

For example, some sets will have well over 100 colors to choose from only not all of them will accept the color proper name on the pencil itself.

Some artists like the ability to search for "Copenhagen Blue" while others merely look at the sharpened tips to notice which 1 they desire.

Pencil length is likewise something to consider. Shorter pencils volition wearable downwards faster and be more difficult to concur towards the end of their life. Longer pencils, though, tin can be more difficult to manipulate in tighter coloring areas for detail work or shading.

Pb thickness, durability, and width all come into play too. Thinner pencils will have less lead and cause more manus fatigue as they are harder to hold properly.

Yous will have to endeavour out a few dissimilar styles to find out which length and thickness work best for you. Just generally speaking all sizes of colored pencils should work for all purposes. Information technology's generally well-nigh getting used to the feeling.

At present that you know what to look for let's scan through the best colored pencil sets out there. I take a feeling your next set will be somewhere on this page.

Summit Pick: Prismacolor Premier Colored Pencils

The Prismacolor Premier fix includes 132 shades of colored pencils that offer superior strokes and lines.

The wax-based soft cores leaves behind vibrant colors ideal for blending and shading.

These artistic grade pencils are slow to dull and don't skip or scratch the page. Perfect for whatever pencil sharpener and so you won't worry about besides much breakage.

Silky lines let you create solid blocks or hinted shades forth tight edges. You tin can even color over other pigments without bleeding to create even more shades.

You also get the color names in both English and French equally well as the pencil number printed right on the barrel. Really a height-notch pencil with a high-quality build.

If you are creating your ain projects or need a versatile tool for coloring, the Prismacolor Premier pencils will give you the best of both worlds.

These also come up in smaller sets if you need less than 100+ colored pencils. So in that location's really something in the Prismacolor lineup for everyone.

Pros

Thick wax-based cores provide rich colors and solid lines
Wearable-resistant and waterproof markings
Pencil lead resists flaking for longer performance

Cons

May be a piffling too pricey for some artists
Tin can become blotchy if used with too much tip force

SUDEE STILE Colored Pencils 120

SUDEE STILE has a professional grade colored pencil prepare with 120 unique colors.

The wax-based cores are soft yet firm to requite the user a solid marking pencil. SUDEE STILE has enlarged the cores and uses poplar forest for the barrel which gives a firmer grip with less hand fatigue.

The forest and cadre combination make the pencils easier to sharpen and hold the lead in identify to prevent breakage at the tips. Much moreso than other hard cored pencils.

The pencils will dull faster than the oil based cores; nevertheless shading lines can be accomplished with better results.

Colors are numbered simply not named on the barrels.

The actual color numbers are stamped on the wooden barrel and the blunt ends have a color cap displaying the lead colour for like shooting fish in a barrel identification. This all feels very intuitive when working and drawing regularly.

The set includes three removable trays with two sharpeners to ensure you ever take the proper tip for your projects.

Pros

Thick cores allow for shading and sketching at any length
Poplar wood barrels are easy to sharpen
Professional grade cores are designed to lay down more constant color

Cons

Colors tin can be harder to mix together
Harder tips are more prone to breaking over time

Arteza Colored Pencils (72 Set)

The oil-based cores of this Arteza fix make for vivid, vibrant coloring experience with minimal breaking.

These pencils are encased in a hardwood butt and do not flake, interruption, or splinter when sharpening. Yous tin can use almost any pencil sharpener and never sweat extra breakage from too much forcefulness.

The prepare of 72 colors focuses more on the darker tones, which is bad news for those that work on darker paper.

Just if you usually work on lighter newspaper or in a sketchbook and then you won't miss those brighter toned colors.

You can't replace individual pencils as the Arteza pencils are merely sold in sets. But y'all tin can go a price-effective color range with their different sets.

This is practiced if y'all tend to use upwardly sure colors well before others.

Not only are the barrels marked with the pencil number and colors but you will also notice little plus sign markings(up to three) on each pencil. This is the lightfast rating.

1 plus has a lighfastness of 10 to 25 years, two pluses rate at 25 to 100 years and iii pluses rate over 100 years. Pretty absurd characteristic!

Pros

Mid-range cost for high-end pencils
Easily identifiable colors with name and lightfastness ratings
Cores exercise not pause as piece of cake as other similar pencil sets

Cons

Less bright tone colors in the set
Tin't supercede individual pencils without buying a new prepare

Positive Art Colored Pencils (60 Fix)

Positive Art has a professional class ready of 60 colors that take an incredible feeling in your hands.

The thicker barrel is soft to grip and doesn't slide as much as some others in this list with a similar build.

The cores are hard which can intermission at the sharpened tips with likewise much pressure. So y'all have to be cautious of how much you're pushing on the paper.

One time you lot adjust your hand to the new feel these pencils glide along smoothly.

They aren't as bright as some of the higher-end artistic sets here. But for general coloring you won't discover much of a difference honestly.

The cores are thick and provide broad coverage with minimal effort and with less hand fatigue you can color for longer. This is skilful news if you notice yourself pushing too hard on your current pencils.

These colors are mixed well and don't fade in low-cal, though they aren't vesture-resistant or waterproof.

I'd say this pack is great for newer artists who take never used colored pencils before. Break into the game with a fix that feels professional but doesn't come at the same cost tag.

Pros

Colors alloy and fade well into other colors
Thicker barrel is easier to concur and dispense from many angles

Cons

Leads pause easier than another pencils
Sharpening tin can cause flaking

Shuttle Fine art Colored Pencils (136 Set)

Shuttle Art has a fantastic soft core colored pencil fix designed for students and professionals alike.

Normally there isn't a hybrid betwixt student class and professional grade, but Shuttle Art found a way.

The cores are wax based to provide an even glide, though the barrel wood is a picayune less than professional quality. Yous probably won't find this every bit you go used to working with them.

For coloring books and general coloring on printer paper, these pencils work groovy.

Sharpening tin be frustrating equally the butt splinters and the lead can crack. I'd recommend a simple handheld artist sharpener if you go with this pencil set.

But in the set you lot go a ton of variety.

This includes 136 colors that lay downward a smoothen, hands composite line that's ideal for mixing and shading. A very nice pack considering everything you get, just have to play with them cautiously.

Pros

Colors mix and blend well
Hues of the virtually popular colors including metallics
Wax-based cores give softer lines with less pressure

Cons

Must exist sharpened carefully to avoid breakage
Pencils are slightly thinner and smaller leading to more frequent mitt fatigue

Coloré Colored Pencils (72 Prepare)

Coloré has their own pupil form colored pencil set designed for everyday use by anyone.

The barrels are designed for easy grip and firm control. This goes for kids and adults.

Still they are prone to splintering when sharpening so I definitely advise a handheld sharpener for this pack too.

The cores are harder than almost others then don't be confused past the label on the packaging that says "Creative Quality." The set is non artistic form.

But that marketing faux pas aside, the colors are rich and lay down easily on any paper.

The number identifier is printed on the barrel simply not the colour name. Although the pb color is reproduced on the barrel end which is a very shut match to the actual color.

The cores resist breaking mostly considering of how dense they are.

If you're coloring with lines you'll notice they feel lower quality than that of the higher-end pencils. Simply for standard drawing hatch shading they work very well.

Peculiarly if you're getting a pack for your child or if yous're just starting out with colored pencils.

Pros

A full pack of colors for artists including pare tones
Thinner cores mean a finer point if you sharpen simply right

Cons

Often splinters when sharpening
Lower quality colour compared to larger brands

ColorIt Colored Pencils (72 Gear up)

These ColorIt colored pencils are a professional grade pencil gear up that come in a zippered travel pouch for easy transportation.

In this set you'll also get a bonus sharpener then y'all don't need to purchase 1 separately. This is great news for anyone who's never worked with colored pencils before.

All cores are wax-based for a softer, smoother effect. No extra pressure required.

The softer cores don't flake as much when being sharpened and they concord a point longer.

Plus with these softer cores yous'll detect they hold more paint than some of the other options on this list too.

Your finished result is a vibrant colored slice that mixes well with all colors on the folio.

And the thickness of the marks lend to blending and smudging. Wear-resistant, though non waterproof, y'all can still use oils to mix and blend on paper if needed.

Also worth noting these barrels accept the color marked on the stop of the pencil and the color name and identification number are printed near halfway down.

Pros

Soft lead doesn't crave much pressure to describe with
Easy-to-hold barrels with color names labeled
Wax-based cores hold more than paint

Cons

These are not waterproof
Harder to accomplish precision shading

Faber-Castell (24 Gear up)

For over 250 years, Faber-Castell has been producing high-quality art sets and materials to artists of all ages. These colored pencils are professional grade with actress thick lead(3.8mm versus 3.3mm).

Because of this thickness the leads resist breaking and chipping, fifty-fifty when being sharpened aggressively in an electric sharpener.

The oil-based cores lay down a smoothen and rigid color that mixes ameliorate than most other oil-based pencils.

The barrel'southward wood is the color of the pigment for the entire length of the pencil, not just the edgeless end.

The names of the colors, though, are non printed anywhere on the pencils.

On the plus side all of these colors are wear-resistant, water-resistant, and have a lightfastness of over 100 years.

The smoothen softwood surrounding the cadre is easy to agree and offers very lilliputian hand fatigue. You can draw for hours and go some real loftier-quality output!

Pros

Wear and water-resistant cores
Actress thick lead sharpens easily without breaking

Cons

Limited color swatches
Colors don't mix well with oils or wet mediums for smudging

Diamond Driven Colored Pencils (120 Set)

Diamond Driven colored pencils are educatee grade pencils that offer a professional grade concluding work. The cores are standard thickness and oil based, which means you can sharpen them to a fine betoken without worrying about breaking.

I oft worry virtually sharpening my pencils and this pack really felt incredibly sturdy. I'd rank it inside the top 3 of sturdiness when used within an electric sharpener.

The barrels show the colour of the pigment, just unlike almost professional/creative person grade pencils they are not SV bonded.

Because of this yous may feel some lead and butt separation which can lead to the barrel splintering during sharpening. Or even during repeated use.

The colors practise blend well and with the harder core you tin practice detailed work in smaller areas, perfect for coloring books and more than complex drawings.

Pros

Piece of cake to hold with a good length
Volition acuminate to an ultra fine point
120 colors cover most hues and tones

Cons

A slightly thinner core than other brands
Barrel isn't bonded to the core which tin effect in wood splintering

Wanshui Colored Pencils (168 Prepare)

Check out this 168-set up of Wanshui colored pencils.

Information technology gives you some vibrant colors totaling 168 educatee course pencils that include neon and metallic colors.

If you adopt to color to draw on darker toned paper this gear up will show nicely.

With soft leads you'll be able to lay down colour with the best of the oil-based cores. Very piffling pressure needed so you lot can fifty-fifty use this on thinner tracing paper.

Blending leaves a fleck to be desired with these pencils, due in part to the hardness of the leads.

These barrels are bonded so splintering while sharpening is minimized quite a scrap, though not eliminated.

The hard cores are also decumbent to flaking when using as well much force per unit area so go along an centre on your posture. Remember these lay downward smooth and you practise not need to push very hard.

The packaging is eco-friendly which is a huge plus. But non very transportation friendly.

One time you remove the cardboard ring y'all are left with four PET plastic trays and nothing else. And so y'all may need an fine art supplies container to keep them all together.

The pencils themselves are not named by color, but instead by number. Wanshui has included a DIY list where you can color in a box and label the colors next to each number for easier reference.

Information technology's a absurd feature but can be a tad annoying. Would exist squeamish if they were labeled, but that's such a small complaint that information technology really doesn't backbite from quality.

Pros

Very little pressure required to get darker colors
Long barrels for increased life span
Ane of the largest sets with 160+ pencils

Cons

Colors can skip when doing quick lines
Minimal packaging makes transportation difficult

SoHo Urban Creative person Colored Pencils (72 Gear up)

If you are looking for style and condolement so the SoHo Urban Artist set is for you.

These black lacquered barrels are hexagonally shaped for an extra easy grip that'll go on you cartoon for hours. The barrels are mostly blackness with the ends showing the cadre color.

Now the cores themselves are wax-based and extra thick(3.8mm) which have been glue bonded to the barrel.

Resistant to breaking, chipping, or smudging, these colors get onto the page smoothly and evenly.

I will say the pencils are a little shorter than you may be used to. But with consistent use you lot volition find the tips don't dull fast and yous can have more command over the pencil.

Actually this is a pack that grows on you over time.

It works bang-up for both newbie artists and more professional person artists akin.

Pros

Actress thick core ways a lot more color to utilise
Points are easy to sharpen without breakage
An first-class all-around gear up for all skill levels

Cons

Takes a little time to suit to the smaller size

Most Affordable Colored Pencils On A Budget

If you need a high-quality colored pencil set only are limited on a budget then cheque out this CYPER TOP fix.

With a total of 80 unlike colors yous're walking away with one hell of a bargain!

If you purchase the cylinder of pencils you volition get the 80 pencils in a cardboard rounded container without any add-ons.

Y'all can too buy the case which gives a more permanent dwelling to these pencils and includes a sharpener with iii minor rolls of decorative duct tape.

Extras bated, the pencils draw really well. You can't expect a lot in the way of tiptop quality simply yous can wait these to draw well and leave backside some gorgeous colors.

The pencil barrels are hardwood to resist breaking while being transported.

And the leads offering a smooth, pupil grade color set which is great considering everything you go here.

It's noticeable that the pigment isn't as rich every bit virtually other pencils that price a lot more. That'due south actually a given.

Only for coloring books, basic practise, or testing new ideas, the price tag far outweighs the complaints.

Finding The Right Set For Y'all

The three most important factors of any colored pencil gear up are the pb blazon(oil or wax-based), quality class(student, professional or artist) and your budget.

Some other affair to consider is your skill level and what sort of quality you're looking for.

Even professional artists will selection upwards a smaller pair of colored pencils every and so oftentimes. It's crucial to know what you're looking for and go a fix based on your specific needs.

Looking over all the options I say the Prismacolor Premier set has everything that any creative person would need.

This set offers vibrant colors, durability, and continuous performance with a trusted brand name. However yous may make up one's mind y'all similar a longer butt, a thicker core, or merely don't demand that many colors. So if the Prismacolor pack isn't for you lot have another look over this listing and meet what you lot call back.

Yous're certain to find a great set up of colored pencils if you go along researching and know exactly what you're using them for.

Author: JT Pledger

JT is a ghostwriter, novelist and screenwriter. He loves making words convey more than than just a message and helping others find their passion with the written give-and-take. Y'all tin contact him through his website.

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Source: https://conceptartempire.com/best-colored-pencils/

Best Colored Pencil Sets For Beginners And Professional Artists