My Favourite Pencils and Why
My 7 Favourite Colored Pencils and Why
I have used and loved a lot of pencils in my journey as a colorist and even today, the most popular question I am asked is 'which pencils should I buy?'
And while there are thousands of brands and styles of pencils available in the world today, I have narrowed down my list of favourites to help you choose where to start when buying pencils.
So no matter your budget or style, check out these 7 Colored Pencil Brands and find something thats just right for you. Click on the headings or pictures for accurate pricing for all sets.
* Affiliate Disclaimer. This post contains amazon affiliate links and I may earn a small commission (at no cost to you) if you click on them.
1. Arrtx Artist Pencils
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Arrtx 72 Colored Pencils for Adult Coloring |
Arrtx Pencils are soft in their core which indicates that they have a high wax content but not as high as a Prismacolor Premier. This is a good thing if you like colored pencils that blend well but still sharpen to a fine point.
Arrtx Colored Pencils come in a set of 126 but the 72 colors in the smaller set are a fantastic combination of earth tones and vibrant tones for all sorts of art palettes.
2. Lyra Rembrandt Polycolor
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Lyra Rembrandt Polycolor 72 Professional Colored Pencils |
The Lyra Rembrandt Polycolor where the first set of serious colored pencils I ever purchased when I decided to get into coloring. At the time I had no idea about colored pencils but these fit into my budget and they were from Germany, which even as a complete newb I knew meant that they would be quality.
Now Lyra's have a very hard core so the way you would color with these is different to how you would color with a wax forward pencils. They sharpen to an ultra fine point and their pigment lay down is absolutely effortless.
Lyra Rembrandt Polycolor only come in a 72 set but 72 is all you'll need to create incredible art. These pencils are the unsung heroes of the pencil world in my opinion and I'll be buying a brand new set to replace my original very soon.
3. Prismacolor Premier
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Prismacolor Premier Soft Core Color Pencils |
This powerhouse brand is known and loved the world over and no list would be complete without them right? Despite the quality issues that have seen Prismacolors finished product go down hill in recent times, no other pencil brand feels like a prismacolor when it comes to that soft, blendable, buttery core.
Prismacolor Premier colored pencils are still a favourite for so many artists and given that they are quite reasonably priced, they definitely make the cut when it comes to my favourite pencils.
4. Faber Castell PolyChromos
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Faber-Castell Polychromos Artist Colored PencilsExquisitely designed and quality controlled, you can gaurantee that the color on the barrel is the color of the core and that you're going to get consistent quality every time you use them. Faber Castell also have a watercolor set, the Albrect Durer and the colors match the Polychromos range exactly - incase you want to mix the two. Faber Castell Polychromos are a mid to high budget pencil with a high oil content. This makes the core harder and drier and will sharpen to a fine point for detail work. While not as blendable as the Arrtx or Prismacolor pencils, you'll get some beautiful results with lots of light layering here. 5. Holbein Artist Pencils |
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Holbein Artist Colored Pencil 150 Colors |
If you're ready to make the commitment to art and have the money to spend, I cannot recommend Holbein products more highly. An incredible array of colors that are true to core and exquisitely presented. Holbein are a Japanese company and in similar fashion to their German counterparts, well known for creating beautiful quality products.Holbein Artist Pencils are soft in their core making them buttery and blendable but they will also sharpen to a fine point for details, essentially giving you the best of both worlds. The pigment lay down is effortless and exactly the color you'd expect when you pick up the pencil.
So what's the downside here? In a word, the price. Holbeins are some of the most expensive pencils available and while I think they're worth every cent, you have to decide if the investment is right for you.
6. Derwent Chromaflow
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Derwent Chromaflow Colored Pencils |
Derwent are another company that have a huge array of styles for all levels of art and you can spend a little or you can spend a lot. For me, Derwent's Chromaflow range ticks a lot of boxes in that they are a mid range pencils but with a beautiful buttery lay down.
You're likely to find the Chromaflow for a cheaper price than Prismacolor but they will give you a similar feel with soft cores and vibrant pigments. One minor consideration for the Chromaflow is that while the core is a good size, the barrell is smaller than some other pencils. I'd avoid this one if you have any issues with your hands or fingers.
7. Caran d'Ache Luminance
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Caran d'Ache Luminance |
The truth is my list would not be complete without the edition of the Caran d'Ache Luminance Colored Pencil, considered the best (and most expensive) set of colored pencils in the world. This European brand is considered a must have by some artists for its beautiful finish and its best of both worlds core.
You can sharpen a Luminance pencil to a fine point but they will also blend incredibly well making them an ideal choice for pencil artists everywhere. I was surprised at how light the pencil is to hold howveer this makes them more ergonomic and lets you work for longer also so it's an element you'll get used to very quickly.
Caran d'Ache Luminance pencils are available open stock also meaning you can replace your favourite singular pencils when required without having to buy an entire set and this makes them a winner for me.
So if you're in the market for some new colored pencils, these are my top picks for every budget and style. What would you add to this list? Share your favourites with me.
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