Author: Bronwen Pugh

Pick a page with simple shapes, use a small set of pencils, build colour in light layers, sharpen well, work light to dark, and keep a relaxed hand. That is the short answer. The rest of this article is the longer, more useful one.

Getting Started With Colouring Pencils

Two winters ago I bought a coloring book from a charity shop for a pound. I had no plan. I just thought it looked nice, and the bakery had worn me out, and I wanted something quiet to do with my tea. That first page looked muddy and flat. I was sure I was doing it wrong. Turns out I was, a bit, but the pencils and the paper were also working against me.

I sat at my tiny table in Sheffield with a tin of school pencils from the back of a drawer. They were scratchy and pale, but they taught me pressure and layering before I spent a penny on anything better. Using what you already own shows you what you like and where your frustrations actually sit. That makes later shopping less of a gamble.

You do not need artist training, expensive kits, or a studio. You need a handful of colored pencils, any adult colouring book or printable page, and a sheet of plain printer paper for testing colours. That is genuinely it.

This article sticks to dry coloured pencils and pastel pencils. I will not cover watercolor pencils, water soluble pencils, or markers here, though watercolor pencils can be used dry or wet for different effects and are worth exploring another time. Same goes for other art media and every other medium that catches your eye later.

Here is what today covers:

• Layering colors to build richness

• Shading with a consistent light source

• Choosing and testing your pencils and paper

• Fixing mistakes without panic

What Are Coloured Pencils, Really?

A colored pencil is a pigmented core inside a wood encasing. The core is not actual lead. It is a mix of pigment, binder, and filler, shaped into a stick, dried (never fired in a kiln, because that would ruin the colour), and glued into a wooden barrel. Different brands have their own names for their lines, but the basic idea is the same everywhere. For more background, see the Wikipedia entry on colored pencils.

Most pencils on shop shelves are wax based. Wax based pencils are the most common type, and they use paraffin or similar waxes as binder. They feel creamy, blend easily, and are what you will find in nearly every student set. Oil based pencils, like the Faber Castell Polychromos, use a firmer binder. Oil based pencils are more durable and water resistant than their wax based counterparts, and they tend to hold a sharp point longer. On the flip side, wax based pencils are easier to blend and layer than oil based pencils.

My practical take: the wax or oil in the core is why you can build colour gradually. It is also why very heavy pressure leaves a slick, shiny surface that refuses more pigment.

Pastel pencils are a different beast. They are like hard pastels in pencil form: dusty, soft, lovely for backgrounds and gentle transitions. Pastel pencils can be used dry or blended with other mediums. They smudge if you breathe on them, but that softness is a feature.

A note on spelling: “color pencil,” “colored pencil,” “coloured pencil” are all the same thing. I use the British spelling out of habit, but if you searched the American way, you are in the right place.

Gum based binders are found in watercolor pencils only, so those sit in a different category from dry pencils and pastels.

A quick summary of the three dry types this article covers:

• Wax based: Soft, blendable, common, prone to wax bloom on heavy layers

• Oil based: Firmer, less bloom, sharper detail, usually pricier

• Pastel: Chalky, dusty, gorgeous for soft effects, fragile cores

Picking Pencils: Student Grade vs Artist Grade

Student grade colored pencils are the ones you find at supermarkets and discount shops for a few pounds. They have more filler and less pigment in the core, which means paler colour, more white paper showing through, and usually no published lightfastness ratings. Student grade pencils typically have a smaller color range of 24 to 36 colors, and they usually cost significantly less than artist grade.

Artist grade colored pencils have higher pigment concentrations than student grade. They feel smoother, lay down richer colour, and the best ones are tested for lightfastness so your finished pages do not fade on the wall. Artist grade pencils are generally softer and easier to blend, and artist grade colored pencils often come in sets of 72 colors or more, which gives you a wide color range to play with. You can also buy individual pencils in open stock, so you only replace the colours you actually use.

I started with a £5 tin from a charity shop in early 2024. Months later I added a few Faber Castell Polychromos from an art shop, and the difference was obvious. More pigment in the core, smoother laydown, less effort for vibrant colours. But those cheaper pencils still taught me everything about pressure and patience.

Expensive pencils will not make anyone a better artist. They only make the drawing process easier and more predictable. A small set of 12 to 24 is plenty to begin with. A huge tin looks lovely, but I keep reaching for the same handful of colours anyway. If you want a shortlist, I put together the best colored pencils to buy.

Student grade pros and cons:

• Cheap, good for experimenting and large areas

• Weaker colour, more filler, student grade pencils often lack lightfastness ratings

• Cores sometimes brittle, wood can splinter

Artist grade pros and cons:

• Richer pigment, smoother feel, higher lightfastness

• Available as individual pencils for targeted shopping

• Higher price, especially for a full set of artist grade products

Soft, Hard, Wax, Oil: How Pencil Feel Changes Your Colouring

A soft core feels creamy under your hand. It covers quickly, blends well, and fills the paper tooth in fewer layers. A hard core stays sharp longer, gives you crisp edges, and is better for fine details like leaf veins or tiny petals.

Prismacolor Premier is a good example of a soft, waxy pencil. It is buttery and rich, brilliant for skin tones and skies, but the core breaks if you look at it wrong and it needs constant sharpening. Faber Castell Polychromos sit on the firmer, oil based side. They hold a fine point longer, produce less wax bloom, and feel more controlled. A generic supermarket set is often hard but pale, because the core has more filler and less pigment.

The trade-offs are real. Softer pencils lose their point fast and can leave a waxy film. Harder pencils can feel scratchy and show more white paper if you use too light a touch. Oil based pencils are more durable and water resistant, which matters if your hands run warm or you live somewhere humid.

Here is when I reach for each:

• Soft pencils: Skies, backgrounds, blending large areas, skin, anything that wants a smooth texture

• Hard pencils: Fur, hair, sharp flowers, outlines, anywhere I want to create fine details

• My usual approach: Start a layer with a harder pencil for a light base, switch to a softer one for blending, then return to the harder pencil to add details and define edges

Essential Tools Beyond the Pencils

Keep it cheap. A modest set of pencils, a sharpener, an eraser, and a stack of printed pages will keep you busy for months. Here is what actually helps:

• Handheld sharpener with a lid: Use a good pencil sharpener for optimal performance. A decent one saves money by snapping fewer cores. Sharpen before you begin and whenever the tip looks flat, but not to a needle, which snaps and digs into the paper. A slightly worn tip actually fills larger areas faster and more evenly. Sharpen pencils to a fine point for detailed work, but for general colouring a moderate point does nicely.

• Kneaded eraser: The Faber Castell one I use is soft and mouldable. It lifts graphite sketch lines and blots a little coloured pencil without tearing the paper. Sharp pencils provide better control and precision for detailed work, and a kneaded eraser gives you similar control for corrections.

• Plastic eraser: Better for crisp lines and removing pencil guide marks.

• Scrap paper: Always keep a sheet under your hand to stop oils transferring, and use another as a test sheet for swatching colours.

• Colorless blender pencil: Not essential, but pleasant for smoothing transitions in a final layer without adding new colour.

• Pencil case or tin: Store pencils in a case to prevent breakage, especially if you carry them anywhere.

I do not routinely use solvents or sprays in my flat. Beginners can skip fixatives until they need to preserve finished art. A colored pencil fixative prevents wax bloom, but test it on scrap first.

Understanding Paper and Colouring Books

Choosing the right paper texture is crucial for effective colored pencil application. Paper “tooth” is the roughness of the surface. Smooth paper, like cheap copier stock, feels slick and does not grab much pigment. A slightly rough drawing surface holds pencil strokes better, lets you build several layers, and gives coloured pencil something to grip. Look for paper that is a bit thick and toothy, not shiny and thin.

I tested a few supermarket colouring books from 2024 and 2025. The cheap ones were around 70 to 80 gsm. Colour bled through to the next page, the paper dented under any real pressure, and two layers already looked patchy. Artist-designed books were often 120 to 150 gsm, and the difference felt obvious the moment I touched pencil to drawing paper.

Charity shops are brilliant for coloring books. I have found plenty of good ones for a pound or two. You can feel the paper weight before buying, and thicker always wins.

For home printing, try slightly thicker paper, around 160 gsm, for more layers and less warping.

Quick paper tests you can do in five minutes:

1. Press firmly with a saturated pencil and check the back for show-through

2. Swatch two strong colours side by side and see if they stay distinct

3. Layer three colours on top of each other and check for smoothness

4. Try erasing a mark to see how the surface holds up

5. Burnish a small patch and see if the paper goes shiny or stays toothy

If your book has thin pages, slip a spare sheet underneath to protect the next page.

Planning Your Colours and Light Source

Choose a forgiving first page. Medium or large spaces work best, because tiny intricate patterns frustrate when your sharp pencil is wider than the gaps. I started with big leaves and a few flowers and felt satisfied rather than overwhelmed.

A light source is just deciding where the pretend lamp or sun sits so your shadows and highlights make sense. I mark it with a tiny pencil arrow at the page edge and erase it later. Every shape then gets a lighter side (facing the light) and a darker side (turned away). This alone makes flat shapes look round.

Understanding color theory helps in creating depth and richness in artwork. You do not need a degree in it. Just know that using complementary colors as underlayers enhances the vibrancy of the main color. A light wash of red under green leaves, or a hint of purple beneath orange, gives the top colour a glow that a single flat layer cannot match.

For a simple page I lay out four to six pencils: two main colours, a lighter shade of each, and one dark for shadows. For bigger pages I pull eight to twelve from the tin so I am not rummaging. A limited palette makes a page look planned rather than chaotic.

Cannot decide on colours? Pick one from a favourite mug or tea towel and build around it.

Swatch your choices in the margin or on a scrap sheet. Light colors and dark colors both look different on paper than in the barrel, and blue layered over yellow can surprise you. A thirty-second test saves regret.

Prep steps before you colour:

• Sharpen all pencils you plan to use

• Swatch on scrap with light, medium, and firm pressure

• Mark your light source with a small arrow

• Choose your page and gather tools (eraser, scrap paper)

• If printing, tape the page flat so it does not curl

Core Pencil Techniques for Smooth Colour

The difference between pressing hard at first and starting softly is enormous. Your first layer should look pale, and that is fine, because adding colour is much easier than removing it. Avoid pressing too hard with colored pencils to maintain paper texture for layering.

Think of pressure like writing. Sketchy note pressure is what you want for most of the drawing process. Pressing hard, like signing a form, comes much later, if at all. Light pressure gives you room to adjust, while heavy pressure locks colour into the paper early and leaves nowhere to go.

Use small circles or zigzag lines for colouring. Using circular motions produces smoother color application and reduces streaks. Light layering using circular strokes helps build colour gradually and keeps the surface even. For skin, skies, and other areas that need a smooth texture, soft strokes in gentle overlapping circles work better than straight lines.

Keep your pencil strokes consistent within a shape for a smoother finish, then shift the angle slightly on the second layer. If the first pass goes left to right, try top to bottom next. When tired, a loose, gentle scribble works too.

Change your pencil angle depending on the job. The side of the lead gives broad, soft coverage for backgrounds. The point lets you add details like eyelashes, leaf veins, or tiny patterns. Rotating the pencil as you work keeps the tip even.

You can also use a white pencil for a solid underlayer before adding colour. This fills the paper tooth slightly and makes the colour on top look smoother and more even.

Three habits to build:

• Light hand: start every layer gently

• Many layers: three light passes beat one heavy one

• Slow build: patience is the only real technique

Layering, Blending and Burnishing Without Overthinking It

Layering is the main colored pencil technique. Think of it as stacking sheets of tinted glass: each layer adds depth without hiding what is underneath. In my experience, three light layers always beat one heavy stroke. The first lays a base, the second adds mid-tones, and the third sharpens contrast. Layer colors gradually for realistic shading, and you will see the difference quickly.

Always work light to dark, especially in the beginning stages. Dark colours pressed early fill the paper tooth and close the drawing surface, so later layers slide off or look patchy. My leaf example: pale yellow-green over the whole shape, mid green toward one side, then dark green or even a touch of blue along the edge for shadow. Building layers slowly prevents flattening the paper’s texture, which keeps the surface ready for each additional layer.

How many layers can you add? It depends on the paper and the pencil, but most pages take three to five comfortable layers before the surface starts to resist. If the paper feels slick, you have reached the limit. You can always add more layers on toothy paper with firm pencils, but the tooth eventually fills.

To blend colors where two shades meet, use very light pressure with a mid-tone pencil between them, or simply overlap the edges gently. No blending techniques require special tools at this stage.

Burnishing means applying more pressure with a light or neutral pencil on the final layer to squash pigment into the paper. Burnishing compresses pigment for a smooth, glossy finish but limits further layering. Burnishing smooths color and removes paper texture, so save it for the very end. Burnishing requires heavy pressure to smooth layers, and you should only do it once you are happy with your colours.

Rich color saturation with colored pencils requires pressure control and layering techniques. Apply more pressure for saturated tones only after you have built up enough layers to support it.

Do’s and don’ts for blending and burnishing:

• Do build at least two or three layers before burnishing

• Do use a white pencil or colorless blender for the final pass

• Do not press hard in the first two layers

• Do not burnish and then expect to add more colour on top

• Do step back and check your page from arm’s length before committing to that last heavy layer

Using Shadows and Highlights to Make Pages Pop

Values, meaning lights and darks, matter more than finding the perfect colour in the tin. Even if your hues are slightly off, good contrast makes a page look alive.

Deepen shadows by glazing darker colours over existing layers. I add deep blue or dark purple to shadows rather than just more of the base colour. This keeps the shadow area interesting and stops it looking flat. For highlights, leave a little strip or dot of untouched paper, especially on shiny things like cherries, cups, or raindrops. That bare white reads as a bright reflection.

Do not outline everything in dark first. Heavy, uniform edges make a page look stiff. I let the printed lines do that work and reserve my darkest pencils for where light naturally casts shadow or an edge turns away from the light source.

My teapot example from January 2025: I used a simple three-step value plan. The side facing my imaginary lamp got barely any colour, just the lightest touch. The middle got a comfortable mid-tone. The far side and underside got dark colors glazed over the mid-tone. Three values, and the teapot looked round. It was the most satisfying page I had finished in weeks. Many artists use this same approach in their own drawings, from hobby colourists to any professional artist working in colored pencil art.

Quick checklist for shadows and highlights:

• Choose a light side (near the light source)

• Push the dark side with glazed darks, not just heavier pressure

• Protect a tiny bright edge or dot for the highlight

• Squint at your page to see if values read clearly

Fixing Mistakes and Dealing With Wax Bloom

Coloured pencil is not truly one of the erasable colored pencils in the way a graphite line is. But you can lighten, soften, or disguise most mistakes. The best fix is working lightly at first, so a wrong colour is easy to cover. The second best fix is turning a mistake into a shadow or pattern.

Use a kneaded eraser to lift too-strong shadows and tidy fuzzy edges. Switch to a plastic eraser for graphite guide lines. A bit of sticky tack can dab off excess pigment in small spots.

Mistakes I made so you do not have to: pressing too hard too early fills the hollows of the paper and makes it impossible to fix. Using every colour in the tin turns a page into mud. Rushing for twenty frantic minutes creates more problems than twenty relaxed ones. I lost a whole flower spread in spring 2025 because I burnished too soon and could not add more layers to fix the patchy petals. I learned coloured pencils learn to punish impatience.

Stop before you think you are finished. Step back to arm’s length, because pencil work can look uneven up close and lovely from a distance. I used to keep fiddling and make things worse. Now I set a page aside, make fresh tea, and return later with clearer eyes.

Wax bloom is a misty white film that can appear on heavy wax based layers after a few days, especially on dark backgrounds. Oil based pencils show less wax bloom than their wax based counterparts. Gently wipe bloom with a soft cloth or tissue, then add a light layer if desired. A colored pencil fixative prevents wax bloom if you want to preserve finished art, but always test the spray on scrap first.

Mistake triage steps, least to most aggressive:

1. Relax. Set it aside.

2. Look at it from a distance.

3. Gently lift colour with a kneaded eraser.

4. Layer a mid-tone or complementary colour over the area to soften it.

5. Glaze a darker shade to turn the problem into a shadow.

6. Accept the imperfection. Some of my favourite pages have a wobbly bit that makes them feel real.

Trying Pastel Pencils Alongside Coloured Pencils

Pastel pencils are a soft, chalky partner for hazy skies, bokeh, or gentle backgrounds behind detailed line art. Their softness is a feature, not a failure, though they smudge if you so much as brush them with your sleeve.

In mid 2025 I tried pastel pencils for the first time on a forest page with pine needles and early morning fog. I used pastels for the mist and distant trees, then came in with coloured pencils for the sharp branches in the foreground. The contrast between soft distance and crisp detail gave the page a sense of depth I had never managed before. It was a small discovery that changed how I think about layering colors on a single page.

Keep a scrap sheet under your hand and tap dust gently into the bin rather than blowing it across the page. I sometimes block in a pastel background, fix it lightly with workable fixative at the window, then return with coloured pencils for crisp details on top.

Tips for pastel pencils:

• Layer pastels first, then fix, then add coloured pencil detail

• Use harder pastel pencils for any fine work, softer ones for broad washes

• Expect mess. A damp cloth nearby helps.

• Pastel pencils pair well with other art mediums on mixed-media paper

Mixing Sets, Brands and Learning From Other Artists

Mixing pencils from different sets is completely normal. I use a budget tin for big areas and a few open-stock artist grade pencils for accents and shadows. The variety compensates for weaknesses in either set.

My favourites right now: a cool dark from Faber Castell, a creamy white from another brand, and some no-name pencils from a Sheffield market stall that surprised me with a warm ochre I reach for constantly. None of these came from the same box. Buying individual pencils to fill gaps in your collection is cheaper and more useful than replacing a whole set.

Watching other hobby colourists on blogs, social feeds, and YouTube gave me colour combination ideas without needing to copy every stroke. I notice someone using mint green, grey, and peach together, and I try something similar on my next page. YouTube videos and video lessons from other artists are good for seeing pencil techniques in motion, though I prefer watching at my own pace rather than following along rigidly.

Do not compare your pages harshly with polished colored pencil art online. Many of those pieces took weeks or months and used dozens of artist grade pencils on premium drawing paper. Instead, notice one thing you like and one thing you might try differently. Growth is gradual. Each finished page teaches something about pressure, palette, and values.

Ways to learn while keeping your own style:

• Watch one technique, not a whole tutorial, and try it on scrap

• Save colour combos you admire, then adapt them to your own drawings

• Share a finished page with a friend or online if it feels good

• Accept that other artists have different tools, time, and experience

Building a Relaxing Colouring Habit

Pencil rewards patience. I colour after early bakery shifts, with a pot of tea, at my small table. Twenty to thirty quiet minutes of layering colors most afternoons is my routine. I treat a page like a cup of tea: no rush.

Keep pencils and a book somewhere easy to reach so starting feels small and comforting, not like setting up a studio. I leave one book and a small pencil case next to my chair. Seeing them invites me to pick them up, even for five minutes.

Colour a small section each day instead of trying to finish whole pages in one go. Over weeks, the pile of finished work grows by itself, and you feel the progress without forcing it.

Concrete goals if you want them:

• Finish one page a month

• Try one new pencil technique per week (blending, burnishing, pastel work)

• Test one new colour combo on scrap before bed

If you like company while you colour, the Kettle’s On page is where I share what I am working on and what is in my teapot. It is a quiet corner, no pressure.

Every page you finish, even the ones with a muddy patch or an edge that wandered, is part of the story of your colouring books. Enjoy the slow pace. Put the kettle on. Start light.

Next steps for a beginner:

• Gather what you have: any pencils, any page, scrap paper

• Try one page this week using light pressure and two or three layers

• Swatch your favourite colours on a test sheet before you begin

• Set a timer for twenty minutes and stop when it rings

• Come back to the page tomorrow with fresh tea and fresh eyes

FAQ

Do I need expensive pencils to start colouring with pencils?

No. Any set that lays down colour without scratching the paper is fine for a first try. Student grade pencils usually cost significantly less than artist grade, and they are perfectly good for learning pressure, layering, and colour mixing. Spend more once you know what you enjoy and what frustrates you. A professional artist might need premium pencils for commissioned work, but a hobbyist does not.

Why does my colour look patchy?

Usually pressure or direction. Use lighter, slightly overlapping pencil strokes and build two or three layers on paper with a bit of tooth. Changing the angle of your strokes between layers also helps. Using circular motions and small circles smooths things out more than straight lines do.

Can I fix a mistake?

Sometimes. A kneaded eraser lifts light layers a little. Sticky tack dabs off excess. But heavy colour rarely comes out fully, so the practical move is to turn it into a shadow or pattern. Prevention is better: work lightly in the beginning stages and press hard only at the end.

How long should a page take?

There is no right answer. An hour or two for a simple page. Many sittings for a detailed one. It is absolutely fine to come back to it over days or weeks. Relaxation comes in the process, not in finishing quickly.

Should I colour inside the lines or not?

Whatever feels good. Staying neatly inside is a nice skill to practise. A wobbly edge adds charm. I do both, depending on my mood and how much tea I have had.

I work the early counter shift at a bakery in Sheffield, so by mid-afternoon I am home with the kettle on and a coloring book open on my small kitchen table. This is not a studio. It is a flat with one good window and a pot of tea, and I have been coloring for two winters now. The blog exists because I wanted to keep track of which pencils, papers and pages were worth the money on a bakery wage, and which ones were not.

If you want the short answer before all the detail: for most people, a mid-priced set of 24 to 36 soft or medium core pencils is the place to start, plus a few single pencils from a pricier range once you know what you like. A smaller set of decent pencils beats a huge set of scratchy ones every time, so do not start with the biggest tin you can find. If you have never coloured on a page before, my first steps with colored pencils post covers the basics.

How I’m Choosing These Recommended Colored Pencils

These picks come from two winters of buying, testing and sometimes regretting. I focus on colored pencil sets I actually own or have borrowed long enough to use properly in 2024 to 2026, not just what everyone else lists. I have paid for almost all of them myself, and every time I hand over money for art supplies I feel it.

I am writing for adult colourists and casual artists in the UK and elsewhere who want straightforward, practical advice and honest talk about price. I started the blog to keep track of what was worth the money, and that has not changed.

I will mostly ignore huge “school packs” and watercolor pencils in this guide, and focus on regular colored pencils you can use in adult coloring books and on loose paper. If you are after graphite pencils for sketching, that is a different conversation. Same if you want markers. This is about dry colored pencils, the kind you sharpen and press onto a page.

One thing that helped me early on was reading the Wikipedia article on colored pencils. It gives a clear overview of wax based and oil based cores and the different grades, and it explained why my pencils behaved so differently from each other. If you are confused about core types, that is a good starting point before spending anything.

What Matters Most in a Good Colored Pencil Set

I am a hobbyist, so I judge pencils by how they behave on a printed coloring page at a kitchen table, not under gallery lights. Here is what I look for.

• Pigment strength. How bright or rich the colour looks in a single layer and after several layers. Weak pigment means going over the same patch again and again, which wears out cheap paper fast. Pigmentation impacts the richness and vibrancy of what ends up on the page, and higher pigment concentration generally results in richer colors. Colored pencils vary significantly by core composition and pigment load, and that difference shows up immediately.

• Blendability and core hardness. Whether pencils layer smoothly and burnish without waxy clumps, and how soft vs firm cores affect comfort, detail work and sharpening. There are two primary types of colored pencil cores: wax based and oil based. The main differences lie in pigment load and lightfastness, but you feel it in practice too. Wax based pencils are softer and easier to blend than oil based pencils, while oil based pencils tend to hold a sharper point for detailed work. Softer cores are better for blending colors easily and color fast, but they wear down quickly. Harder cores hold a sharp point but can feel thin and pale on the first pass. Blendability allows colors to transition smoothly without harsh lines, and that matters if you want gradients or soft backgrounds.

• Breakage. A pencil that snaps inside the wood every time it drops is a waste of money. I have had a few. Good colored pencils can minimize breaking during sharpening or drawing, and features like SV bonding, where the lead is glued through the full length of the wood, help a lot.

• Paper friendliness. How the pencils behave on common adult colouring papers: Amazon-print books, Johanna Basford style books, smooth Bristol, and toothier drawing papers. Some pencils look gorgeous on quality paper but scratch or skip on cheap glossy stock.

• Lightfastness. This measures a color’s resistance to fading over time. If pages just live in a folder or a closed book on a shelf, do not let it drive the decision. But lightfastness is crucial for artwork longevity if you plan to frame, sell or gift pieces that will hang in bright rooms. The Wikipedia page on lightfastness explains the idea properly if you want to understand the testing standards before deciding whether it matters to you.

• Range of colors, set sizes and open stock. A set with six near-identical greens and no good grey is not much use, so I look at the spread before the price. Quality pencils allow building multiple colors without quickly saturating the paper, and layering ability allows multiple colors to build up gradually. Open stock matters because you can replace your most-used colours instead of rebuying whole tins.

• Price and availability in 2024 to 2026. Rough UK prices in pounds, and whether they are easily found in supermarkets, on big online shops, or only from specialist art stores. Budget affects the quality of colored pencils you can buy, and I try to be honest about where the sweet spot sits for people like me.

Best 7 Colored Pencil Sets I Honestly Recommend in 2026

I am not ranking these from “worst to best” but from “most generally useful for my readers” to more niche or pricier options. All seven are sets I would happily use for a full page, with a mix of beginner-friendly and “treat” sets. My own sweet spot is the mid-range, and the pricier sets are nice to have, not essential. There are other pencil brands worth trying, including Chameleon Color Tones pencils, which have a blending color on the other end for easy blending with dual tips and blend well while holding a sharp point. And ranges like Koh-I-Noor Polycolor and Lyra Rembrandt Polycolor have loyal followings among professional artists. But I am sticking to the seven I know best.

1. Prismacolor Premier Soft Core: Best All-Rounder for Adult Coloring Books

Prismacolor Premier colored pencils are very soft, creamy, famous for smooth blending, and widely used by hobbyists and pros. They are loved by many colorists for their rich cores, and Prismacolor Premier pencils are popular for their creamy texture. If you have seen colored pencil art on social media with those impossibly smooth backgrounds, there is a good chance Prismacolor pencils were involved.

Why It Stands Out

Prismacolor Premier pencils blend easily and lay down vibrant color, even on cheap Amazon paper and thicker books like Kerby Rosanes, without much streakiness. They handle backgrounds, skin tones and smooth gradients with minimal effort. The way the pencil lays down color in a single pass is noticeably richer than most student sets. Prismacolor Premier pencils are recommended for beginners and professionals alike, and they are one of the easiest step-up pencils for someone moving beyond Crayola-type sets, though I would never tell a beginner they need to start here.

Best For

• Adult colouring book fans who want soft, blendy pencils, are starting to layer colours, and like rich color with fewer layers.

• People who mostly work in books, not on framed professional artwork in direct sunlight.

Key Strengths

• Very soft wax core that makes smooth blending and gradients easy even on budget paper. Wax based colored pencils like these are forgiving on thin paper where firmer cores can scratch.

• Huge range of colors, with sets going up to 72, 132 and 150 colours, and strong pinks, blues and greens. The color range covers bright colors and cool tones equally well.

• Available open stock in most decent art shops, so you can replace favourites like White, Cream and Dark Umber. In the UK, a 24-colour set runs about £30, which works out to roughly £1.25 per pencil. Affordable for artist quality compared to European premium brands, especially during sales.

Possible Limitations

• Soft cores break more easily if dropped or sharpened with aggressive sharpeners. Mine sometimes break in the sharpener and I have had a few with off-centre cores, so quality control can vary. Your experience may differ.

• Wax bloom on heavy layers, which is that faint cloudy film that appears after a day or two on heavily worked areas. Some colours are also less lightfast, so these are not ideal for serious gallery work. If you notice wax bloom, a gentle buff with a tissue or a light spray of workable fixative sorts it out.

Note that Prismacolor Scholar colored pencils are a more affordable student line from the same company. They are firmer and less creamy than the Premier range but still a step above basic sets.

2. Faber-Castell Polychromos: Best for Detail Lovers and Long Sessions

Faber-Castell Polychromos pencils are oil based and easy to blend in a controlled, layered way. They are firmer than the soft wax types, and popular with portrait and wildlife artists. Polychromos pencils hold a point beautifully, which makes them a great pencil for anyone who works small.

Why It Stands Out

The firm core holds a very sharp point for fur, hair, buildings and tiny mandala spaces. Oil based colored pencils like these allow clean, controlled layering with less wax build-up. Faber-Castell Polychromos are favored for their oil based quality, and oil based pencils are better for fine details than softer alternatives. Oil based pencils tend to hold a sharper point for detailed work, and that is exactly what makes them appealing for precise lines in intricate designs.

Faber-Castell Polychromos pencils have a 3-star lightfast rating for 102 of their colours, which means most of the 120-colour range is suitable for display pieces.

Best For

• Intermediate to advanced colourists who enjoy slow, detailed work and are bothered by crumbly, soft pencils and constant sharpening.

• Artists who mix colored pencil with markers or ink outlines and need precision. They suit mixed media work well because the oil binder does not react with most solvents the way wax can.

Key Strengths

• Firm, oil based core with a 3.8 mm diameter that sharpens to a needle point and resists breakage.

• Excellent lightfastness across most of the 120-colour range. Very smooth on toothier papers like Strathmore or Fabriano, and handles solvent blending well.

• Available open stock almost everywhere that sells serious art materials. This is how I bought them: not a full set, just a handful of colours I use constantly. A 60-colour tin runs about £84.88 in the UK, which is roughly £1.42 per pencil.

Possible Limitations

• Learning curve for people used to very soft pencils. They need more layers and patience to reach full saturation, and can feel a bit scratchy on very smooth, cheap paper compared with Prismacolor.

• Higher upfront cost per pencil, especially in smaller UK shops.

3. Derwent Lightfast: Best for Lightfastness on a Big Budget

Derwent Lightfast colored pencils are Derwent’s flagship lightfast pencils, designed to last decades. Professional-grade pencils like these are designed for archival longevity and rich pigmentation, and Derwent Lightfast pencils are rated 100% lightfast for up to 100 years under museum conditions.

Why It Stands Out

• 100 percent lightfast across the full range, suited to professional artwork you want to hang or sell with confidence. Derwent Lightfast pencils are rated 100% lightfast for durability, meeting ASTM D-6901 and Blue Wool Scale ISO 105 standards.

• Creamy, rich cores somewhere between Polychromos and Luminance in feel, from a long-standing British company that is easy to find in UK art shops and online.

Best For

• Artists creating original pieces to sell or gift, especially portraits and animals, and colourists who already know they love coloured pencils and want a “lifetime” set.

• People who prefer to support a UK-based brand.

Key Strengths

• Every colour in the range is rated lightfast for museum-level conditions. These are lightfast pencils in the truest sense.

• Thick, smooth core that covers tooth well and works nicely on toned paper and textured papers.

• Open stock available, with good neutrals and greys, in sturdy tins and wooden boxes that actually protect the pencils. A 36-colour tin sells for about £99.95 in the UK, and individual pencils cost about £3.20 each.

Possible Limitations

• Very expensive pencils per unit, and probably overkill for many colouring book fans. These are among the most expensive pencils in UK art shops.

• Small starter sets (like 12) feel quite limited; you really need 36 or more to enjoy the system. Heavy burnishing on very smooth paper can show a little streaking.

4. Caran d’Ache Luminance: Best Luxury Pencils for Creamy Coverage

Caran d’Ache Luminance pencils are often described as the “Rolls-Royce” of coloured pencils. They are wax based with a buttery laydown and high lightfastness, and Caran d’Ache Luminance pencils are known for their buttery texture. If you have ever picked up a pencil and thought “this feels expensive,” this is the one.

Why It Stands Out

• Exceptionally thick, opaque 3.8 mm cores that cover the paper quickly, even on toothy stock, with a palette packed with natural skin tones and muted colours. Caran d’Ache Luminance pencils are known for their superior lightfastness, with 81 of their 100 colours rated LFI under ASTM D-6901, which is the top grade.

• They blend beautifully, like very soft wax based pencils, but feel sturdier in the hand than Prismacolor for many people. The superior blending and vivid color you get from these cores is hard to match.

Best For

• Portrait artists and colourists who love skin tones, botanicals and gentle palettes, and who are happy to invest serious money into a long-term set. Professional quality work benefits enormously from the pigment quality in this range.

Key Strengths

• Soft, creamy cores that give strong colour in few layers and handle layering and burnishing beautifully, with all colours rated highly lightfast. The creamy texture gives each pencil a satisfying weight on the page.

• Excellent coverage on smooth Bristol as well as heavier art papers.

• Useful doubles with other pencils: many artists combine Luminance white pencils and skin tone pencils with cheaper pencil brands, which fits my “small set plus singles” approach.

Possible Limitations

• One of the most expensive coloured pencil ranges on the market, and sets jump in price significantly between 20, 40 and 76.

• Casual hobbyists may not notice the extra subtlety compared with cheaper artist grade colored pencils. I would say it is a treat, not a need.

5. Derwent Chromaflow: Best Mid-Priced Upgrade from Budget Pencils

Derwent Chromaflow is Derwent’s softer, wallet-friendlier range aimed at hobby colourists, and it sits in the same mid-range territory I think most people should land in. If you want the feel of artist grade pencils without the price tag that makes you wince, this is a strong option.

Why It Stands Out

• Soft, blendable core that feels closer to Prismacolor than to classic student sets, with bright, modern colours that suit colouring book paper. The pencils blend smoothly without much effort, and the way the pencil lays colour is noticeably richer than cheaper alternatives.

• Often on offer in UK stationery chains and online, making them an accessible step up at an affordable price.

Best For

• Beginners who have outgrown Crayola-style pencils and want something softer but not too pricey. Amateur-grade pencils are more budget-friendly and accessible for beginners, and Chromaflow sits nicely above that bracket.

• People who mainly colour in books and do not need perfect lightfastness or open stock, and enjoy bold, saturated pages rather than ultra-detailed realism.

Key Strengths

• Soft, vibrant cores that blend nicely even on mid-range paper, producing vibrant colors with less effort than firm cores.

• Good colour selection in sets like 24, 36 and 72, covering brights and useful neutrals, at a reasonable price for the performance.

• Barrels clearly printed with colour names and numbers for swatching and tracking favourites. This is genuinely useful when you start collecting favourites.

Possible Limitations

• Not fully lightfast rated, so not the right choice for work you plan to hang long term in strong light.

• Open stock availability can be patchy, and the soft core can still be fragile if dropped or sharpened too aggressively. Keep a good sharpener nearby. Derwent’s softer Coloursoft pencils behave the same way, and Derwent Studio pencils keep a sharp point well and resist breakage if you prefer a firmer feel from Derwent’s range.

6. Faber-Castell Goldfaber / Goldfaber Aqua (Dry Use): Best Versatile Mid-Range Set

I am focusing on using these dry in colouring books, even though Goldfaber Aqua are technically watercolor pencils. Worth mentioning that Faber-Castell Classic Colour is the range I see most often in UK shops and a sensible starting point: reliable, pleasant colours, clean sharpening. Faber-Castell Classic Color Pencils are great for kids and beginners. But Goldfaber is a step up from there.

Why It Stands Out

• Goldfaber: wax based, smooth without being mushy, easy to control for both colouring books and sketching. The 3.3 mm cores are SV bonded, meaning the lead is glued full-length to reduce breakage. Goldfaber Aqua: slightly softer, can be activated with water, but still performs nicely dry.

• Both ranges perform better on black paper, dark paper and toned paper than very cheap sets. Even Faber-Castell Black Edition pencils, designed for dark paper, share some of that Faber-Castell engineering quality.

Best For

• People who want one set they can use for both casual colouring and more serious drawing practice, and anyone gifting pencils to an adult beginner who might branch into sketching later.

• Beginners who value strong, simple wooden barrels and reliable sharpening.

Key Strengths

• Firm-but-smooth cores that keep a point for fine details but still layer and blend, with very solid build quality and break-resistant leads. This is a high quality pencil range without the high-end price.

• Good colour balance in sets of 24 to 48, with enough earth tones to feel grown-up.

• More affordable than Polychromos while still feeling like “proper” artist quality pencils. The pigment quality is respectable for the price.

Possible Limitations

• Less creamy than Prismacolor or Chromaflow, so they demand a bit more layering. Softer pencils will fill large areas faster.

• Lightfast information is not as clearly pushed as in the pro lines, and open stock can be harder to track down depending on country.

7. Crayola Colored Pencils (Full-Size): Best Ultra-Budget Option That Still Works

Crayola colored pencils are not artist grade, but many of us started here and they can still make lovely colouring pages. My caution is this: the very cheapest supermarket and stationery-shop sets often look chalky and thin on the page, which is discouraging after an hour on a detailed design. If a set feels scratchy when you test it, put it back. Crayola, at least, delivers what it promises.

Why It Stands Out

• Widely available almost everywhere, from supermarkets to bargain shops, at very low cost. Crayola Colored Pencils are affordable and beginner-friendly, often under £10 for a set of 24.

• Firm enough to survive being thrown in a bag and sharpened with cheap sharpeners, with a huge colour range in big sets and fun bright colors for mandalas and simple pages.

Best For

• Absolute beginners testing whether adult colouring is for them without spending much, and parents or carers sharing supplies with children’s colouring pages.

• People who like flat, graphic styles more than super-blended, painterly looks.

Key Strengths

• Very affordable, often under the price of a takeaway for large sets, and available in many themed sets so you can top up colour ranges easily.

• Hard pencils that hold a point well for line work and tiny spaces, and they perform noticeably better on quality paper, which can surprise new colourists. Even cheaper pencils can look decent when the paper cooperates.

Possible Limitations

• Less pigmented than artist grade pencils, so it takes more layers to reach rich color. The pencils carry less more pigment per stroke compared to premium brands.

• Blending is limited, with a tendency to look scratchy on very smooth, cheap paper. No lightfast information, so not suitable for display work in bright rooms.

Quick Comparison of My Recommended Colored Pencils

Here is a fast way to match a set to your situation. Choosing pencils is partly about personal preference, partly about budget, and partly about what you actually do with them.

Set	Core Type	Best For	UK Price Range	Lightfast?
Prismacolor Premier	Soft wax	Blended colouring book pages	~£30 for 24	Mixed
Faber-Castell Polychromos	Oil based	Detail, portraits, precision	~£85 for 60	Yes, most colours
Derwent Lightfast	Oil/hybrid	Framing, selling, archival	~£100 for 36	Yes, 100%
Caran d’Ache Luminance	Wax based	Luxury coverage, portraits	~£60-70 for 20	Yes, most colours
Derwent Chromaflow	Soft wax	Upgrading from budget sets	Mid-range	Partial
Faber-Castell Goldfaber	Wax based	Versatile sketching and colouring	Mid-range	Not rated per pencil
Crayola	Firm wax	Beginners, tight budgets	~£4-10	No data

How to Choose the Right Colored Pencils for You

There is no single “best” colored pencil. There is only the best fit for how and where you colour. Before spending money, it helps to answer a few practical questions about budget, paper, goals and storage. Consider your artistic purpose when choosing colored pencils, and be honest about how much time and money you want to put in.

My test-before-you-commit routine: swatch in a shop if you can, using both light and firm pressure. Try layering two colours on top of each other. Sharpen one to see if the tip crumbles. And buy a small set of 12 or 24 before spending on 72. You learn more from finishing one book with a small set than from staring at a huge tin wondering where to start.

Choose Based on Your Budget (and Future Refills)

Compare the rough price tiers: Crayola at the bottom, Chromaflow and Goldfaber in the middle, Polychromos and Prismacolor higher, Luminance and Lightfast at the top. The best quality pencils cost more per unit, but that does not mean you need the most expensive set to enjoy coloring.

I learned this the hard way. I bought a big set first because it looked like better value, used about a third of the colours, and the rest sat in the tin. These days I buy a modest set and fill gaps with singles. A good neutral grey, a deep green and a warm brown did more for my pages than another ten pastel shades. If you can only afford one mid-range set, pick the widest colour range you can afford over the most prestigious name on the tin. Budget affects the quality of colored pencils you can buy, but spending wisely matters more than spending a lot.

Open-stock availability makes expensive pencils more economical in the long run if you colour a lot. Polychromos and Lightfast are easy to buy as singles in the UK. Prismacolor Premier open stock can be trickier to find depending on where you shop.

Choose Based on How You Actually Colour

There is a real difference between heavy, blended pages with soft backgrounds and flat, neat colouring with clear lines. For backgrounds, skies and soft shading, softer pencils like Prismacolor, Chromaflow and Luminance are quicker and more satisfying. Their soft cores fill paper fast. For intricate designs, tiny spaces and fine line work, firmer pencils like Polychromos, Goldfaber and even Crayola give you more control.

My own routine: a mid-range soft set for most of the page and a few firmer Faber-Castell pencils for small details and precise lines. I keep a small pencil case of just the colours in a current project, so there is less choice and less rummaging. This also means I actually finish pages instead of dithering over which shade of blue to use.

Marco Raffine pencils, which I have tried briefly, perform better on quality paper than on cheap book pages, and they are another decent mid-range option worth testing if you come across them.

Choose Based on Paper and Lightfast Needs

Cheap, thin paper in some colouring books behaves very differently from thick, toothy card or Bristol. The best colored pencils will still struggle on thin, glossy paper, which tears or pills if you layer too much. Colored pencil paper matters almost as much as the pencils themselves.

For home-printed pages, slightly heavier paper around 120 to 160 gsm makes layering and blending much easier. The tip I wish I had known sooner: put a spare sheet under your page for a little cushion and to protect the table. It also makes softer pencils feel smoother.

I have a guide on how to start colouring with pencils elsewhere on the blog, for readers who want the basics of technique before buying anything.

Lightfastness really matters when you are making artwork for walls, commissions, or gifts left out in bright rooms. For purely private colouring books stored on a shelf or in a folder, Prismacolor, Chromaflow or Goldfaber are usually fine. For a page on the wall, look for a published lightfast rating and keep it out of direct sunlight. Colored pencil drawing that stays in a drawer will hold its colour for years regardless of rating, but anything near a window needs protection.

Which Colored Pencils Are Best for You?

Most colored pencil brands have something to offer, and the best colored pencils for you depend on how you colour, what you colour on, and what you plan to do with the finished page. Here is the quick version.

• Choose Crayola Colored Pencils if you are just starting out, share with kids, or want to test the hobby with almost no financial risk.

• Choose Derwent Chromaflow if you love bright, soft colour in colouring books and want an affordable upgrade from school pencils.

• Choose Faber-Castell Goldfaber if you want sturdy, mid-priced pencils that work for both doodling and more serious sketches.

• Choose Prismacolor Premier Soft Core if your priority is ultra-smooth blending and rich pages on typical adult colouring paper.

• Choose Faber-Castell Polychromos if you focus on detail, realistic pieces, or plan to mix pencils with markers and fine liners.

• Choose Derwent Lightfast if you are in the UK and want fully lightfast pencils for pieces you might frame or sell.

• Choose Caran d’Ache Luminance if you already love colouring, want a treat set, and care about lightfastness and creamy coverage.

Final Thoughts

You do not need the most expensive set to enjoy colouring. Practice, paper choice and enjoying the process matter more than the brand stamped on the barrel. A good afternoon with quality colored pencils, a decent page and no pressure to make it perfect is worth more than a shelf full of professional pencils you are afraid to use. I have seen people do beautiful colored pencil art with a tin of mid-range pencils and some patience, and I have seen expensive sets sit untouched because the owner felt they were not “good enough” to use them.

The set I reach for most at my little table in Sheffield, with a pot of tea going cold beside me, is still a mid-range soft wax set with a handful of Faber-Castell Polychromos singles for the fiddly bits. That might change over time. It probably will. My What I Color With page is a running list of everything I use with notes on what I would buy again, so you can see my current favourites rather than what I was using last winter.

Start with what you can afford. Learn what you like. Upgrade only when the pencils are holding you back, not when an advert tells you to.

FAQ

What is the best colored pencil brand for beginners?

There is no single best brand, but Faber-Castell Classic Colour, Staedtler Ergosoft and Derwent Coloursoft are solid and widely available. Start with a smaller set from one of these rather than a huge budget tin. Prismacolor Premier pencils are also recommended for beginners who want to jump straight to richer colour, though they cost a bit more.

How many colored pencils do I need for coloring pages?

A set of 24 to 36 is plenty for most pages. That gives you enough contrast, a few good neutrals and room to mix. Add single pencils later for colours you find yourself missing. You do not need 150 colours to colour a flower.

Are expensive colored pencils worth it?

Sometimes. Artist grade pencils can give richer color and smoother blending, and the best quality pencils feel noticeably different from budget ones. But they are not necessary to enjoy coloring. Try a mid-range set first and upgrade only if the pencils are holding you back. A great pencil is the one you actually use, not the one that costs the most.

Do soft or hard cores work better for coloring pages?

Soft cores are quicker for filling areas and blending, while harder cores are better for small, crisp details. I use mostly soft pencils with a few harder ones for fine work. It is largely personal preference, and many colourists end up mixing both types on the same page.

Can I use any paper with colored pencils?

You can, but smoother, slightly heavier colored pencil paper gives better results. Thin or glossy paper can tear, pill or refuse layers, so check your coloring book or printer paper before investing in fancy pencils. Even other pencils in your collection will perform differently on different paper, so a quick test on a spare page is always worth it.