5 Top rated watercolor pencils for artists
5 highly rated artists watercolor pencil sets
You may prefer paint or perhaps you use colored pencils. Why not use them both at the same time with watercolor pencils which are more versatile?
What is a watercolor pencil? – it’s basically a colored pencil that is water-soluble which can give you the luxury of combining two art mediums in one. They also provide a greater degree of control when applying color to the canvas plus the added bonus of texture qualities that a dry pencil gives over a wet brush. You can apply watercolor pencils to a dry or wet canvas giving different effects. This medium has won me over as it is so versatile.
I have tried several brands with varying results and here are some top quality water-colour pencils that you may like to consider:
Derwent Watercolor Pencils, Inktense, 12 pencils
This is a great set to begin with having excellent results when applied dry and beautiful intense color depth when wet with a deep ink thick texture. The pencils are smooth to apply and blend very well. The only concerns are that they sometimes take a little time to dry and become permanent.
See the latest price for the Derwent Watercolor Pencils, Inktense, 12 pencils here…
Prismacolor Premier Watercolor Pencils, 36 set
Prismacolor is recognised as a brand of the highest quality and this set does not disappoint. The pencils are easy to blend and well suited to different shading techniques. The pro’s for these watercolor pencils are the smooth application of the leads combined with the availability of great control and flexibility. The colors are vibrant and bold when wet dependant upon water volume applied. There are some minor issues with misalignment of leads in a very small number of cases and some wood splintering when sharpening. All in all this is an excellent product.
See the latest price of the Prismacolor Premier Watercolor Pencils, 36 set here…
Faber-Castell Albrecht Dürer Watercolor Pencils, 60 set
A real cracker of a set with 60 beautifully pigmented pencils to play with. Faber Castell offer some of the richest pigments on the market. The pro’s are the nice range of color with smooth application and control with very little lead breakage. There don’t appear to be any tangible con’s of any significance.
See the latest price for the Faber-Castell Albrecht Dürer Watercolor Pencils, 60 set here…
Faber-Castell Art GRIP Aquarelle Watercolor Pencils, 24 Count
Again a Faber product with very high pigment density for vibrant color wet or dry. The pencils have a triangular ergonomic shape which I have found very comfortable to use and is great for really getting the hand/ pencil balance perfect for accuracy. The pro’s are that this is a quick drying pencil, making the process of blending different pigments and layering much easier. As with the previous larger Faber Castell watercolor set there are negligible con’s worth mentioning.
Caran d’Anche Classic Neocolor II Watercolor Pastels, 40 set
Another high quality intense and rich pigment set that gets more vibrant with the addition of water. The pastels are true to their original color and do not evolve into a grainy texture when water is added. The pro’s are the easy handling qualities and creamy texture of the pastels. Again there are no significant con’t worth mentioning.
See the latest price for the Caran d’Anche Classic Neocolor II Watercolor Pastels, 40 set here…
Which are the best water-colour pencils for artists?
The five sets are all very highly rated and generally carry great reviews on Amazon. If you are just dipping your toe into the world of watercolor pencils and want to try without spending too much you won’t go far wrong with the Derwent Inktense watercolor pencil 12 set.
On the there hand if you are a professional artist comfortable with watercolor pencils you may be better off with one of the Faber- Castell sets or the Derwent as the colors give a spectacular finish. All five sets are very high quality and your choice may come down to simple economics and cost per pencil.
Personally I absolutely love the Faber-Castell Albrecht Dürer Watercolor Pencils, 60 set because of the smooth line, very high vibrancy and saturation provided by the colors and a healthy 60 piece set giving a fabulous range of colors to play with.
Thinking of taking your artwork into the digital era. We review some of the best graphics drawing tablets on the market – across a broad range for you to make an informed decision – See our graphics tablet drawing tablet reviews right here…
