March 26, 2015

What are the best colored pencils for drawing?

doodlums / art equipment, blog, Pencils /

Top 5 artists colored pencil sets

Despite the growing popularity of digital art, many artists still enjoy working with traditional mediums like colored pencils.

If you’re just starting out, perhaps you’re wondering, which are the best colored pencils for artists?We review 5 top customer rated sets to help you decide which are the best colored pencils for your artwork.

1) Darice 80-Piece Deluxe Art Set

This set is perfect for beginners, thanks to the variety of mediums that it offers – colored pencils, oil pastels, watercolor cakes, paintbrushes, and more. This set comes housed within a sleek wooden case with a place for everything. The highlight of this set is the oil pastels, according to multiple reviews.

The pros generally revolve around the colored pencils, which are actually generic, but high enough quality to get the job done. The cons focus on the lack of quality in other elements of the set, such as the markers, which aren’t quite up to par.

Despite this, it’s hard to be critical of this set when you get so many pieces for such a great value. Although maybe not up to the standards of some professionals, this is a great set for beginners who are looking to experiment. See the latest price for the Darice 80-piece Deluxe Art Set set on Amazon…

2) Prismacolor Scholar Colored Pencils, 60 Count

This set is targeted at beginners, offering good quality pencils that blend easily and create unexpected results with breakage-resistant lead. The pros generally revolve around the quality of the lead, the sharpness of the colors, and the smooth lines that these pencils are known for. Despite the somewhat expensive price, this set is actually a great value for those who haven’t yet worked their way up to the higher end sets. The cons focus on the waxy finish that these pencils sometimes leave on the page. While blending is made easy, it is sometimes slightly more difficult to get the exact details that are intended. The major complaint is about the flimsy plastic case that fails to provide satisfactory protection. See the latest price for the Prismacolor Scholar pencils right here…

3) Prismacolor Premiere Soft Core Colored Pencils, 72 Count

This set is of superior quality, surpassing the Prismacolor Scholar set above. The highlight of these pencils is the smoothness of the color laydown, allowing for superior blending and shading techniques.

Each pencil’s core is thick enough to resist breakage and allow for more wear and tear. The pigments provided by these pencils are both waterproof and fade-resistant, protecting your creations from many types of destruction.

These pencils are versatile – the color can be vividly intense in one stroke and subtle in the next. The pros generally revolve around the extremely high quality, making this set the absolute best set put out by Prismacolor. The cons for this set are nonexistent. See current price on Amazon right here…

4) Faber-Castell Colored Pencils with CD, 120 Count

This set is worthy of the highest praise, particularly due to the high pigmentation that these pencils provide, resisting breakage and ultimately making them the prime choice for artists of all levels.

These high quality colored pencils maintain an ergonomic triangular shape and a soft grip zone that make them perfect for those long drawing sessions. The best of both worlds can be achieved with these pencils, as not only are they stunning when used dry, but can be used in combination with water for a watercolor effect as well.

The pros generally revolve around the smooth way in which the color flows off onto the paper, requiring little pressure. The range of colors (hard-to-find flesh tones included) that come within this set is stellar and encourage blending, making the possibilities limitless. The cons for this set are nonexistent. See the current price on Amazon for this exceptional set of colored pencils…

5) Prismacolor Premiere Soft Core Colored Pencils, Manga Colors, 23 Count

This set is similar to the Prismacolor Premiere set above, but included are colors geared toward manga drawings. The highlights of these pencils are the smooth laydown quality, ease of blending, and shading ability. The pigments are both fade-resistant and waterproof.

The pros generally revolve around the lead, which comes with a shorter point that is built to last. These pencils are also great for achieving precise details, packaged within a box that turns into a stand.

The cons for this set are minimal and are a matter of circumstances – some users have complained of lead breakage despite the shorter points, but many disagree. See latest price on Amazon for Prismacolor Premiere one of the really good pencil brands for Manga Colors…

In Conclusion: What are the best colored pencils for artists?

Now that you’ve taken a look at some good colored pencil brands, it’s time to make your pick. Each set offers varying pros and cons, most of which are up to personal choice.

Although artists of all levels can benefit from any one of these sets, if you have the financial means, Faber-Castell is the brand to go for – these are the pencils that many professionals flock toward. Whether a simple sketch or one with the most precise details, Faber-Castell colored pencils can do the job.