Colored pencils are a classic choice for coloring and creating art, whether you are a professional artist or just a coloring hobbyist. When you’re looking for the best colored pencils of 2025, you’ll find a wide variety of shades and hues to choose from. You can use colored pencils on scrapbooking projects, making signs, creating greeting cards, and just about any other creative project you can dream up.
This post will help you find the perfect set of colored pencils for all your arts and crafts needs. We’ll cover colored pencils for both professional and beginner artists, so you’ll be able to find the perfect set for your needs. Whether you’re looking for vibrant colors, smooth blending, or a budget-friendly option, we’ve got you covered. Read on to find out more!
Arteza Colored Pencils come in a pack of 72, making them ideal for professional artists and hobbyists. The wax-based cores are durable and break-resistant, so you can easily layer different colors and make your own combinations. You can also shade easily without having to worry about the tips breaking, saving you the trouble of having to sharpen your pencils frequently. The pencils are also highly pigmented and leave behind a smooth finish. These are ideal for preventing harsh lines and giving a blended and realistic look to your drawings. The pencils come in a beautiful metal tin, and you can choose from packs of 48, 72, and 120, depending on your specific needs. Each pencil is clearly labeled and numbered, and the barrels are comfortable to hold. Due to their vibrant finish and non-toxic materials, we chose this set of colored pencils as our best overall.
The Artlicious Colored Pencils are an ideal choice for any artist, with the 50 colors of pencils in the set providing plenty of options. The thick, soft leads make these long-lasting pencils hard to break under pressure, so you can create flawless lines with a smooth texture. Whether you’re a professional artist or just starting out with art, these pencils offer great versatility. These colored pencils are also pre-sharpened so you can begin coloring right away. Perfect for your coloring book, school art project, or sketch class, the colored pencils make it easy to turn plain drawings into vibrant works of art. You can practice more detailed techniques and experiment with color mixing and blending for even more creative possibilities. If you’re looking for a professional-grade colored pencil set, this is the one for you.
These Soucolor Colored Pencils come in a pack of 72 and have soft leads, which makes sharpening them easy and convenient. The pencils are packaged in a storage tube that is made from environmentally-friendly materials. This tube allows you to view all colors easily, so it is convenient to pick one. Soucolor’s pencils are durable, as their tips will not break, crack, or crumble easily. The rich and vibrant pigment allows smooth shading and blending, which makes these ideal for different purposes. You can use them on your coloring books or for sketching or drawing. This set is ideal for both experts and beginners, and the materials used are non-toxic and odorless. This means that they can be safely used by children as well. Each pencil is numbered, which helps you keep track of the different colors. Another bonus, the pencils come pre-sharpened, so they are ready to use right after purchase.
The SKK Stationery Colored Pencils come in a pack of 50 unique and vibrant colors. Each pencil measures 7 inches, and they come pre-sharpened, so they are ready to use. They are high quality and can be used on coloring books as well for creating pictures and drawings from scratch. The lightfast pigments are ideal for professionals, and the tips are durable enough to resist breakage. These pencils are not soft, but the colors are not overpowering either. The wood used to construct these pencils is high quality, which makes them convenient to sharpen. You have the option to select from a tin box, a plastic container, a cardboard box, or a cover made from fabric. You can also choose from packs of 50, 80, and 100, depending on your requirements and preference. The company provides exchange and refund policies in case you are not satisfied for any reason.
Last but definitely not least, the Prang Colored Pencils are ideal for everyone because they come in a wide variety of options. You can choose from packs of 12, 24, 36, 50, 72, and 288, which makes them suitable for different purposes. The core is made from durable materials and is very thick, which makes it break-resistant. The color pencils provide a smooth and vibrant finish along with a soft lay down, making it easy to blend different shades. They are constructed using high-quality wood, so sharpening them is easy, and the tips will not break. The materials used are non-toxic, making these pencils safe to use around children. These pencils are reasonably priced and can be used by both amateurs and experts. The color does not fade over time, which means that your artwork will last. Each colored pencil is clearly labeled, making it easy to identify them.
Colored pencils are essential tools for any artist, from amateur sketchbook enthusiasts to professional illustrators. Selecting the best colored pencils for your needs is a crucial part of the process. To make an informed decision, it’s important to consider all the features a set of colored pencils has to offer. Here’s a buyer’s guide to help you find the perfect colored pencil set for your arts and crafts projects.
Colored pencils come in many different types, and it is vital to understand their differences in order to purchase the right one. We discuss their features briefly below.
Wax-based pencils are the most popular option because the wax provides them with a smooth texture that allows them to glide across the paper easily. The pigment sticks to the page, which makes layering convenient as the color will not smudge. Wax-based pencils come in soft and hard variants, letting you choose the one that suits your needs the most. The only drawback of these pencils is that their pigment can fade over time, especially if you use dark colors. In order to prevent this, you will need to seal your work with a fixative. If you are a beginning artist, this may be the best pencil choice for you. Livia Ochmann, artist and founder of How to art come , says, “wax-based pencils are best for beginners or artists who run on a budget, as there is a wide price range and they can be found pretty much everywhere where art supplies are being sold.”
What makes oil-based colored pencils popular is their permanency. Their pigment will not fade over time because their consistency is different from wax-based pencils. These pencils tend to be firmer than wax-based pencils but are not so stiff that it impacts your control. The firm tips won’t need to be sharpened often and will not break easily. The problem with oil-based pencils is that they are more permanent and can be difficult to erase. Ochmann highlights another reason oil-based pencils are for more advanced artists, commenting, “they are much pricier than wax-based pencils.” Essentially, these pencils are higher quality at a higher price.
If you are looking for versatile colored pencils, you should consider water-soluble ones. The benefit is that they can be used dry like regular colored pencils, but when the pigment comes in contact with water, it thins out and spreads like watercolors. This means you can use them to create watercolor paintings by coloring first and using a brush and a little water. You can also wet the paper first and color it on top. Water-soluble pencils are more prevalent among children and hobbyists.
Colored pencils are available in many different sets ranging from 12 to as high as 300. Contrary to popular belief, purchasing a set with more color options is not always beneficial. This is because you do not want to spend extra money on colors that you will probably never use. On the other hand, it is also important to purchase all the colors you will need because mixing and layering different colors is not as easy as paints. If you are purchasing a set for an adult coloring book, it is a good idea to start with a set of 24 that comes with all the primary and secondary colors. If you are a professional artist, you will better understand the different colors you need. It is always a good idea to purchase a brand that labels all the pencils with either numbers or names, especially if you are purchasing a set of more than 100 pencils. Not only will this make it easier to identify the different colors, but it will also allow you to communicate with the manufacturer clearly in case any pencil is missing. Keeping a color chart is also helpful, especially if your colors are numbered and not labeled. You can find color charts of some brands available online as well, but you can also make one of your own. Some websites provide blank color charts as well, which you can print and fill in.
The life of colored pencils will depend greatly on their quality. In general, regular brands will last you anywhere between 2 to 5 years, but high quality brands can last longer, sometimes even a lifetime. Just make sure that you keep them in a cool and dark place, away from artificial heat sources.
Colored pencils are generally considered safe for use by children because they are made from non-toxic materials. Just make sure that your children are not inhaling or ingesting them in any way, and keep them away from children younger than 3 years of age.
Usually, you can erase a colored pencil's line, though it will take more effort to do so than with a normal pencil. You may need a special eraser in some cases, but if you want to erase a line, just to be safe, check if the pencils are erasable before purchase.
When choosing the right type of colored pencil for a specific project, you should consider what type of work you need to do and what type of performance you need from your materials. Soft wax-based pencils may be better suited to blending and layering while oil- based pencils may be better for precision line art or detailing. You should also consider pigment quality, lightfastness rating, color selection, price point, and any other factors relevant to your project before making a purchase.
Yes, it is necessary to sharpen your colored pencils frequently in order to ensure the maximum amount of performance from them while working on your arts and crafts projects. Keeping your graphite tip sharp will help you achieve the desired results faster and with greater accuracy than duller tips can offer.
Knowing when it’s time to replace your colored pencils is largely a matter of personal preference and experience with your materials so that you can recognize any signs that indicate the quality of the pigment has been affected by use or age over time. General signs that indicate it's time to buy new materials include poor pigmentation quality when drawing/coloring or frequent breakage due to low-grade graphite cores in the pencil lead.
To make sure your colored pencils last as long as possible you should avoid using excessive pressure when applying them onto paper surfaces, avoid sharpening them too frequently and store them properly - such as in closed containers away from direct sunlight.
At Art Life Today, our passion for arts and crafts is at the heart of everything we do. We understand that the right tools and materials can make all the difference in your creative projects, so we take our responsibility as reviewers seriously. Our goal is to help you discover the best products that will inspire your creativity and bring your artistic visions to life.