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10 Best Artist Grade Colored Pencils 2025 in the United States

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Our technology thoroughly searches through the online shopping world, reviewing hundreds of sites. We then process and analyze this information, updating in real-time to bring you the latest top-rated products. This way, you always get the best and most current options available.

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Our Top Picks

#1

Winner

KALOUR 72 Count Colored Pencils for Adult Coloring Books, Soft Core,Ideal for Drawing Blending Shading,Color Pencils Set Gift for Adults Kids Beginners

Rating
9.7
Chosen by1,168
Pigment Quality
Blendability
Color Range

Most important from
6139 reviews

Pigment Quality
Despite being much cheaper than premium brands, the quality and pigment of these pencils are impressive.
Blendability
The colors are vivid and blend nicely, making them great for both beginners and casual artists.
Color Range
The 72 vibrant shades offer an incredible range for blending, shading, and detailed work.
Pencil Construction
These pencils sharpen well without breaking and hold their point even with frequent use.

The KALOUR 72 Count Colored Pencils set is a vibrant collection suitable for adult coloring books, drawing, and sketching. With 72 different colors, users have a broad palette to choose from, which is ideal for enriching any artwork. Each pencil has a soft core that ensures smooth and vivid color application. The soft core is highly pigmented and break-resistant, making it great for blending and layering multiple colors. This is particularly useful for artists looking to create smooth gradients and detailed artwork.

The pencils are made of high-quality basswood, making them easy to sharpen, and each pencil is numbered and named for easy identification. While this set is great for beginners and casual artists due to its affordability and ease of use, professional artists might find the lack of lightfastness information a drawback. Additionally, being marketed as suitable for both adults and kids, it offers versatility and is a great gift option.

This set of colored pencils provides excellent value for beginners and hobbyists looking for a comprehensive and easy-to-use set, but may not meet the durability needs of professional artists.

Rating
9.7
Chosen by1,168
Pigment Quality
Blendability
Color Range

Most important from
6139 reviews

Pigment Quality
Despite being much cheaper than premium brands, the quality and pigment of these pencils are impressive.
Blendability
The colors are vivid and blend nicely, making them great for both beginners and casual artists.
Color Range
The 72 vibrant shades offer an incredible range for blending, shading, and detailed work.
Pencil Construction
These pencils sharpen well without breaking and hold their point even with frequent use.
#2

Prismacolor Premier Colored Pencils, Soft Core, 150 Count, Ultra-Smooth, Durable, Vibrant Colors

Rating
9.4
Pigment Quality
Blendability
Core Hardness

Most important from
59216 reviews

Pigment Quality
Prismacolor Premier pencils are extraordinary for blending and achieving different effects, with colors that are incredibly saturated.
Blendability
Prismacolor Premier pencils are extraordinary for blending and achieving different effects, with colors that are incredibly saturated.
Core Hardness
These pencils wear down quickly but provide excellent color and blendability, making them worth the cost for serious artists.
Pencil Construction
The right sharpener can significantly reduce breakage issues, making these pencils fabulous again.

Prismacolor Premier Colored Pencils offer a rich, vibrant experience for artists. With 150 pencils in the set, the color range is impressive, providing a wide variety of hues to work with.

The soft, thick cores are ideal for shading and creating smooth gradients, while the pigments are richly saturated and lightfast, ensuring your artwork remains vibrant over time. The ultra-smooth laydown makes blending colors effortless, which is a significant advantage for detailed and professional work.

Additionally, the thick, robust leads are designed to resist cracking and chipping, which enhances durability and makes them suitable for extensive use, including adult coloring books. However, the soft cores may require frequent sharpening, and the set's premium quality comes with a higher price tag, which might be a consideration for budget-conscious buyers. Nonetheless, they are a solid choice for anyone seeking professional-grade colored pencils.

Rating
9.4
Pigment Quality
Blendability
Core Hardness

Most important from
59216 reviews

Pigment Quality
Prismacolor Premier pencils are extraordinary for blending and achieving different effects, with colors that are incredibly saturated.
Blendability
Prismacolor Premier pencils are extraordinary for blending and achieving different effects, with colors that are incredibly saturated.
Core Hardness
These pencils wear down quickly but provide excellent color and blendability, making them worth the cost for serious artists.
Pencil Construction
The right sharpener can significantly reduce breakage issues, making these pencils fabulous again.
#3

Faber-Castell Polychromos Artists' Color Pencils - Tin of 120 Colors - Premium Quality Artist Pencils

Rating
9.1
Pigment Quality
Blendability
Core Hardness

Most important from
9100 reviews

Pigment Quality
The colors are vibrant, saturated, and gorgeous; many are unique and unexpected compared to other brands.
Blendability
These pencils layer, blend, and burnish with ease, giving you total control over your color.
Core Hardness
These Polychromos are hands down the best! They sharpen with just a few twists to a super fine point without breakage, perfect for fine detail work.
Color Range
The Faber Castell pencils offer unique colors that can be used for skin tones that other brands do not provide.

The Faber-Castell Polychromos Artists' Color Pencils set is a top choice for artists seeking high-quality materials. This set includes 120 assorted colors that come in a sturdy metal tin, making it a comprehensive collection for both beginners and professionals. One of the standout features is the superior pigment quality, providing rich and vibrant colors that resist fading over time due to their excellent lightfastness. This ensures that your artwork remains as vivid as the day it was created for years to come.

The pencils are designed with oil-based leads, offering a buttery smooth color laydown that blends easily, allowing for beautiful layered effects and smooth transitions between colors. This makes them particularly useful for detailed and intricate artwork where blending and shading are important. The thick 3.8 mm SV-bonded leads are also designed to be break-resistant and water-resistant, adding to their durability and longevity. This makes the pencils less prone to snapping during use, which is a common issue with lesser-quality pencils.

While the Faber-Castell Polychromos pencils are highly regarded for their quality, they might be on the pricier side compared to other options. However, many users find the investment worthwhile given the professional quality and long-lasting nature of the pencils. Additionally, the wide color range ensures that you have a diverse palette to work with, covering most artistic needs without the need for additional sets. In conclusion, these pencils are ideal for serious artists who value pigment quality, blendability, and durability, but they may be more than what casual hobbyists need.

Rating
9.1
Pigment Quality
Blendability
Core Hardness

Most important from
9100 reviews

Pigment Quality
The colors are vibrant, saturated, and gorgeous; many are unique and unexpected compared to other brands.
Blendability
These pencils layer, blend, and burnish with ease, giving you total control over your color.
Core Hardness
These Polychromos are hands down the best! They sharpen with just a few twists to a super fine point without breakage, perfect for fine detail work.
Color Range
The Faber Castell pencils offer unique colors that can be used for skin tones that other brands do not provide.

Buying Guide for the Best Artist Grade Colored Pencils

Choosing the right artist-grade colored pencils can significantly impact the quality of your artwork. Artist-grade colored pencils are designed to offer superior performance, including richer pigments, better blending capabilities, and greater durability. When selecting colored pencils, it's important to consider several key specifications to ensure you get the best fit for your artistic needs. Here are the key specs to look out for and how to navigate them.
Pigment QualityPigment quality refers to the richness and vibrancy of the colors in the pencils. High-quality pigments result in more vivid and long-lasting colors. Artist-grade pencils typically have higher pigment content compared to student-grade pencils. If you are creating professional artwork or pieces that you want to last, opt for pencils with high-quality pigments. For casual or practice work, medium-quality pigments may suffice.
LightfastnessLightfastness is the ability of the pencil color to resist fading when exposed to light over time. This is crucial for artwork that will be displayed or sold, as you want your colors to remain true for as long as possible. Lightfastness is often rated on a scale, with higher ratings indicating better resistance to fading. If your work will be exposed to light frequently, choose pencils with high lightfastness ratings.
BlendabilityBlendability refers to how well the colors mix and layer with each other. Good blendability allows for smooth transitions and a wider range of achievable colors. This is important for creating depth and realism in your artwork. If you do a lot of shading and blending, look for pencils known for their excellent blendability. For simpler, more graphic work, blendability may be less critical.
Core HardnessCore hardness affects how the pencil feels when you draw and how it interacts with the paper. Softer cores lay down more pigment and are better for blending, but they wear down faster and may break more easily. Harder cores are more durable and better for fine details and sharp lines. Choose softer cores for expressive, painterly techniques and harder cores for detailed, precise work.
Color RangeThe color range refers to the variety of colors available in a set. A wider color range provides more options and flexibility in your artwork. If you work on complex pieces with many colors, a larger set with a broad color range will be beneficial. For simpler projects or if you prefer mixing your own colors, a smaller set may be sufficient.
Pencil ConstructionPencil construction includes the quality of the wood casing and the bonding of the core to the wood. Good construction ensures that the pencils are durable and less prone to breaking. Look for pencils with high-quality wood and strong bonding if you want long-lasting tools that can withstand frequent sharpening and use.

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