10 Best Art Colored Pencils 2026 in the United States

The Derwent Inktense Pencils Art Set offers 100 vibrant, highly pigmented colored pencils designed for adult artists and students interested in watercolor effects. These pencils have a strong pigment quality, allowing bright and lasting colors that become permanent once dry, so your artwork won’t fade or smear after applying water. The 4mm core is firm enough to hold a fine point, making detailed drawing easy, yet soft enough for smooth blending and layering. You’ll find a wide color range in this set, covering many shades that enable rich, versatile artwork.

Because they are water-soluble, you can create ink-like washes by adding water, which enhances blendability significantly compared to regular colored pencils. The pencils require some care in sharpening due to their softer core, which may lead to occasional breakage if not handled gently. The wood casing feels sturdy, but the round barrel shape might not offer the best grip for long sessions. These pencils come in a solid tin case that keeps all 100 colors well organized and protected.

The set is a bit heavy and large to carry around, making it ideal for artists who want a permanent, professional-quality watercolor pencil collection to explore blending, layering, and mixed media techniques.

The Crayola Colored Pencils Set with 120 colors offers a vast color range, making it easy for kids and beginners to explore many vibrant shades. The pencils are pre-sharpened and have a smooth, creamy texture that allows for simple blending and layering, which is great for basic coloring and creative projects.

The HB core hardness is standard—neither too soft nor too hard—providing a reliable balance for general coloring. Durability is decent since the pencils are made from quality wood and designed to last through frequent use in classrooms or at home. These pencils are primarily made for kids and classroom use, so the pigment quality and lightfastness are not comparable to professional artist pencils.

They blend well for casual coloring, although more advanced artists might prefer richer and more permanent pigments. This set is a strong choice for children and hobbyists looking for an affordable, large collection of colored pencils that perform well for everyday coloring and creativity, while not being suitable for professional or archival-quality artwork.

Prismacolor Premier Colored Pencils are well-regarded for their soft, thick cores that make shading and blending smooth and easy, which is great for adult coloring, drawing, and sketching. The pigments are richly saturated and lightfast, meaning the colors stay vibrant over time without fading much. With 36 assorted colors included, the range is quite good for most artistic projects.

The soft cores allow for smooth color application, but because they are soft, they might wear down faster and require frequent sharpening compared to harder pencils. However, these cores are also designed to be thick and durable, resisting cracking and chipping during use, which adds to their longevity. The pencils’ wood casing feels smooth and comfortable to hold, suitable for longer drawing sessions.

While the softness is ideal for blending and layering, it might not be the best if you need very fine, detailed lines since the lead is broader. These pencils represent a solid choice for adults who want vibrant, blendable colors and a comfortable drawing experience, though they may need careful sharpening and aren’t ideal for ultra-fine detail work.