Exploring Coloured Pencil Brands: A Practical Comparison Guide

---

Dive into the world of coloured pencils with our comprehensive comparison of leading brands. Discover the strengths and weaknesses of each pencil, from blendability to vibrancy, as we put them to the test. This guide is a must-read for both amateur and professional artists.

​​

​Exploring Coloured Pencil Performance: A Comparative Analysis

​This article provides an independent evaluation of coloured pencil brands to guide artists in selecting tools suited to their work, whether starting fresh or refining a collection. Through detailed testing, we assess how various pencils perform in areas like color strength, coverage, and blending, offering clear comparisons across brands. Rather than crowning a single “best” brand, we present each pencil’s performance, empowering you to match them to your specific goals—be it vivid whites for impact or durability for complex pieces. From casual sketches to professional projects, this analysis helps ensure your choices enhance your creative process. As new pencils become available for trialing, this guide will continue to expand with additional insights.

​​Evaluation Process: How the Coloured Pencils Were Tested

To provide a fair and comprehensive comparison of coloured pencil brands, we evaluated a range of both widely recognised and lesser-known options on standard surfaces. Our assessment focused on key attributes such as colour strength, blending performance, and durability. This guide features a selection of brands, each with links to dedicated articles for deeper exploration. As new pencils are introduced, this resource will continue to expand, providing even greater insights over time.

• Caran d’Ache (Pablo, Luminance, Museum Aquarelle)
• Derwent (Chromaflow, Coloursoft, Drawing, Inktense, Lightfast, Procolour)
• Prismacolor (Premier, Verithin, Berol Karismacolor)
• Faber-Castell (Polychromos, Colour Grip)
• Plus: WH Smith, Arteza Expert, Royal Talens Van Gogh, Lyra Rembrandt Polycolor

​
In the sections ahead, you'll find in-depth analyses of each test, delivering a thorough evaluation of how each pencil performs. Whether you're seeking tools to elevate your artistry or insights to refine your technique, these findings are designed to offer clarity and inspiration. We've included additional articles that might interest you—feel free to explore them once you've finished reading this one.

​Read on and discover valuable knowledge that we hope you'll enjoy and find rewarding!


​

Pigmentation and Coverage

This evaluation examines how different coloured pencil brands perform in terms of pigmentation when applied to black Frisk 320gsm rough paper. It also assesses the softness or firmness of the pencil cores, which influence opacity and blendability—key factors in choosing the right pencils for various artistic techniques.
​
TECHNIQUE: Four colours—yellow, blue, green, and red—were selected to test a balanced range of pigments. Where brands had limited shades, we used what was available. To measure opacity, two white lines, drawn with a Gelly Roll pen, framed each test area, showing how opaque each pigment appeared alone and when layered over the white markers​​

PURPOSE: This test evaluates the vibrancy of pigmentation across different brands when applied to black paper. Each pencil was used with consistent, medium pressure to accurately determine its colour intensity without additional effort. This assessment is significant as it reveals whether a pencil produces rich, bold hues immediately or requires layering to achieve similar results. To ensure fairness, the same application method was used throughout, with no blending or layering—showcasing the pure, raw colour directly from the pencil​

• Top Performers: Derwent Drawing, Derwent Inktense and Caran d'Ache Museum Aquarelle offered high opacity. Colours capable of masking the white stripes cleanly, and smudging stayed minimal, perfect for bold, controlled overlays.
• Mid-Range Results: Prismacolor Premier, Derwent Procolour and Lyra Rembrandt Polycolor.
• Lower Performers: Arteza Expert followed by Royal Talens Van Gogh had the weakest opacity.

OBSERVATIONS:
Pigmentation and coverage on dark paper depend largely on the composition of the core and the quality of the pigments. Wax-based pencils often provide strong coverage, as their softer binders enable dense pigment application that effectively conceals the underlying surface. In contrast, firmer oil-based cores can struggle to deposit sufficient pigment, resulting in reduced opacity where adhesion is less effective. High-quality pigments offer vibrant and consistent coverage, masking dark backgrounds with ease, while lower-grade pigments—often mixed with fillers—produce uneven and translucent results. Additionally, colour intensity varies between hues, with some naturally being less opaque, further highlighting the role of pigment quality in overall performance.

FULL RESULTS:
Derwent Drawing stood out with exceptional pigmentation, nearly saturating the white lines and showcasing concentrated pigment strength in its earth-toned range. Caran d’Ache Museum Aquarelle followed closely, with robust pigments effectively concealing white lines across red, blue, and green hues. Derwent Inktense demonstrated strong coverage, particularly with blue and red pigments, though not as comprehensively. Despite being designed for students, Derwent Chromaflow impressed with vibrant pigmentation in similar colours. Caran d’Ache Pablo, Derwent Coloursoft, Caran d’Ache Luminance, and Prismacolor Premier offered solid coverage, leaving white lines faintly visible. Faber-Castell Polychromos, Lyra Rembrandt Polycolor, Derwent Lightfast, Derwent Procolour, and Berol Karismacolor displayed moderate pigmentation, partially masking white lines. WH Smith and Faber-Castell Colour Grip showed relatively strong pigmentation but failed to effectively hide white lines. Royal Talens Van Gogh and Prismacolor Verithin revealed weak pigment strength, with minimal coverage, while Arteza Expert ranked lowest, producing poor pigmentation that left white lines fully exposed. Yellow hues universally struggled across brands, prompting emphasis on red, blue, and green performance.

---

Blendability

This assessment evaluates the performance of each coloured pencil brand in achieving smooth, seamless blending, while also analysing the softness or firmness of their cores. The tests were carried out on Daler Rowney Smooth Heavyweight 220gsm (135lb) paper to ensure accuracy and consistency.
​
TECHNIQUE: Three to five colours from a single tonal family are carefully layered in circular strokes, embedding pigment into the paper's texture to form a complete circle. A white pencil, or the lightest shade in the set, is then applied to the lower half of the circle using identical circular motions, while the upper half remains untouched as a baseline for comparison. To provide insight into the pencil core, a black stroke is added to the right side of each circle.

PURPOSE: This test explores the blendability of coloured pencils, trialing variations across brands and their wax-based or oil-based cores. Multiple colours are used to assess how smoothly they merge, reflecting differences in core composition. A black mark, added to the right of each blended area, reveals the pencil’s hardness or softness through its intensity, hinting at the blending potential of untested brands with similar cores.

Findings for Blendibility & Core Strength

• Top Performers: Arteza Expert excels as the smoothest-blending pencil, achieving seamless colour transitions with remarkable consistency. Prismacolor Premier and Derwent Lightfast also deliver smooth blends, their wax and oil-based cores performing admirably, though they fall slightly short of Arteza’s superior finesse.
• Mid-Range Results: Caran d’Ache Luminance and Derwent Drawing, both soft wax-based pencils, offer competent blending but lack the refinement. Lyra Rembrandt Polycolor, with its oil-based core, provides a reliable alternative, achieving smooth gradients with notable ease.
• Lower Performers: Royal Talens Van Gogh struggles to produce smooth blends, its performance hindered alongside budget options WH Smith and Faber-Castell Colour Grip. These student-grade pencils, unexpectedly resistant to seamless blending, underperform despite their softer compositions.

OBSERVATIONS
Blendability varies due to core composition and pigment quality. Wax-based pencils often blend smoothly, their creamy texture allowing even pigment distribution, though softer variants may leave uneven edges if pigment density fluctuates. Oil-based cores, firmer and less adhesive, can achieve refined blends when balanced but struggle when overly hard, limiting pigment spread. High-quality pigments enhance seamless transitions by maintaining consistency, while cheaper, coarse pigments—common in budget brands—resist smooth merging, often due to fillers that disrupt flow. These factors collectively determine how well colours integrate under blending pressure.​

FULL RESULTS:
Arteza Expert achieved the finest blend, its seamless transitions setting the standard, closely trailed by Derwent Lightfast and Prismacolor Premier, both delivering smooth, consistent gradients. Lyra Rembrandt Polycolor and Derwent Chromaflow impressed with strong blending, though their results fell just short of the top tier’s refinement. The Derwent Drawing, Caran d’Ache Luminance, Berol Karismacolor, Caran d’Ache Pablo, Caran d’Ache Museum Aquarelle, and Derwent Coloursoft all blended adequately but exhibited a noticeable hard edge at the base, preventing a fully smooth finish. Derwent Inktense showed limited blending response, leaving distinct marks despite some colour merger. Prismacolor Verithin, Faber-Castell Polychromos, and Derwent Procolour offered modest softness, yet circular stroke patterns persisted, undermining uniformity. Faber-Castell Colour Grip, Royal Talens Van Gogh, and WH Smith performed poorest, resisting smooth blending and retaining visible application lines.

Related articles that may be of interest​

---

Start your coloured pencil journey with our comprehensive beginner's guide!

Searching for storage solutions? Dive into our article on the 250-pencil chest!

Explore the best tools for blending coloured pencils in our detailed guide!

Want to master realistic art with coloured pencils? Try our new tutorial for 2025.

---

Opacity & Core Strength

This assessment focuses on two critical factors: opacity and core strength. It evaluates the opacity of white pigment when applied over darker tones and examines the softness of the core to determine the extent to which the pencil smudges when blending layered applications. These insights are essential for artists seeking pencils that blend seamlessly for smooth tonal transitions or those preferring options that minimise smudging for intricate fine details.​ A grey base was selected because it offers a balanced neutral tone that enhances contrasts effectively. This middle ground ensures optimal visibility for both extremes of the colour spectrum.
​
TECHNIQUE: Utilising Royal Talens Rembrandt Toned Industrial Grey 180gsm (120lbs) paper, three stripes are drawn in black, dark grey, and mid-grey (or alternative colours such as browns or blues, if greys are unavailable) with medium pressure. Subsequently, a white pencil is applied with substantial pressure over these stripes, using multiple back-and-forth strokes.
​
PURPOSE: This process highlights the white pencil's ability to cover the darker shades, thereby assessing its opacity, while also exhibiting the core softness through the level of smudging observed in the darker pigments. This evaluation effectively illustrates both the coverage capabilities of the white pencil and the texture of the core in practical application.

Findings for Opacity & Core Strength

• Top Performers – Opacity: Caran d’Ache Museum Aquarelle and Derwent Procolour stand out for their vibrant opacity. Their brightness is further enhanced by the grey tonal paper, making them ideal choices for bold, standout applications.
• Top Performers – Softness: Derwent Drawing, Derwent Coloursoft, and Prismacolor Premier feature exceptionally soft cores, perfect for achieving smooth, blended backgrounds. Their unparalleled softness makes them a favourite among artists who prioritise effortless blending.
• Top Performers – Hardness: Prismacolor Verithin, Royal Talens Van Gogh, and Derwent Lightfast excel in maintaining almost zero colour shift. Their firm cores provide exceptional control, making them ideal for intricate fine details while minimising smudging.

OBSERVATIONS
Opacity and core strength in pencils reflect a balance of binder type and pigment density, influencing their suitability for varied artistic needs. Softer cores, often wax-based, tend to yield malleable pigments that blend or shift under white overlays, ideal for smooth, tonal effects. Firmer cores, typically oil-based, resist pigment displacement, offering precision for detailed work but potentially reducing white opacity over dense colours. Pigment quality further shapes outcomes—rich, concentrated pigments enhance white coverage, while weaker formulations may fail to assert dominance, leaving darker hues prominent. These traits can guide artists in selecting pencils for specific techniques.

FULL RESULTS:
Derwent Drawing leads with its soft, creamy wax core, shifting darker pigments under white strokes for rich, tonal blending. Caran d’Ache Luminance offers smooth application and excellent pigment drag, striking a balance between control and flexibility for layering. Derwent Coloursoft moves pigments gently, with a subtler white for soft transitions, while Prismacolor Premier spreads pigments evenly, blending well but fainter over dark tones. Caran d’Ache Museum Aquarelle, with its firmer core, controls pigment tightly, and its opaque white is ideal for precise layering. Derwent Inktense, featuring a dense dye-based core, resists pigment movement--its paint-like white perfect for bold, defined marks. Procolour glides smoothly with mild pigment nudges and a strong white for detailed strokes. Chromaflow smudges darker pigments slightly, with a softer white suited to mixed techniques. Berol Karismacolor shifts deeper pigments distinctly, offering moderate opacity. Derwent Lightfast, with minimal pigment movement, delivers a vivid white for clean separations. Faber-Castell Polychromos and Lyra Rembrandt Polycolor hold pigments steady, with subtle whites for precision. Budget options like Arteza Expert and WH Smith resist movement, providing softer whites. Prismacolor Verithin and Royal Talens Van Gogh maintain firm strokes with minimal white for fine detailing.

---

Layering Capacity

This test examines how well 18 coloured pencil brands perform under multiple layer applications, guiding artists who rely on layering for detailed work by revealing which brands best support their techniques.
​
TECHNIQUE: Using the Royal Talens Rembrandt Toned Industrial Grey 180gsm (120lbs) paper; a single colour is applied lightly at first, with increasing pressure as additional layers are added, leaving gaps initially. Further colours follow in progressively heavier layers, up to a limit of twelve. A white pencil is then applied over the final layer to assess its opacity.
​
PURPOSE: The purpose of this test is to challenge the layering potential of 18 coloured pencil brands, revealing which can sustain extensive buildup for complex artwork. It also rigorously evaluates the white pencil’s opacity by overlaying it on increasingly dark layers, peaking with the deepest pigment. This extreme scenario tests the white’s ability to remain vivid against dark bases, a key factor for artists needing strong highlights or corrections in detailed, multi-layered compositions.

Findings for Layering Capacity

• Top Performers: Caran d’Ache Museum Aquarelle and Pablo distinguished themselves by effortlessly surpassing twelve layers in this test. Museum Aquarelle’s white demonstrated exceptional opacity, standing out vividly over the darkest pigments setting the benchmark for brilliance, while Pablo’s white maintained strong coverage, though slightly less pronounced.

• Mid-Range Results: Derwent Coloursoft sustains beyond nine layers, while Derwent Drawing exceeds ten, both showcasing reliable layering capacity. Their white pencils deliver impressive opacity, maintaining visibility even over darker tones, though they fall short of the top tier’s brilliance.

• Lower Performers: Derwent Procolour faced challenges, barely reaching five layers, though its white pencil retained noticeable opacity. Similarly, the student-grade Faber-Castell Colour Grip faltered beyond seven layers, its limited buildup expected from a budget range. Testing the white proved impossible due to its absence from the set, leaving its opacity unassessed.​​

OBSERVATIONS
Wax-based pencils typically outperform in layering, their creamy cores facilitating smooth, extensive pigment application due to a pliable binder that adheres well to paper. Oil-based pencils, with firmer, less adhesive binders, often face challenges in stacking pigment, as the oil’s slick nature reduces grip on the surface, potentially limiting depth. Pigment quality further influences results—high-grade pigments ensure consistent, robust coverage, while cheaper, filler-laden pigments, common in budget brands, may yield uneven application despite a heavier mix, affecting overall effectiveness.​

FULL RESULTS:
Caran d’Ache Museum Aquarelle  excelled, effortlessly surpassing twelve layers with a vibrant, opaque white over dark pigments. Caran d’Ache Pablo also cleared twelve layers, its strong white blending slightly into underlying colours. Derwent Inktense exceeded twelve layers, though its ink-dye pigments risked muddiness, and its white, while notable, lacked brilliance. Prismacolor Premier, Caran d’Ache Luminance, and Berol Karismacolor reached eleven layers, but their whites, though notable, were less vibrant--the Karismas were not opaque at all. Derwent Chromaflow impressed at eleven layers with a robust white. Derwent Drawing hit ten layers, its white subdued, while Derwent Lightfast’s ten layers showed a faint white. WH Smith surprised, achieving ten layers despite a lacklustre white. Derwent Coloursoft managed nine layers with moderate white opacity. Royal Talens Van Gogh struggled to nine layers, its white dim. Lyra Rembrandt Polycolor and Arteza Expert just reached eight layers—Polycolor’s layering resisted comfortably, yet its white showed some opacity; Arteza’s offered faint vibrancy. Prismacolor Verithin and Faber-Castell Polychromos faltered at eight layers, Verithin’s hard core retaining slight white, Polychromos’ a little less. Faber-Castell Colour Grip stopped at seven layers, lacking a white to test. Derwent Procolour, the weakest, barely hit five layers, though its white remained visible.

Related articles that may be of interest​

---

Find all our coloured pencil articles in one place—start exploring here!

Discover our tutorials—why not try one of our coloured pencil guides today?

Looking for a quick summary? Check out our checklist for a concise breakdown of the results.

Explore our review of 12 black papers—perfect for your next project!

Brightest White

​This test evaluates the pigment strength of white pencils by applying them to Fabriano Black Black 300gsm paper, a deep black surface ideal for highlighting contrast. Eighteen pencil brands were trialled, including Derwent Artists, a white pencil exclusive to this test, alongside the 17 ranges assessed elsewhere. The resulting image remains unbrightened, with contrast intentionally kept low to accurately showcase each white’s natural vividness against the dark background. This approach reveals which pencils deliver the strongest, most opaque whites, a critical factor for artists needing standout highlights or effects on dark papers. Findings are detailed below the image.

Findings for Brightest White

• Top Performers: Derwent Drawing and Caran d’Ache Museum Aquarelle emerged as the standout whites in this test. Both delivered exceptional vibrancy and opacity on the black paper, supported by firm cores that ensured consistent, bold coverage. These pencils excelled at producing striking highlights with minimal effort.

• Mid-Range Results: Caran d’Ache Pablo, Caran d'Ache Luminance, and Prismacolor Premier offered strong vibrancy and good opacity, though they fell short of the top tier’s intensity. Their whites remained effective for most uses but lacked the same commanding brightness against the dark background.

• Lower Performers: Lyra Rembrandt Polycolor and Royal Talens Van Gogh ranked lowest among the whites tested. Even with heavy application, their pigments failed to gain additional brightness or overcome the black paper’s depth, limiting their impact.​

OBSERVATIONS:
​Most white pencils use titanium dioxide (TiO₂) for opacity and brightness, a standard in artist-grade brands. However, cheap fillers—like chalk or clay can dilute pigment strength, reducing vibrancy. While student ranges like Derwent Chromaflow and Arteza Expert offer moderate brightness, professional ranges like the Lyra Rembrandt Polycolor and Royal Talens Van Gogh disappoint despite their quality status, likely due to lower TiO₂ concentration or softer cores. Conversely, budget WH Smith and Prismacolor Verithin also look slightly brighter, suggesting higher pigment loads or fewer fillers, proving cost doesn’t always reflect performance in this test. Oil-based pencils like FC Polychromos likely uses titanium dioxide (TiO₂) for its white, but the pigment load may be less dense compared to wax-based competitors because it’s not designed for the bold, opaque brilliance this test demands—its strengths lie elsewhere (e.g., layering, lightfastness). Oil binders apply pigment more thinly and evenly, reducing the thick, opaque buildup that wax cores can achieve.
​
FULL RESULTS:
The Brightest White test on Fabriano Black Black paper exposed striking differences among the 18 brands. Derwent Drawing and Caran d’Ache Museum Aquarelle led with vivid, opaque whites, their wax-based cores packing dense pigment for standout highlights. Caran d’Ache Luminance, Caran d'Ache Pablo, Prismacolor Premier, Berol Karismacolor, Derwent Inktense, Derwent Lightfast, Derwent Coloursoft, and Arteza Expert followed, blending wax and pigment strength effectively, though softer cores dulled some impact. Surprisingly, Faber-Castell Polychromos, Derwent Chromaflow, Derwent Artists, and Derwent Procolour lagged, their oil-based or firmer designs trading brightness for precision. The Prismacolor Verithin and WH Smith weaker, yet outperformed expectations for budget options. Lyra Rembrandt Polycolor and Royal Talens Van Gogh proved the dimmest—Lyra the weakest, its oil-based white barely registering, and Van Gogh only slightly better despite heavy strokes. These results flip assumptions, showing wax often outshines oil for raw white power.


​

Ethical Production Standards in Coloured Pencils

​The demand for transparency about whether a product is animal-friendly underscores a broader commitment to ethical practices. This involves ensuring that no animal-derived ingredients are used in production and that the product is free from animal testing at every stage. For artists who prioritise sustainability and mindful consumption, such information is essential in making informed choices that align with their values, fostering a more ethical and environmentally conscious creative process.

A coloured pencil illustration of a rabbit, enhanced with Caran d'Ache Luminance pencils—avoid colours with pigment PBk9 for vegan-friendly options.

The brands featured in this article primarily utilise wax or oil binders, which are synthetic or plant-based, avoiding the use of animal fats like tallow once common in early pencil production. European manufacturers such as Derwent, Caran d’Ache, Faber-Castell, and Lyra adhere to strict EU regulations prohibiting animal testing for art supplies, often confirming their vegan-friendly status either explicitly or implicitly. U.S.-based brands like Prismacolor and Arteza align with modern cruelty-free practices, although clarity on binder composition may require direct confirmation from manufacturers. Budget-oriented brands such as WH Smith and Royal Talens Van Gogh likely employ standard wax or oil formulations without animal derivatives, though transparency remains limited. Berol Karismacolor, an older line, lacks explicit ethical claims but appears consistent with industry norms.
​
Pigment sourcing, such as the use of bone black (Pigment index number: PBk9), though rare in these brands, may introduce traces of animal-derived materials, but synthetic alternatives now dominate production. For artists prioritising ethical choices, verifying directly with manufacturers is advisable, as universal labelling is yet to be standardised. The increased demand for cruelty-free materials since the 1990s highlights the shift toward greater ethical awareness in art supplies.

If you're looking for animal-friendly art products, you can refer to our Vegan Art Products List for confirmation on the status of your art supplies. Our curated list offers detailed insights, but if you can't find what you're looking for, we've included links to external resources for more comprehensive options.

​Our articles are never finished.
​As more products appear on the market, we continue to extend the information to incorporate these products.

​If you found this article helpful, please share using the tabs on this page.
​Why not bookmark and come back at a later date to see what we have added.
Thank you for viewing!