The 5 Best Coloring Pencils

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Colored pencils can allow you to explore the world in color. They can help you accomplish everything from drawing precise lines to blending shades together for unique effects.

What Are Coloring Pencils?

Coloring pencils are art tools with wax- or oil-based cores of colored pigment and protective outer casings made of wood. Whether you're looking for something for your new adult coloring book, for your child's school supplies, or for professional purposes, the selections below can meet your needs.

Top 5 Coloring Pencils

Crayola Colored Pencils

The best-selling Crayola Colored Pencils are ideal for use at home or school. The smooth colors offer great color mixing and blending, so they are ideal for school supplies, art projects, and adult coloring. The box contains 50 bright, intense colors in a wide spectrum of shades, including metallic shades of silver and gold. The pre-sharpened points are strong, durable, and stay sharp longer. The thick, soft graphite points won't break easily under pressure. They offer better control and smooth use with no scratching. The long pencils are made from reforested wood and are long-lasting.

Influenster voted these #1 in colored pencils, thanks to thousands of five-star reviews on their website. They also have thousands of five-star reviews on Amazon and are most teachers' preferred choice. They are also backed by a satisfaction guarantee.

Currently $7.13 on Amazon

Prismacolor Premier Colored Pencils

Amazon's #1 best-seller in wooden colored pencils, the artist-quality Prismacolor Premier Colored Pencils come in a durable tin case. The 48 vibrant colors are made with light-resistant, high-grade pigments for rich color saturation that lasts. The thick, durable leads resist cracking, chipping, and breaking. They are slow to wear, waterproof, and are strong enough to be sharpened to a precision point. The soft, thick, creamy cores offer smooth, even coverage and color laydown. They are the best choice for blending, shading, shadowing, and layering. They allow you to effortlessly switch between detailed work, precise lines, delicate blends, and smooth shadowing.

These are recommended by About.com and have outstanding reviews from artists. They also have thousands of five-star reviews on Amazon and are backed by a satisfaction guarantee.

Currently $24.99 on Amazon

Sargent Art Premium Coloring Pencils

The Sargent Art Premium Coloring Pencils are made of premium wood for easy sharpening and long-lasting usage. The thick leads offer smooth color lay-down. The durable presharpened seven-inch long pencils come in a variety of shade and hue variations. The vibrant colors are made with high-quality pigments for consistent color coverage, making them ideal for illustrating, drawing, sketching, and special effect blending and blurring. The pack of 50 colored pencils have thousands of five-star reviews on Amazon and are a favorite among professional artists.

Currently $5.10 on Amazon

Derwent Colored Pencils

The 12-pack of Derwent Colored Inktense Ink Pencils come in a durable metal tin. The bright, opaque ink-like colors are highly blendable. They offer an intense color combined with a translucent effect for great depth. You can use the water-soluble pencils dry or mix them with water for a more vibrant color. The color is permanent once dry. They offer more precise handling, so they are ideal for everything from precise drawing to watercolor art.

These offer very different effects when they are wet and when they are dry, so they offer a great value. They are recommended by About.com and have over 1,000 five-star reviews on Amazon. They are also very popular with artists around the world.

Currently $14.98 on Amazon

Faber-Castell Polychromos Colored Pencil Set

The 16-piece Faber-Castell Polychromos Colored Pencil Set comes in a sturdy metal tin. These are expensive, but reviewers tend to agree that they are well worth the cost and offer a great value for the money. The intense colors are made with unsurpassed lightfast pigments. While the tips are soft enough for smooth usage and easy layering, you won't have to worry about them crumbling. That's because the thick leads are waterproof, non-smudge, and break-resistant.

The artist-quality pencils are commonly referred to as the best colored pencils available. They are recommended by About.com and have great reviews from professional artists.

Currently $25.99 on Amazon

And those are our recommendations for the best coloring pencils. As always, be sure to check Wise Bread's Buying Calendar to learn when and how to buy just about anything!

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