• Skip to content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
Reviews of the Best Stationery
  • Home
  • Best
    School & Office Stationery
    Wooden pencils
    Mechanical pencils
    Pencil erasers
    Manual pencil sharpeners
    Electric pencil sharpeners
    Pencil cases
    Pen and pencil sets
    Scissors
    Manual staplers
    Dry erase markers
    Brush pens
    Graphing calculators
    Highlighters
    Rulers
    Gel pens
    STAEDTLER pencils
    Correction tapes
    Printer paper
    Binders
    Folders
    Dry erase boards
    Transparency film for inkjet printer
    Arts & Crafts
    Colored pencils
    Paper for colored pencils
    Crayons
    Pastel pencils
    Acrylic paint
    Drawing pencils
    Carpenter pencils
    Watercolor pencils
    Sketchbooks
    Watercolor paper
    Adult coloring books
    Art markers
    Kids easels
    Paint for murals
    Paper for Copic markers
    Art sets for 6-year-old kids
    Gouache paint
    Copic markers
    Alcohol based markers
    Craft storage
    Desk lamps for artists
    Office & Craft Equipment
    Laminators
    Paper shredders
    Paper shredders under $100
    Heavy duty paper shredders
    Die cut machines
    Printers for graphic designers
    Standing desk chairs
    Best Offer
  • Reviews
    School & Office Stationery
    rOtring 800 pencil
    Pentel GraphGear 1000 pencil
    LAMY 2000 pencil
    Pentel Sharp Kerry pencil
    HP Prime graphing calculator
    TI-84 Plus CE graphing calculator
    Casio FX-9750GII graphing calculator
    Jinhao 992 fountain pen
    Crave PowerPack portable battery
    Wing Sung 698 fountain pen
    Wing Sung 601 pen
    TI-Nspire™ CX II graphing calculator
    Pelikan M200 pen
    Pelikan Pura (P40) fountain pen
    Arts & Crafts
    Canson XL watercolor paper
    Pentel Clic eraser
    Prismacolor Scholar colored pencils
    Sargent Art colored pencils
    Ohuhu markers
    Touch Five markers
    Moleskine Art Plus sketchbook
    Master’s Touch acrylic paint
    Crayola colored pencils
    Melissa & Doug Deluxe easel
    STAEDTLER colored pencils
    Arteza watercolor pencils
    Arteza brush pens
    Faber-Castell watercolor pencils
    Albrecht Durer watercolor pencils
    Huepar laser levels with green beam line
    DeWALT (DW089LG) line laser
    Shinhan watercolor paint
    Office & Craft Equipment
    Bonsaii shredders
    Fellowes shredders
    Fellowes laminators
    GBC laminators
    Fellowes Powershred 79Ci shredder
    Cricut Explore Air 2 die cut machine
    Canon Color imageCLASS MF733Cdw printer
    Canon PIXMA MG6620 printer
    Xerox Workcentre 6027/NI printer
    HP DeskJet 2622 printer
    Best Offer
  • Articles
  • How to Draw
  • Contact
    • About Yuliya
    • Job with Us
  • 🖼️ Top Art Museums (USA)
  • 🏫 Top Art Universities (USA)

Artists Guide: Best Pencils for Drawing, Sketching, and Shading

Home / 🏆 Best
1 Star2 Stars3 Stars4 Stars5 Stars (7 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)

Last updated: January 25, 2021 by Yuliya Skryp

Best pencils for drawing, sketching, and shading

Professional artists always require higher quality products, and, as a result, experienced artists know what to pay attention to and how to use each device in order to achieve better results. This time, WoWPencils has collected all the necessary information about the best drawing pencils for artists and tips on how to use them properly to improve their outcome. By the way, if you want to know, there were 145 hours spent in searching, identifying their strong and weak points, and investigating their perception by users. You are kindly invited to learn more about them.

Good Quality Pencils to Use for Artists

MissionReviewProduct NamePriceSet SizeTypeRating
DrawingFaber-Castell PolychromosFaber-Castell
Polychromos
Check Here
120Color10.0
SketchingMarco Renoir pencilsMarco Renoir
Check Here
100Color9.9
ShadingCretacolor Monolith pencilsCretacolor
Monolith
Check Here
6Graphite9.8

Best Pencils for Drawing

RankReviewNamePriceSet SizeTypeRating
1Faber-Castell PolychromosFaber-Castell
Polychromos
Check Here
120Color10.0
2ARTEZA drawing pencilsARTEZA
Check Here
12Graphite9.9
3Staedtler Mars Lumograph setStaedtler Mars
Lumograph
Check Here
6Graphite9.8
4Faber-Castell 9000Faber-Castell 9000
Check Here
12Graphite9.6
5STAR-JOYSTAR-JOY
Check Here
72Color9.5
6Tombow MONO setTombow MONO
Check Here
12Graphite9.4
7Kasimir pencil setKasimir
Check Here
14Graphite9.3
8Prismacolor Premier pencilsPrismacolor Premier
Check Here
23Color9.1
9Tombow 8900Tombow 8900
Check Here
12Graphite9.0
10Lyra Rembrandt Polycolor setLyra Rembrandt
Polycolor
Check Here
72Color8.8
11Derwent Graphic pencilsDerwent Graphic
Check Here
12Graphite8.7
12rOtring 600 pencilrOtring 600
Check Here
1Mechanical8.6
13Tombow IrojitenTombow Irojiten
Check Here
30Color8.5
14Koala Tools Bear ClawKoala Tools
Bear Claw
Check Here
6Graphite8.4

Faber-Castell Polychromos: Great Quality Pencils

Faber-Castell Polychromos pencils

Check Price on Amazon

The fashionable metal tin of Faber-Castell contains a set of 120 high quality colored pencils that will cover all the needs of an artist or a beginner. The colors are vivid, bright, and durably resistant to light. Thus, you can be sure that your drawing will stay unchanged for a really long time.

Another pleasant thing about them is that all the colors are available individually, consequently, you do not need to worry if you run out of a particular shade.

The application of these tools is also seemless, thus any user who owns them will be pleased with their smooth gliding over the surface. By the way the width of the lead is 3.8mm which is also firm.

In addition, as the manufacturer claims, these tools are also resistant to any damage, thanks to an additional layer of bond, which is called secural bonding.

Pros

  • They sharpen nicely
  • The core is soft
  • Wonderful applying to the surface – they glide smoothly
  • They keep a fine point for a long time
  • The colors are vibrant and saturated
  • They don’t require a special sharpener
  • They come in a metal tin and separate trays

Cons

  • Some tools don’t blend so good
  • The tin is quite flimsy
  • Despite having a soft core and applying smoothly, they do transfer color on the surface badly

ARTEZA: Well Made

ARTEZA drawing pencils

Check Price on Amazon

Unlike the previous product, this item is a set of 12 Arteza graphite utensils that also come in a metal tin. The nice advantage of these tools is that they come pre-sharpened, thus they are ready to go.

There is a variety of those with hard and less-hard cores, thus they are nice for drawing some realistic tiny details, shading and sketching. Their lead deserves additional attention since it’s made of high-density graphite which is why it nicely resists any accidental breakage. As for the barrel, there is nothing extraordinary, but it does have something special – the wood is basswood that is rarely used by stationery manufacturers, and it is well-known for its good quality.

Pros

  • They come in a light-weight metal tin
  • They come pre-sharpened
  • The applying ability is superb
  • Good for beginners

Cons

  • There may come 2 identical B or H cores, instead of 1*B and 1*H

Staedtler Mars Lumograph: Well Sharpening

Staedtler Mars Lumograph set

Check Price on Amazon

The brand Mars Lumograph is considered to be one of the top Staedtler pencils, thus they are well-known tools to draw with among professionals and beginners. This set consists of items that have blacker leads, but not a range of soft and hard leads. They are specially designed for graphical drawing; however, they also can be used for sketching and other art techniques related to pencils.

Pros

  • The 8B pencil is one of the darkest among other brands
  • They sharpen very well
  • They blend well
  • They keep a fine point for a long time
  • The core texture is creamy

Cons

  • They are declared as matte, however, they deliver some glossy effect
  • There is no big difference between 6B, 7B, and 8B

Faber-Castell 9000: Best for Professionals

Faber-Castell 9000 pencil set

Check Price on Amazon

Another Faber-Castell product appears in this chart of the best drawing tools. This time it is a set of 12 graphite items that promise to be smooth in gliding over the paper. This is thanks to a special chemical formula that excludes trapping any ungrinded particles that cause the annoying scratchy effect.

These tools will be highly appreciated by those who are related to art. The wide range of hard and black leads will be useful in drawing portraits, shading, and other art elements.

Pros

  • They come in a metal tin
  • They write smoothly
  • They have the right size, thus they are easy to hold for a long time

Cons

  • The wood may crack along the barrel

STAR-JOY: Good for Colored Drawings

STAR-JOY

Check Price on Amazon

Star-joy is a wonderful option for everyone. This is a set of 72 oil-based colored pencils, an eraser, a sharpener, and an extender wrapped in the one of the best pencil cases that is hand-made. Students might adore this set, because the variety of colors is a huge advantage of Star-joy.

As a pleasant addition, there are some metallic cores which will decorate your drawing and extend the variety that they can be applied to. Thus, you can be sure that your future purchase is worth it.

Pros

  • They layer very well
  • They blend nicely
  • The variety of colors is decent
  • The set comes in a case with an eraser, a sharpener, and an extender
  • Top-rated for adult coloring books

Cons

  • Lead breaks while sharpening
  • The pencil requires some pressure on it for the color to appear on the paper

Tombow MONO: Excellent for Portraits

Tombow MONO set

Check Price on Amazon

Another set of pencils, but this time it’s a set of graphite pencils. It consists of 12 tools, and the range of core type is from 6B to 4H – which is enough for any kind of drawing, especially portraits, schemes, and different tables.

The manufacturer guarantees receiving a perfect experience with these items due to a perfectly designed structure: they have a well-centered core, and as a result, the user won’t have a broken device every 5 minutes of usage. There is one more thing about them — the lead is bonded along the wooden barrel, thus this product will survive any accidental falling.

Another advantage of this set is the eraser and good manual pencil sharpener. Thus, it must be said that the manufacturer takes into consideration the user’s opinion and does everything to please the potential customer.

Pros

  • They provide very deep and dark marks
  • They are applied smoothly
  • They do not have a graphite shine
  • Construction is breakage-resistant

Cons

  • The wood is rough after sharpening
  • They leave some scratches on the paper

Kasimir: Perfect for Art Classes

Kasimir pencil set

Check Price on Amazon

The Kasimir set of 14 graphite pencils would be a nice option for anyone who is involved in art, especially when you are a student and use a graphite core often during your art classes.

These items have a well-centered core, thus it’s not easy to break them. By the way, the barrel is made of wood and covered with a comfortable-to-hold finish.

The range of soft and hard cores allow performing anything on paper or canvas. Thus, you don’t need to keep other tools from various sets since these will definitely be winners.

Pros

  • Wide range of cores
  • They provide dark shades
  • They withstand accidental dropping
  • The wood doesn’t splinter

Cons

  • The core breaks while sharpening
  • Most of the information about these items are in Chinese

Prismacolor Premier: Top for Anime Drawing

Prismacolor Premier pencils

Check Price on Amazon

Lovers of anime will definitely adore this set of colored devices. This collection consists of 23 pieces, and the special selection of colors and shades would be a nice option to decorate your anime drawings. Particular attention should be given to their lightfastness and the durability of applied color.

The texture of the core resembles butter, and this feature allows them to blend and spread over the paper smoothly without any additional pressure. By the way, this is another reason why anime and comics lovers prefer to work with this collection of colorful tools.

Pros

  • This collection comes in a box with rigid sides, which serves as a stand
  • The blending ability is wonderful
  • The colors are vibrant
  • The core is soft enough

Cons

  • Some pencils tend to break while sharpening
  • They are pricey

Tombow 8900: Good Graphite Quality

Tombow 8900

Check Price on Amazon

The small yellow box can attract anyone’s attention, but before buying this product, any user would want to know about its art quality.

As you might know, Tombow is one of the popular brands among stationery products. As a result, this brand has to keep up with its quality and produce items that are worth customers’ attention. Consequently, the 12 graphite tools are comfortable to hold and work with, they are made of cedar wood, and they are breakage-resistant, thanks to a special method of bonding.

Pros

  • They have a nice feeling
  • They work smoothly
  • They don’t need any pressure to achieve dark lines

Cons

  • They leave smearing marks on paper
  • Quite difficult to erase

Lyra Rembrandt Polycolor: Best for Starter

Lyra Rembrandt Polycolor

Check Price on Amazon

Lyra is a wonderful set of colorful pencils, with 72 pieces. The colors are vibrant and bright, thus they can give life to any drawing. In addition, their features of light, water, and breakage-resistance is commendable. This is the wonderful list of features for beginners.

As for the texture of the lead – it’s awesome. It’s not hard so you have to press on it, and it’s not too soft, just like it should be. This feature is a wonderful thing to deal with when you work on various type of surfaces such as wood, textile, cardboard, etc.

Another advantage is their package, and in fact, all the items are in a metal tin that has a few trays. That’s why you can be sure that the pencil won’t fall out and the lead won’t break.

Pros

  • Wide variety of colors
  • Blendability is great
  • They provide velvety look to the drawings

Cons

  • There are some color duplicates
  • They require quite pricey sharpeners

Derwent Graphic: Recommended for Artists

Derwent Graphic pencils

Check Price on Amazon

Derwent Graphic tools is another set of 12 graphite pencils. The broad variety of grades allows the user to draw both thin and bold lines wonderfully. This effect is achieved with different widths of cores: 3.5 mm for soft and 2.2 for hard.

Another advantage is being sturdy. The point keeps a fine angle for a long time and doesn’t require frequent sharpening, which is performed without any issues. This feature will be highly appreciated by professional artists, since drawing tiny details requires not only skills but the right tool.

Pros

  • The B cores provide dark lines and smear wonderfully
  • Great quality of materials

Cons

  • The wood splinters while sharpening
  • They leave some scratches

rOtring 600: Top Mechanical Pencil

rOtring 600

Check Price on Amazon

Finally, it’s the mechanical pencil’s turn. Mechanical devices are actively used by lots of artists in the world for their artworks. This sample even proves how good mechanical devices are.

First of all, the metal body is well-designed, and it will work for a really long time. There is a grip that prevents accidental dropping and a clip that keeps it safely attached to a pocket.

Moreover, it has a huge advantage – it doesn’t require sharpening and the lead can be replaced easily.

Pros

  • Comfortable metal grip
  • The construction is quite solid
  • It has a core grade indicator
  • It’s made of aluminum

Cons

  • It’s pretty heavy
  • The clip is quite inflexible

Tombow Irojiten: Best Wax Based Pencils

Tombow Irojiten

Check Price on Amazon

Wax-based colored pencils have always been considered to be professional grade tools. Thus, the Tombow Irojiten is no exception. This collection is beautifully arranged in a pastel-colored box with a few layers that contain wax-based drawing tools.

The core is soft but it’s sturdy enough to keep a fine point for a long time. This reduces sharpening and promotes a longer time of usage, which is quite valuable for anyone.

There are 30 colors and 10 of them glow in the dark. The texture allows layering and blending with each other nicely.

Pros

  • There are fluorescent colors
  • They are richly pigmented
  • The colors have pastel shades

Cons

  • They don’t blend with other brands very well
  • The core is too hard

Koala Tools Bear Claw: Good for Drafting

Koala Tools Bear Claw

Check Price on Amazon

And if you are in search of devices that perform good drafting, you might be interested in this item. The Koala is a kit of 6 tools that will pass high pressure and breakage tests. In fact, they have quite firm lead and wooden barrels, and these are the main reasons why Koala is so sturdy.

The shape is another point that should be observed. The triangular shape allows children to hold the writing tools properly and this will prevent from fatigue in the hands in the future.

The slightly bulky eraser at the end eliminates written things effortlessly.

Pros

  • Comfortable to hold
  • The pencils don’t roll
  • The lead withstands dropping on a concrete floor

Cons

  • It requires a special sharpener
  • The tool itself is quite short

Best Pencils for Sketching

RankReviewNamePriceSet SizeTypeRating
1Marco Renoir pencilsMarco Renoir
Check Here
100Color9.9
2Leda Art SupplyLeda Art Supply
Check Here
1Mechanical9.8
3Castle Art SuppliesCastle Art
Supplies
Check Here
26Graphite9.7
4Dainayw pencil setDainayw
Check Here
24Graphite9.6
5Blackwing PalominoBlackwing Palomino
Check Here
12Graphite9.5
6Dyvicl sketching pencilsDyvicl
Check Here
12Graphite9.3
7BellofyBellofy
Check Here
12Graphite9.1
8Royal & LangnickelRoyal & Langnickel
Check Here
12Graphite9.0
9Lyra Rembrandt setLyra Rembrandt
Check Here
12Graphite8.9
10Derwent Graphic pencil setDerwent Graphic
Check Here
12Graphite8.8
11Finex drawing setFinex
Check Here
18Graphite8.7
12Royal & Langnickel Essentials pencilsRoyal & Langnickel
Essentials
Check Here
12Graphite8.6
13Derwent Water SolubleDerwent Water
Soluble
Check Here
6Graphite8.4

Marco Renoir: Best Sketching Set

Marco Renoir pencils

Check Price on Amazon

This box of 100 brilliant colored oil-based items are made from materials that do not influence human’s health, thus children and pregnant women are safe.

This sketching set comes in a metal box which can really be a top gift for your children who like making illustrations.

Pros

  • They work smoothly and have a creamy texture
  • They have very bright vivid pigments without Vaseline
  • These items are easy to sharpen
  • They work amazingly on grayscale coloring
  • It requires very little pressure to apply their pigment onto the picture

Cons

  • The tray is made of thin, lightweight plastic which can be easily broken
  • Some colors are pretty close together

Leda Art Supply: Top Clutch Pencil

Leda Art Supply pencils

Check Price on Amazon

The Leda Art Supply is a perfect clutch set of six-sided polymer devices for your graphite art creations. These tools are tipped with fine brass finishes and are really easy to grip while making precise sketching.

Pros

  • The core is firm and comfortable to hold in the hand during usage
  • They have a clip which makes it more profitable
  • They are quite cheap and affordable

Cons

  • The pigment can be too light
  • The set comes with no instructions enclosed

Castle Art Supplies: Great for Students

Castle Art Supplies

Check Price on Amazon

If you want to achieve sketching perfection, you may want to use this convenient 26 piece Sketching & Drawing set which includes all the required drawing tools for any aspiring artist.

The Castle Art Supplies box is made of top-quality materials and will make you enjoy your art activities.

Pros

  • They are very soft and smooth and blend wonderfully
  • The sharpeners work properly
  • Wide grade range
  • The price of this set is affordable

Cons

  • The set case is not practical if the artist uses it on a daily basis
  • 3H is more like 2B

Dainayw: Good Variety of Grades

Dainayw set

Check Price on Amazon

This set of 24 graphite utensils can be a perfect gift for a beginning artist as well as for artists who are looking to take their sketching to a professional level. They are crafted from the finest basswood.

Pros

  • They withstand pressure very well
  • They are very smooth
  • They have a quite cheap price

Cons

  • Some have a bumpy rough feel on the drawing paper while gradation
  • They are difficult to sharpen

Blackwing Palomino: Softest Lead

Blackwing Palomino

Check Price on Amazon

Blackwing Palomino utensils are made from the finest materials including premium cedar from California and Japanese graphite. This set is perfect for writers, musicians, and everyday users.

Pros

  • They glide smoothly on paper
  • They are longer than regular are
  • They have a removable / changeable eraser

Cons

  • They are not cheap
  • The metal part breaks easily

Dyvicl: Great Choice for Beginners

Dyvicl sketching pencils

Check Price on Amazon

If you are an artist or an amateur who is looking to develop your drawing skills, these utensils can be a real bargain as they are ideal for drawing, sketching, and doodling.

Pros

  • These are smooth and well-pigmented
  • They are perfect for architecture
  • They sit well in your hand
  • They can be washed out very well
  • The price is affordable
  • The charcoal doesn’t smear unless desired by blending

Cons

  • Some shades are very similar to each other
  • HB and 2B do not match

Bellofy: Easiest to Use

Bellofy set

Check Price on Amazon

This is a sketching set that comes with a travel tin which can be perfect for beginners and artists who want to improve their shading and sketching skills to a high level. This set will allow you to comfortably draw during all hours without chafing or finger cramps.

Pros

  • The utensils are very smooth and do not scratch the paper
  • The tin can be easily transported and is convenient to travel with
  • The set has a great assortment despite being cheap

Cons

  • This product might not be good for experienced artists
  • There is no variation from soft to hard

Royal & Langnickel: High Quality Pencils

Royal & Langnickel set

Check Price on Amazon

The Royal & Langnickel set includes 12 graphite core pencils, an eraser, a sharpener, a pad, and a case with a zipper. This set is made for easy traveling and storage.

Pros

  • All of the utensils are secured well and they are not hard to remove or place back in the case
  • The erasure works properly
  • These are easily transported
  • The price is quite affordable

Cons

  • Some pigments are too light
  • The core is waxy and has some bloom
  • They are not easy to sharpen

Lyra Rembrandt: Most Unbreakable

Lyra Rembrandt set

Check Price on Amazon

This Lyra Rembrandt set is perfect for drawing, sketching, and designing. It has a convenient tin case which can be easily transported. The pros and cons are the following:

Pros

  • The lead is smooth with no grit
  • Sharpening is easy with no breaks or splitting
  • The pencils can be applied without drag or dryness

Cons

  • The price is not good for this set

Derwent Graphic: Longest-Lasting Pencils

Derwent Graphic pencil set

Check Price on Amazon

Derwent Graphic products are famous among artists and beginners. They provide a professional quality product with amazing performance. They are quite comfortable, thanks to a hexagonal barrel. There is a wide range of 20 degrees that supplies the user with an unrepeatable experience.

Pros

  • These are made of good quality lead and wood
  • They are pretty smooth
  • They come in a nice tin organized in a tray

Cons

  • They have large hard chunks of dried clay in the lead
  • They can be easily broken while sharpening

Finex: Perfect As Gift

Finex drawing set

Check Price on Amazon

If you are searching for the highest quality sketch pencils, Finex can be a perfect deal for you. This set is convenient for transportation and ideal for aspiring artists.

Pros

  • A small x-acto knife is included
  • The case is pretty sturdy

Cons

  • The leather is not real
  • The quality of the material is low

Royal & Langnickel Essentials: Great Price

Royal & Langnickel Essentials pencils

Check Price on Amazon

This set of 12 graphite pencils is a wonderful option whether you are a beginner or an advanced artist. The reason for their high popularity is a reasonable price. Fortunately, the price doesn’t influence the quality.

Pros

  • They are great for shading on 3D sketches
  • The graphite is soft
  • There is a key on the front of the box that shows each performance

Cons

  • The pencils can be broken easily
  • They can be difficult to sharpen

Derwent Water Soluble: Best for Blending

Derwent Water Soluble

Check Price on Amazon

Derwent Sketching Pencils are water-soluble tools that are appropriate in various cases. Their performance during freestyle sketching is decent which makes them quite popular for this type of art. In addition, the variety of colors provides a rich and velvety texture. In addition, the blending ability is beautiful.

Pros

  • The pigment is easily removed
  • The core glides smoothly on paper
  • They are easy to blend
  • They are easy to push around the page when water is added

Cons

  • These items are a little thicker than the standard ones, so they will not fit in standard sharpeners

Best Pencils for Shading

RankReviewNamePriceSet SizeTypeRating
1Cretacolor Monolith pencilsCretacolor Monolith
Check Here
6Graphite9.8
2Soucolor pencilsSoucolor
Check Here
72Colored9.7
3General’s KimberlyGeneral’s Kimberly
Check Here
10Graphite9.6
4Caran d’Ache PabloCaran d’Ache Pablo
Check Here
120Colored9.5
5Artist's ChoiceArtist’s Choice
Check Here
120Colored9.3
6Sargent Art Premium setSargent Art
Check Here
50Colored9.2
7Positive ArtPositive Art
Check Here
120Colored9.1
8Art-n-Fly pencilsArt-n-Fly
Check Here
48Colored8.9
9OOKU setOOKU
Check Here
48Colored8.8
10Crayola Blend & Shade pencil setCrayola Blend & Shade
Check Here
50Colored8.6
11Prismacolor ScholarPrismacolor Scholar
Check Here
7Graphite8.5
12General’s LayoutGeneral’s Layout
Check Here
12Graphite8.4

Cretacolor Monolith: Fine Woodless Pencils

Cretacolor Monolith pencils

Check Price on Amazon

The Cretacolor Monolith Set is comprised of 6 pieces of graphite pencils that do not contain wood, a 1 graphite water-soluble aqua monolith, a holder with a cap, a kneaded eraser, and a regular sharpener. All the tools are in a metal tin box which is comfortable to travel with.

Pros

  • They are not very heavy
  • Switching from dark to light can be easy with them as they are excellent for shading
  • They are cheap and pretty affordable

Cons

  • The sharpener is low quality
  • It is very difficult to get a clean, crisp line
  • The tin constantly opens

Soucolor: Top Soft Core Pencils

Soucolor colored set

Check Price on Amazon

This is the box of 72 colored items is convenient as the colors are all visible in storage and you will not have any trouble finding the color you are looking for.

They are perfect for drawing, sketching, and coloring adult coloring books. They are made from non-toxic and odorless materials.

Pros

  • The devices are easy to sharpen
  • They simplify blending and shading
  • They have huge varieties of colors
  • There is a color name for identification
  • They lay down very good

Cons

  • Blue violet and prussian blue are the exact same color in their cores
  • The materials have pretty low quality

General’s Kimberly: Best for Amateurs

General’s Kimberly

Check Price on Amazon

The Kimberly 25 graphite drawing kit is comprised of 10 pre-sharpened pencils. All of them are made of cedar and have hexagonal barrels. The variety of hardness is from 8B to 4H. Besides that, there is a sharpener and eraser. This is a great set of drawing pencils for beginners or adept artists.

Pros

  • The eraser that comes with the kit is very good
  • The sharpener is convenient
  • They can be sharpened easily
  • They are smooth
  • The price is pretty cheap

Cons

  • There is almost no difference between graphite darkness
  • The 8B looks like a 2B, the 2B looks like a 4H

Caran d’Ache Pablo: Strongest Pigment

Caran d’Ache Pablo set

Check Price on Amazon

This is a set of 120 colored devices that are usually used for any type of art technique. They are water-resistant and will be a perfect gift for your children. Take this colorful drawing set with you to go wherever your imagination takes you.

Pros

  • They have a creamy texture and lay down smoothly
  • They have true pastel pigmentation
  • The barrel finish is very true to the color of the core

Cons

  • The tin is not convenient
  • The price is high

Artist’s Choice: Easiest to Hold

Artist's Choice

Check Price on Amazon

The set of Artist’s Choice comes with 120 bright colors that work nicely with shading, blending, and other art techniques.

This product will be a great discovery for professionals, amateurs, or beginners in art activities. The set was created to offer a high-quality product designed specifically for all types of artists.

Pros

  • The colors lay down reasonably smoothly
  • They have a controllable transparent color that is good for creating delicate glowing effects
  • They can be sharpened perfectly and do not have a problem with lead breaking
  • They shade well

Cons

  • The package is not good
  • There are no color numbers or names

Sargent Art: Good for Adults

Sargent Art Premium set

Check Price on Amazon

This 50-item set was created for artists and illustrators of all ages. Being good-looking also adds respect and trust in the product. The barrels match the lead finish, thus nobody will mess up the colors. Furthermore, the thicker lead provides smooth gliding over the paper, which will make their usage easier and more comfortable.

Pros

  • There is a great variety of colors
  • They are erasable to a degree which simplifies shading
  • They can be sharpened well
  • The price is pretty affordable

Cons

  • The color does not transfer to paper very well
  • They may not be recommended for professional artists wanting to color

Positive Art: Most Vibrant Colors

Positive Art set

Check Price on Amazon

Another set of 120 pieces with vibrant colors from Positive Art. They are a nice option to hone your art skills since all the features are specially designated for such purposes. The core of these tools is quite thick, equaling 3.3mm, and besides that they are fade-resistant which is highly valued in drawing, shading, and sketching.

Pros

  • They have soft cores which blend very well
  • They have a great variety of color
  • They can be sharpened quite well
  • They have an excellent affordable price

Cons

  • There is no numbering system or names
  • They are difficult to take out of the tray

Art-n-Fly: Best Oil Based Pencils

Art-n-Fly pencils in a box

Check Price on Amazon

Art-n-Fly are high quality oil-based colored pencils that provide the user with an unbelievable effect on paper. The colors are more than vibrant and vivid, and besides applied colors can last for a very long time. Thus, an experienced artist or a beginner will appreciate such a gift. In addition, this kit is an affordable alternative to famous products of the same high quality.

Pros

  • The color goes down smoothly and blends easily
  • They require light pressure
  • The barrel is thinner and weighs less
  • The quality is worth the price
  • They have vibrant colors which adhere nicely to paper

Cons

  • There are no color names
  • The color of the tip is not always an accurate representation of the lead color

OOKU: Good Watercolor Pencils

OOKU set

Check Price on Amazon

Do your kids love to color all day or are you an artist yourself and are looking for the right color? Choosing the right tools gives the best inspiration! OOKU presents the Watercolor Pencils Artist Set with 48 dry coloring items/wet watercolor painting. This watercolor drawing set is primed for beginners and professionals alike who are looking for a perfect balance of quality and value. These watercolor devices are magically transformative.

Pros

  • e a great range of colors
  • The price is quite cheap
  • They do blend beautifully when you get them wet
  • They come with a watercolor paint brush and a small sharpener

Cons

  • They don’t perform well as a watercolor core should
  • Sharpening can be quite a difficult process

Crayola Blend & Shade: Creamiest Colors

Crayola Blend & Shade colored pencils

Check Price on Amazon

50 colors come in the set of Crayola Blend & Shade, with unusually decorated barrels. All of them have a black matte finish and the end is dipped into the correspondent color the same as the lead.

With Crayola you can easily blend, shade, and add detail to your art and craft projects. Designed for smooth color laydown, these premium devices add vivid color to both light and dark paper.

Pros

  • They have a soft core
  • The color goes down smoothly and the colors are rich
  • They come in a metal tin

Cons

  • You can’t get a sharp point easily with them

Prismacolor Scholar: Perfect Shading Kit

Prismacolor Scholar

Check Price on Amazon

The Prismacolor art kit supplies the customer with 6 pieces of graphing tools. The pencils would work nicely whether you are specialist or just starting your path in an art trade.

The main advantage is their ability to work on a big area as shading tools. However, their performance in shading is not limited.

Pros

  • The price is affordable
  • The eraser is very easy to hold
  • The pencils sharpen nicely
  • The material of the pencil is good quality

Cons

  • They are incredibly rough on paper, especially when going over the same area more than once
  • The eraser does not completely eradicate the color

General’s Layout: Smoothest Shades

General’s Layout

Check Price on Amazon

The General’s Layout Pencil is a set of 1 dozen items. The pencils have decently dark lead with smooth textures that are applied without any issues. Besides, the core is a little thicker than usual pencils. These features are useful in making precise and tiny details or even shading.

Pros

  • The core is soft enough to shade with
  • The sharpening performance is perfect and doesn’t cause breaking
  • They have excellent quality, texture, and color
  • They roll onto the paper nicely

Cons

  • The core is not black enough

Best Pencils for Shading in 2020 (Unavailable Now)

ReviewNameSet SizeType
Strapright setStrapright72Colored

Strapright: Perfect for Colorist

Strapright

Whether you are a professional artist or a beginner, you always should keep your knowledge updated, as this will help to achieve wonderful outcomes. In this case, the 72 vivid colors from Straprigth is an unrepeatable option. As a pleasant bonus, you will also receive a 50-sheet coloring book, thus you will never be bored.

Pros

  • These items are pretty cheap
  • They have a nice variety of colors
  • They flow smoothly and blend perfectly
  • They are easily sharpened
  • They are numbered

Cons

  • The tin case is a little difficult to handle
  • The colors do not correspond 100% to the colors on the description picture

Buying Guide

The first thing you should consider is what your purpose for buying pencils is — and you should follow some basic rules. The second thing is taking into account whether you are an experienced artist or a beginner. There are some features that help you make a decision.

How to Choose the Best Pencils for Artists
Various art effects can be achieved with mechanical, graphite simple and color, cretaceous, watercolor, sauce, wax, coal, pastel, oil, etc. For example, there is shading, blending, hatching, etc. The only limit of their usage is your imagination.

The purpose of mechanical, graphite, or carbon pencils is usually used for architecture drawing, portraits, or depicting tiny details. Meanwhile, colored, cretaceous, watercolor, sauce, wax, pastel, and oil are used for anything that requires colors on the drawing.

The hardness grade is applicable for graphite or carbon, and they are generally supplied in the range from 6B to 6H: where H stands for hard that provides light lines, and B for softness that provides a blacker line. However, there may be softer and harder leads, too.

Liquid also influences the appearance of the applied tool, e.g. pencils which react to water, for example, watercolors. They provide an unrepeatable effect on paper that can’t be achieved with other types of pencils.

FAQ

Questions and answers

Buying drawing utensils is not as difficult as it seems. However, lots of users have questions that are left without answers. By the way, even some experienced artists have questions despite having a proven track record. Consequently, here are collected some frequently asked questions and the answers to them.

What Is Drawing Pencil ??

The question “what is a drawing pencil” is quite common. A drawing pencil is a pencil that can have different grades of core where B stands for a softer and blacker core, while H means harder and lighter.

What Is Sketching Pencil?

A sketching pencil is a device which is used for sketches. In fact, all the pencils can be used ✍ for sketches no matter what type of hardness it is.

What Is Shading Pencil?

A shading pencil is considered to be a pencil with a softer and black core. Thus, a pencil with B core can be a shading one.

Can I Use Mechanical Pencils for Drawing, Sketching or Shading?

Why not? A mechanical pencil ? is literally a barrel where you can load any type of lead. Thus you should use the particular size and grade of lead required to achieve the desired effect.

Are Colored ? Pencils Can Be Used for Drawing, Sketching or Shading?

All the colored pencils can be used for any type of art technique. The only thing is that you should pay attention to the core hardness or softness depending on the result you want to get.

Interesting Facts

Interesting factsThere are lots of interesting facts that surround us in everyday life. However, information about writing and art utensils is not common. Thus, we suggest you find out some interesting facts about drawing tools.

  • The type of graphite pencil in a wooden shell has not changed for more than 200 years.
  • A simple pencil with a hardness of HB and a length of 17.5 cm can let you write about 45,000 words.
  • In 1869 in the USA, Alonso Townsend Cross invented a mechanical pencil with a retractable rod. This pencil became the prototype of the modern mechanical pencil.
  • Approximately 300,000 pencils can be made from one large tree.
  • Hemingway wrote only with wooden pencils.
  • At the end of the 18th century, graphite pencils were produced in Germany (Nuremberg), but they could easily break and soil hands. Later, they were produced throughout Europe, but in a wooden barrel.
  • In the mid 19th century, Count Lothar von Faber-Castell invented the hexagonal shape of the pencil body. He also proposed to create pencils of the length and diameter that we usually see them today.

Summing Up

There are plenty of tools that can be used for drawing techniques, but how they can be differentiated? The answer is obvious, of course, and by reviewing all their features, advantages, and disadvantages a user can get a complete picture. And only after a thorough investigation can the user can make firm decision, thanks to WoWPencils team.

References

  • What Are the Best Pencils for Drawing? – https://www.reddit.com/
  • What Pencils Do You Use for Sketching? – https://www.reddit.com/
  • Recommend Best Quality Drawing Pencils – http://www.wetcanvas.com/
  • What Is an F Grade Pencil For? – https://www.quora.com/
  • What Are Sketch Pencils? – https://www.quora.com/
Related Posts
  • Where Does Pencil Lead Come From?Where Does Pencil Lead Come From?
  • Why Do People Say “Marines Eat Crayons”?Why Do People Say “Marines Eat Crayons”?
  • Best Paint Mixing Trays (2021)Best Paint Mixing Trays (2021)
  • 10 Best Paints for Glass [Review 2021]10 Best Paints for Glass [Review 2021]

Comments

  1. nicolialia pizzeria says

    June 9, 2019

    Pretty nice post. I simply stumbled upon your blog and wanted to mention that I have really loved browsing your weblog posts. In any case I’ll be subscribing for your rss feed and I am hoping you write once more soon!

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Disclosure

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. This post may contain affiliate links. I get some commission paid directly from Amazon Company, when you purchase through affiliate links. Thank you for your interest and support to my site!

About Yuliya Skryp

Yuliya

My name is Yuliya. I am a designer with many years of experience, the mother of a little student, and the author of articles on WoWPencils.com. Writing and drawing tools are an important part of my creations. I write detailed reviews about them for people who want to know what to get. Find the information you need in order to create your best! Also, visit my page on Facebook or contact page to know me better.

Recent Posts

  • Art Supplies by Arrtx [2022]
  • Best Oil Based Colored Pencils [2022]
  • Arrtx Markers Review (2022)
  • Arrtx Skin Tone Markers [2022 Review]

Yuliya Recommends

Table of Contents

  • Good Quality Pencils to Use for Artists
  • Best Pencils for Drawing
  • Best Pencils for Sketching
  • Best Pencils for Shading
  • Best Pencils for Shading in 2020 (Unavailable Now)
  • Buying Guide
  • FAQ

Reviews of the Best Stationery

DMCA
PROTECTED
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
Privacy Policy
Terms of Use
Cookie Policy
Accessibility Statement
Sitemap
About Yuliya
Job with Us
Contact

WoWPencils.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for website owners to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon(.com, .co.uk, .ca etc) and any other website that may be affiliated with Amazon Service LLC Associates Program. Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates.

Copyright © 2023 · WoWPencils