The Best Adult Coloring Pencils for Shading, Coloring Drawing and More

The art of coloring has recently experienced a renaissance of sorts and expanded beyond a childhood pastime into the mainstream. The hobby has been formally recognized for its numerous health benefits and coloring books have even started to pop up on bestseller lists. But before you can start coloring, you first need the right tools. There’s nothing worse than coloring with your toddler’s half-eaten crayon, after all.

You need a set of premium pencils to perfect this popular medium. The variety, of course, is daunting. There are as many sets of pencils on the market as there are hues in the rainbow and that’s quite a few. For coloring specifically, soft pencils are best. They lay down thick opaque layers and offer a more painterly effect. Hard pencils, on the other hand, are better for detailed drawing and produce strong lines.

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Here, we’ve selected four of the best sets of adult coloring pencils to assist you in your next artistic endeavor.

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1. Castle Art Supplies 120 Colored Pencils Set

Castle Art Supplies’s colored pencils are favored by thousands of artists worldwide as they are both hardwearing and a pleasure to use. Each pencil sports a rich, velvety lead which is encased in premium Basswood for extra protection. This strong and reliable exterior features a silky-smooth “soft touch” coating to ensure you color your pages in the utmost comfort. The consistency of the soft core, meanwhile, allows artists to achieve vivid and consistent color with very minimal effort. Each pencil in the 120-piece set is also named, numbered and color-coded for easy organization.

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Buy: Castle Art Supplies 120 Colored Pencils Set

2. Wanshui 120 Colored Pencils

Wanshui’s colored pencils are characterized by their high-quality lead core. It’s thick enough to guard against frustrating breakages and also makes each pencil extremely long-lasting. What’s more, the soft lead lays down super smooth and rich pigment that will help any artwork standout. Like the Castle Art Supplies set, each pencil has its own individual color number that allows you to easily distinguish between hues. The 120 pencils are also stored in a portable plastic box with five trays for easy transport and access.

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Buy: Wanshui 120 Colored Pencils

3. Faber-Castell 60 Color Pencils

Sometimes it’s better to go for quality over quantity. That’s certainly true of Faber-Castell’s set. Comprising just 60 pencils, it’s the smallest pack on this list but showcases some of the best materials and craftsmanship you’ll find in any colored pencil. Each polychromic pencil contains high-quality pigments that promise unsurpassed lightfastness for bright and long-lasting color. The oil-based leads are buttery smooth and can be blended to achieve different effects within your artwork. The leads are also 3.8 mm thick to prevent breakage. The barrel, meanwhile, features a special bonding that makes sharpening each durable pencil a breeze.

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Buy: Faber-Castell 60 Color Pencils

4. Cool Bank 160 Professional Colored Pencils

If you’re an artist that loves variety, Cool Bank’s pencil set is for you. It features 160 different hues to give you greater freedom while coloring. Each pencil is, of course, labeled and numbered for straightforward identification. The soft core is made from lightfast pigment that won’t fade over time. It glides smoothly onto the paper and blends beautifully. The thick, break-resistant lead is housed in a durable Basswood exterior for added strength. This 160-piece set comes in a sturdy tin box that gives further protection.

Amazon

Buy: Cool Bank 160 Professional Colored Pencils

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