Whether you're a seasoned artist or a humble beginner, the right watercolour pencils can unlock your potential and take your artwork to captivating new heights. Join Gathered as we explore the world of the best watercolour pencils, providing you with the tools and tips to make a splash.
In this article, we'll guide you through a curated selection of top-quality pencils designed to deliver vibrant colours, blendability, and precise control.
Let's get into it!
Best watercolour pencils to buy in 2024
Derwent Academy watercolour pencils
Key specs
- Number of pencils: 12
- Tin dimensions: 18.4 x 1.2 x 10 cm
- Weight: 100g
If you’re a keen artist, you’ll probably be familiar with the Derwent brand. Derwent produces a wide range of high-quality art materials and has a great reputation. Its Academy range is specifically designed with beginners, students and amateur artists in mind.
The Derwent Academy watercolour pencil set is ideal if you’d like to try out this medium without spending a lot of money. The pencil marks blend easily to produce an array of lovely watercolour effects. It includes a range of 12 beautiful colours for you to experiment with and a larger set with 24 pencils is also available to order. It comes in a sturdy tin to protect your pencils when you go out and about.
See our pick of the best drawing pencils to sketch like a pro in 2024.
Caran d'Ache Suprasoft watercolour pencils
Key specs
- Number of pencils: 12
- Tin dimensions:
- Weight:
This set of watercolour pencils from Caran d’Ache is brilliant for beginners or students. They're also a perfect art set for children! The pencils are extremely blendable and the pencil marks almost completely disappear when you apply water. The Suprasoft pencils are excellent quality when used wet or dry and won’t fade over time.
This set only contains 12 pencils, but the Suprasoft range comes in larger sizes. You could always upgrade to a bigger set if you enjoy using them – the largest box in the range comes with 120 pencils! Suprasoft watercolour pencils are well-made – as you would expect from the renowned Caran d’Ache brand – and are presented in a durable metal tin.
Looking for fun activities for all the family? Check out these 20 easy drawing ideas for kids.
Faber Castell Goldfaber Aqua watercolour pencils
Key specs
- Number of pencils: 12-48
- Tin dimensions: 18.5 x 1 x 21.5 cm
- Weight: 150g
Faber Castell’s Goldfaber watercolour pencils aren’t the most expensive out there, but the quality is superb. We’d recommend buying the 24 pencil set, as it comes with an excellent range of colours and it’s great value for money. These colourful pencils blend wonderfully and come alive when brushed with water.
The colours are bold and will stay bright over time. The tips of the pencils are fairly resilient and won’t snap easily – very useful if you tend to apply too much pressure. Suitable for artists of all levels and abilities.
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Winsor and Newton Studio Collection watercolour pencils
Key specs
- Number of pencils: 24
- Tin dimensions: 22 x 15.8 x 2.49 cm
- Weight: 340g
Winsor and Newton is a brand with a well-deserved reputation for producing high-quality materials for artists – and this pencil set is no exception. This set of watercolour pencils contains an array of beautiful colours such as Plum, Royal Blue or Burnt Sienna.
These pencils can be used wet or dry and they blend very smoothly. The pencils have break-resistant cores, so they’re unlikely to snap under pressure. The cores are also wax-based to allow the colours to be applied evenly to the paper. Use this set with watercolour paper for best results.
Lyra Graduate Aqua pencils
Key specs
- Number of pencils: 36
- Tin dimensions: 30.5 x 1.6 x 18.5 cm
- Weight: 452g
This watercolour pencil set provides excellent value for money. The Lyra Graduate Aqua set contains 36 bold-coloured pencils for less than £20. They’re cheaper than some of the sets aimed at professional artists, but you’ll still get very good results with these pencils. The colours are brilliantly bright and super blendable.
This is a good watercolour pencil set for students and amateur artists alike – you’ll be able to produce fantastic work without having to splash out on one of the pricier sets. This would also be a fabulous gift for an artistic friend or relative.
See our pick of the 11 best watercolour paint sets for even more watercolour fun.
Cretacolour Aqua Monolith pencils
- Buy now from Cass Art (£22.90).
Key specs
- Number of pencils: 12
- Tin dimensions:
- Weight:
Cretacolour’s Aqua Monolith watercolour pencils aren’t like other sets on the market: the core of the pencil is covered by a very thin layer of lacquer, so you can shade using the side of the pencil as well as the tip. Aqua Monoliths can be used to create broader lines than other types of watercolour pencil.
As an added bonus, you can save the shavings when you sharpen the pencils and use them as paints, a great way to minimise waste! This set has very intense colours, making it a good buy for illustrators and artists who like to work with luminous tones.
Caran d'Ache Swisscolour watercolour pencils
Key specs
- Number of pencils: 30
- Tin dimensions: 25 x 18 x 1.3 cm
- Weight: 400g
These top-quality watercolour pencils from Caran d’Ache are excellent value for money. The pencils are light-resistant, so they’re unlikely to fade much over time. This set includes a selection of 30 colours, so you should have every shade you need to produce your drawings.
The colours all blend wonderfully together and the pencils are made of durable cedar wood, so they’re likely to last for a long time if you take good care of them. The pencils come in a smart tin so they can be stored safely or taken with you to your favourite drawing location. Caran d’Ache is a brand with a strong reputation and this set doesn’t disappoint.
Looking to create on the go? Paint your adventures with the 10 best travel watercolour paint sets.
Derwent Inktense pencils
Key specs
- Number of pencils: 24
- Tin dimensions: 23.6 x 1.4 x 19.8 cm
- Weight: 100g
Derwent’s Inktense pencils aren’t technically watercolour pencils, but their properties are very similar – they can be used as normal colouring pencils or blended with water to create watercolour effects. As these pencils use ink-based pigments, they produce more vibrant shades.
However, unlike classic watercolour pencils, the Inktense range can’t be reactivated with a second wash of water. These pencils would be a good choice for anyone who wants to create more colourful images – they can also be used to produce stunning illustrations. I love using these pencils because they’re so bright and your finished drawings look really professional.
Faber-Castell Albrecht Durer watercolour pencils
Key specs
- Number of pencils: 36
- Tin dimensions: 16 x 3 x 18.5 cm
- Weight: 150g
Ready to take your watercolour pencil drawings to the next level? This fantastic watercolour pencil set from Faber-Castell is designed for professional artists, so the quality of the pencils is exceptional. The watercolour pencils are heavily pigmented, meaning that you get rich, bright colours.
This is the perfect buy for enthusiastic amateur artists who want to improve the quality of their work, or for art students who are looking for high-quality materials. We particularly like the Studio set, which comes in a sleek dark green box with 36 different colours to experiment with. This set would also make a wonderful gift for the artist in your life.
See our pick of the best sketchbooks for your pencil, watercolour, and charcoal masterpieces!
Caran d'Ache Museum watercolour pencil set
Key specs
- Number of pencils: 76
- Tin dimensions: 35 x 20 x 4 cm
- Weight: 300g
If you’re an artist looking for top-notch watercolour pencils then you should definitely consider this set from Caran d’Ache. The Museum range includes watercolour pencils with rich, flawless colours – with this set, you get exceptional quality.
The set includes 76 incredible colours, which are all lightfast whether you use them wet or dry. This is a great option for professional artists or amateurs with a larger budget.
Other materials to buy
Winsor and Newton watercolour paper
If you're using watercolour pencils, make sure you're using a pad of watercolour paper. Watercolour paper is more absorbent than other types of paper and it's less likely to warp or buckle. Winsor and Newton's paper is ideal for this – it's thick and acid-free.
Winsor and Newton Cotman watercolour brushes
Watercolour brushes come in handy when you want to blend your watercolour pencils – and they're useful if you plan to use watercolour paints too. This set from Winsor and Newton has brushes in a variety of shapes – perfect for all of your painting needs.
Faber Castell 9000 drawing pencils
If you're working with watercolour pencils, it can be helpful to sketch out your designs before you begin. Add some sketching pencils to your art stash, like these ones from Faber Castell!
The perfect pencils for watercolour effects
With vibrant colours, blendability, and precise control, watercolour pencils are perfect for artists of all levels. Embrace experimentation, push the boundaries of your creativity, and let these exceptional tools inspire your art.
Learn how to use watercolour pencils on Gathered
It's time to dive into the world of watercolour pencil art. Make sure to check out Gathered's detailed guide on how to use watercolour pencils for beginners to uncover essential tips and create mesmerizing masterpieces!
