Adult coloring books, like mandala coloring books, are all the rage these days, and with good reason. They can be a great way to relax and de-stress after a long day. But it’s important to have the best colored pencils for adult coloring books.
Why’s that? Not all pencils are created equal, so it’s best to do your research before buying a set. There’s nothing more annoying than pencils breaking right in the middle of your zen coloring experience. It’s also disappointing when the color pigmentations don’t come out right, like when the body of the pencil doesn’t really match the hue it delivers.
That’s why we’ve put together this list of the 13 best colored pencils for adult coloring books. Whether you’re looking for something affordable or want to splurge, we have you covered. So read on to find the best option for you:
1. Best Colored Pencils for Adult Coloring Books: Crayola
The Crayola brand is not just about crayons, in fact, the company is also offering colored pencils. You can expect rich pigmentation and easy usability with the colored pencils from Crayola. One set comes with 50 colored pencils that even includes hues like gold and silver.
You can expect vibrant and long-lasting colors from Crayola Colored Pencils. What’s more, this set is geared specifically for adults who have taken on coloring books!
2. Runner-Up: Prismacolor
If you want artist-quality colored pencils, then check out Prismacolor. These pencils have a soft core, ensuring even colors and ultra-smooth laydowns. You can make shadows and shading a breeze on coloring books without any trouble.
Truly one of the best colored pencils for adult coloring books, the Prismacolor pencils have thick leads. This is to make sure the pencils will not be susceptibly to cracking or chipping. Colors are very pigmented and are lightfast plus they are waterproof and slow to wear.
3. Budget-Friendly Option: Amazon Basics
Amazon Basics Premium Colored Pencils are perfect if you’re worried about cost, but still want high-quality. It shouldn’t surprise you that Amazon has the best bargain of all, with these 24 pack colored pencils priced less than $10. These pencils have a sturdy lead and come highly reviewed by users who find their pigment to be rich and well distributed. They also sharpen evenly.
To keep your pencils nice and tidy, the Amazon Basics Pencils come with a metal tin storage. Inside the tin is a built-in tray so the pencils don’t get jumbled up. They will also be protected if you ever bring your colored pencils with you in a bag.
4. Best Colored Pencils to Spoil Yourself: Faber-Castell Polychromos
If you have the money to burn, you can always treat yourself to the amazing Polychromos Set from Faber-Castell. You’ll be getting 120 different colored pencils with 3.8mm tips that are actually break-resistant.
Aside from being getting a full spectrum of colors, the Faber-Castell Polychromos Set also comes with a wooden box. This way, you can easily store all of your pencils. You can arrange them however you like, lights to darks or following the shades of a rainbow.
5. No-Mistakes Coloring: Crayola Erasable
Do you tend to get caught up when coloring? Forgetting which color to use or mistaking one pencil from the other? Maybe you want to make sure all of the lines are clean? Whatever the case, if you need to erase your mistakes, don’t worry as there are actually erasable colored pencils. You get a set from Crayola!
Crayola Erasable Colored Pencils have long-lasting colors and are already pre-sharpened. These pencils are also made from reforested wood. Each colored pencil has an eraser at the other end, just like a regular writing pencil.
6. Travel-Ready Colored Pencils: Orionstar
Do you get inspiration when you are outside? Maybe you tend to use your coloring books at coffee shops, parks, and libraries instead of just your desk at home? If that is the case, you might want to look into Orionstar’s colored pencils.
You’ll be getting 72 unique colors, all of the pencils have numbers on them for easy identification. The soft core leads on the Orionstar colored pencils ensure easy and smooth laydowns as well as rich and pigmented results. To make traveling easy, a zippered bag is included with the set. There are individual elastic loops to keep the pencils from getting into a jumbled mess.
7. Easy-Blending Colored Pencils: Pentel Arts
Pentel Arts Colored Pencils are a 12-pack of high-quality pencils that come highly reviewed by users who find their pigment to be rich and well distributed. You can easily blend hues and colors to create shades and tints that will bring coloring book designs to life.
If you ever find your work too beautiful to be kept in a book, you can always tear it out to leave on your board or even framed. Pentel Arts Colored Pencils, after all, delivers fade-resistant long-lasting hues.
8. Best Colored Pencils for Coloring Books: Arteza
Arteza Colored Pencils are a high-quality set of colored pencils that can be used for adult coloring books or any other coloring project for that matter. They come in a variety of colors, and the lead is sturdy so it doesn’t break easily. You’ll spend more time coloring instead of sharpening pencils.
With 48 colors in the Arteza Set, you’ll have no trouble layering, shading, and blending. The pencils come in a tube container, which saves space on your desktop. At the same time, it also makes the pencils portable.
9. Comfortable Grip: Staedtler
Don’t you just hate it when your colored pencils roll away? It’s not like you have all the time to use one pencil and then put it back immediately in its place. Not to worry as Staedtler’s Ergosoft Pencils actually have a triangular shape to keep them from rolling away. Meanwhile, your hand will also thank you as the pencils offer a more comfortable grip. These pencils won’t be rolling off your table or slipping from your fingers easily.
These slim Ergosoft pencils have an anti-break system. The lead is soft so they won’t break and at the same time deliver wonderful hues to your coloring project. The 35 triangular colored pencils come in a tin storage.
10. Non-Wood Colored Pencils: Crayola Twistables
Now, this may seem odd to a lot of people but there is actually a thing as being allergic to wood. Of course, there aren’t a lot who have this predicament, nevertheless, there is a need for colored pencils that are not made of wood. If you have this problem or you simply don’t like the feel of wood in your hands, check out Crayola’s Twistables.
The Twistables are colored pencils that have a sturdy plastic barrel. Another advantage to Crayola Twistables is you don’t need to sharpen them! There will also be no peeling of the pencil sides involved. You just twist and the color core will go up. Twistables are the best colored pencils for adult coloring books for those who have an aversion to wood.
11. Best Pencils for Adult Coloring Books: Royal Talens
With over 100 years of experience in the art industry, the Royal Talens is a great option on the market for colorists at any level. The 24-piece Bruynzeel Expression Set is no exception to the excellent quality from the Dutch company. Since this line was designed with vivid colors in mind, these pencils were created with high light refractive pigments so you can get both rich, creamy coverage and bright sharp details when working on your coloring book pages.
You will be able to blend and layer one color after another without a hitch. Royal Talens Colored Pencils are created with the purest of ingredients—wax build-ups will never occur. The pencils have a 3.8mm core and casings that are made of light cedarwood.
12. Beginner-Friendly: Studio Series
If you are just starting out with your coloring book hobby or craft, it can get overwhelming. There are dozens of other people who are already showcasing an explosion of colors and patterns on their coloring books. What’s more, there are so many colored pencils to choose from.
You can start off with the Studio Series Colored Pencils. These good value art instruments come with everything a beginner may need. Apart from 30 premium colored pencils, the set also has a kneaded eraser and a sharpener. More importantly, the set also includes tips on how to use the colored pencils.
13. For a Bit of Shine: Faber-Castell Metallic
If you are the type who likes some shimmer and sparkle in your life, check out Faber-Castell’s Metallic Colored Pencils. A pack comes with 12 break-resistant pencils that have highly-pigmented leads. Don’t worry about the glitter, laydown will be smooth and easy and you can also expect your work to be flake-free.
The Metallic Colored Pencils from Faber-Castell are perfect if you are trying to color in sparkly details. It is also the best option for “reverse” coloring books, you know, the ones that have a black background instead of the usual white.
How to Choose the Best Colored Pencils for Adult Coloring Books
Colored pencils are a popular medium for adult coloring books. They offer a wide range of colors and can be blended to create many different hues. But with so many brands and types of colored pencils on the market, it can be difficult to know which ones are best suited for your needs. In this article, we will discuss the different factors you should consider when finding the best colored pencils for adult coloring books:
- The types of colors available – To start off, what kind of coloring book do you have? Does it have a lot of human elements? If so, you might want to consider colored pencils that offer skin tones. Do you think you will need metallic pencils? This can be the case for coloring books that require some shimmer.
- The level of pigmentation – When choosing the best colored pencils for adult coloring books, it is important to consider the level of pigmentation. Some people prefer pencils with high levels of pigmentation so that they can create bold and vibrant colors, while others might prefer pencils with less pigment so that they can create a more subtle look. Ultimately, it is up to you to decide which level of pigmentation is right for you.
- The ability to blend colors – When you are just a beginner, it’s normal to just want to stick to one color for one space. However, as you progress with your coloring books, you might find yourself wanting to blend colors together. With that in mind, opt for a color pencil that blends easily. If not, there can be wax build-up on your work and the colors will not properly show as opposed to what you have in your vision. Plus, it can get messy!
- The texture of the pencils – Now, this may not mean anything to a lot of colorists. But there is a certain feel when using a colored pencil. It can simply be the barrel and how it grazes on your thumb and fingers. The texture of the pencils can also be the feel when it actually glides onto the pages of the coloring book. It’s your choice on how smooth or rough you want the pencil’s texture to be.
Final Thoughts
The best colored pencils for adult coloring books is the one that will work best with you. There are many opinions from other hobbyists and artists but everyone has their own preferences and coloring needs. Be sure to consider what you really want and need when picking out a colored pencil set.
Are the lines on the coloring book cramping your creativity? Maybe you should try your hand at making your own designs to color? With that, see the best paper for colored pencils for your future project!