Top 8 Colored Pencil Brands Reviewed (2026): Which Is Right for You?

Choosing the right colored pencil brand can feel overwhelming. In this review we evaluate eight well-known brands across price, pigment quality, lightfastness, blending ability, and general ergonomics so you can match a set to your style and budget.

How We Tested

Each brand was tested on the same heavyweight drawing paper and assessed for:

• Color intensity (single-stroke saturation)
• Layering and blending behavior
• Durability of the core and breakage rate when sharpened
• Claimed lightfastness versus manufacturer data
• Value per pigment at typical set sizes

Short Verdicts

1. Prismacolor Premier — Excellent for smooth burnishing and vibrant pastels; heavier wax binder can bloom with heavy layers.
2. Faber-Castell Polychromos — Oil-based, superb lightfastness, minimal wax bloom; great for precision and archival work.
3. Caran d'Ache Pablo — Rich hue saturation and creamy feel; premium price but pro-grade results.
4. Derwent Coloursoft — Very soft core, great for quick coverage and blending but can be brittle when sharpened thin.
5. Staedtler Ergosoft — Budget-friendly, ergonomic barrel; less intense pigment but excellent for learners.
6. Arteza Professional — Improved formula in 2025; surprising pigment payoff for price-conscious artists.
7. Lyra Rembrandt Polycolor — Harder core, good for fine detail and mixed-media use over markers or ink.
8. Caran d'Ache Luminance — One of the highest lightfastness sets available; ideal for professional commissions.

Detailed Breakdown

1. Prismacolor Premier

Pros: Smooth, creamy laydown; excellent for burnishing and creating soft gradients. Cons: Wax bloom when overworked; medium long-term lightfastness. Best for: Illustrators seeking a soft finish.

2. Faber-Castell Polychromos

Pros: Oil-based cores resist breakage and offer vibrant, durable color. Cons: Slightly firmer core may require more pressure for deep saturation. Best for: Professional artists and those making prints for sale.

3. Caran d'Ache Pablo and Luminance

Both Caran d'Ache lines are premium; Pablo is creamy, Luminance is formulated for high lightfastness. Expect a premium price but exceptional archival qualities.

4. Derwent Coloursoft

Soft and pigmented—makes filling large areas pleasant. Not the best for sharp detail and the core can crumble if over-sharpened into a long point.

5. Staedtler Ergosoft

Solid choice for students. The triangular barrel is comfortable for long sessions and the price-to-quality ratio is excellent.

6. Arteza Professional

Arteza has significantly improved pigment concentration and burnish behavior in their latest release—recommended if you’re on a budget and want better-than-basic results.

Price and Value Considerations

For hobbyists and learners: a reliable 36-set from Staedtler or Arteza will cover most needs. For semi-pro and pros: 72–120 sets from Faber-Castell or Caran d'Ache are worth the investment, particularly if you sell your work or expect longevity.

Final Recommendations

• Best value for beginners: Staedtler Ergosoft 36 set.
• Best all-around pro choice: Faber-Castell Polychromos.
• Best for archival work: Caran d'Ache Luminance.

“A pencil is only as good as the artist's understanding of it—choose a brand you enjoy working with, not the one everyone else uses.”

We kept our scoring transparent: durability and pigment quality accounted for 40% of the score, blending and layering 30%, value and ergonomics 20%, and lightfastness 10%. Always test a few pencils by themselves before committing to large sets.

Looking for our full score table and swatch images? See the downloadable PDF linked at the end of this review—for members, we include high-resolution scanned swatches and side-by-side comparisons.