Finding the best colored pencils is a matter of personal preference and the task at hand. Some pencils are soft, laying down thicker opaque layers and more painterly; others are hard and better for detailed drawing. Some are more suited to different weights of paper, some to how the artist prefers to draw, in single or multiple layers, with light or heavy pressure. The variety is a bit daunting, so here is a guide to the best known and available brands, describing their characteristics.
Wax, Oil, or Water-Based?
Different manufacturers use different binders to bring the pigments into a useable form, and each binder has an effect on the pencil’s use. Wax-based pencils are softer than water or oil-based ones, so they provide better coverage on the paper and the color is quite intense. However, they also break easily and wear out more quickly, and if you layer on the color too heavily, you may develop wax bloom, a coat of powdered layer that affects the intensity. Oil-based pigments (generally vegetable oils) are generally harder than wax-based ones, so they last longer and are less likely to break. You do need to apply more pigment to get the intensity you’d get from a wax-based pencil. Finally, water-based pencils are less stable, but you can use them wet or dry, which allows better control over texture.
Soft or Hard, Student or Professional?
Choose a soft pencil if you want a broader opaque stroke and creamy colors; harder ones are better for detailing but not for covering large areas. Often manufacturers will make two grades of pencils, one for students, one for professionals. There is a significant difference in price–the student grade pencils are always less expensive–but in general, with the student-grade versions, you get a lower pigment to binder ratio, and you have to use more of it to get the same color intensity.
