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Colored Pencil Set: Build color a layer at a time
A colored pencil set brings portable color to sketches and finished drawings, with a useful palette and pencils they can replace as favorites run down.
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A useful palette beats a huge count
Pencils give an artist a quiet, portable way to build color through layers. A good set can suit quick observations, detailed illustration or relaxed coloring, with very little setup or cleanup.
Look for a range of light, middle and dark values as well as bright accents. The best palette depends on what they draw: landscapes, portraits and bold graphic work call for different mixes. More pencils do not guarantee a more useful set.
Choose how the pencil should behave
Softer cores lay down color readily and suit blending; firmer pencils can hold a point for finer detail. Wax-based, oil-based and water-soluble pencils behave differently, so keep to their preferred type if you are upgrading an existing collection.
For someone making work to display, look for the maker’s lightfastness information. Avoid treating a seller’s word professional as proof of pigment performance. A tin or case should protect the tips and make shades easy to find.
Think about the next favorite pencil
An established artist may value replacements sold individually more than a second complete collection. Find out which shades or brand they use most. A drawing sketchbook with a suitable paper surface makes a useful partner; very smooth or flimsy paper can frustrate layered work.