7 best watercolor pencils: blur effect, which ones to buy, reviews

We get acquainted with colored pencils and watercolors in early childhood, when we recognize colors and try to make our fantasies and ideas about this world come true. Each of these artistic means have their own properties in terms of color rendition, transparency, overlay, and so on.

But today in stores you can buy a hybrid, or rather, watercolor pencils. The truth is, making a choice is not always very easy. Therefore, in the rating I will tell you about the popular sets and help you buy the best of them, focusing not only on the price, but also on the quality of the products.

Differences and features of watercolor pencils from color pencils

In appearance, watercolor pencils are no different from their "colored brother", but it is worth blurring the drawing with a damp brush, as it becomes as if it were painted with paints. This main difference and feature is associated with the composition of the lead, which is made from a special compressed pigment and binders.

There are several drawing techniques:

• first with a pencil, and then with a wet brush over the drawing;
• moisten the paper first, and then draw with watercolor pencils;
• draw a drawing and moisten it completely with water;
• take a damp brush with a pencil pigment and draw on paper.

The lead of watercolor pencils will never be hard, that is, there is no longer the same scale of hardness and softness as black lead or simple colored pencils. But at the same time, they can also be sharpened with a sharpener, erased with an eraser and combined in a drawing with pastels, ink and other types.

Another difference is an interesting property by which you can check the quality of the watercolor lead. If you chop up a crumb of colored pencil and rub it into the paper with your finger, you get a colored field or haze. But this cannot happen with watercolor pencils.

Many people mistakenly think that watercolor pencils can replace watercolor itself, but in fact they are different techniques and types of paints. Rather, they act as a complement. With their help, you can highlight some moments in a drawing made with paints or make patterns. And, of course, apply it yourself to create your own masterpieces.

Rating TOP 7 watercolor pencils

To compile the rating, I chose 7 popular sets of watercolor pencils, and also studied their properties, composition and customer reviews. I suggest that you first familiarize yourself with the list of brands that represent the TOP 7 rating:

Sonnet (81411436)

An educational series designed for students of art schools and schoolchildren. The lead is rather dry and has no impact resistance properties. In this regard, not very good indices for blur and softness, as there are traces of shading and, in some cases, furrows on the paper. When sharpening, the rod can break and the consumption increases. The set lacks a white pencil that acts as a blender, that is, allows you to mix colors. The palette itself is meager.

I got carried away with anti-stress pictures and therefore bought a cheap set of Sonnets. Almost immediately I was disappointed in him. Pencils are hard and some even scratch the paper, and for the color juiciness you have to press directly. Water is difficult to blur and strokes remain. The appearance is also very cheap, somewhat reminiscent of the USSR.

GAMMA Lyceum (221118_05)

For more than 200 years the Russian company GAMMA has been delighting us with products for creativity, both for children and for professional artists. Sets are available from 6 to 36 pieces. Each comes with a # 4 round pony brush for blurring the color. They are more suitable for schoolchildren than students in worst schools. This budget series has good blurring properties, softness, but the colors themselves are not juicy enough.

Before that I bought goods for creativity from GAMMA and therefore decided to buy watercolor pencils. Moreover, the price is affordable. I am not a pro and therefore the quality is quite satisfactory. Sharpening is easy, the lead does not crumble and is soft, so you don't need much effort when drawing. The only thing to note is that the brightness is not strong and the brush is only suitable for blurring, not for details.

Berlingo SuperSoft Fish (SSA1724)

The pencils have a triangular shape, which is very convenient for children. They immediately learn to place their fingers correctly and this reduces the load on the hand. There is a white field at the top of the shirt for the name of the child so that you don't lose your pencils at school. In addition, there is a brush with which you can make watercolor stains. They are blurred well, but sometimes you find defects in sets, that is, some pencils do not have the desired effect. Cardboard packaging, consisting of two compartments with cells that can be pulled out separately. Easy to sharpen without flaking.

A large set at a reasonable price. I took it for my son, but I myself like to indulge in them. Blurs well and richer colors than regular crayons. The lead is thickened, which is also convenient for children's creativity. Clever packaging that slides out in two tiers.

BRAUBERG Academy (181399)

A distinctive feature of Browberg watercolor pencils is that their core is impact-resistant. That is, after a fall, it does not break, like many. At the same time, the lead is soft and easy to sharpen. The wood adheres tightly to the rod and holds it securely. The pigmentation is sufficient without unnecessary inclusions, so the palette is bright, and the colors are clean when shading. The washout performance is good. It is possible to make smooth transitions with a wet brush. Despite the fact that the set belongs to the economy class, it has good qualities.

I bought a child for school, as they asked to purchase a set of watercolor pencils for fine arts. At home they tried to paint with them. We liked to soak them with a brush. But when you paint on wet, it seems that the drawing was made with felt-tip pens.

STABILO Aquacolor (1624-3)

The German manufacturer produces watercolor pencils with two packaging options: classic cardboard and metal. The second is more expensive, but preferable, since it allows the kit to be transported without damaging the lead. The only thing is that there are no compartments in it so that the contents do not roll inside.The lacquer coating is water-based, and the watercolor pigments are only natural, which is safe for children and the environment. The body is made of precious wood with a sealed top, and the shaft is shock-resistant.

I buy it for the second time. For the first time I took it for my daughter and she is very happy with them. Constantly paints and uses the watercolor effect. Paints are washed out easily and brightly. The second time I bought a friend for my son for his birthday. They also really liked the set. Yes, they are expensive, but it's worth it, since the quality is really German at its best!

Bruno Visconti Aquarelle (30-0064)

The colors are quite juicy and match the lacquer finish. The shirt is made of linden and has a three-sided shape. It is convenient because the hand does not get tired and the fingers rest on the body correctly, which means that you can also calculate the pressure on the sheet of paper. The rod is soft and will not scratch the paper. They are blurred well, but some colors are not very good, as shading remains. Despite their shape, they can be sharpened easily. Packing in the form of a metal box, which ensures the safety of the contents. This is especially important as the watercolor lead is fragile.

I love watercolor pencils a lot and have tried different brands. This one I liked the most. I bought it for my daughter, but I also like to draw myself. They have a comfortable three-sided shape and their hands do not get tired. They can be sharpened easily with an ordinary sharpener. Vivid when used as a simple pencil or with a watercolor effect.

KOH-I-NOOR Mondeluz (3719036001KZ)

The Czech company Kohinoor produces watercolor pencils in sets of 12 to 72 colors. They belong to the professional series, as they have excellent pigmentation and hiding power, mixing and water washout. You need to get used to such a pencil in order to draw neatly. But over time, they will give one pleasure from the drawing process. They can work in different techniques and make soft transitions with a watercolor effect. The set always includes a sharpener and brushes No. 3, 8, 9. The shell is made of cedar, and the body lacquer matches the color of the lead.

Yes, these watercolor pencils cost more than their competitors. But here the quality is much higher, as they are for professionals, and not for children's creativity. I can't find fault with them, because they are good in all respects. The colors are bright, saturated, with no gaps in the shading. At the same time, all these qualities are retained even when working “on the wet”.

How to choose the right watercolor pencils and related materials?

It doesn't matter at what age we draw and how professional we are, the main thing is that this process gives us pleasure.Colored watercolor pencils are available to everyone and with their help we can create a portrait, landscape, sketch and anything else. It is important that the materials are of high quality, convenient and do not distract us from the process by some shortcomings.

When buying watercolor pencils, pay attention to the following nuances:

1. Date of issue and expiration date. Be sure to choose only fresh food. The fact is that watercolor pencils are not stored for long and their soft lead loses its properties over time.
2. The type of packaging is paper and metal. If you often draw in the open air or want to take a set on the road, then it is better to choose the second option. It's also good if each pencil has its own nest so as not to break the rod.
3. The wood should be of high quality, not crumble when sharpening, and the shavings should be removed easily. And shape is also important. For children, it is better to choose a three-sided one, and for an adult - a six-sided one. The round shape does not allow the pencil to linger on the table and it easily rolls, and therefore breaks.
4. The ability to layer pigments. Professional kits allow you to shade up to 7 layers.
5. The main properties of the brightness of the color and the softness of the lead are best checked in the store.
6. The fluidity should be good, that is, when the strokes are wet, they should smoothly form the effect of a watercolor paint and at the same time not be too transparent. And the erosion process itself should be easy and effortless.
7. Lightfastness is important only for professionals whose paintings hang on the wall for a long time. This parameter is unnecessary for children.

When working with watercolor pencils, it is best to use paper with a weight of 180-200 g / m2, for example, for watercolors or sketching. Thus, the sheet will retain its shape when wet. Also, get a variety of sizes of soft bristled brushes to work on wet or wash out colors.