My Favorite
Colored Pencil Supplies
If you’ve ever wondered what colored pencils, paper, sharpeners, blenders and other supplies I use in my own artwork, they’re all here!
These are the products I currently recommend based on my own experience using them for realistic colored pencil artwork.
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THE COLORED PENCIL BRANDS I USE
These pencils are amazing but pricey. If you’re looking for a budget friendly option, I recommend getting a small set of one of these quality pencils and learning to mix (which will be great for your progress as an artist) rather than getting a larger set of low quality pencils that will make it hard for you to layer and blend.
Faber-Castell Polychromos
Polychromos are an oil based pencil with a harder lead making them ideal for super fine detail.
*Almost all of the set is lightfast.
Lyra Rembrandt Polycolor
These are an oil based pencil that layer quickly and blend really well with OMS or burnishing. I don’t need as many layers with these.
*Not all colors are lightfast
Derwent Lightfast
These lightfast pencils are listed as oil based but perform more like a wax in how they layer & blend. The entire set is lightfast.
* All colors are lightfast
Derwent Drawing
These wax based pencils have a thick lead and are quite creamy in how they blend. Great for larger areas.
*Not all colors are lightfast
Caran d'Ache Luminance
These wax based pencils are all lightfast and blend and layer well. They have a great selection of colors.
*All colors are lightfast
PanPastels
PanPastels work beautifully with colored pencils, especially for quickly building soft backgrounds and base layers. Colored pencil can then be layered on top for sharper details and texture.
THE PAPER I USE FOR COLORED PENCILS
There are so many papers I’ve used that are quite good. These are just my every day go-to’s
Arches Hot Pressed Watercolor
My favorite traditional paper for colored pencil. It has enough tooth for plenty of layers while still being smooth enough for fine details. It works beautifully with solvent blending, airbrushing or watercolor underpaintings. At 140lbs it can take a lot of abuse!
Canson Mi-Teintes
I mainly use Mi-Teintes when combining colored pencil with PanPastel. It’s also great for charcoal. The textured surface grabs the pastel beautifully while still allowing me to layer colored pencil on top for finer details. It is available in several colors too!
Lux Archival Sanded Paper
My favorite sanded surface for colored pencil. It takes tons of layers, makes it easy to put light colors over dark, and is incredibly forgiving when you need to make adjustments. This is the only sanded paper I trust my work on. The 600 grit is my favorite!
OTHER ESSENTIAL SUPPLIES I USE
Easel Lamp
Most important in our supplies, we need to be able to see without straining our eyes! This lamp clamps right onto my easel, but they also have table top and floor type lamps depending on what works for your space.
Pencil Sharpeners
These hand held sharpeners are inexpensive and effective! I like to have several so when one gets dull I can swap it out for a fresh one!
Odorless Mineral Spirits
This is how I usually blend my colored pencils. I either use Mona Lisa Odorless or Gamsol. Gamsol is less toxic. Both are odorless and work the exact same.
Drawing Board
We need a drawing board for our work so we don’t ruin the rest of the paper in the pad. Get a board larger than the paper you’re working onso you have room to tape it.
Masking Tape
It’s important to use an acid free masking tape when we tape our work so we don’t leave damaging residue on the finished art!
Mason Jars
I use these for pencil shavings and to keep the colored pencils I’m using on a project seperate so I make sure I know what I’ve been using on any given project. Old pasta sauce jars work great too!
Drafting Brush
When you erase an area you don’t want to use your hand to wipe away the shavings. This can smudge the work or get oils from your skin on it, use this instead!
Erasers
There are several erasers I use. My only MUST have is the Faber-Castell Perfection Eraser.
Glassine
I use this acid free paper under my hand to protect the work from smudges and the oils on my skin. I also place a piece between each drawing to protect them in storage or shipping.
Mat, Bag and Board
Is your art even done if you don’t mat it? These bag/backing board/mat combo sets make it easy to present your work professionally at a reasonable price.
Art Storage Box
These archival boxes are how I store most of my colored pencil drawings. I put a piece of glassine between each piece to keep them clean and smudge free. You can fit a LOT of art in these boxes!
COLORED PENCIL ORGANIZATION BOXES
You’ve got your pencils, now you need somewhere to organize them all! Sure, you can keep them in the tins they come in but these wood boxes with drawers make keeping everything organized much easier!!
Want to learn how I use all this stuff?
Supplies are just the beginning! Learn how to layer, blend, and use them together in my full-length colored pencil lessons.
