Table of Contents
Are Expensive Colored Pencils Worth It?
Yes, expensive colored pencils are worth it for practicing artists and dedicated hobbyists who use them regularly. For casual users, kids, or absolute beginners, student-grade pencils deliver 80% of the experience at a fraction of the cost. The answer depends on three things: how often you draw, what you plan to do with the finished work, and whether you’ve already outgrown budget options.
Below, I’ll walk you through exactly what separates a cheap pencil from an expensive one, who should make the leap, and how to test premium pencils without blowing your budget.
What Makes Colored Pencils Expensive?
The price gap between cheap and expensive colored pencils isn’t random. It comes down to what’s inside the core.
A budget pencil from Crayola or a generic brand costs roughly $0.10 to $0.30 per pencil. Mid-range options like Prismacolor Scholar or Faber-Castell Goldfaber land around $0.50 to $1.00 each. Artist-grade pencils such as Caran d’Ache Luminance or Faber-Castell Polychromos run $2 to $5 per pencil, sometimes more for specialty colors.
That price difference buys you three things: more pigment, better binder chemistry, and lightfastness testing. Student-grade pencils are packed with filler material (chalk, wax extenders) that dilutes color. Artist-grade pencils flip that ratio. They use concentrated pigment bound in high-quality wax or oil, producing richer, more blendable strokes that stay vibrant for decades.
Quick price tiers:
Budget (under $0.50/pencil): Crayola, RoseArt, store brands
Mid-range ($0.50-$1.00/pencil): Prismacolor Scholar, Arteza, Brutfuner
Artist-grade ($1.00-$3.00/pencil): Prismacolor Premier, Faber-Castell Polychromos, Derwent Lightfast
Premium ($3.00+/pencil): Caran d’Ache Luminance, Caran d’Ache Museum Aquarelle
Student Grade vs Artist Grade Colored Pencils
The distinction between student grade and artist grade colored pencils is the single most important factor in deciding whether to spend more. Here’s what actually changes as you move up the quality ladder.
Pigment load. Student-grade pencils contain 20-30% pigment by weight. Artist-grade pencils contain 50-70% or more. You see the difference immediately: one stroke from a Polychromos delivers the same color intensity as three or four strokes from a budget pencil.
Binder quality. Both use wax or oil binders, but the quality differs dramatically. Cheap pencils use soft, low-grade wax that crumbles and breaks during sharpening. Premium pencils use refined binders that hold pigment evenly, resist breakage, and lay down smoothly on paper.
Lightfastness. This is the hidden factor most beginners overlook. Lightfastness measures how resistant a pigment is to fading when exposed to light. Student-grade pencils rarely list lightfastness ratings because the pigments they use fade within months to years. Artist-grade pencils carry ASTM or Blue Wool ratings so you know your artwork will last. If you’re framing or selling work, this matters enormously.
Blendability and layering. Richer pigment and better binders mean you can layer colors on top of each other without the paper becoming saturated. Cheap pencils hit their limit after 3-4 layers. Premium pencils let you build up 10, 15, even 20 layers for realistic skin tones, fur textures, and depth.
Why Artist-Grade Pencils Cost More
The manufacturing cost of an artist-grade pencil is genuinely higher than a cheap one. Here’s where that money goes.
Pigment is the biggest expense. High-quality pigments, especially lightfast ones, cost 5 to 20 times more than the synthetic dyes used in budget pencils. A single tube of artist-grade pigment can cost as much as a 24-pack of student pencils.
Quality control is tighter. Brands like Faber-Castell and Caran d’Ache test every batch for consistency. The core diameter, pigment distribution, and binder ratio are checked so each pencil in a 120-count set performs identically. Budget manufacturers skip most of this testing.
Open stock availability adds cost. When you buy a set of Crayola 64, you can’t replace individual colors. When you buy Polychromos or Luminance, every color is available individually. Maintaining that supply chain across 100+ individual colors costs the manufacturer more than selling only pre-packed sets.
Lightfastness testing takes years. Proper ASTM D4303 testing involves exposing pigments to controlled light for extended periods. Brands that publish lightfastness data have invested real time and lab resources to get those ratings. Cheap brands simply skip this step.
Wax-Based vs Oil-Based Colored Pencils
Understanding the binder type helps you pick the right pencil for your style. Both wax-based and oil-based pencils are available at every price point, but they behave differently.
Wax-based pencils (Prismacolor Premier, Caran d’Ache Luminance, Derwent Coloursoft) have a soft, creamy feel. They lay down color quickly, blend beautifully with solvents or burnishing, and are ideal for smooth gradients and portraits. The downside: they produce wax bloom (a hazy white film) over time, and soft cores break more easily.
Oil-based pencils (Faber-Castell Polychromos, Caran d’Ache Pablo, Luminance technically uses a wax-oil blend) have a firmer core. They hold a sharp point longer, resist breakage, and don’t produce wax bloom. They’re better for fine detail work, botanical illustration, and layered landscapes. They require more pressure to lay down heavy color, which some artists find tiring.
Neither is objectively better. Many professional artists keep both types in their kit. The choice depends on your technique, the paper you use, and whether you prioritize speed (wax) or precision (oil).
When Expensive Colored Pencils Are Worth It
Expensive colored pencils are absolutely worth the investment in these situations:
You draw or color at least once a week. If colored pencils are a regular part of your life, not just an occasional hobby, the improved experience of artist-grade pencils pays for itself over hundreds of hours of use. A $60 set of Polychromos used weekly for two years costs less than $0.60 per session.
You sell or display your artwork. If your work hangs on walls, goes into portfolios, or gets sold to clients, lightfastness is non-negotiable. A portrait that fades in two years reflects poorly on you as an artist. Artist-grade pencils with proper lightfastness ratings protect your reputation.
You’ve hit a ceiling with cheap pencils. If you can’t get smooth blends, your colors look dull no matter how hard you press, or you’re frustrated with constant breakage, the pencil is likely the bottleneck. Upgrading often produces an immediate, noticeable improvement in your results.
You care about the experience. Art is supposed to feel good. The smooth, buttery laydown of a Luminance pencil or the satisfying crispness of a Polychromos is genuinely more enjoyable than grinding a scratchy budget pencil across paper.
When Expensive Colored Pencils Are NOT Worth It
There are clear situations where expensive colored pencils are a waste of money.
For kids under 12. Children break pencils, lose them, and press too hard regardless of quality. A $40 set of Prismacolor Premier will be destroyed in weeks. Parents on Reddit’s r/ColoredPencils overwhelmingly agree: stick with Crayola or RoseArt until kids show consistent interest and care.
For absolute beginners who haven’t tried mid-range yet. If you’ve never held a colored pencil beyond a school supply set, jumping straight to $200 Luminance pencils is unnecessary. Start with a $15-$25 mid-range set like Prismacolor Scholar or Arteza. You’ll develop technique first and appreciate the upgrade later.
For casual sketchbook doodling. If you draw occasionally and don’t care about archival quality or perfect blending, budget pencils do the job fine. Not every drawing needs to last 100 years.
When you’re comparing cost-per-hour of use. A $400 Luminance set used for 50 hours costs $8 per hour. A $40 Prismacolor set used for 200 hours costs $0.20 per hour. The “better” pencil isn’t better value if you don’t use it enough to justify the price.
How to Test Expensive Pencils Without Breaking the Bank
Before committing to a full set, there’s a smart way to test premium pencils that most beginners don’t know about.
Buy open stock singles. Most artist-grade brands sell individual pencils. Pick 3-5 colors you use most often (a warm red, a cool blue, a skin tone, a dark brown, and a white for blending). Buy one Polychromos, one Luminance, and one Prismacolor Premier in each color. Total cost: roughly $15-$25.
Test them side by side on the same paper. Draw the same subject with each brand. Notice the difference in laydown, blending, and layering. You’ll quickly discover which binder type and feel you prefer before spending $60-$200 on a full set.
Upgrade your paper first. Here’s a secret that makes a bigger difference than you’d expect: a $5-$10 pad of quality drawing paper (Strathmore 400 Series, Canson Mi-Teintes, or Stonehenge) can make a $15 set of mid-range pencils perform like a $50 set. Cheap paper absorbs pigment poorly and makes even expensive pencils feel mediocre. Always pair good pencils with good paper.
Watch comparison videos. YouTube creators like Kirsty Partridge Art, ADCArtAttack, and Tom Mothersole Art have done extensive cheap-vs-expensive pencil tests. Watching a $3 pencil side by side with a $60 one on camera gives you a realistic preview before you buy.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are expensive colored pencils worth it for beginners?
Not usually. Beginners benefit more from practicing technique with mid-range pencils first. Once you outgrow budget options and can identify what’s lacking (blendability, vibrancy, lightfastness), upgrading to artist-grade pencils makes sense. Jumping straight to premium skips the learning curve that helps you appreciate the difference.
Why is Prismacolor so expensive?
Prismacolor Premier pencils are expensive because they use high-pigment, wax-based cores that produce rich, blendable color. The soft core is their signature feature but also means more breakage during sharpening, which is a common complaint. Their open stock availability across 150 colors adds manufacturing and distribution costs that cheaper brands avoid.
What colored pencils do professional artists use?
Most professional colored pencil artists use Faber-Castell Polychromos, Caran d’Ache Luminance, or Prismacolor Premier. Polychromos are favored for fine detail and botanical illustration. Luminance pencils are prized for their exceptional lightfastness and creamy laydown. Many pros keep multiple brands in their kit, choosing based on the specific color or technique needed.
What is the difference between cheap and expensive colored pencils?
Cheap colored pencils contain mostly filler (chalk, wax extenders) with low pigment concentration, producing dull, scratchy strokes. Expensive pencils use concentrated pigment in high-quality wax or oil binders, delivering vibrant color, smooth blending, and lightfast ratings. The practical difference is that one stroke from a premium pencil matches three to four strokes from a budget one.
Do more expensive colored pencils last longer?
Yes, in two ways. Artist-grade pencils have stronger cores that resist breakage during sharpening and daily use. They also have better lightfastness, meaning finished artwork retains its color for decades instead of fading within months. However, the pencil itself won’t last longer if you press harder to compensate for technique.
Are expensive colored pencils worth it for kids?
Generally no. Kids under 12 tend to break pencils, lose caps, and press too hard, which wastes premium pencils quickly. Budget or mid-range options like Crayola or Prismacolor Scholar are more appropriate. The exception is a child who shows genuine artistic talent and care for their tools.
Conclusion
So, are expensive colored pencils worth it? If you draw regularly, care about your finished work lasting, or feel frustrated by the limitations of cheap pencils, the answer is a clear yes. But you don’t need to start at the top. Buy three to five open stock singles from Polychromos or Prismacolor Premier, test them on quality paper, and decide from there. The right pencil paired with the right paper transforms the entire experience, whether you spend $15 or $150.