How to Choose the Best Watercolor Pencils for Your Art Projects” - Coloring Pencils, Markers, Pens, Crayons, books and Printers with education blog

If you have decided to use oil-based colored pencils for your artwork, you still need to decide which brand would be best, as there is a wide range of options out there, and all are slightly different from each other.

Which are the best oil-based colored pencils? The best oil-based colored pencils to use would be pencils that you find easy to work with, have rich color saturation, allow you to blend the colors together on your medium, and will give long-lasting color to your artwork.

Oil based v Waxed based Pencils

There are quite a few differences between the two, so understanding the differences will help you make a better choice.

1. Binder

The binder used in oil-based and wax-based colored pencils is different. As the name suggests, oil-based colored pencils use an oil binder, while waxed-based colored pencils use a wax binder. This has a huge effect on the results the colored pencils give.

2. Prevalence

You are far more likely to find wax-based pencils at your local art store compared to oil-based pencils. Oil-based colored pencils are considered more premium and therefore come with a higher price tag.

3. Hard/Soft

Wax-based colored pencils are usually softer, and oil-based colored pencils are usually harder. This means that wax-based pencils can be layered and erased easily, and create a buttery surface that allows for blending and layering. However, the softness of wax-based colored pencils means that the core breaks easily.

Oil-based colored pencils are harder, which means the core is not as susceptible to breaking, and the tip stays sharper for longer. You can achieve beautiful blending and layering with oil-based colored pencils.

4. Wax Bloom

Over time, wax-based colored pencils used on paper can develop a wax bloom, which is a light waxy film that develops over the surface of the drawing. This can be wiped away with a damp cloth but is not ideal if you do not want to interfere with your framed artwork.

Oil-based colored pencils will not develop this waxy bloom.

How To Choose The Best Oil-Based Colored Pencils

There are a few things to consider before heading out and buying a new set of oil-based colored pencils. Keeping the below factors in mind when taking a look at different options will help you choose the best option for you and your artwork.

1. Quality Of The Pencils

Colored pencils come in ‘student grade’ or ‘artist grade’, and the differences are huge.

The artist-grade colored pencils are the highest quality and should definitely be your choice if your budget allows for it. They are superior to student-grade pencils in every way and contain a higher pigment content, which gives a richer and bolder color finish.

These artist-grade pencils are also lightfast and easier to blend and use. However, if these are out of your budget, student-grade oil-based colored pencils will also get the job done!

2. Color Range

As an artist, you want a wide color range at your disposal, but it is also important to remember that you can blend and layer oil-based colored pencils, so you don’t have to go overboard and buy every color under the rainbow.

You could start off with a standard set of pencils if you are unsure and then go from there. There is also the option with many brands to buy individual pencils as you go, but there is also no reason you can’t buy them in on go in a large set if your budget allows for it. The more colors, the more options you have!

3. Lightfastness

Colored pencil artwork can break down over time, due to light and humidity. These elements break down the bonds of the colors on the artwork. Pencils that are able to resist this process are known to have ‘lightfastness’. Most artist-grade oil-based colored pencils will have lightfastness, but it is worth checking if it is something that you are looking for.

4. Storage

This might seem a bit insignificant for some, but it is worth considering if the oil-based colored pencils come in a storage tin or container, rather than a cardboard box that might break. As these oil-based pencils are likely premium-grade, you want to keep them protected from damage.

The XX Best Oil-Based Colored Pencils

Below are our top picks of the best oil-based colored pencils on the market, all of which will give you beautifully rich saturation of color and hopefully a gorgeous finished piece overall!