Best Watercolor Pencils for Students

 

Watercolor pencils are a perfect bridge between drawing and painting, making them ideal for students who want to explore both techniques. They offer the control of a colored pencil with the added magic of watercolor when activated with water. In this guide, we’ll explore the best watercolor pencils for students based on performance, affordability, and ease of use.

Why Choose Watercolor Pencils as a Student?

Watercolor pencils combine the benefits of two worlds — the precision of dry media and the fluid expressiveness of watercolor. For students, they offer several advantages:

• Clean and portable (no need for tubes or palettes).
• Easier control for beginners learning brush techniques.
• Good for mixed-media projects, sketchbooks, and illustrations.
• Affordable entry point into watercolor-style art.

They’re especially useful in school settings or travel situations where full painting gear isn’t practical.

Top 5 Watercolor Pencil Brands for Students

1. Faber-Castell Goldfaber Aqua

• Smooth color laydown, easy to blend.
• Great price-to-quality ratio.
• Durable leads and break-resistant.
• Ideal for beginners and art students.

2. Derwent Academy Watercolour Pencils

• Designed specifically for students and classroom use.
• Offers soft pigments that activate easily with water.
• Available in small and large sets, budget-friendly.

3. Prismacolor Water-Soluble Colored Pencils

• Vibrant colors, known for smoothness.
• Easy to layer and blend wet or dry.
• Great for sketchbooks and casual painting practice.

4. Staedtler Noris Club Aquarell

• Widely used in schools, very affordable.
• Strong pencil body and easy to sharpen.
• Water-soluble but not too soft — ideal for controlled coloring.

5. Crayola Watercolor Pencils

• Best for very young students or absolute beginners.
• Easy to use, widely available, and safe for kids.
• Great for school projects or basic art lessons.
  
  

How to Use Watercolor Pencils (for Beginners)

Students can experiment with different techniques using watercolor pencils, such as:

• Dry on dry: Draw with pencil, then blend with a wet brush.
• Wet brush to tip: Pick pigment directly from the pencil tip with a wet brush.
• Dry drawing on wet paper: Adds texture and unexpected effects.
• Layering: Apply light layers and build intensity before adding water.

Tip: Use watercolor paper for best results, even with pencils.

What to Look for in Student Watercolor Pencils

When choosing watercolor pencils for learning, consider:

• Softness of the core (should blend easily).
• Pigment quality (bright enough when activated).
• Water solubility (should dissolve smoothly with minimal residue).
• Pencil durability (easy to sharpen without breaking).
• Price and availability (reasonable for classroom or practice use).

Starting with a 12- or 24-color set is usually enough for students to explore basic techniques and color mixing.

Tips for Students to Improve Their Results

• Use minimal water at first to understand how colors spread.
• Try swatching dry vs wet versions of each color.
• Blend two colors together dry before adding water to create gradients.
• Keep a scrap paper or sketchbook to test effects before applying to final work.
• Practice layering: let one layer dry before applying another wash.

Watercolor pencils are a fantastic tool for students who want to explore art without investing in full paint sets. Brands like Faber-Castell Goldfaber, Derwent Academy, and Staedtler Noris offer excellent entry-level options with good performance and affordability. Whether you’re studying at home or in the classroom, watercolor pencils provide a fun, mess-free, and versatile way to develop both drawing and painting skills.

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