Our Five Best Set Types
112-Color Classic Wax Set
Best overall first set. Twelve familiar colors teach pressure, neat coverage, and simple mixing. A smaller palette encourages children to make green from blue and yellow instead of searching through dozens of near-duplicates.
224-Color Soft-Core Set
Best for layering and shading. Softer cores release stronger color with less pressure. Choose this once a beginner can control the point and understands that soft pencils need gentle sharpening.
3Jumbo Triangular Set
Best for younger beginners. Wide barrels are easy to locate and hold, while a triangular shape stays on the table. Check the recommended age and select a sturdy sharpener that matches the diameter.
4Erasable Coloured Pencil Set
Best for hesitant artists. Erasable color reduces fear when planning school projects and diagrams. It will not always erase as completely as graphite, so treat revision as the goal rather than a perfectly white page.
512-Color Watercolour Pencil Set
Best creative upgrade. These work dry like colored pencils and transform with a damp brush. Use suitable paper, little water, and supervision appropriate to the child’s age.
What We Would Buy First
For most beginners, choose a reputable 12- or 24-color wax-based set marked non-toxic and appropriate for the child’s age. Spend more only after the student knows which qualities—softness, blendability, lightfastness, or water solubility—matter to their work.
Five Quick Quality Tests
- Color a light-to-dark pressure strip. The pencil should respond without requiring painful force.
- Layer yellow over blue and blue over yellow. Both should create usable greens.
- Sharpen one pencil. The wood should cut cleanly and the core should remain centered.
- Fill a small circle. Color should cover predictably without large wax crumbs.
- Try the barrel for several minutes. Comfort matters more than decorative packaging.
How Many Colors Does a Beginner Need?
Twelve colors are enough to learn hue families and mixing. Twenty-four offer convenient skin, earth, and secondary tones. Sets of 72 or more can be enjoyable, but they do not automatically improve drawing and may make color decisions harder.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should beginners use soft or hard colored pencils?
Medium-to-soft pencils are usually rewarding because they make visible color with moderate pressure. Very soft cores can break and smudge; very hard cores may tempt children to press too firmly.
Can colored pencils be blended?
Yes. Light layers, small overlapping strokes, and gradual pressure produce smoother blends than one heavy layer. White or pale pencils can soften transitions, though they may lighten the color.
Which spelling is correct: color or colour?
Both are correct. “Color” is common in American English, while “colour” is common in British and many international varieties of English.
Turn Color Into Skill
Chitran’s live online classes help children practice layering, shading, composition, and confident color choices.
Book a free live demo