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Specs are compiled from manufacturer listings and verified buyer reviews and can change over time — please confirm the key details on the product page before buying.
You want a set that won’t snap, smear, or wash out your first few drawings. The best starting point depends on three things: how soft the core is, how many colors you get, and whether the set is organized so you can find what you need. Here are the top beginner-friendly sets, broken down by the specs that matter, so you can pick one and start coloring right away.
I’m Mohammad Maruf — the founder and writer behind Gardening Beyond. This guide is built by comparing the manufacturers’ published specifications and the patterns across verified customer reviews, so you get each pick’s real strengths and trade-offs instead of marketing spin.
From budget-friendly 48-color kits to premium soft-core 72-packs, here are the best colored pencils for beginners that balance smooth laydown, vibrant pigment, and real durability.
Our Picks at a Glance
How To Choose The Best Colored Pencils for Beginners
The biggest mistake new colorists make is grabbing the cheapest 12-pack and wondering why the colors look pale and waxy. For beginners, the core hardness, the number of colors, and how the set is organized matter far more than brand prestige.
Soft Core vs Hard Core: Why It Matters
A soft core lays down pigment with less pressure, which means your hand gets tired slower and colors blend together more easily. Hard cores are better for fine detail but require more effort to cover large areas. Most beginner-friendly sets use a soft or medium core so you get smooth coverage without needing heavy pressure.
Color Count: 48, 72, or 120?
More colors mean you spend less time mixing to find the right green or skin tone. A 72-count set is a balance for beginners because it offers plenty of variety without overwhelming you with hundreds of near-identical hues. Smaller sets are cheaper but force you to layer and blend more to create the shades you want.
Wax vs Oil-Based Cores
Wax-based pencils are softer and blend beautifully, but they can leave a shiny film called wax bloom over time. Oil-based cores are a bit firmer, hold a sharper point longer, and don’t produce that waxy film, though they can take a little more effort to blend. Beginners who plan to layer heavily often prefer oil-based for the cleaner finish.
Quick Comparison
| Model | Best For | Core Type | Color Count | Storage | Amazon |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Castle Art Supplies 72★ Best Overall | Best Overall Value | Soft Wax | 72 | 3-Level Tin | Amazon |
| Hureny 72 Oil-BasedBest Value | Budget Oil-Based | Oil-Based | 72 | Storage Box | Amazon |
| Heshengping 48Portable Pick | Portable & Craft | Oil-Based HB | 48 | Roll-Up Canvas | Amazon |
| Crayola 50ct | Students & Teens | Wax HB | 50 | Cardboard Box | Amazon |
| Faber-Castell Classic 36 | Young Artists | Break-Resistant | 36 | Metal Tin | Amazon |
| H & B 72 Soft-Core | All-in-One Kit | Soft Wax | 72 | Portable Bag | Amazon |
| Amazon Basics 72 | Bible Highlighting | Soft Wax | 72 | Tin w/ Tray | Amazon |
| Prismacolor Premier 24 | Blending & Shading | Soft Wax | 24 | Tin Case | Amazon |
| Four Candies 120 Oil | Maximum Color Range | Oil-Based | 120 | Zipper Case | Amazon |
In‑Depth Reviews
1. Castle Art Supplies 72 Colored Pencils
Our pick — over 4.5★ from 24,000+ verified ratings; the strongest balance of quality and price.
The crowd-favorite 72-pack that proves soft, low-pressure laydown doesn’t have to cost premium money.
What wins people over here is the color selection — a thousand-plus owners single out the range before anything else. The set ships 72 pencils arranged in color families inside a 3-level tin, and every pencil is named, numbered, and color-coded so you flip up the exact shade you want without hunting. That organization alone makes it the easiest set for a beginner to actually use daily.
The soft, buttery cores reduce hand fatigue and minimize smearing, per buyer reports.. On the spec sheet, the set measures 8.31 x 7.87 x 1.18 inches and weighs 1.5 pounds, with a pigment-based ink that layers and burnishes cleanly on paper, eggshell, canvas, and wood. A fold-out tutorial on the sleeve teaches you to recreate the unicorn illustration, which is a genuinely smart way to build skills step by step.
The honest trade-off is the color selection leans heavily on blues and greens, and a few owners note a shortage of cool grays, reds, and medium browns. The soft cores also produce some wax bloom (that faint white film that appears over heavily layered areas), and there’s no lightfastness data published, so it’s not the set for archival work. For a beginner learning to blend, though, the softness is exactly what you want.
What Owners Rave About
- Soft, vibrant laydown that reduces hand fatigue
- 72 colors organized in a 3-level tin with numbered, color-coded pencils
- Blends and layers smoothly on multiple surfaces
- Fold-out unicorn tutorial for skill-building
Real Trade-Offs
- Few cool grays and medium browns in the range
- Some wax bloom with heavy layering
- No lightfastness rating published
Reach for this if: you want a large, well-organized beginner set that feels smooth from the first stroke and teaches you layering as you go.
Look elsewhere if: your color palette revolves around grays and browns — you’d be buying extra singles immediately.
2. Hureny 72 Oil-Based Colored Pencils
A 72-pack with an oil-based 3.8mm core that sharpens clean without snapping.
If your worry is breakage, this set answers it directly with an oil-based core that buyers report sharpens easily “without breakage” again and again. The pencils measure 3.8mm in diameter and come in a storage case with an included sharpener, so everything you need arrives in one box. Owners say the colors are brilliant and smooth, and that the container makes finding the right hue quick.
The quality is the single most-praised aspect, with dozens of owners calling it out, followed closely by the color range. Because it’s oil-based, you won’t deal with wax bloom the way you would on a soft wax set, meaning your finished pieces stay clean. It’s also a great choice for kids — one buyer handed the set to her daughter, who has used them over and over again.
Don’t expect professional-grade layering power; these are firmly a beginner to intermediate tool. The smooth, oil-based core delivers vibrant results in coloring books without the crumb residue some firmer pencils leave behind, which keeps your work tidy.
Solid starter pick: the oil-based 3.8mm core resists breakage and sharpens clean, so it survives heavy-handed beginners. The storage case and sharpener make it grab-and-go ready.
3. Heshengping 48 Color Drawing Sketching Pencils
The travel-friendly kit that rolls up tight and survives a year of daily homeschool use.
This set stands apart with its roll-up canvas case, which keeps 48 pencils, a graphite HB pencil, an eraser, a sharpener, and a pencil extender organized in one portable bundle. The canvas wrapping means no hard tin to dent and no loose pencils rattling in a bag. Owners specifically note the set survives repeated drops and a full year of daily homeschool use without breakage.
The cores are oil-based with an HB hardness and a fine 0.3mm line size, which gives you clean, non-waxy color that lays down without scratching the paper. The 48 colors are pre-sharpened and numbered, which appeals to kids who love organizing by number. One family liked the set so much they bought a second one.
The trade-off is the smaller 48-color count compared to the 72-packs above — you’ll need to do more blending to hit certain shades. The included HB graphite pencil (a standard sketching pencil) and extender add real value for beginners who want to sketch and color in one sitting. It’s not a pro set, but for crafting at a table or sketching on the go, it’s tough to top.
Why It Travels Well
- Roll-up canvas case is portable and mess-free
- 48 pre-sharpened pencils plus HB graphite, eraser, and extender
- Oil-based cores resist snapping and scratching
- Survives drops and daily use
Know Before You Buy
- 48 colors means more blending for exact shades
- Fine 0.3mm line is better for detail than broad coverage
Best for: families, homeschoolers, and travel journaling where a dent-proof, roll-up kit beats a rigid tin every time.
Think twice if: you want maximum shade range — the 48 colors will ask you to mix more than a 72-pack.
4. Crayola Colored Pencils For Adults (50ct)
The trusted name with 50 fine-point colors built for students and detailed coloring pages.
Crayola brings its familiar reliability to an adult-focused 50-count set with fine point tips that let you work tiny details without overshooting the lines. The non-toxic, HB-rated cores withstand repeated sharpening without snapping., which is exactly what a middle or high schooler needs for art class and homework projects. Sizes come in at 7.31 x 8.25 x 0.63 inches for the box.
The color selection is the biggest praise here, with thousands of owners calling it out. The set skews heavily toward reds and oranges, though, and a few owners mention it’s thin on purples and greens — plus you get two metallic shades for sparkle. It’s not the most pigmented or blendable set on this list; owners call it a solid “you get what you pay for” value that suits students more than serious artists.
The recurring gripe is sharpening — some owners find these sharpen nicely while others struggle, and durability draws mixed feedback. If your goal is relaxing adult coloring with a brand you trust, the 50 colors and smooth application deliver. Just know the point is detail work, not heavy blending or layering.
Dependable and familiar: fine points and sturdy cores make this the set you hand a teen without worrying about snapped leads in a backpack.
5. Faber-Castell Classic Colored Pencils Tin Set (36)
The break-resistant classic whose points last longer than anything you’ve sharpened before.
Faber-Castell’s signature SV bonding process glues the lead along the entire length of the pencil, which is why the points last markedly longer and the leads won’t fall out. For a young artist pressing hard, that resistance to snapping is the whole ballgame. The 36 pencils come in a sturdy metal tin that’s easy to toss in a backpack.
The hexagonal body shape keeps the pencils from rolling off a desk, and the wood is 100% reforested, with the company planting over a million seedlings each year. Owners describe the colors as vibrant and smooth, with one buyer saying these pencils gave them “hope of becoming a better artist.” The set suits ages 5 and up, making it the rare pick that works for both a nine-year-old and an adult coloring enthusiast.
The catch is the smaller 36-color count and the low hardness rating, which means less range for advanced blending. One owner also flagged a missing color on arrival, an occasional quality hiccup. But for a first serious set that survives a kid’s grip, the SV bonding makes it the most durable option here.
The Durability Edge
- SV bonding glues lead the full length, resisting snaps
- Hexagonal barrel won’t roll away
- Reforested wood with huge seedling program
- Sturdy metal tin for storage
Limits to Note
- 36 colors is a smaller range for serious blending
- Occasional missing color on arrival
Hand this to: a young artist ages 5 and up who presses hard and needs a pencil that won’t snap under pressure.
skip it if: you need a wide skin-tone or blending range — 36 colors run out fast for portraits.
6. H & B 72 Soft-core Coloring Pencils Set
The complete kit that adds a coloring book, sharpener, and eraser to 72 soft-core pencils.
This set is the closest thing to a starter bundle, because it doesn’t stop at pencils. You get 72 soft-core pencils with a garden flowers coloring book, a pencil sharpener, and a vinyl eraser, all in a portable storage bag with elastic slots that keep every pencil strapped in place. It weighs 0.77 kg, and the pre-sharpened tips are ready the moment the bag opens.
Each pencil is marked with a color name, number, and lightfastness rating (how well the color resists fading in light) — a touch that helps you learn color theory as you work. The oil-based wood casing resists breaking, and owners call the cores “buttery” and “beautiful,” with one buyer using them alongside wax-based pencils for a “glorious combo.” The garden flower coloring book gives you a perfect first project to practice on.
The mixed feedback lands on color quality — most love the creamy laydown, but a few find the saturation thinner than expected. The carry bag is well made and keeps pencils organized, which is why the carrying case itself earns steady praise. For a beginner who wants everything in one box, this is the most complete start.
Open-and-go value: the included garden flower coloring book plus sharpener and eraser means zero extra purchases before your first session.
7. Amazon Basics 72 Count Premium Colored Pencils
The value giant whose thick soft cores are soft enough for Bible highlighting.
At 72 colors in a tin with a detachable lid and built-in tray, this set delivers remarkable range for the money. The soft, pigment-based cores are thick and resist breakage, and the pre-sharpened tips are ready for immediate use. The 13.31 x 0.83 x 7.56 inch tin keeps everything organized, and the detachable lid doubles as a handy palette tray.
The quality earns the top praise, with over a thousand owners calling it out, followed closely by the color range. Owners note the cores are soft enough for Bible highlighting — a genuinely specific use case that shows how gentle the laydown is on thin paper. The set meets ASTM D4236 safety standards for art materials., and it works well on copier paper without smudging.
The honest note is that this isn’t a pro-level set — owners call it ideal for school and hobby work, with colors that blend fine but don’t reach premium saturation. The round barrels have no grip, so long sessions might feel slick. For a reliable budget option with a huge color range, this is the hands-down choice.
Why It’s a Top Value
- 72 colors with thick, break-resistant soft cores
- Tin case with detachable lid and built-in tray
- Soft enough for delicate paper like Bible pages
- Pre-sharpened and conforms to ASTM D4236
Keep in Mind
- Not pro-level saturation or blendability
- Round barrel with no grip can feel slick
Grab these if: you want the biggest color range per dollar for school, hobby coloring, or marking up thin paper.
Pass them by if: you’re chasing premium pigment depth — this is a solid tool, not an artist-grade weapon.
8. Prismacolor Premier Colored Pencils (24 Count)
The artist’s benchmark whose ultra-smooth, lightfast cores set the standard for blending.
Prismacolor Premier is the name serious colorists reach for, and the 24-count set is the perfect entry point into that world. The soft, thick cores deliver an ultra-smooth laydown for easy shading and shadow work.. The lightfast, richly saturated pigments resist fading, outperforming budget sets..
The 24 colors are a curated range — True Blue, Grass Green, Canary Yellow, Crimson Red, Sienna Brown, and more — chosen to cover the essentials for portraits and landscapes. The colors blend beautifully and apply smoothly, earning artist recommendations.. The tin case is durable and portable, though the artwork on the tin may vary.
The recurring gripe is durability — the soft cores are prone to breaking if you sharpen them aggressively. The gentle approach keeps them intact, but it’s a learning curve for beginners used to firmer pencils. Starting with 24 colors means you’ll eventually want the larger sets, but for learning the art of blending, this is the gold standard.
The Premium Payoff
- Ultra-smooth laydown perfect for shading and shadows
- Lightfast, richly saturated pigments resist fading
- Soft thick cores blend beautifully
- Curated 24-color range for portraits and landscapes
The Learning Curve
- Soft cores break if you sharpen too aggressively
- 24 colors means upgrading later for full range
Step up to these if: you’re ready to learn serious blending and shading and want the benchmark every other pencil is compared against.
Start elsewhere if: you’re on a tight budget or tend to sharpen hard — the soft cores demand a gentle touch.
9. Four Candies 120 Oil-Based Colored Pencils
A staggering 120 pre-numbered oil-based pencils in a zipper case that rivals far pricier sets.
If color range is your priority, nothing here touches this 120-count set. Each pencil is pre-numbered and named for easy identification, and the soft-core oil-based pigments deliver bold, vivid color layering with minimal breakage. The set weighs 1.56 kg, so you know you’re getting a substantial collection, and it includes a sketchbook, coloring paper, sharpener, and pencil extender in the sturdy zipper case.
Owners describe the quality as rivaling much more expensive brands — Prismacolor and Polychromos get name-dropped as comparisons. The oil-based cores layer and blend well, and the full hue range means you rarely need to mix to find a shade. The set meets ASTM D-4236 and EN71 safety standards for adults and teens..
The trade-off is that a few owners note mild crumb residue and say it needs slightly more layering than premium sets. The included sharpener is subpar — you’ll want your own. But for the sheer number of colors and the complete kit, the value is exceptional for hobbyists and experienced colorists who want one case that does it all.
Why the Range Wins
- 120 pre-numbered colors cover nearly every shade
- Oil-based cores rival far more expensive brands
- Includes sketchbook, coloring paper, sharpener, and extender
- Conforms to ASTM D-4236 and EN71 safety standards
Minor Gripes
- Mild crumb residue noted by some owners
- Included sharpener is not great
- Needs slightly more layering than premium sets
Choose this if: you want maximum color range right from the start and a complete kit that arrives ready to use.
Look the other way if: you prefer a smaller, higher-end set for serious fine art — quantity here edges out absolute pigment depth.
Understanding the Specs
Core Hardness & Softness
This is the single most important spec for a beginner. A soft core lays down pigment with light pressure, so your hand tires less and colors blend more easily. Harder cores (like HB) are better for fine detail but require more effort to cover large areas. Most beginner sets use soft or medium cores so you get smooth coverage without pressing hard. The trade-off is that softer cores can break more easily and may produce wax bloom — a faint white film over heavily layered areas.
Wax vs Oil-Based Cores
Wax-based pencils are softer and blend beautifully, which makes them ideal for beginners learning to layer. The downside is wax bloom and a slightly softer point that dulls faster. Oil-based cores are firmer, hold a sharp point longer, and don’t produce that waxy film, but they can take a little more effort to blend. If you plan to do detailed work, oil-based gives you cleaner lines; if you want buttery blending, wax is your friend.
FAQ
What is the best number of colors for a beginner set?
Are soft-core or oil-based pencils better for beginners?
Why do my colored pencils break when I sharpen them?
What is wax bloom and should I worry about it?
Can I use any colored pencil set for adult coloring books?
How do I know if a pencil set is non-toxic and safe for kids?
What is the difference between the Castle Art Supplies 72 and the Hureny 72 set?
Do colored pencils need a special sharpener?
How long do colored pencils last?
Which set is best for a young child just starting out?
Final Thoughts: The Verdict
Across the board, the winner for colored pencils for beginners is the Castle Art Supplies 72 because its soft, numbered, color-coded cores in a 3-level tin make learning to blend genuinely easy. If you want an oil-based core that sharpens clean and never wax-blooms, grab the Hureny 72. And for the greatest color range plus a complete kit, the Four Candies 120 is the one to reach for.
How We Picked
We do not accept paid placement. Every pick is matched to a real buyer and a real use-case; we do not hands-on test units.
Sources & Methodology
Specifications: manufacturer listings and product documentation. Review insights: verified customer reviews, as of August 2026. Pricing: not shown on this page (it changes often); check the current price via the retailer link.
As an Amazon Associate, Gardening Beyond earns from qualifying purchases. This does not affect which products we feature.