Drawing is more than just a fun hobby; it's proven to be therapeutic, both for children and adults. When it comes to selecting the tools you'll be using to create your masterpieces, you'll need a wide range of colours, as well as pencils that are soft and ergonomic to use.
This is where pastel pencils come in handy. Offering bright and vibrant colours, pastel pencils truly make a huge difference to your drawings. What we love about pastel pencils is that instead of using a wax lead, they use the actual pastel pigment, meaning that you get the same control that you get from colour pencils but with the added vibrancy, versatility and intensity of pastels.
So essentially, you can still create sharp and crisp outlines in your drawings, while also being able to fade and blend the colours.
When it comes to selecting the best set for you, there are a few things to consider, including your budget, how ergonomic the pencils are and the range of colours provided by each set. To save you a job, we've decided to round up the best pastel pencils available to purchase right now.
The best pastel pencils of 2022:
Editor's pick
At the top of our list is the Faber-Castell PITT set. All of the pencils have highly pigmented leads, meaning the colours are vibrant and rich. Additionally, this set offers 36 different colours, a significant range and more than enough for most people. We also love that it doesn't leave as much of a residue on the paper as other pastel pencils do.
Best soft pastel pencils
If you're looking for an ultra ergonomic or soft pastel pencil, then these pastels from General Pencil are just what you need. They have very fine points, meaning you won't need to constantly be sharping them. This also means they'll last longer, so they are much more economical than other pastel pencils.
Best value for price
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Offering 24 different colours, these pastel pencils from Marco Raffine are an all-around excellent choice. They're quite soft, but not brittle. The design is lightweight, sleek and they're ergonomic, meaning you can draw to your heart's content!
Best high-end pastel pencils
If you draw professionally rather than as a hobby, this pastel pencil collection may be the one for you. Whilst it's quite expensive, it's excellent for those who will be using them regularly. Featuring 60 different colours, a sharpener that doesn't break the leads and soft pastel cores that are seamless to blend, this is a very high-end product.
Recommended
Easy to work with and affordable, these pastel pencils are a dream for anyone who loves drawing. With 48 different colours to choose from and a lightweight case, there's plenty of choice and they're easy to transport.
Are pastel pencils worth it?
Definitely! Some of them can be quite expensive and come in a wide range of colours, we wouldn't recommend those ones for beginners as they are better suited for professionals. However, an affordable set is definitely worth it, particularly for those who regularly draw.
Are oil or wax-based pencils better?
Oil-based pencils will have a richer and more vibrant colour saturation, they're also harder than normal pencils, meaning they won't break as easily. However, wax-based pencils are softer, meaning you have greater control over how the colour appears on the paper and they are easier to blend colours with.