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Overview: My Personal Selection of Top 5 Professional Colored Pencils

In this article, I’ll be sharing my personal top five picks for professional-grade colored pencils. This list follows up on my earlier ranking of budget-friendly colored pencils. Now, while I'm not entirely sure if this classification is formally endorsed by any official organizations like the UK Colored Pencil Society or the Colored Pencil Society of America, I’ve come to distinguish between “Artist Grade” and “Artist Quality” pencils based on years of hands-on testing and experience.

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Understanding the Distinction: Artist Grade vs Artist Quality

Over the past seven years of testing drawing materials, I've noticed a distinction between two commonly used labels. To me, “Artist Grade” pencils have undergone official lightfastness evaluations using recognized standards like Blue Wool or ASTM. Surprisingly, very few brands meet this criterion.

Meanwhile, “Artist Quality” pencils, as I see it, are evaluated internally by the manufacturer for lightfastness, have solid blending and layering capabilities, can be purchased individually, and generally contribute to strong artistic results. Of course, tools don’t replace talent, but high-performing materials certainly enhance the creative process.

Lightfastness Testing: Behind the Standards

Conversations with representatives from Blue Wool testing facilities and the ASTM group opened my eyes to how complex and nuanced these systems are. While ASTM seems to operate on a more structured and arguably more reliable methodology, I also discovered an interesting difference: the U.S. Blue Wool scale ranges from 2 to 9, whereas the U.K. version runs from 1 to 8. These testing methods are far from flawless, but they remain the industry benchmarks.

A Quick Disclaimer

One of my choices may raise eyebrows—and I understand that. But remember, this is a subjective list based on my experience, not a universal rulebook. I’ll explain my reasoning for each entry as we go along.

#5 – Royal Talens Van Gogh Colored Pencils

Coming in fifth is a lesser-known gem: the Royal Talens Van Gogh line. These pencils are ASTM-rated, although this isn’t common knowledge. They perform beautifully, offering excellent layering and smooth blending.

A major advantage is their availability in open stock, which is a must for serious artists who tend to run out of certain colors faster than others.

However, there is a strange quirk in their lightfastness chart. They claim ASTM ratings, but the interpretation of those ratings seems off. LF3 is labeled as the top grade, even though in ASTM standards, LF1 is the best. Despite this inconsistency, the pencils deliver solid performance.

#4 – Derwent Drawing Colored Pencils

Next up are the Derwent Drawing pencils, a favorite among landscape illustrators. This 24-color set is known for its unique texture, largely due to its wax-based core with a small amount of oil.

When paired with the right paper, these pencils allow for rich layering, creating effects similar to oil pastels or even impasto techniques. Most notably, 23 of the 24 shades score an 8 on the Blue Wool scale, with one at a 7. That level of consistency is rare and makes them highly reliable for commissioned work.

Their limited color range is the only reason they don’t rank higher.

#3 – Faber-Castell Polychromos

This ranking might surprise some, as the Polychromos pencils are widely beloved. They are excellent in nearly every aspect: pigment richness, sharpness retention, and layerability.

Faber-Castell claims their pencils are Blue Wool tested. They use a star system to denote lightfastness: three stars equate to grades 7-8 (excellent), two stars to 5-6 (variable), and one star to 3-4 (fair to poor). The issue? This approach lacks clarity. Two-star pencils may last anywhere from 15 to 100 years. That’s a massive gap.

While over 80% of the 120-color set falls into the top tier, the ambiguity in the rest lowers my confidence. For those who only use the most lightfast materials, the variability is a problem. This is why, despite their popularity, they rank below more consistent options on this list.

#2 – Derwent Lightfast Colored Pencils

Runner-up on my list is the Derwent Lightfast range, the only line from Derwent tested using the ASTM standard rather than Blue Wool. The set includes 100 colors, 51 of which are rated LF1 (highest lightfastness), while the rest are LF2.

The texture of these pencils is creamy yet firm—similar to Polychromos, though slightly softer—making them ideal for blending and gradual build-up. When used with Derwent’s specially developed Lightfast paper, the results are exceptional. I know this firsthand, having participated in the paper testing focus group.

Some rare sharpening issues arise due to barrel imperfections, but these are exceptions rather than the norm.

#1 – Caran d’Ache Luminance

At the top of my list sits the Caran d’Ache Luminance series, which set the standard in this category. These pencils are ASTM-certified and offer unmatched consistency in lightfastness and performance.

In fact, Derwent developed their Lightfast pencils to directly rival Luminance, even switching from Blue Wool to ASTM testing to align with the competition. This speaks volumes about the dominance of Luminance in the professional market.

These pencils are richly pigmented, layer beautifully, and have one of the most dependable lightfastness ratings available. For artists who want the best of the best, this is the go-to choice.

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