The Complete Guide to (Easy) Watercolor Pencils for Any Teacher

Watercolor pencils are an effective art media for students of all ages, especially those who struggle with watercolor paints. Now, don't get me wrong, proficiency with both is important, but watercolor pencils are a good starting point for students who struggle as it can build their confidence before making the leap to other kinds of watercolors.

With good quality watercolor pencils, anyone can produce beautiful artwork in record time, and with very little mess! In order to create that beautiful artwork, however, it’s important to have the right tools and supplies on hand.

Here’s a quick guide on how to use watercolor pencils like a pro.

1) What are Watercolor Pencils?

Before you begin, it’s helpful to know what watercolor pencils are. These have a water-soluble core and are wrapped in wood. This means that the pigment dissolves in water, which creates the look of watercolor paint. They behave differently than traditional colored pencils because they layer differently and cannot be burnished as colored pencils can.

Technically, watercolor pencils are not really watercolors. They contain a binder that disperses pigment when water is added. This unique trait makes them their own medium, but since the final effects look so similar to watercolor paints they are grouped together.

2) What are their Benefits?

Unlike graphite pencils or other drawing instruments, watercolor pencils are relatively new in terms of popularity. But with all their versatility and accessibility, they’re a great medium for both professional artists and first-time learners.

Depending on how you choose to use them, watercolor pencils can be used as painting utensils or sketching materials. They have a wide range of applications, but heir ability to replicate natural light is one of their most outstanding qualities. However, one must understand that it is difficult to "color" using these pencils without some form of paint medium (although there are some who have succeeded). This makes it important that any artist who uses watercolor pencils has an understanding of color theory before hand.

Another major benefit of watercolor pencils? Their cost effectiveness. In comparison to paints and other special media, colored pencils are relatively inexpensive; however, those wishing to invest in higher quality brands should expect prices ranging from $10-$30 per box.

3) How Do I Use Watercolor Pencils?

One of my favorite reasons to use watercolor pencils is for their diversity in art-making. You can use them on almost any thicker surface, and they work great for adding dimension.

It’s important to understand that watercolor pencils are not like regular colored pencils. (Can't repeat that enough times here!) If you try to use them like regular colored pencils, you won’t get very much color on your page.

Here are the two main ways to use watercolor pencils:

1. Add the color to the surface (paper) with the pencil. Then, brush with water to “activate” the color. This produces the look that is very similar to other watercolors.

2. Wet the tip of the pencil with a brush or dip it into water. Then, make marks on the surface (paper) to produce a more intense color.

4) Which Brands are Best?

While several brands of watercolor pencils are available, there are only a few which truly stand out in terms of quality. Prismacolor and Caran d’Ache have been around for decades and have built up an impressive reputation. Both of these brands offer a large selection of pencil types that can appeal to anyone at any level of experience with watercolors. If you’re looking for a lower-priced brand, Derwent also has excellent quality pencils that won’t break your budget.

Conclusion

If you want to expand your watercolor horizons and techniques, it’s hard to go wrong with watercolor pencils in the beginning. While they won’t give you as much depth and realism as real pencils or brushes can, they do allow you a lot of control over some really interesting effects. If you have any questions on these tips or other uses for pencil art, feel free to let me know in the comments below!

I’m Amanda, and I align standards and integrate content to help teachers meet the needs of the Whole Child in art class! I have yet to find a standard that I couldn’t teach through art, and I want to share it all with you.

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I want all students to feel successful in the art room, so I created a standards-based Daffodil Collage lesson to do just that! The lesson includes an artist study, student reflection, and more, so push your artists to their full potential.

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Connecting art and content together doesn’t have to be mind-boggling. I’ve made it simple with 25 math and ELA art lesson starters - for free! Plus, I included 15 worksheets for students to reflect on their art-making journey.