Best artist colored pencil sets

Top pick: Holbein Artists Colored Pencil Sets — the reference-grade choice. Oil-based 3.8 mm cores hold a fine point, layer without waxy bloom and blend into smooth, painterly gradients; the 150-color range is the widest here. Best for serious illustrators and portrait or botanical work where color accuracy matters.

• MEEDEN Artist Colored Pencil Set — oil-based 72, the closest step down in feel for a fraction of the outlay; good for committed hobbyists.
• Arrtx 72 — firm 3.8 mm cores that sharpen cleanly; suits detailed line work and mixed-media sketching.
• ColorIt Premium 72 — soft wax cores, named and coded on every barrel; easiest for beginners learning color theory.
• KINGART Studio 72 — soft, budget-friendly starter set for practice and sketchbooks.
• Winsor & Newton Studio Collection 72 — for those who want a heritage art brand's take.

Skip the Crayola and novelty 30-piece sets: student grade, not artist grade.