Detailed Derwent Lightfast Colored Pencils Review and related article resources.
Adult coloring is among the most satisfying pastimes I have ever experienced. All it takes is your favorite coloring pencils, coloring book, comfortable chair, or favorite place for the day. Coloring happens at home when traveling, at the park, or in your neighborhood coffee shop. Whether you are just beginning or becoming an experienced colorist, there is nothing more satisfying than seeing and experiencing the joy of coloring.
This article is about my personal experience with Derwent Lightfast Colored Pencils, and I have written the article from a colorist’s perspective on adult coloring. The review is subjective, based on my experience, research, and the performance of colored pencils in activities like coloring books, pages, and sheets. My review seeks to provide as much information as possible to ask the right questions, evaluate the information, and make better decisions about the colored pencils you choose and use. I will update this article as new information becomes available.
Derwent Lightfast Colored Pencils
Table of Contents
Additional Resources. The following are additional resources you can find on ColoringButterfly.com to assist you in learning more about colored pencils.
- Buying A Coloring Book: Everything You Need to Know (Guide)
- Buying Colored Pencils? Everything You Need Know (Guide)
- How to Find Colored Pencil Reviews (50+ ColoringButterfly.com)
- Guide to Amazon Colored Pencil Reviews (Fake vs. Trustworthy)
- Guide to Using Colored Pencil Set Reviews (Step-by-Step)
Derwent Lightfast Colored Pencils Descriptions and First Impressions
This section provides the facts, descriptions, and my first impressions of colored pencils. I am going to provide my subjective/personal review based on my experience, research, and the performance of colored pencils in activities like coloring books, pages, and sheets and answer the question; I am focused on answering the questions for the colored pencils, “What are the basic facts for Derwent Lightfast Colored Pencils?”; “What did you experience during the first inspection of Derwent Lightfast Colored Pencils?.” Let’s get started.
Go to ColoringButterfly.com YouTube Channel for more videos about coloring pencils, coloring books, and more. [Return to TOC]
Colored Pencil Facts
The following are some basic facts about the Derwent Lightfast Colored Pencils.
Best for: Hobbyist, Artist
Size of sets: 12, 24, 36, 48, 72, 100
Available in open stock: Yes, you can purchase replacement pencils.
Lightfastness rating: Yes, the pencils do have a lightfast rating.
Cost range: High-end/expensive and premium ($1.00-$2.00)
Barrel size: 8 mm
Core size: 4 mm
Type of pencil core: Oil-based
Barrel type: Hexagonal
Wood: Maple
Where to buy online: Amazon, DickBlick, JacksonsArt, Jerrysartarama, Aliexpress
Made by: Derwent
Where manufactured: Lake District, United Kingdom
Company URL: https://www.derwentart.us/
Google search term: Derwent lightfast OR coloured pencil review [Return to TOC]
Open Stock
Yes, you can purchase replacements for individual pencils, and this is especially important for pencils in the price range of Derwent Lightfast. If one or more pencils need to be replaced, you don’t have to purchase another set as a backup. [Return to TOC]
Barrel Description
The Lightfast pencil shaft is a round, natural maple finish with a colorful endcap marking the color of the pigment core. On one portion of the shaft in blue, it reads, 
“Made in Britain,” followed by “Derwent Lightfast.” At the end of the pencil, you will find the name of the color in English followed by “LF1,” which indicates the lightfast level of the pencil. In the case of “LF1,” it means the pencil is 100% lightfast. [Return to TOC]
Lightfast Rating
The Derwent Lightfast is 100% lightfast means that core pigment is resistant to not change for 100 years under museum-like conditions. Lightfastness is a property of a colorant such as dye or pigment that describes how resistant to fading it is when exposed to light. Lightfast rating is extremely important to artists, especially when they spend long hours creating art; they will want the work of art to keep its vibrancy for years to come. The lightfastness has a lot to do with the higher cost of the pencils.
Derwent’s Lightfast pencils are our first oil-based colored pencils; formulated to be 100% lightfast (according to the ASTM 6901 standard, rating LFI or II), so the colors won’t fade for up to 100 years under museum conditions.
Range of Colors
The Derwent Lightfast is an elegant oil-based colored pencil bursting with vibrant pigments and is very opaque. The pencil shaft displays a natural grain maple grain that is beautiful to look at and hold. You have the color pallet to color most coloring book scenes or themes. I especially like the earthy and muted shades for wildlife and landscape. [Return to TOC]
Container Description
Versions of Derwent Lightfast come in a tin and wooden box. The wooden box provides a sense of luxury inside and outside and is top quality. The box has brass-colored hinges on the back and is closed by magnets. When you open the box, the
pencils are neatly packed and kept in place by wooden bars that are also kept in place by magnets.
The lid is not hinged for the tin container and tends not to fit very tightly. (Tip: If you are going to keep the pencils in the tin, keep a rubber band around the case to keep the lid on and the pencils secure from spilling.) I would transfer the pencils from the tin to Derwent or another brand pencil case. The pencil trays are plastic and have finger slots for easy removal, and these trays arehttp://<a name=”08″></a> a little flimsy. [Return to TOC]
First Inspection
As a habit, when I first open the box of pencils, I like first to check pencil duplications and missing pencils. Check to make sure the cores are centered. Next, I will check them for pencils for imperfections (e.g., shaft spits, broken cores, light printing). Printing on these pencils was consistently good, and I could not check the core centering because of the endcaps. Overall, I was pleased with what I found in the quality of the pencils. <a href=”#return”>[Return to TOC]
Derwent Lightfast Colored Pencils Review and Summary
In this section, I move beyond the description and facts of the colored pencils. I am going to provide my subjective/personal review based on my experience, research, and the performance of colored pencils in activities like coloring books, pages and sheets and answer the question; I am focused on answering the questions like
- What do you think about Derwent Lightfast Colored Pencils?
- Are the Derwent Lightfast Colored Pencils better than other colored pencils?
- What are the Derwent Lightfast Colored Pencils’ pros and cons?
- What are some tips on making the best purchase decision?”.
How the Colored Pencils Performed
The Derwent Lightfast colored pencil is an oil-based pencil that produces creamy, vibrant pigments that are a pleasure to use in coloring, layering and blending. I was pleased with the nice feel of the pencil in my hand.
The Lightfast pencils keep their tips shaper longer than other pencils I have used. As I use pencils, I try to use a lighter touch and rotate pencils to have the core wear more evenly and help lengthen the times between need to sharpen.
Right from the beginning of use, I was pleased with how opaque the oil-based core laid down. I was able to color and cover a lot of ground quickly. Overall I was pleased with how the pencils blended. I was able to blend Derwent Lightfast with dry blending, blending pencil or solvents, and Derwent blending pens. I liked using the Derwent blending pens and blending pencils. I don’t think these pencils are great for coloring large areas, and I would use the Derwent Lightfast Colored Pencils instead.
Right from the first use, I was impressed with how opaque saturation of each pencil as I laid each color down. In the beginning, I was experiencing some issues with the breakage of the cores, but I lightened my touch, and the problem went away.
I tried the pencils on different types of coloring book paper, from toothy but thin paper found in self-published Amazon books to the thicker paper found in Johanna Basford’s books to the smoother paper found in Joseph Catimban and Kirby Rosanes coloring books. Overall I think the pencils do better on smooth and thicker paper.
I think these pencils are designed for both the artist and creative professionals. I thoroughly enjoy using these pencils; an adult colorist who loves to spend time and effort creating beauty and using imagination in coloring books. Before I started using these pencils, I did a lot of practicing to upgrade my skills, and I just wanted to ensure I was getting the most from my efforts in using the pencils. I don’t use these pencils for just any coloring book. I made a conscious decision to specifically use these pencils for the artist editions coloring books from my collection like:
- Hana Karlzon-Daydreams Artist’s Edition
- Johanna Basford-Enchanted Forest Artist’s Edition
- Maria Trolle-Twilight Garden Artist’s Edition
- Rachel Reinert-Botanical Wonderland-Artist’s Edition
- Millie Marotta-Millie Marotta’s Wild Savannah-Deluxe Edition
Derwent Lightfast sharpen without any problem wood chipping or core problems. I have learned from experience that I want my sharpener blades to be sharp. Sharp blades help keep the core from breaking, the wood snagging/splintering, and other problems. [Return to TOC]
Review Summary and Rating
I thoroughly enjoy using Derwent Lightfast pencils. These are artist-quality colored pencils, and effortless to layer. Do I need them for coloring books? No, not for my adult coloring.
Nevertheless, they are a fantastic splurge. I can be extra proud of the coloring I do with these pencils. If you are an artist/professional, I am sure these pencils are high on your acquisition list. Derwent Lightfast does have a pallet that you can use for most coloring book scenes or themes. What should determine whether you should seriously consider this pencil set? It comes down to how you like the pencil during the test period. If I like the pencil, and it is fun to use, then it is a tool that will allow me to have many hours of joy in creating beautiful moments in adult coloring. That alone defines if the pencils are worth the investment for me. Derwent Lightfast deserves to be in serious consideration. The important takeaways are as follows:
User Experience (Pros & Cons) Considerations
- Recommend for adult coloring (+)
- Best for /hobbyist, Artists (+)
- Pencils do have a lightfast rating (+)
- Pencils are open stock (+/-)
- Oil-based, firm and durable core (+)
- Beautiful range of colors (+)
- Vibrant colors and pigmentation (+)
- Color application is smooth and buttery (+)
- Pencils respond well to light and heavy pressure (+)
- Excellent layering and blending for coloring books (+)
- Can sharpen pencils to an excellent point (+)
- Writing on the pencil is easy to read (+)
- Works well with different quality coloring books (+)
- Pencils will hold a sharp point (+)
- Pencils are well made (+)
- Wonderful quality for the price (+)
- Exceptional adult coloring experience (+)
- High-end priced colored pencils (+/-)
- Pencil points can wear down fast (+/-)
Tips for Purchasing
Derwent Lightfast Colored Pencils are considered high-end/expensive and premium ($1.00-$2.00) and come in sets of 12, 24, 36, 48, 72, and 100 pencils. Usually, before purchasing, it is advisable to get a feel of the pencils by either
purchasing a small set or individual pencils when you can buy open-stock or if you know someone who has the pencils can try theirs.
If you are trying to decide on whether to purchase Derwent Lightfast Colored Pencils, I would suggest that you purchase 3-5 five open-stock pencils (e.g., about $2.50-plus U.S. Blick.com) to get a feel for the pencil in coloring, layering, feel in my hand, sharpening and so forth. The open-stock prices can be costly, so look around. I thought Amazon was the most expensive. I have followed this method often. In other cases, where the sets were not as expensive, I purchased a small set of 12 to get a feel for the pencil in coloring, layering, feeling in my hand, sharpening and so forth.
Once I was convinced that I liked the pencils, I went ahead and purchased the most extensive set I could afford. You avoid duplicates and give yourself a full pallet of colors to work with. In the long run, I feel like I save the most, and I especially look for special promotions during holiday seasons and put out price watches on my favorite eCommerce sites.
An excellent way to learn about the performance is to read reviews like this, view YouTube reviews, and read Amazon reviews. In the long run, I feel like I save the most, and I especially look for special promotions during the holiday seasons and put out price watches on my favorite eCommerce sites. [Return to TOC]
Other Valuable Resources
The following are a few more resources to support your review of Derwent Lightfast Colored Pencils.
Free Derwent Lightfast Colored Pencils Swatch Downloads
To give back to the adult coloring community, I have developed color pencil swatches for all the colored pencil sets I own and have reviewed. Note below two listings for each swatch, “Blank” and “Filled-in.” These terms mean. “Blank” is a swatch version you can download and fill in yourself, and “Filled-in” refers to a version of the swatch I filled in when I reviewed the pencils. You can also use these as a reference to see what the colors will look like before purchasing. Also, see the article “Free Color Pencil Swatch Charts for Adult Coloring (Detailed).”
- Derwent Lightfast 72 Colour Pencils Swatch-Blank
- Derwent Lightfast 72 Colour Pencils Swatch-Filled In
- Derwent Lightfast 100 Colour Pencils Swatch-Blank
Suggested Derwent Lightfast Colored Pencils YouTube Reviews
I encourage you to seek other written evaluations, YouTube discussions, and Amazon-like reviews. I want to suggest the following a few YouTube reviews/opinions.
If you would like to find other reviews, do a Google search query on “derwent lightfast OR coloured pencil review.”
Thank you for taking a moment to view and read the article. Feel free to provide your comments.
Don’t forget to share the post. [Return to TOC]
