Detailed Derwent Studio 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 Studio 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 Studio 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 Studio 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 Studio Colored Pencils?”; “What did you experience during the first inspection of Derwent Studio 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 Studio Colored Pencils.
- Best for: Student/Hobbyist
- Size of sets: 12, 24, 36, 48, 72
- 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: 6.9 mm
- Core size: 3.4 mm
- Type of pencil core: Wax-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 studio 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 Derwent Studio pencil shaft is a round, dark blue matt finish with a colorful endcap marking the color of the pigment core. On the one portion of the shaft in
silver foil, it reads, “England,” followed by “Derwent Studio.” At the end of the pencil, you will find the name of the color in English and the numerical code for the color. The barrel is thinner than the other Derwent Coloursoft, Derwent Procolour, and Derwent Lightfast colored pencil sets. I like the hexagonal barrel, which keeps the pencil from rolling off the table. [Return to TOC]
Lightfast Rating
Yes. 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.
The Derwent Lightfast system is known as the Blue Wool System. Pigments are rated on a scale of 1-8, with one being the lowest and eight the highest. Any pigment rated six or above is considered the best lightfast and will not fade for 100-plus years. The Derwent scale is as follows:
- Excellent (7-8)
- Good to Very Good (5-6)
- Fair to Moderate (3-4)
- Not rated (1-2)
Of the 72 pigments in the Derwent Studio family, only 16 Studio Pencils are rated six or above.
Range of Colors
The Derwent Studio is a hard-core wax-based colored pencil with a good range of attractive pigments that have proven to be good for details and acceptable for layering and blending. The colors are not as vibrant as other Derwent sets, and you have the color pallet to color most coloring book scenes or themes. [Return to TOC]
Container Description
Versions of Derwent Studio 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 are 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 the pencils was a little light on a few pencils but 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. [Return to TOC]
Derwent Studio 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 Studio Colored Pencils?
- Are the Derwent Studio Colored Pencils better than other colored pencils?
- What are the Derwent Studio Colored Pencils’ pros and cons?
- What are some tips on making the best purchase decision?”.
How the Colored Pencils Performed
The Derwent Studio colored pencil is a hard-core wax-based pencil that can efficiently produce satisfactory color. I expected the 6.9 mm barrel to feel small in my hands compared to 8 mm Derwent barrels, which were very comfortable and
easy to use.
The Studio pencils have a hard tip and good core, and I did not break even when pressing a little harder. I liked how I could use the pencil for fine detail I find in coloring books, postcards and mini editions from artists like Hana Karlzon, Johanna Basford, Joseph Catimban, Kirby Rosanes, Maria Trolle, Millie Marotta and Rachel Reinert.
As I layered the pigment, I did experience a waxy bloom with muting of the colors. The pencils kept a sharp point for those tiny details and were great for keeping in the lines in adult coloring books. The color palette is sufficient to allow me to color an image in any themed, any themed colored book.
Overall I thought the pencils were satisfactorily blendable. I was able to blend Derwent Studio with dry blending, blending pencil or Gamsol, 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 Coloursoft Colored Pencils instead.
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. The pencils felt a little scratchy on the cheaper paper, and overall I think the pencils do better on the smooth and thicker paper.
Derwent Studio will sharpen to a fine point without crumbling. 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. Nothing is more frustrating than seeing a good pencil whittled down with a poor sharpener.
I would have liked to have a more extensive set than 72 pencils. When transporting the tin pencil case, I need to place a rubber band around the case to keep the lid from coming off. [Return to TOC]
Review Summary and Rating
Derwent Studio seems to be a great pencil for line drawing, diagrams, or anywhere you need clean, sharp lines. The pencils are great for holding a point. If I were to invest in these pencils for adult coloring, I would combine Derwent Studio with
another set. For example, I would use the Derwent Studio for fine detail in coloring books, postcards and mini editions I have from my favorite artists. And then I would use Derwent Coloursoft for everything else.
I would not have any problem using both sets of pencils on the same coloring page. Derwent Studio 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. The important takeaways are as follows:
User Experience (Pros & Cons) Considerations
- Recommend for adult coloring (+)
- Best for student/hobbyist (+)
- Wax-based, medium-hardness core (+)
- Yes, pencils are available in open-stock (+)
- Yes, pencils have a lightfast rating (+)
- A broad range of colors (+)
- Rich pigmentation (+)
Color application is smooth and creamy (+) - Pencils respond well to light and heavy pressure (+)
- Did not experience any dusting (+)
- Sharpens to a fine point (+)
- Works well with different quality coloring books (+)
- Holds a point well for find detail.
- Pencils feel good in the hand (+)
- Excellent quality for the price (+)
- Lovely adult coloring experience (+)
- High-end priced colored pencils (+/-)
- Lid on tin case needs to be more secure (+/-)
- Minor wax boom when coloring (+/-)
- Not as easy for layering and blending as other Derwent pencils (+/-)
- Not good for larger areas (+/-)
Tips for Purchasing
Derwent Studio Colored Pencils are considered high-end/expensive and premium ($1.00-$2.00) and come in sets of 12, 24, 36, and 72 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 Studio Colored Pencils, I would suggest that you purchase 3-5 five open-stock pencils (e.g., about $2.00-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 Studio Colored Pencils.
Free Derwent Studio 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).”
Suggested Derwent Studio 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 studio 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]
