Detailed Koh-I-Noor Polycolor 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 Koh-I-Noor Polycolor 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.
Koh-I-Noor Polycolor 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)
Koh-I-Noor Polycolor 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 Koh-I-Noor Polycolor Colored Pencils?”; “What did you experience during the first inspection of Koh-I-Noor Polycolor 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 Koh-I-Noor Polycolor Colored Pencils.
- Best for: Student/Hobbyist
- Size of sets: 12, 24, 36, 48, 72, 144
- Available in open stock: No, you cannot purchase replacement pencils.
- Lightfastness rating: Yes, the pencils do have a lightfast rating.
- Cost range: Mid-range/average (.51 cents to $1.00 dollar)
- Barrel size: 7 mm
- Core size: 3.8 mm
- Type of pencil core: Oil-based Colored Pencils
- Barrel type: Hexagonal
- Wood: Cedar
- Where to buy online: Amazon, Aliexpress, DickBlick, JacksonsArt
- Made by: Koh-I-Noor
- Where manufactured: Czech Republic
- Company URL: https://www.kohinoorusa.com/polycolor
- Google search term: koh-i-noor polycolor colored OR coloured pencil review [Return to TOC]
Barrel Description
The Koh-l-Noor pencil shaft color represents the core pigment which is a close match. On one side of the pencil barrel, you will find the name of the color,
followed by the color number, series of numbers (sic code), barcode, and ending with Czech (standing for the Czech Republic).
On the other side of the shaft, you will find in gold print “Koh-I-Noor Hardtmuth Polycolor,” followed by identification number 3800 (represents the pencil is polycolor), followed by the pigment number. The gold lettering can be a little hard to read at times. At the end of the barrel, there is a white ring that separates a gold tip.
I would have liked to have seen the color name of the pigment higher on the pencil, along with the lightfastness rating. [Return to TOC]
Lightfast Rating
Koh-I-Noor Polycolor colored pencils, **** has the best lightfastness (rated at 50-100+ years), while * is the poorest lightfastness (2-5 years). 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 essential 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.
Range of Colors
The Koh-l-Noor Colored Pencils are a oil-based core. I think you will find that the range of colors is rich and bright and will allow you to color in any themed adult
coloring book easily (e.g., animals, mandala, jungle, forest, mythical, city, shapes, ocean, people).
Are the pencils oil-based or wax-based? The writing on the website and box say “blend of oils.” I went with oil-based pigment.
Before using the colors on a project, I recommend swatching the colors for the set (and for every pencil you own) rather than relying on the color printed on the pencil barrel. This will help you make wiser and more appropriate color choices. Make sure to include the name of the color when you are swatching. Why? When you sharpen the pencil a few times, the name of the color will disappear because of where it is placed on the pencil shaft. [Return to TOC]
Container Description
The Koh-I-Noor comes in a tin container without a hinge, and the internal trays are practical and protective. Unlike other pencil sets with pinch taps on the side of the trays, Koh-I-Noor has easy-to-live cardboard tabs (a nice feature). [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). The pencils are in a colorful, well-designed, sturdy tin with no broken tips or dust. The printing was clear. Overall, I was delighted with the presentation and quality of the pencils. The pencils come pre-sharpened with a blunt point. Overall, I was pleased with the presentation and quality of the pencils. [Return to TOC]
Koh-I-Noor Polycolor 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 Koh-I-Noor Polycolor Colored Pencils?
- Are the Koh-I-Noor Polycolor Colored Pencils better than other colored pencils?
- What are the Koh-I-Noor Polycolor Colored Pencils’ pros and cons?
- What are some tips on making the best purchase decision?”.
How the Colored Pencils Performed
The Koh-l-Noor colored pencils are oil-based core, medium hardness, hexagonal pencils. When I was coloring, I purposely colored with varying levels of pressure
and was able to experience a consistent, smooth feel, good color saturation, and consistent coverage of large areas. I felt some of the colors in the set felt creamier in the application than others.
I like the hexagonal vs. round barrel for colored pencils because they stay in one place when laid on a table. The pencil feels comfortable in my hand.
I like the way the pencils easily layer. As I tested the layering, I purposely was heavy-handed and had a thick application on one coloring page, and I applied a lighter touch and gently applied the layers I wanted. The Koh-l-Noor performed well in both cases, producing beautiful colors. I felt the blending and shading were ok and met what I needed for coloring.
Because the pencil barrel is the color of the pencil pigment, it is easy to quickly find the color the approximate coloring you are looking for combined with your color swatch.
The pencils were easy to sharpen, and I got a nice tip for detail work. One of the drawbacks to sharpening is that after a few times, you will lose the pencil’s color name. Make sure you capture the color name of the pencil in your swatching.
Regarding paper, the color brightness and pencil performance seemed to be just as good on the basic Amazon coloring book paper as on the more expensive artist edition coloring books.
I think there are various ways to determine how you gain the most from the Koh-l-Noor colored pencil. You can use these coloring pencils
- As your sole source of a coloring pencil.
- For practice, before you use more expensive pencils (e.g., Pablo’s, Polychromes)
- For sharing with others in family projects.
- For non-permanent work.
Review Summary and Rating
The Koh-l-Noor colored pencils are oil-based core, medium hardness, hexagonal pencils. Koh-l-Noor Colored Pencils are a good pencil for the adult coloring
community.
When I was coloring, I purposely colored with varying levels of pressure and was able to experience a consistent, smooth feel, good color saturation and consistent coverage.
I think you will find the range of colors to be rich and bright and will allow you to color in any themed adult coloring book easily (e.g., animals, mandala, jungle, forest, mythical, city, shapes, ocean, people). Overall, the coloring experience was good. The important takeaways are as follows:
User Experience (Pros & Cons) Considerations
- Recommend for adult coloring (+)
- Budget-friendly colored pencils (+)
- Best for student/hobbyist (+)
- Oil-based, firm, and durable core (+)
- Pencils do have a lightfast rating (+)
- Color application is smooth (+)
- Pencils respond well to light and heavy pressure (+)
- Good layering and blending for coloring books (+)
- Very nice color selection (+)
- Can sharpen pencils to an excellent point (+)
- Works well with different quality coloring books (+)
- Hexagonal pencil barrel does not roll (+)
- Fair quality for the price (+)
- Satisfactory adult coloring experience (+)
- Colors are not a vibrant as I desire (+/-)
- The pencils can feel scratchy at times (+/-)
- Pencils are not open stock (+/-)
Tips for Purchasing
Because Koh-l-Noor colored pencils do not come in open stock. I always favor purchasing the largest set because you have the color pallet to address various
coloring and drawing projects. I think you would be happy with the 72 or 144 sets.
If you are trying to decide whether to purchase one of the larger sets, I would suggest that you purchase one of the small sets (set of 12) to get a feel for the pencil in coloring, layering, feel in my hand, sharpening and so forth. Amazon is usually the best priced and has the best return policy.
If you decide to get a set, I suggest getting the most extensive set you can afford to 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 Koh-I-Noor Polycolor Colored Pencils.
Free Koh-I-Noor Polycolor 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).”
- Koh-I-Noor Polycolor 72 Color Pencils Swatch-Blank
- Koh-I-Noor Polycolor 72 Color Pencils Swatch-Filled In
Suggested Koh-I-Noor Polycolor 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 “koh-i-noor polycolor colored 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]
