Back in my elementary school art class, my friends and I would scramble for the best colored pencils in the bin of jumbled-up brands—Crayola mixed with Prismacolor mixed with no-name pencils that forced you to press too hard and rip the paper or break the lead. So as an adult, when I started using colored pencils in an anatomy coloring book for my yoga teacher training, I made sure to buy Prismacolor Premier Colored Pencils. They were the best choice back then, and they have been Wirecutter’s pick in our guide to the best colored pencils since 2018.
These perform as effectively as artist-grade pencils that cost twice the price. They lay down vibrant color, blend nicely, and are easy to sharpen.
I’m no artist, but I still want a solid variety of colors and a smooth pencil to make coloring a pleasurable experience. In our testing for the guide, the Premier set was among the best in color range and vibrancy. When I color in a diagram of a diaphragm, for instance, I use different colors for bones and muscles, and I match the varying shades to corresponding parts. Coloring anatomy is surprisingly fun, and it’s helpful to mix a relaxing but stimulating activity like coloring with memorization.
The core of Prismacolor Premier Colored Pencils are made of soft wax—a sign of good quality at a lower price—which gives them a soft tip for smooth gliding when applying color to a page. “They use a lot of pigment in their cores, unlike many cheaper pencils that use more wax or other fillers. Prismacolor’s formula helps them lay down a lot of color and build layers while you’re drawing,” said supervising editor Arthur Gies, who has bachelor’s and master’s degrees in drawing and painting and who drew the art at the top of this article.
The soft core makes the pencils easy to sharpen with a pencil sharpener (such as the Prismacolor Premier Pencil Sharpener), but it also makes them a bit delicate. Arthur recommends keeping them in their case when you’re not using them—drops can occasionally break the core, rendering them unusable. I love the metal box they come in, which is fairly secure when closed and narrow enough to carry on the go. Even though we didn’t rate the Premier set’s packaging top of the list due to the double-tier plastic trays, it’s not a big hassle to remove one tray to see all the pencils at once.
Arthur recommends a pencil extender to get the most out of your Prismacolor colored pencils, and when you use one up you can buy individual colors at almost any art supply store, so you don’t have to buy a new multipack.
Many of our coworkers use them regularly, too. “I use the Prismacolor pencils for various card- and sign-making projects for myself and my kids, and they’re a delight,” said supervising editor Ingrid Skjong. “Creamy, vivid, and they blend well.” And another colleague admitted to keeping herself focused during marathon meetings with these pencils and an adult coloring book.
Since I started coloring again, I’ve reawakened one of my childhood joys. But most importantly, for the sake of my yoga journey, I remember anatomy I otherwise would have forgotten. I even dreamed of it! I’m still in the process of learning and coloring pages, but I think when I’m done, I’ll pick up some coloring books for self-care during long meetings.
This article was edited by Annemarie Conte and Erica Ogg.
