Colour Pencils for Beginners: Sets, Skin Tones and Blending

Posted by

Haanz Team

2026-10-18

On 2026-10-18

Haanz Art GuideFree, practical advice from the team at Haanz Art & Craft Materials

Colour pencils are clean, portable and easy to control, which makes them a favourite with children, students and adult hobbyists alike. This guide to colour pencils for beginners explains how many colours you really need, the sets we stock, skin tone pencils for portraits, and the layering and blending techniques that make colours look rich instead of patchy.

How many colour pencils do you need?

12 colours: enough for young children and simple colouring, and for learning to mix by layering.
24 colours: a good choice for school students, with more greens, browns and light shades.
36–48 colours: for older students and hobbyists who want smoother transitions without as much layering.

More colours save time, but layering two or three pencils can make almost any shade.

Colour pencil sets we stock

Everyday sets: Camel Colour Pencil Set 12 and 24, and DOMS Colour Pencils in 12 and 24.
Nyoni Colored Pencils: 24 pack and 48 pack, with vivid colours and smooth laydown.
Pentel Arts Colour Pencils: 12 colours and 24 colours, strong pigment colours that blend easily.
Mont Marte Colour Pencils: 12, 24 and 36 pieces, with vibrant, blendable colours.
Prismacolor: 12 set and 24 set, with soft, thick cores and creamy pigment for blending and layering.

Skin tone pencils for portraits

Getting natural skin colours from a standard set takes a lot of layering. Skin tone sets give you a ready range of warm and cool skin colours. The Worison Skin Colour Pencils (12 pack), KeepSmiling Skin Tints Pastel Pencils and Mont Marte Skin Tints Pastel Pencils are pastel pencils, which are softer and more powdery than ordinary colour pencils and blend very smoothly. They work well together with colour pencils on drawing paper. See our soft pastels guide for more on pastels.

Prices change, so see each product page for today’s price. Browse all colour pencils and skin tint sets. Want a painted look? See our watercolour pencils guide.

Colour pencil techniques

Layering: build colour in several light layers rather than pressing hard once. Light layers leave room to add more colours on top.
Blending: overlap two colours where they meet, then go over the area with the lighter colour, or with a blending stump.
Burnishing: for a smooth, shiny finish, press firmly with a light colour or white over your layers at the end.
Hatching: draw lines close together for texture; cross them for darker areas.
Shading: darken with a darker colour of the same family, such as dark green over light green, rather than with black.

Colouring books for relaxing practice

Colouring books are a relaxing way to practise blending and layering. Fujin colouring books are A5 with 30 pages, in designs such as Mandala Colouring 01, Animals 1, Animals 2 and Shapes 1. Try filling each shape with two or three colours that fade into each other.

Paper and tips

Smooth to medium drawing paper, around 160gsm or more, takes many layers. Our drawing paper guide explains paper weights.
Keep a sharp point for detail and use the side of the lead for large areas.
Sharpen gently; dropped pencils can break inside the wood.
Work light to dark, and leave the white of the paper for the brightest highlights.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between colour pencils and watercolour pencils?

Watercolour pencils have water-soluble leads that turn into paint with a wet brush. Ordinary colour pencils stay as drawn.

Which colour pencils are good for school?

A 24-colour set suits most school work. Check your teacher’s list for any brand or size they ask for.

How do I stop colour pencil looking patchy?

Use light pressure, small circular strokes and several layers, and choose smoother, heavier paper.

Do you deliver islandwide?

Yes. We deliver across Sri Lanka in 2–5 working days, with cash on delivery, card or bank transfer. You can also visit our shops in Boralesgamuwa and Horana, open every day from 9 AM to 6 PM.

Not sure what to choose? WhatsApp the Haanz team on 0711 515 515 and we’ll help you choose a colour pencil set.

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