Drawing and Colouring Materials: How to Choose the Right Supplies for Your Needs

Choosing drawing and colouring materials isn’t just about counting the number of shades in a box. A very comprehensive set can quickly become frustrating to use if the leads break, the felt-tips dry out, or the storage isn’t practical for everyday use.

For children, parents, students and craft enthusiasts, three mistakes crop up time and again:

• Relying solely on the number of colours: a generous palette doesn’t make up for poorly suited tips or shades that are hard to tell apart.
• Confusing versatility with universal compatibility: a marker designed for paper won’t necessarily give convincing results on glass, wood or fabric.
• Underestimating ergonomics and storage: an uncomfortable pencil or a poorly thought-out box can put you off practising regularly.

Here are the criteria to consider when choosing supplies that suit your skill level, your surface and how often you use them.

The Essential Criteria Before You Buy

1. The Shape and Sturdiness of the Lead

For children and students, how a pencil feels in the hand matters just as much as the colour. A triangular barrel helps position the fingers correctly and also stops the pencil from rolling off the table. The diameter of the lead affects its strength: a thick lead is better for colouring large areas, while a fine lead makes detail work easier.

Faber-Castell Black Edition coloured pencils have a triangular shape and a Supersoft lead. Their SV bonding process is said to be particularly resistant to breakage. For younger children, the STABILO Trio has a 4.2 mm lead and a thick triangular barrel. However, you should always follow the recommended age on the packaging, as well as the instructions for using the sharpener.

2. The Type of Ink or Pigment

Each technique has its own requirements and isn’t suitable for every surface:

• Graphite pencils are used for sketching, outlines and grey values. A selection of different hardness grades lets you move from a light line to a more pronounced shade.
• Coloured pencils are suitable for colouring, gradients and layering. Oil-based leads generally give a different finish to softer wax-based ones.
• Artist felt-tips and water-based brush pens are used for drawing, bullet journaling and lettering. Thick paper helps prevent bleeding and ink soaking through.
• Acrylic markers work on many surfaces, but it’s always best to test them on an inconspicuous area first. Drying time, adhesion and cleaning vary depending on the surface.
• Soft pastels deposit a powder that can be blended by smudging. A suitable fixative can help limit transfer, provided you follow the manufacturer’s safety precautions.
• Watercolour requires paper that is thick enough to withstand wetting and blending without buckling excessively.

3. The Number of Tips, the Palette and Storage

A dual-tip felt-tip saves you from having to carry several tools. A brush pen with a brush tip and a 0.4 mm fineliner lets you fill in areas, draw outlines and practise lettering.

However, a large palette needs to be easy to read. A blank swatch card helps you identify the actual colours, which can sometimes look very different from those printed on the caps. For taking your supplies on the go, a roll-up case or a rigid box will protect your pencils better than a simple soft pouch.

Recommended for: Beginners on a Budget

STABILO Trio – Cardboard Box of 12 Assorted Colours

Why this choice suits this profile: This set of 12 pencils is ideal for first colouring sessions, school activities and creative time at home. Their thick, triangular barrel makes them easy for children to hold.

How this product avoids the pitfall

With 12 shades, the contents stay simple to organise. The 4.2 mm lead also reduces interruptions for sharpening while colouring.

Main advantage and key features

Triangular barrel, thick 4.2 mm lead, 12 assorted colours and a cardboard case.

Recommended for: Premium Enthusiasts

Faber-Castell Polychromos – Studio Box of 36 Coloured Pencils

Why this choice suits this profile: This set of 36 pencils is aimed at illustrators, art students and enthusiasts who enjoy layering, blending and detail work on suitable paper.

How this product avoids the pitfall

The product description specifies 3.8 mm oil-based leads, designed for layering and blending. The choice is therefore based on the possibilities it offers, not just the size of the palette.

Main advantage and key features

36 shades, 3.8 mm lead, rigid storage box and pigments described as lightfast in the product information.

Recommended for: Specific Uses and Heavy Users

Faber-Castell Acrylmarker Black Edition Shake & Paint – Pack of 6 Metallic Colours

Why this choice suits this profile: This pack is designed for customisation projects and craft activities on paper, wood, glass, metal, plastic or stone. Its tips allow you to create both broad areas of colour and fine details.

How this product avoids the pitfall

The two tips – 3 mm and 1 mm – mean you don’t need to buy several different sizes. You need to shake the marker with the cap on before use, then recap it immediately afterwards.

Main advantage and key features

Six metallic shades, dual tip, opaque acrylic ink and recommended horizontal storage.

Recommended for: Drawing, Lettering and an Extended Palette

Ohuhu Maui Dual Tip Brush Pens – Set of 100 Artist Felt-Tips with Fineliner

Why this choice suits this profile: The 100 numbered colours meet the needs of detailed colouring, sketching, bullet journaling and calligraphy. A storage case is included.

How this product avoids the pitfall

The swatch card helps you find the shades, while the two tips mean you don’t need lots of different tools. The manufacturer recommends recapping the pens after each use.

Main advantage and key features

100 shades, 0.4 mm fineliner, brush tip from 1 to 6 mm, five replacement tips and water-based ink.

Tips for Use and Storage

• Choose paper according to the technique you’re using: thick paper for watercolour and brush pens, a suitable surface for soft pastels.
• Recap your felt-tips as soon as you’ve finished using them to slow down the drying of the tips.
• Store markers according to the manufacturer’s recommendations, often horizontally when they contain pigmented ink.
• Keep small parts, caps and accessories out of the reach of children under 3 years old.
• With acrylic markers, work in a well-ventilated room and avoid surfaces that come into contact with food.
• Store pencils and paints away from moisture, heat and direct sunlight.

FAQ on Drawing and Colouring Materials

What supplies should I get to start drawing at home?

To begin with, simple equipment is enough: graphite pencils in several hardness grades, coloured pencils, an eraser, a sharpener and a notebook with a suitable paper weight. You can then add artist felt-tips or watercolour as you wish, rather than buying everything available all at once.

Are brush pens suitable for children?

They can be used for colouring and lettering, but do check the recommended age, whether there are any small parts and whether the ink is washable. Thick paper is best to prevent bleeding and stains.

How can I make felt-tips and markers last longer?

Recap each tool after use, avoid leaving the tip pressed against a surface and follow the storage instructions. With watercolour, clean your brush before closing the palette. For soft pastels, a flat box helps reduce knocks and the risk of breakage.