When coloring an image on paper, there are certain aspects that you want to get just right. For example, if you’re coloring a piece of jewelry, it can be important to get that metallic sheen of the gold or silver. For that, you’ll need metallic pencils.
So, what are the best metallic pencils? The best colored metallic pencils have a great shine, include a good color variety, are durable, and work great on both black and white paper.
It can be difficult to get a good set of metallic pencils. Although they may look great online, the colors may not have that metallic sheen you’re looking for.
Before you buy a pack of metallic pencils, check out our buyer’s guide and recommended products below.
How To Choose The Best Metallic Pencils
Choosing a good set of metallic pencils is about looking for the top qualities that set them apart from regular colored pencils, and from other metallic pencils on the market. Check out the top qualities for metallic pencils below.
Shine
The best set of metallic pencils will have that distinctive shine or sheen you might expect from a metallic color set. Of course, you can’t replicate exactly how shiny metal is with a pencil. It’s important to have realistic expectations of what this art form can accomplish.
You want a set of metallic pencils that has a visible shine when you hold it and turn it in the light. It may have to be tilted a certain way to catch the light right, but when it does, it should have that metallic shine.
Some metallic pencils on the market have very little shine, if any at all. You want to avoid these, because you’re really just buying a regular set of colored pencils with the word “metallic” on the packaging.
Instead, look for a set that has great reviews and even pictures of the way the metallic shine catches in the light for a radiant look.
Color Variety
While the best number of color variety will vary based on the artist, it’s important to get a set that has more than just gold and silver.
While metal is traditionally only a few colors, you may want to achieve that same shiny look with other colors such as pink and green.
This would be useful when coloring a fancy ball gown, for example, that you want to give a nice and unique shine to so it stands out on the page.
Some metallic pencil packs will only come with 8-12 colors, and some come with as many as 48-50. Don’t get discouraged if a pack is only 8-12 colors. Sometimes, less is more, and these packs have the best metallic quality.
Don’t be fooled by a pack that has 48-50 colors either. Even if you have a large amount of colors, they may not have that metallic shine you’re looking for.
You simply want to make sure that you have enough color variety to make your drawings interesting and add pops of shine wherever needed.
Durability
Colored pencils sometimes break, and it would be unrealistic to expect otherwise.
However, the best quality metallic pencils won’t break every time you use them. The tip will last for as long as you’re using it until it’s been rubbed down to a nub and needs to be re-sharpened.
Some colored pencil manufacturers value a creamy texture for the core of their pencils, and this isn’t always a bad thing. But if they make the texture so smooth that it crumbles all the time, it isn’t worth the money.
The same thing goes for colored pencils that have cores that are too dense and stiff. If they don’t have enough elasticity to glide smoothly over the page, they may break every time you try to color in a section.
It’s good to get a happy medium between these two textures. Your metallic pencils should be smooth and creamy, but with enough durability to withstand the pressure of coloring.
Work Great On Black And White Paper
Metallic pencils sometimes look best when used on black paper. The dark background helps the shine to really pop.
Good metallic pencils can work on white paper too. You should be able to color on any surface you choose without worrying about whether the metallic shine will show up correctly.
It may look different on white paper than it does on black paper, but that metallic shine should still be there and remain distinct among the other colors.
It can be hard to tell whether these pencils look great on black and white paper without using them first, so be sure to check the reviews.
Many customer reviews include images, so you’ll be able to see the way the metallic pencils look on different papers depending on the pictures posted.
The Best Metallic Pencils
If you’re interested in buying a pack of metallic pencils to brighten up your next drawing, check out the sets we recommend below.
| Rank | Product | Key Features |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | Faber-Castell Metallic Colored Ecopencils | 12 colors, high shine, great durability |
| 2. | Derwent Colored Pencils | 12 colors, high shine, great durability, comes with metal tin for storage |
| 3. | CRETACOLOR MegaColor Colored Pencil Set | 12 colors, great shine, great durability, comes with metal tin for storage |
| 4. | Arteza Metallic Colored Pencils, Set of 50 | 50 colors, good shine, good durability, triangular shape |
| 5. | Crayola Metallic FX Colored Pencils - 8 Pencils | 8 colors, good shine, great durability |
| 6. | Qianshan Metallic Colored Pencils 12 Colors | 12 colors, good shine, good durability, black wood |
| 7. | MXXGMYJ 12 Count Metallic Colored Pencils | 12 colors, good shine, good durability, black wood |
| 8. | Castle Art Supplies 48 Piece Metallic Colored Pencil Set | 48 colors, shine level varies, good durability |
| 9. | Sargent Art Metallic Colored Pencils | 12 colors, shine level varies, okay durability, sometimes has problems in shipping |
1. Faber-Castell Metallic Colored Ecopencils
If you’re looking for a great pack of metallic colored pencils and don’t care about having a huge variety, then the Faber-Castell Metallic Colored EcoPencils are perfect for you.
This set comes with 12 metallic colors to add shine and vibrancy to your drawings, including cold, silver, pink, purple, green, blue, and more.
Faber-Castell is a well-respected brand in the art supplies world, so you can rest assured that these metallic pencils will be good quality and very durable.
They’re created with break-resistant leads designed to keep you drawing without having to constantly stop to re-sharpen.
These metallic pencils work best on dark paper, but also look great on white paper.
2. Derwent Colored Pencils
Another fantastic set of high quality metallic pencils are the Derwent Colored Pencils.
This set of 12 metallic pencils includes classic colors such as gold, pewter, bronze, and silver, while including other vibrant colors such as pink, purple, and blue.
Derwent is one of the most popular brands for metallic pencils because they have such a great shine. They’re right up there in quality next to Faber-Castell as being some of the best metallic colored pencils you can buy.
Because they’re so high quality, you can rest assured that they’ll be plenty durable to last you a long time – not just per coloring session, but for the whole life of the pencils.
One great advantage to the Derwent Metallic Colored Pencils is that they come in their own storage tin. This tin will protect the ends from breaking while not in use, keeping your pencils in their best shape for a long time.
3. CRETACOLOR MegaColor Colored Pencil Set
CRETACOLOR is another company that offers a fantastic set of 12 metallic colored pencils.
This metallic drawing set, called The Brilliants, comes with 12 colors including your classic metallic colors like gold and silver, as well as your fun colors like pink, purple, green, and blue.
These metallic pencils are highly pigmented, so not only do you get that great metallic shine, but you also get vivid colors underneath the shine.
Another great thing about this set is that they have an incredibly smooth and creamy consistency, gliding across the page with ease, but they’re also durable. They won’t break down or crumble while you color.
This set also comes with its own storage tin, just like the Derwent set above, so you can store your pencils when not in use to keep them ready for next time.
4. Arteza Metallic Colored Pencils, Set of 50
The Arteza Metallic Colored Pencils is our first set with a huge color variety. It includes 50 colors!
This means that you get a wide array of classic and fun metallic colors to play with in tons of fun ways. With this set, you can easily create an entire butterfly landscape using only metallic pencils!
The core of these colored pencils is made of soft wax, so it will feel smooth while you’re working but won’t break or crumble too easily.
These pencils are also made in a soft triangular shape rather than the pure rounded pencils you may be used to, making these easier to hold for long periods of time.
If you’re looking for the biggest color variety, then this is the perfect set of metallic pencils for you.
5. Crayola Metallic FX Colored Pencils – 8 Pencils
Crayola has been a reputable art brand for decades. They’ve produced high quality crayons, markers, paints, and colored pencils – and these metallic pencils are no exception.
Although their set is the smallest with only 8 colors, those 8 colors you get work great! You’ll get the traditional gold and silver while also getting a couple purples, a green, and a few other colors.
When it comes to the metallic shine, these pencils do not disappoint. You may not get a huge color variety, but you’ll definitely get a great metallic shine!
These pencils are great for those who already have a large colored pencils collection and are simply looking to add a few metallic colors to the mix.
6. Qianshan Metallic Colored Pencils 12 Colors
This set of metallic pencils from Qianshan is another great choice for those looking to get a good set for a good price.
It includes 12 colors with the classic gold, silver, and bronze, as well as fun and vibrant colors such as pink, purple, and blue.
One thing that makes these pencils stand out from the others on our list so far is their black wood. Rather than being made with the traditional light pencil wood, these are made with black wood.
The black wood really helps the colors pop and gives you a great idea of just how vibrant and shiny each color is.
The pencils have a smooth consistency, allowing the color to glide on with ease, but won’t break down every time you press them onto the paper.
7. MXXGMYJ 12 Count Metallic Colored Pencils
Another great set of black wood metallic pencils is the set.
These colored pencils have a vibrant pigmentation that makes them eye catching before they even hit the paper. Once you see their metallic shine, you’ll be glad you grabbed this set.
It comes with 12 colors, each one highly pigmented and ready to add the perfect metallic sheen to your drawing.
Rather than being a fully rounded pencil, these have the classic hexagonal shape, making them easier to hold and preventing them from rolling easily off of your drawing surface.
8. Castle Art Supplies 48 Piece Metallic Colored Pencil Set
Castle Arts has another fantastic set of metallic pencils for those looking to get a big color variety.
Their metallic pencils set comes with 48 premium soft touch metallic pencils. The wax core gives them a soft touch while maintaining durability while coloring.
The variety of 48 colors is perfect for those who want a little bit of shine in every color they use. You’ll be able to create entire images with this metallic pencils set.
These are fairly expensive when compared to some of the other packs on the list, but the price is proportional when you consider how many more colors you’ll be getting than the other 12-packs.
There are some customer reviews that state these pencils don’t have a lot of metallic shine, so this set may be best for those looking for a more subtle metallic look.
9. Sargent Art Metallic Colored Pencils
Sargent Art also has a set of metallic colored pencils, with a different color variety than you may have seen on this list.
In this 12-color set, you’ll get the classic gold, silver, and bronze, but the other colors have a more natural look. There are several greens and purples, along with an orange and blue, that give this set an advantage for metallic landscape drawings.
Some customers have noted that this particular set of colored pencils has issues when shipping, and often the pencils arrive with their tips broken or the box slightly damaged.
This is expected during shipping, but be aware that the pre-sharpened tips may need re-sharpened upon arrival.
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