A good colored pencil set can sometimes cost a fortune, and it is surely an investment that you’ll want to get the most out of. While you don’t have to worry about colored pencils drying out or melting like markers or pastels, there are still a few things you need to do in order to properly store them and preserve their quality over time.
This is especially true if you tend to leave your colored pencils all over the place, causing them to become damaged one way or another.
So, how do you store colored pencils? To store colored pencils, you’ll need to keep them out of direct sunlight and away from heat and humidity. Storing them in a pencil bag or artist’s case will offer the best protection and keep them from getting lost, stepped on, or otherwise damaged.
If you’re looking for a better way to store your colored pencils, below are our top tips.
Avoid Heat, Humidity, And Sunlight
Direct sunlight and heat are not great for colored pencils. Sunlight and heat can cause some of the pigments in the core to fade and also cause the tip to get a bit dry. The heat can also cause the tip to become quite brittle.
This effect is more noticeable in colored pencils with a soft and smooth core. They are so satisfying to color with, but they often have poor lightfastness and can easily fade when exposed to sunlight.
If your desk or drawing area is by a window, you will want to keep your colored pencils away from the direct sunlight. That way, the colored pencils can maintain their color quality.
As you have probably guessed, the best place to store your colored pencils is a cool place in your craft corner. You’ll also want to keep the pencils away from humidity, and especially areas with extreme humidity fluctuations since this can also damage the pencils’ cores.
Avoid Dropping Or Stepping On Pencils
Although this sounds pretty self-explanatory, this is usually the most common cause of damage for colored pencils, especially if you have young children who love playing around with colored pencils. In this case, encouraging your kids to always put away the pencils after each use is a great way to avoid accidentally damaging them.
If you are using several colors in one sitting, try having a tray or a cup handy to easily access the pencils and prevent them from rolling around your workspace and onto the floor.
Get A Pencil Case
A pencil case is a great way to keep your colored pencils away from the elements and protect them from the elements. When you buy a set of color pencils, many do come with a carrying case of their own.
Cases like this are great to shield the pencils away from direct sunlight or changes in humidity. If you were to drop the pencils, a protective case would also help to protect them from the impact. Our favorite is this one because it keeps your pencils safe as well as perfectly organized, and it has pockets for erasers and other accessories!
If you want to protect the sharp tips even further, you can use a soft cloth or a piece of foam around the tips. That way, the tips can stay sharp for the next use.
If you have a pencil case, do not throw other things like scissors, markers, or erasers in with the pencils. This may be convenient for taking your color pencils on the go, but the movement can toss the pieces around and damage the pencils’ tips.
When you organize your colored pencils, you can keep them in the same order as the color wheel by grouping similar colors together. Not only will this help you access the colors later when you need to find them, but you’ll also have an easier time mixing and matching colors as well.
Tips for Making the Most out of Your Colored Pencils
In addition to the above tips, here are some other things you should note about storing your color pencils properly:
- Always put your color pencils away after each use. Not only will this keep your workspace organized, but you’ll also have a smaller chance of accidentally dropping or losing them.
- If you don’t have a carrying case, then you can use a mug to store the pencils vertically, with the tips pointing upwards, so that they are protected. If you do this, make sure to keep the pencils away from the elements.
- If you have to put your color pencils in storage for a long time, consider using saran wrap or old newspaper to wrap them up before putting them away. This is just an added layer of protection against any movements or changes in temperature and humidity in storage.
- If your color pencils have been in storage for a few years, the tips may seem brittle. Sharpening the pencils to reveal a fresh core usually does the trick, and you can use the pencils as normal.
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