Starting your adult colouring journey or looking to upgrade your supplies? Having the right tools can transform your colouring experience, making it more enjoyable and rewarding. Whether you're searching for premium pencils, versatile watercolours, or practical accessories, I’ve curated this guide to your essential art supplies for beginners with some of my favourites to help you get started.
COLOURED PENCILS
Premium Option: Prismacolor Premier Pencils
Prismacolor Premier pencils are my top pick for premium coloured pencils. Their creamy cores and vibrant pigments make blending and layering effortless, perfect for beginners and experienced colourists alike.
Key Features:
Wide range of 150 colours, including pastels and skin tones.
Soft cores for smooth blending.
Available in smaller sets and open stock.
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Premium Option: Faber-Castell Polychromos Pencils
For a premium, durable option, the Faber-Castell Polychromos coloured pencils are a fantastic choice. These oil-based pencils have a firmer core than Prismacolors, making them perfect for layering and achieving detailed, realistic effects.
Key Features:
A set of 120 vibrant colours with excellent lightfastness.
Firm cores allow for detailed layering and blending.
Available in open stock for easy replacement.
While Polychromos may not have as many pastels or light tones as Prismacolors, their layering capabilities allow you to create those effects with ease. Plus, they pair perfectly with the Albrecht Durer watercolour pencils for added versatility.
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Budget Option: Arrtx Coloured Pencils
Arrtx pencils are a budget-friendly alternative with a similar feel to Prismacolors but at a fraction of the price.
Key Features:
Soft, waxy cores for smooth application.
126 vibrant colours.
Not available in open stock.
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Another Budget Option: Black Widow Pencils
With 180 colours spread across multiple sets, Black Widow pencils offer versatility and affordability.
SHARPENERS
My Top Pick: Dahle 133 Hand Crank Sharpener
This versatile sharpener prevents breakages in soft-core pencils like Prismacolors and features adjustable sharpness settings.
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WATERCOLOUR PENCILS
Premium Option: Faber-Castell Albrecht Durers
These highly pigmented watercolour pencils can be used wet or dry, and they pair perfectly with Polychromos.
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Budget Option: Arrtx Watercolour Pencils
Affordable and beginner-friendly, these watercolour pencils deliver beautiful results when activated with water.
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ALCOHOL MARKERS
Premium Option: Ohuhu Honolulu Markers
Ohuhu markers are a fantastic choice for beginners and experienced colourists. With options like the 48-set or the full 320-set, they offer a wide colour range and excellent blendability.
Key Features:
Brush, fine and chisel nibs choices for versatility.
Open stock, refillable, and nib replacements available.
Perfect for basing or standalone use.
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Budget Option: Grabie Alcohol Markers
A great budget-friendly option, Grabie markers perform on par with premium brands. The 48-set offers a functional colour range and comes with a cute little colouring book.
See AlsoDIY Upcycled New Year's Eve Outfit Ideas - Kbsm.orgHow to make bracelets without Loom? - Mad PenguinSewing Ideas for Accessories: 20 Easy DIY Projects You Can Make Today (2025)Key Features:
Brush and chisel nibs.
Soft nibs for smooth blending.
Ideal for beginners.
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PENCIL CASES
BTSKY Pencil Cases
BTSKY cases are perfect for storing and organising your pencils. They come in plain or patterned designs, with options for larger capacities (like 200 slots) to fit extra tools for travel.
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Pencil Rolls
For smaller sets, I love pencil rolls like the elephant-patterned ones I use. They’re compact and include extra slots for embellishments.
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WATER-SOLUBLE PRODUCTS & BACKGROUND OPTIONS
Derwent Inktense Pencils
Derwent Inktense pencils provide vibrant, ink-like results that become permanent once dry, allowing for layering without reactivation.
Key Features:
Available in sets up to 100 pencils.
Great for basing or standalone use.
Open stock available for gradual collection building.
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Neocolor 2 Crayons
These water-soluble pastel crayons are ideal for quick and vibrant backgrounds. Use them dry, activated with water, or as watercolours.
Best Starter Tip:Choose 3 shades from the same colour family (e.g., blues or greens) to practice blending.
Pro Tip:Keep shavings in containers or paint pans for reuse as watercolours.
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Distress Inks
These inks are perfect for creating soft, blended backgrounds. I recommend starting with mini-sized padsfor affordability and convenience.
Best Colours to Start With:
Sky/Clouds:Tumbled Glass, Broken China.
Greens:Forest Moss, Peeled Paint, Shabby Shutters.
Sunset:Barn Door, Ripe Persimmon, Dried Marigold.
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Arteza Soft Pastels
Arteza’s set of 72 soft pastels offers a wide range of colours for quick and versatile backgrounds. They’re easy to blend, erase, and use with stencils for patterns or gradients.
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Nyoni Chalk Pastel Pencils
This portrait set of 24 pastel pencils makes colouring skin tones quick and easy. Use with a blending stump for seamless results.
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King Art Gel Sticks
King Art Gel Sticks are an easy-to-use alternative to pastels, with a finish similar to distress inks. They’re smooth, blendable, and perfect for backgrounds or layering.
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WATERCOLOUR PAINT PALETTES
Meiliang 48 Paint Set
The Meiliang 48 watercolour paint set is a versatile and vibrant choice for beginners and seasoned colourists alike. This set includes a wide range of primary and earth tones, plus 12 beautiful metallic and glitter colours for added sparkle.
Why It’s a Favourite:
High-quality pigments for bright, vibrant colours.
Includes metallic paints for unique embellishments.
Compact size with a built-in palette for convenience.
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Grabie 100 Paint Set
Featuring a mix of pastels, fluorescents, metallics, and vibrant tones, this set is perfect for beginners.
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Paul Rubens Youlan 24 Paint Set
This artist-grade palette is a great beginner set with a range of nature and primary colours.
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TOOLS & ACCESSORIES
Blending Tools:
Paper Blending Stumps:Ideal for blending mediums such as soft pastels.
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Distress Ink Blending Tools:Essential tools for smooth ink blending.
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Silicone-Tipped Applicators for Masking Fluid:
Silicone-tipped applicators are my go-to tool for applying masking fluid with precision. These tools are perfect for detailed work, as the rubbery tips prevent damage to your page and make it easy to peel off dried masking fluid for a clean finish.
Why I Love Them:
Multiple tip shapes and sizes for detailed application.
Easy to clean—just peel off dried masking fluid.
Durable and long-lasting.
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Eraser:
My favourite is the Derwent Battery Operated Eraserwhich offers precision and ease.
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Workable Fixatives:
Fixatives are a must-have for anyone working with soft pastels, coloured pencils, or mixed media. I recommend using a workable fixative, which allows you to continue working on your page after application. It helps to set soft pastels, reduce wax bloom from pencils, and minimise colour transfer to the opposite page.
Why Use a Fixative:
Protects your work from smudging or transferring.
Keeps pastel or pencil layers intact while allowing for additional layering.
A final spray after completion ensures long-term preservation.
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Water Brushes:
Water brushes are essential for working with water-soluble mediums like watercolour pencils, Inktense, and Neocolor 2s. My favourite brand is Arteza, as their brushes offer excellent control over water flow and come in various sizes to suit different needs.
Why I Recommend Them:
Easy to refill and clean.
Great for travel and compact storage.
Provide consistent water flow for smooth application.
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Pencil Extenders:
When your pencils get too short to hold comfortably, pencil extendersare a must-have accessory. I recommend the Derwent Pencil Extenders, which come in a pack of two and fit most pencil sizes.
Why I Love Them:
The black extender is perfect for slim pencils like Prismacolors.
The grey extender fits larger-barrel pencils like Polychromos.
Long-lasting and durable, making them a one-time purchase.
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WHITE PENS FOR HIGHLIGHTS OR DETAILS
Adding highlights or covering black lines is an essential part of enhancing your colouring pages. Here are my favourite white pens for this purpose:
Tooli-Art White Acrylic Paint Pens
These are my go-to pens for creating bold, opaque highlights and covering black lines. They offer smooth application and come in various nib sizes, making them versatile for fine details or larger areas.
Key Features:
Consistent, even application.
Long-lasting and reliable performance.
Available in sets, including black-and-white bundles.
Shop Tooli-Art Paint Pens:
Uni-Ball Signo Gel Pen (White)
A classic choice for fine highlights and delicate details. Although it can be a bit finicky, warming the pen before use ensures smooth ink flow.
Pro Tip:Keep a blank piece of paper nearby to scribble on and restart the ink flow when needed.
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SPARKLY EMBELLISHMENTS
Adding shimmer and sparkle can elevate your colouring projects, creating eye-catching and magical effects. Here are some of my top picks:
Gelly Roll Pens
These versatile pens are perfect for small details and embellishments, with a variety of finishes to suit your needs:
Stardust: Glittery and perfect for adding sparkle.
Metallic: Soft, shiny tones like a pale gold for subtle accents.
Glaze: Glossy, raised effects.
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Sparkle Pop Pens
These bold, glittery pens add a dual-tone metallic shimmer that changes with the angle of light. They're perfect for creating eye-catching details on magical or whimsical pages.
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KJDesignByKaren Metallic Watercolours
Handcrafted and richly pigmented, these metallic watercolours are ideal for backgrounds and embellishments. They’re available as single half pans or curated sets, with "Golden" being a must-have for its luxurious shine.
Shop KJDesignByKaren Watercolours: VisitEtsyStore
Shimmer Sprays
Imagine Crafts Shimmer Spray: Perfect for adding delicate shimmer to backgrounds or large areas.
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Kaisercraft Gold Shimmer Spray: An Aussie favourite for golden accents, with Imagine Crafts offering a great alternative for international buyers.
Shop Kaisercraft Spray: AU
Super Golden Markers (Lightwish)
Richly pigmented and super shiny, these markers are perfect for bold metallic accents on borders, clothing, or decorative details.
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Extreme Glitter Hologram Paint
This intense holographic glitter paint is ideal for adding sparkle to wings, water, night skies, and other fantasy elements.
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FolkArt Colour Shift Paints
These iridescent paints shift between hues depending on the light, making them perfect for mystical elements like dragon scales or butterfly wings.
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DecoArt Dazzling Metallics
Rich and creamy, these metallic acrylic paints are perfect for crowns, jewellery, or steampunk-themed elements. They also work beautifully for backgrounds.
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PAPER FOR PRINTING PDFs
My favourite paper for printing colouring pages is Neenah White Index Cardstock. Its thick, smooth texture ensures great results with pencils and markers.
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CONCLUSION
Starting your colouring journey with the right tools can make all the difference, whether you're exploring vibrant alcohol markers, creating dreamy backgrounds with pastels and Neocolor 2s, or adding sparkling embellishments to make your pages pop. The products and recommendations in this guide are tried, tested, and loved by me, and I hope they inspire you to bring your colouring projects to life.
If you're ready to elevate your colouring experience, you can find all these supplies and more through my curated Amazon storefronts:
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I’d love to hear about your favourite supplies or see your creations! Feel free to reach out to me or tag me on social media to share your colouring journey. Happy colouring, and may your pages be as colourful as your imagination! 🎨✨