How to Use Watercolor Pencils (Even If You Prefer Paint)

Watercolor pencils are a lovely, beginner-friendly tool for adding soft color to your art practice. Even though I focus on handmade watercolor paints (and not pencils), I know many of you love to explore all kinds of creative tools—and watercolor pencils can be a gentle entry point into working with color and water.

So let’s explore how to use them, how they differ from traditional watercolor, and how you can combine them with your existing practice if you like.

What Are Watercolor Pencils?

Watercolor pencils look just like colored pencils, but they’re made with water-soluble pigment. When you add water, the color activates—softening, blending, and behaving more like watercolor paint.

They're often used for:

• Soft sketching before painting
• Adding detail or definition to watercolor work
• Travel or on-the-go art journaling

You can draw with them dry and add water with a brush, or wet the pencil tip first to draw more pigment-rich lines.

How Are They Different from Paint?

Unlike handmade watercolor paints (which are full-bodied and fluid), watercolor pencils give you more control in the beginning stages. But they don’t have the same vibrancy, granulation, or richness that paint offers.

Still, they’re a sweet tool when:

• You want precision before you layer with paint
• You enjoy a sketchy, textured look
• You’re just starting and need to build confidence

Let them be part of your creative toolkit, not a replacement for intuition or flow.

Want More Movement? Try Paint Instead

If you love watching color bloom on wet paper or mixing earthy, handmade pigments that move with water, watercolor paint will take you deeper. And if you're ready to explore that softness and surrender, I’d love to introduce you to my handmade eco-friendly watercolor collection—rooted in the elements and full of soul.

- You might enjoy this post: What Makes Watercolor Unique?