Below is a list of essential and helpful tools and materials to acquire to get started.

Pencil colors to get started:

If you choose to start with a smaller set of Prismacolor Premier Colored Pencils, I’d suggest the set of 48, the list of colors and their numbers are on the Prismacolor website. There are just two other colors from open stock that I would add to the set of 48 to have a really good range and they are Black Grape (PC996) and Pumpkin Orange (PC1032).

You could also study the various colors at your local art supply store or on web sites like    Blick Art Materialsthat sell open stock to see what you’d like to try, or if you’re following tutorials in books or online, you may wish to get the colors they suggest. If you are concerned about lightfastness, you can purchase a “Lightfastness Test Result Workbook” from the Colored Pencil Society of America – you will have to become a member first to acquire the book.

*** Most essential | ** Good to have | * Not necessary, but can be helpful

• A set or assortment of artist grade colored pencils***
• Electric sharpener***
• An assortment of archival papers***
• Graphite pencils, at least a 2B, 3B and a mechanical pencil***
• Sketch pad and note book***
• Reusable adhesive putty, for erasing***
• Low tack tape, for erasing***
• Drafting brush, for dusting paper***
• Soft cotton cloth, for cleaning pencils***
• Kneaded erasers***
• Tracing paper**
• Battery operated eraser**
• Gray Scale and Value Finder**
• Metal ruler**
• Colorless blenders**
• Paper cutter or trimmer**
• X-Acto knife, for trimming or scraping paper**
• Self healing cutting mat**
• Lamp/s, with daylight bulbs**
• Drawing board**
• Workable fixative, to seal finished pieces**
• Pencil extender**
• Non-Toxic Solvent**
• Brushes or Q-Tips for using solvents**
• Bristle (paint) brushes for blending*
• Hand held sharpener, just for back-up*
• Col-Erase pencils by Prismacolor, erasable pencils*
• Soft plastic erasers*
• Erasing shield*
• Frisket film, for preserving whites or erasing*
• Stylus or Embossing tool, for impressing lines*
• Light box*
• Sheet of slick paper, to keep under your hand while working*
• Very fine sandpaper, to either sharpen or dull pencil points*
• Containers, to hold your pencils*
• Portfolio, for transporting or storing your completed work*

Liesl Huddleston, coloredpencilpoints.com is a participant in the Dick Blick Art Materials advertiser program, an Affiliate is compensated for linking to the Dick Blick web site.