Wax is either added to the mixture before it is extruded or the extruded leads are immersed in molten wax. Available in a wide range of colors. Lines may appear shiny or matte. Colored pencils do not smudge excessively, except for those intended to be dissolved in water or when the artist's hand or arm is resting over a drawn area. Efflorescence may be present.
Many colors are light sensitive.
Many 20th century artists, Jackson Pollock for example, used both water and organic solvent sensitive pencils in the same composition. Artists' manuals today contain working techniques for grease pencils, however, they were not generally used until the mid-twentieth century for artistic purposes. Ingredients are mixed over heat until melted and then poured into molds. Usually wrapped in a simple paper label or in a peel-away paper casing, first introduced around the turn of the century by the Blaisdell Pencil Company. Same consistency as medium to hard grades of lithographic crayons.