page_title: Colored pencil
section_title: Student and scholastic grade
hierarchical_section_title: Colored pencil / Types / Student and scholastic grade
caption_attribution_description: English: Color pencils, Stabilo Español: Lapices de colores, marca Stabilo
context_page_description: A colored pencil, coloured pencil, pencil crayon, lead or coloured/colouring lead is an art medium constructed of a narrow, pigmented core encased in a wooden cylindrical case. Unlike graphite and charcoal pencils, colored pencils' cores are wax- or oil-based and contain varying proportions of pigments, additives, and binding agents. Water-soluble pencils and pastel pencils are also manufactured as well as colored leads for mechanical pencils.
  Colored pencils vary greatly in terms of quality and usability; concentration of pigments in the core, lightfastness of the pigments, durability of the colored pencil, and softness of the lead are some indicators of a brand’s quality and, consequently, its market price. There is no general quality difference between wax/oil-based and water-soluble colored pencils, although some manufacturers rate their water-soluble pencils as less lightfast than their similar wax/oil-based pencils.
  The rising popularity of colored pencils as an art medium sparked the beginning of the Colored Pencil Society of America.
context_section_description: Many of the same companies that produce artist-grade colored pencils also offer student-grade materials and scholastic-level colored pencils. Lightfastness rating is usually not included in student- and scholastic-grade colored pencils. Core composition and pigment-binder ratio vary among artist- and student-grade colored pencils even when the same company produces them. As they are intended for different users, student- and scholastic-grade colored pencils lack the high quality pigments and lightfastness standards that hold artist-grade products true to their name. Also their color range is smaller, often limited to 24 or 36 colors.
  Using lower grade colored pencils does have its advantages, however. Some companies offer erasable colored pencils for beginning artists to experiment with. Also, due to their significantly lower prices, student-grade colored pencils are ideal for elementary and middle school students. Colored pencil manufactures tailor their products — and prices — to different age and skill groups.
caption: Colored pencils manufactured by Schwan-Stabilo
exif: {"Image ImageDescription": "Modified by CombineZP", "Image Make": "NIKON CORPORATION", "Image Model": "NIKON D7200", "Image Orientation": "Horizontal (normal)", "Image XResolution": "72", "Image YResolution": "72", "Image ResolutionUnit": "Pixels/Inch", "Image Software": "GIMP 2.8.22", "Image DateTime": "2017:06:12 07:51:59", "Image ExifOffset": "234", "EXIF ExposureTime": "1/15", "EXIF FNumber": "8", "EXIF ExposureProgram": "Manual", "EXIF ISOSpeedRatings": "100", "EXIF ExifVersion": "0210", "EXIF DateTimeOriginal": "2017:06:10 18:47:30", "EXIF DateTimeDigitized": "2017:06:10 18:47:30", "EXIF ExposureBiasValue": "0", "EXIF MeteringMode": "Pattern", "EXIF LightSource": "Unknown", "EXIF Flash": "Flash did not fire, compulsory flash mode", "EXIF FocalLength": "50", "EXIF FlashPixVersion": "0100", "EXIF ColorSpace": "Uncalibrated"}