Derwent Inktense Pencils

Key features

• Ink-based pigment cores
• Permanent when dry
• Water-soluble for wash effects
• Hexagonal barrel for grip
• Wide colour range available
• Suitable for fabric and paper

Our review

Derwent Inktense Pencils are water-soluble colour pencils that lay down pigment behaving like ink rather than traditional wax or oil pastel. Once activated with a wet brush, the colour becomes permanent when dry, making these pencils a favourite for mixed media artists, illustrators, and fabric decorators who need vibrant washes that will not lift or smear after curing. The pigment-based cores deliver an intensity that rivals dye inks while retaining the control of a pencil format. Each pencil in the range is formulated to dissolve completely into a smooth, transparent watercolour-like wash, allowing artists to build layered washes, sharp linework, or textured dry marks before adding water. The permanence after drying means finished pieces can be reworked with additional wet or dry layers without disturbing earlier work, which is especially useful for journaling, botanical illustration, and textile art where durability matters. Colours can also be lifted directly from the pencil tip with a wet brush for an ink-like painting technique. Available in open stock or boxed sets ranging from small starter tins to full palettes of seventy-two shades, Derwent Inktense suits both beginners experimenting with water-soluble media and professional illustrators requiring dependable, lightfast colour. The hexagonal barrel design offers a comfortable grip during long sketching or painting sessions, and the pencils sharpen to a fine point suitable for detail work as well as broader colour blocking.

Specifications

What reviewers say