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Wax vs. Oil-Based Pencils:
Which One is Right for You?

If you’ve ever spent far too long in the art shop aisle, staring at two nearly identical-looking boxes of coloured pencils and wondering which to choose… you’re not alone.

Some glide like butter, others hold a fine point for days, and a few leave mysterious smudges no matter how careful you are. The difference? It often comes down to what’s inside—specifically, whether its a wax-based or oil-based pencil.

In this guide, we’ll untangle the science (just enough to make sense of things), share behind-the-scenes insights from pencil makers like Caran d’Ache, and help you match your pencil to your artistic style. Whether you’re blending soft backgrounds or capturing the crisp edges of a leaf, the right pencil can make all the difference.

But before we dive into performance and preferences, let’s take a peek inside the pencil itself—because once you know how they’re made, a lot of their quirks start to make sense.

The Making of a Coloured Pencil

So, what’s actually inside a coloured pencil?

At first glance, they all look much the same—wood, colour, maybe a fancy label. But crack one open (preferably not your favourite), and you’ll find a carefully balanced recipe of pigments, binders, and fillers—all of which shape how that pencil behaves in your hand.

Pigments are the stars of the show, giving each pencil its rich colour. Then come the binders—usually wax, oil, or a mix of both—which hold the pigment together and help it glide onto the page. And finally, there are fillers like clay or chalk, which adjust things like softness, strength, and durability.

Too soft, and your pencil might crumble in the sharpener. Too hard, and you’ll be there all day trying to build up colour. The trick is in the blend.

To show how this plays out in the real world, Caran d’Ache kindly shared how they make two of their most popular coloured pencils—Pablo and Luminance.

The process is what we call the non direct process. Leads are made of powders (pigments, of course, talcum and clay) and binders (always 2 kind of binders - gums). The leads are first extruded, dried for 8 hours and then soaked in molten waxes for 24 hours (like chips).

This is the non direct way to impregnate the leads with wax. In this case, the content of waxes is less than 10% of the total weight of the lead.

This results in a pencil with a medium hardness and—according to the company—a lower risk of wax bloom:

The low level of wax in the final pencil means that there will be a medium hardness in the 'touch' as the pencil is applied to the paper. A further benefit is that this will be unlikely to produce a wax bloom in the final artwork.

Luminance pencils, by contrast, are made using a more direct method:

LUMINANCE is a mainly oil based and direct pencil. Leads are made of powders, waxes, and hydrogenated oil (solid, not liquid), and natural organic binder (gum). The leads are first extruded, then dried during 8 hours and then stay in stock during 2 months before being used to make the pencils.

Direct, in this case, mean that the waxes (and oil) are directly incorporate in the recipe. Leads are not soaked. In this case, the content of waxes is less than 30% of the total weight of the lead.

This gives the pencils a smoother feel and even more resistance to wax bloom:

The higher percentage of waxes and oils gives the softer feel to the pencils, the higher oil content gives the protection against blooming.

So even within the same manufacturer, you can get very different experiences depending on how the pencil is made—and that’s before we even start comparing across brands.

What Makes a Pencil Feel the Way It Does?

Once you understand what goes into a coloured pencil, it’s much easier to see why they behave the way they do.

That creamy pencil you love for soft backgrounds? Likely has more wax or oil in the mix. The one that keeps a sharp point through tiny leaf veins? Probably higher in clay and lower in soft binders.

Here’s how the core ingredients affect performance:

  • Wax-based pencils tend to feel softer and are brilliant for blending, shading, and creating smooth transitions. But with that softness can come wax bloom—a cloudy residue that appears over time if too much wax builds up on the surface.
  • Oil-based pencils are often firmer, allowing for crisp detail and fine lines. They’re great for layering, and they resist wax bloom better, thanks to their different chemical structure.
  • Fillers and additives (like clay or chalk) adjust the texture and durability. More filler usually means a harder pencil—but sometimes also a weaker colour payoff.

It's not just about which is “better,” but what works best for the kind of work you’re doing. A botanical artist might favour something firm and precise, while someone creating soft portraits may prefer buttery blends and gentle edges.

We’ll look at real-world scenarios in a moment, but if you’re testing pencils yourself, trust your instincts. If it feels scratchy, crumbly, or oddly waxy—it probably is. And there’s always another pencil out there that might be a better match.

Wax vs. Oil: At a Glance

Feature Wax-Based Pencils Oil-Based Pencils
Texture Soft, creamy, smooth Firmer, slightly grippy
Best for Blending, shading, smooth colour transitions Detail work, layering, precision
Point Retention Wears down quickly Holds a sharp point longer
Bloom Risk Higher (especially with heavy layers) Lower
Ease of Usek Softer feel, easier to lay down color More control, takes more effort to blend
Typical Brands Prismacolor, Coloursoft Luminance, Polychromos, Derwent Lightfast

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Putting Pencil to Paper: What to Consider

Now that we know what’s inside a pencil and how it behaves, let’s talk about you—your art style, your subject matter, and how you actually use your pencils.

Before choosing between wax or oil-based, ask yourself:

  • What kind of work do you do most? Soft, dreamy portraits? You’ll want something smooth and blendable. Sharp, detailed botanical drawings? A firmer, oil-based pencil may be your friend.
  • Do you prefer subtle layering or bold strokes? Wax-based pencils tend to go down easily and blend like butter—but they’ll need sharpening more often. Oil-based pencils build gradually, giving you fine control over layers and depth.
  • Where do you work? High humidity or heavy layering can encourage wax bloom. Oil pencils are more resistant if that’s a worry.

And beyond wax vs. oil, here are a few other things that affect performance:

Key Pencil Ingredients (and Why They Matter)

Tip: Cheaper pencils often contain more filler and less pigment. If a pencil looks bright in the box but dull on paper, that’s likely why.

Pigments:
Look for pencils with high-quality, lightfast pigments. These keep their colour over time—important if your work will be on display or for sale.

Binders (Wax or Oil):
Wax gives smooth coverage and soft blending. Oil allows for sharper detail and more layering. Some pencils use a mix of both.

Additives and Fillers:
Fillers like chalk or clay adjust texture and strength. Too much filler, though, can mute colour and make a pencil feel dry or scratchy.

This is where trying a few pencils from different brands can really help. Every artist has their favourites—and part of the fun is finding yours.

Coming up next: let’s lift the lid on wax bloom, colour separation, and the chemistry quirks that can sneak into your finished artwork...

Wax Bloom & Colour Separation: What's Going On Here?

You’ve finished a piece, stood back to admire it… and noticed a strange, cloudy film dulling your colours. It almost looks like the drawing’s been sneaking snacks from the butter dish. This is wax bloom, and it’s one of the quirks of using soft, wax-rich pencils.

So what causes it?

Caran d’Ache, who know a thing or two about pencils, put it like this:

Blooming appears when you put down heavy layers or the artwork is sensitive to humidity, but it can also be a problem of "bad" formulation. If you mix vinegar and oil, you know what happens ? They can separate.

Archaeologists have found roman coins... and when you analyse these coins, you find that the metals are now separate. The heart is pure silver and external part is pure bronze.

That image of Roman coins slowly separating over centuries might sound dramatic—but it’s a useful analogy. If incompatible waxes are mixed together, they can migrate over time, rising to the surface and creating that cloudy bloom.

As for oil-based pencils?

They’re not entirely immune, but the risk is much lower. Why? Because they typically use hydrogenated oils—a solid, wax-like form of oil that’s more stable:

There is a chemical process which produces a reaction between hydrogen and oil and you get what we call hydrogenated oil, which is solid and looks like a wax. It is this product we also use in LUMINANCE, and the reason why I say that it an oil based pencil.

In short:

  • Wax-based pencils + heavy layers + moisture or heat = higher risk of bloom
  • Oil-based pencils = more stable over time, especially in humid conditions

Can you fix wax bloom?

Yes! A soft cloth or tissue can gently buff it away. You can also spray a fixative to help prevent it, especially if you’re using lots of layers.

How Do Popular Brands Compare?

Coloured pencils can vary wildly from one brand to the next—not just in colour range, but in how they feel and performon paper. Here’s what to expect from a few of the big names:

Prismacolor Premier

  • Type: Wax-based
  • Feel: Soft, rich, and very blendable
  • Watch out for: Wax bloom — these are known for it
  • Best for: Smooth blends, soft shading, large areas of color
  • Worth knowing: Their softness makes them easy to use but hard to keep sharp


Learn more about Prismacolor Premier

Derwent Coloursoft

  • Type: Wax-based
  • Feel: Similar to Prismacolor—soft and creamy
  • Bloom risk: Likely contains a lot of wax, but less prone to blooming (possibly because they’re not often used in hot/humid climates)
  • Best for: Layering soft textures and velvety finishes


Learn more about Derwent pencils

Derwent Lightfast

  • Type: Oil-based
  • Feel: Smooth but firmer than Coloursoft
  • Strengths: Excellent for layering, crisp lines, and detailed work
  • Bonus: As the name suggests, they’re designed to be lightfast—ideal if you sell or display your work

Derwent Artists & Studio

  • Type: Wax with a high clay content
  • Feel: Harder core, holds a fine point
  • Best for: Botanical illustrations, fine lines, and intricate textures
  • Downside: Not as bold in colour—these favour precision over punch

Caran d’Ache Pablo & Luminance

  • Pablo: Medium-hard, wax-impregnated
  • Luminance: Softer, oil-heavy with added wax
  • Both are: Lightfast, beautifully pigmented, and professional-grade
  • In a nutshell: Pablo for precision, Luminance for lush, blendable layers


Learn more about Caran d'Ache pencils

Other Notes on Budget vs. Premium

Lower-priced pencils often contain more filler (like chalk or talc) and less pure pigment. The result? Weaker colours and a scratchier feel. They might be great for casual sketching, but if vibrancy and longevity matter, you’ll notice the difference with artist-grade options.

Frustrating but true: Manufacturers rarely share exact ingredient ratios—it’s considered a trade secret. So your best bet is to try a few and trust your fingertips.

The Point of It All

At the end of the day, the “best” pencil isn’t about wax vs. oil, or even brand vs. brand—it’s about you.

Your subject matter, your pressure, your paper choice, even the way you tilt your wrist—these all affect how a pencil behaves. Some artists swear by soft, waxy layers. Others won’t touch anything but oil-based precision.

So here’s my advice: try a few. Borrow, test, swap, scribble.

Mix a waxy Prismacolor with a crisp Polychromos and see what happens. Art isn’t about picking sides—it’s about finding what helps your ideas come alive on the page.

And if you do spot a bit of wax bloom one morning, don’t panic. Give it a gentle polish, maybe mutter a few choice words (we all do), and carry on.

Because whether your pencils are soaked in wax or built from oil and gum...

"The real magic doesn’t come from what’s inside the pencil. It comes from what you do with it."

🧪 Try This:

Pick two pencils—one wax-based, one oil-based—and sketch the same small subject with each. Notice how the colour builds, how they layer, and how they feel in your hand. You’ll learn more from a five-minute doodle than an hour of reading!

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