Beginner’s Guide to Coloured Pencils: Spotlight on Derwent Lightfast Pencils

If you’ve been following my Beginner’s Guide to Coloured Pencils series, you’ll know I’ve already shared spotlights on two popular brands: Faber-Castell Polychromos and Caran d’Ache Luminance. This time, we’re diving into another fantastic professional-grade pencil — Derwent Lightfast.

These pencils are a favourite among many coloured pencil artists for their smoothness, rich colour, and excellent lightfastness. If you’re considering adding them to your collection or wondering whether they’re right for your art style, this post will help you decide.

What Makes Derwent Lightfast Special?

The clue is in the name — Lightfast! These pencils are designed to withstand the test of time. Every colour in the range is rated 100% lightfast according to ASTM standards, meaning your artwork won’t fade for up to 100 years under museum conditions. That’s a huge advantage for artists who sell or display their work.

They’re also oil-based, similar to Polychromos, but have a much creamier, slightly softer feel, which makes them ideal for smooth blending and layering.

A Selection of Derwent Lightfast Pencils

Key Features

• Core type: Oil-based

• Texture: Creamy and smooth, with strong colour laydown

• Lightfast rating: 100% on every colour

• Blendability: Excellent — layers beautifully and blends smoothly with a blender pencil or solvent

• Break resistance: Very good — the core is sturdy but not brittle

• Available sets: 12, 24, 36, 72, and 100 pencils

• Open stock: Yes — available individually, great for topping up your favourites

Colour Range and Pigment Quality

Derwent Lightfast pencils have a modern, vibrant palette with a lovely mix of natural animal and botanical tones as well as bold, saturated colours. The pigments are rich but not overly waxy, so you can build up subtle transitions without that wax bloom that some softer pencils can create.

If you enjoy drawing animals (like I do!), you’ll love their Earthy Browns, Ochres, and Greys — perfect for realistic fur and feathers. The colour range also includes some stunning muted greens and blues that work beautifully for natural backgrounds.

How They Compare to Other Brands

Brand	Base	Feel	Best For
Polychromos	Oil	Harder, crisp details	Fine fur and textures
Luminance	Wax	Soft, buttery	Smooth blending, rich tones
Lightfast	Oil	Creamy and vibrant	Layering, blending, realism

If you like the control of Polychromos but wish for something creamier, Lightfast gives you the best of both worlds.

Tips for Using Derwent Lightfast

• Use light pressure and build layers slowly — the pigment intensity builds beautifully without needing to press hard.

• Try blending with a Zest-It solvent for painterly effects.

• Because the core is oil-based, they mix particularly well with Polychromos pencils.

• On textured surfaces like Pastelmat, they grip wonderfully and allow for deep, rich colour layers.

My Thoughts

I’ve really enjoyed using Derwent Lightfast for my animal portraits. They feel luxurious to work with and the colour payoff is fantastic. They’re also a great UK-made option (Derwent is based in Cumbria), so it’s lovely to support a British brand with such a long history in pencil making.

For beginners, they’re an investment, but if you’re looking to step up from student-grade pencils, a 12 or 24-set is a brilliant way to start experimenting.

Final Verdict

Pros:

✅ 100% lightfast pigments

✅ Creamy texture, smooth layering

✅ Great blendability

✅ Excellent for realistic animal drawings

Cons:

❌ Expensive compared to student ranges

❌ Slightly thicker barrel means they may not fit all sharpeners

Overall: A beautiful, professional pencil range that combines the smoothness of wax-based pencils with the control of oil-based ones — perfect for artists who want vibrant colour that lasts.

Have You Tried Derwent Lightfast?

I’d love to hear what you think! Do you prefer them over Polychromos or Luminance? Let me know in the comments — and if you’d like to learn how to get the best out of your coloured pencils, come join us inside the Pencil Paws Community, where you’ll find tutorials, tips, and friendly support from fellow artists.

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