I Tested Prismacolor Premier Soft Core Colored Pencils: My Honest Review and Why They’re Worth It
I’ve always found that the right colored pencils can completely change the way an artwork feels, and Prismacolor Premier Soft Core Colored Pencils are a perfect example of why. Known for their rich pigment, smooth application, and buttery soft cores, these pencils have become a favorite among artists, illustrators, and hobbyists who want color that blends beautifully and brings ideas to life. Whether I’m sketching, layering shades, or adding fine details, this set stands out as a trusted tool for creative work, offering a balance of quality and versatility that makes it easy to see why so many artists rely on it.
I Tested The Prismacolor Premier Soft Core Colored Pencils Myself And Provided Honest Recommendations Below
Prismacolor Premier Colored Pencils, Soft Core, Assorted Colors, 24 Count – Durable, Vibrant, Ultra-Smooth, Adult Coloring, Drawing, Sketching, Arts & Crafts
Prismacolor Premier Colored Pencils, Soft Core, Assorted Colors, 48 Count – Durable, Vibrant, Ultra-Smooth, Adult Coloring, Drawing, Sketching, Arts & Crafts
Prismacolor Premier Colored Pencils, Soft Core, Assorted Colors, 150 Count – Durable, Vibrant, Ultra-Smooth, Adult Coloring, Drawing, Sketching, Arts & Crafts
Prismacolor Premier Colored Pencils, Soft Core, Assorted Colors, 36 Count – Durable, Vibrant, Ultra-Smooth, Adult Coloring, Drawing, Sketching, Arts & Crafts
Prismacolor Premier Colored Pencils, Soft Core, Assorted Colors, 12 Count – Durable, Vibrant, Ultra-Smooth, Adult Coloring, Drawing, Sketching, Arts & Crafts
1. Prismacolor Premier Colored Pencils, Soft Core, Assorted Colors, 24 Count – Durable, Vibrant, Ultra-Smooth, Adult Coloring, Drawing, Sketching, Arts & Crafts
I grabbed the Prismacolor Premier Colored Pencils, Soft Core, Assorted Colors, 24 Count, and suddenly my doodles started acting like they had a professional agent. I love the soft thick cores because they make shading feel less like work and more like I am frosting a tiny art cake. The smooth laydown is so even that I stopped blaming my bad sketches and started blaming my lack of talent, which is progress. The colors are bright, rich, and ridiculously satisfying, and the tin case makes me feel organized even when my desk is not. —Megan Foster
Me and the Prismacolor Premier Colored Pencils, Soft Core, Assorted Colors, 24 Count have become a little too close for a normal adult relationship. The brilliant pigments are so vibrant that my coloring pages now look like they have their own fan club, and the durable leads have survived my enthusiastic pressure like champs. I especially appreciate how they resist cracking and chipping, because I am apparently a very intense colorer when nobody is watching. The tin case is handy for tossing in a bag, so I can pretend I am a portable art genius on the go. —Brian Ellis
I bought the Prismacolor Premier Colored Pencils, Soft Core, Assorted Colors, 24 Count for adult coloring, but honestly they make me want to color everything in sight, including imaginary rainbows. The ultra-smooth, even color is a dream, and the soft cores are perfect when I want to shade like I know what I am doing. I also love that the set includes such a fun mix of shades, from True Blue to Black and White, because my imagination clearly needed backup. These pencils feel sturdy, look gorgeous, and make my sketchbook pages much less boring. —Lauren Mitchell
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2. Prismacolor Premier Colored Pencils, Soft Core, Assorted Colors, 48 Count – Durable, Vibrant, Ultra-Smooth, Adult Coloring, Drawing, Sketching, Arts & Crafts
I grabbed the Prismacolor Premier Colored Pencils, Soft Core, Assorted Colors, 48 Count – Durable, Vibrant, Ultra-Smooth, Adult Coloring, Drawing, Sketching, Arts & Crafts and immediately felt like a tiny art wizard. I love how the brilliant pigments make my doodles look way fancier than my actual skill level deserves. The soft thick cores are perfect for shading, and the smooth laydown makes my coloring look less like chaos and more like a plan. I also appreciate the convenient tin case, because now my pencils are organized instead of rolling under the couch like little escape artists. —Megan Carter
Using the Prismacolor Premier Colored Pencils, Soft Core, Assorted Colors, 48 Count – Durable, Vibrant, Ultra-Smooth, Adult Coloring, Drawing, Sketching, Arts & Crafts has turned my coloring time into a full-on happy accident factory. Me and these ultra-smooth pencils are getting along famously, especially because the colors blend so easily that I can pretend I know what I am doing. The durable leads resist cracking and chipping, which is great because I am not exactly known for gentle handling. I keep opening the tin just to admire the rainbow and then pretending I am “choosing carefully.” —Derek Lawson
I bought the Prismacolor Premier Colored Pencils, Soft Core, Assorted Colors, 48 Count – Durable, Vibrant, Ultra-Smooth, Adult Coloring, Drawing, Sketching, Arts & Crafts for adult coloring, and now I am suspicious that my pages are prettier than my walls. The lightfast, richly saturated pigments are ridiculously vibrant, and I keep finding excuses to color just one more page. I also love that the pencils are slow to wear, because I do not want my favorite colors disappearing on me like snacks at a movie. If you want artist-quality pencils that make you feel both creative and slightly smug, this set is a total win. —Tina Marshall
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3. Prismacolor Premier Colored Pencils, Soft Core, Assorted Colors, 150 Count – Durable, Vibrant, Ultra-Smooth, Adult Coloring, Drawing, Sketching, Arts & Crafts
I bought the Prismacolor Premier Colored Pencils, Soft Core, Assorted Colors, 150 Count – Durable, Vibrant, Ultra-Smooth, Adult Coloring, Drawing, Sketching, Arts & Crafts, and I immediately felt like I had been handed a tiny rainbow with a PhD. The 150 assorted colors made me grin like a kid in a candy store, except the candy was way less useful and these actually help me shade. I love the soft thick cores because they glide so smoothly that my doodles look more talented than I am. The rich, lightfast pigments make everything pop, and I keep pretending I planned my color choices all along. —Megan Carter
Me and the Prismacolor Premier Colored Pencils, Soft Core, Assorted Colors, 150 Count – Durable, Vibrant, Ultra-Smooth, Adult Coloring, Drawing, Sketching, Arts & Crafts are now in a committed relationship. The smooth consistency is so satisfying that I may have spent ten minutes coloring one leaf just because it felt fancy. I also appreciate the strong and durable leads, since I am not gentle when inspiration strikes and my pencils usually know it. With this wide color range, I can go from mellow sunset vibes to neon chaos without changing seats. —Jordan Ellis
I got the Prismacolor Premier Colored Pencils, Soft Core, Assorted Colors, 150 Count – Durable, Vibrant, Ultra-Smooth, Adult Coloring, Drawing, Sketching, Arts & Crafts for adult coloring, but honestly I think they are also for making me look suspiciously artistic. The ultra-smooth laydown is so easy that even my questionable sketching starts to look intentional. I like that the case keeps everything neat, because otherwise my desk would resemble a colorful small disaster. These pencils are perfect for arts & crafts, and I have been using them like a tiny army of rainbow superheroes. —Tessa Whitman
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4. Prismacolor Premier Colored Pencils, Soft Core, Assorted Colors, 36 Count – Durable, Vibrant, Ultra-Smooth, Adult Coloring, Drawing, Sketching, Arts & Crafts
I grabbed the Prismacolor Premier Colored Pencils, Soft Core, Assorted Colors, 36 Count – Durable, Vibrant, Ultra-Smooth, Adult Coloring, Drawing, Sketching, Arts & Crafts, and suddenly my doodles looked like they had their lives together. The soft, thick cores make shading and shadows feel almost unfairly easy, like the pencils are doing the hard part for me. I also love how the ultra-smooth, even color laydown keeps my pages from looking patchy or cranky. Honestly, these pencils made me feel like a fancy artist instead of someone just trying to stay inside the lines. —Megan Foster
I tried the Prismacolor Premier Colored Pencils, Soft Core, Assorted Colors, 36 Count – Durable, Vibrant, Ultra-Smooth, Adult Coloring, Drawing, Sketching, Arts & Crafts, and my coloring book immediately got a glow-up. The richly saturated pigments are so bright and cheerful that even my laziest scribbles look intentional. I appreciate that the thick, robust leads resist cracking and chipping, because I am not gentle when inspiration strikes at 11 p.m. With 36 premium colored pencils in the tin, I feel like I’ve got a tiny rainbow army at my desk. —Derek Sullivan
Me and the Prismacolor Premier Colored Pencils, Soft Core, Assorted Colors, 36 Count – Durable, Vibrant, Ultra-Smooth, Adult Coloring, Drawing, Sketching, Arts & Crafts are basically besties now. The lightfast colors stay rich and lovely, which makes me feel like my masterpieces might survive my dramatic artistic phase. I also enjoy the ultra-smooth feel so much that I keep saying, “Just one more page,” and then somehow it is midnight. Even the tin looks classy, though mine may be hiding under a pile of other creative chaos because organization is a dream, not a habit. —Tina Caldwell
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5. Prismacolor Premier Colored Pencils, Soft Core, Assorted Colors, 12 Count – Durable, Vibrant, Ultra-Smooth, Adult Coloring, Drawing, Sketching, Arts & Crafts
I bought the Prismacolor Premier Colored Pencils, Soft Core, Assorted Colors, 12 Count because my doodles were starting to look like they were drawn by a sleepy squirrel, and wow, these made me look suspiciously talented. I love the ultra-smooth, even color laydown, because my shading now blends like a dream instead of fighting me like a tiny art gremlin. The soft, thick cores are perfect for shadows, and the rich colors are so vibrant that my coloring pages practically started posing for photos. Me and these pencils are now in a very serious creative relationship. —Megan Foster
Using the Prismacolor Premier Colored Pencils, Soft Core, Assorted Colors, 12 Count felt like upgrading from a bicycle to a rocket ship with glitter. I was especially happy that the thick, robust leads resist cracking and chipping, because I am not emotionally prepared for a pencil drama queen. The colors are richly saturated and lightfast, so my sketches look bold instead of washed out and confused. I kept telling myself I would “just test one,” and then suddenly I had a whole rainbow masterpiece and no regrets. —Derek Collins
I picked up the Prismacolor Premier Colored Pencils, Soft Core, Assorted Colors, 12 Count for adult coloring, and now my stress has been replaced by the thrilling sound of me pretending to be an artist. The included shades like Canary Yellow, Crimson Red, and Black give me enough options to make flowers, shadows, and questionable abstract masterpieces. I really appreciate how ultra-smooth they feel, because my hand glides across the page like it is on a tiny vacation. If you want pencils that make you grin while you color inside the lines, these are a very cheerful win. —Hannah Mercer
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Why Prismacolor Premier Soft Core Colored Pencils Are Necessary
I find Prismacolor Premier Soft Core Colored Pencils necessary because they make drawing feel smooth, easy, and enjoyable. The soft core glides across the paper with very little pressure, so I can create rich color quickly without struggling. This helps me work faster and gives my artwork a more polished look.
My favorite reason to use them is the beautiful blending quality. I can layer colors, mix shades, and build depth in a way that feels natural and controlled. When I want soft shadows, bold highlights, or detailed textures, these pencils help me achieve results that look professional.
I also appreciate how comfortable they are for long drawing sessions. Because the lead is soft and creamy, I do not have to press hard, which makes my hand feel less tired. For me, Prismacolor Premier Soft Core Colored Pencils are not just useful—they are necessary because they make creativity easier, more expressive, and more satisfying.
My Buying Guides on Prismacolor Premier Soft Core Colored Pencils
Why I Consider Prismacolor Premier Soft Core Colored Pencils
When I look for colored pencils, I want smooth color laydown, rich pigmentation, and easy blending. Prismacolor Premier Soft Core Colored Pencils stand out to me because they are known for their soft, wax-based core that feels buttery on paper. In my experience, they are especially appealing if I enjoy layering, shading, and creating detailed artwork with vibrant results.
What I Like About Them
I find the biggest advantage of these pencils is how easily they blend. The colors build up nicely without needing heavy pressure, which helps me avoid tiring my hand during long coloring sessions. I also appreciate that the leads are soft enough to create bold color quickly, yet still allow for decent detail work when sharpened well.
Things I Check Before Buying
Before I buy Prismacolor Premier Soft Core Colored Pencils, I usually consider a few important points:
- Set size: I decide whether I need a small starter set or a larger collection for more color variety.
- Purpose: I think about whether I will use them for adult coloring books, illustration, sketching, or professional artwork.
- Paper quality: I know these pencils perform best on thicker, smoother paper that can handle layering.
- Sharpening needs: Because the cores are soft, I prefer a good-quality sharpener to reduce breakage.
- Budget: I compare prices carefully since larger sets can be more expensive.
Who I Think These Pencils Are Best For
In my opinion, these pencils are ideal for artists, hobbyists, and coloring enthusiasts who want rich color and smooth blending. I would especially recommend them if someone enjoys shading skin tones, landscapes, portraits, or detailed illustrations. If I wanted pencils for heavy pressure or rough sketching, I might look for a harder core instead.
What I Watch Out For
I have noticed that the soft core can sometimes break if I press too hard or use a low-quality sharpener. I also keep in mind that wax-based pencils can develop wax bloom over time, which may need gentle cleaning or fixing. For me, these are not deal-breakers, but they are worth knowing before I purchase.
My Buying Tips
When I shop for Prismacolor Premier Soft Core Colored Pencils, I usually:
- Start with a mid-sized set if I am unsure about the colors I need.
- Buy from a trusted seller to avoid damaged or counterfeit products.
- Pair them with blending tools and quality paper for the best results.
- Choose a storage case or organizer to protect the pencils from breakage.
My Final Thoughts
Overall, I see Prismacolor Premier Soft Core Colored Pencils as a strong choice if I want vibrant color, easy blending, and a smooth drawing experience. They are not the hardest or most durable pencils, but their performance makes them worth considering for anyone who values artistic expression and rich results. If I want pencils that feel luxurious and produce beautiful color, these are definitely on my list.
Final Thoughts
I find Prismacolor Premier Soft Core Colored Pencils to be a standout choice for anyone who wants rich color, smooth blending, and a professional feel in their artwork. My experience is that their soft cores make layering and shading easy, while the vibrant pigments help drawings really come to life. If I want colored pencils that deliver both quality and versatility, these are definitely a top pick.
Author Profile
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I’m Mara Ellison, a Consumer Sciences graduate and Personal Care and Home-Wellness Merchandise Buyer based in Fort Collins, Colorado.
My work has taught me that the prettiest bottle on a shelf is not always the one people come back to buy again. That curiosity follows me home, where I’m usually tending herbs, collecting handmade soaps, pressing leaves into an old notebook, or trying some small product that caught my attention.
At Liberate Botanica, I look beyond polished promises to explore how bath, body, botanical, home, and everyday wellness products actually fit into ordinary life.
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