If you watched my Kalour colored pencil review, you know I walked away pretty frustrated — and I promised I’d give their watercolor pencils a fair shot before closing the book on this brand. Well, today’s the day! I’m putting the Kalour 180 Watercolor Pencil Set to the test to see if they’ve redeemed themselves. We’ll unbox and swatch the whole set together, and then I’ll spend the second half of the video actually coloring with them — plus I’ll share some handy tips for getting the most out of watercolor pencils in general. Let’s find out if Kalour deserves a second chance!
Video Description
Last time I reviewed Kalour, it was their 180 colored pencil sets, and I left frustrated. I promised I’d test the 180 watercolor set next. Are these the same colors as the 180 colored pencil sets? And after last time, are they any better?
Watch me unbox and swatch the set, then spend the second half coloring–which includes some useful tips for coloring with watercolor pencils.
===COLORING BLISS PRODUCTS===
Simple Bliss Autumn Coloring Cards
Packs A & B: https://www.coloringbliss.com/product/coloring-cards-autumn-charm-packs-ab/
Pack A: https://www.coloringbliss.com/product/coloring-cards-autumn-charm-pack-a/
Pack B: https://www.coloringbliss.com/product/coloring-cards-autumn-charm-pack-b/
See All of Our Coloring Cards
https://www.coloringbliss.com/new-coloring-cards/
See Our Swatch Books
https://www.coloringbliss.com/shop-swatch-books/
===AFFILIATE LINKS===
Kalour 180 Watercolor Pencil Set
https://link.amazon/B03tPGNu3
Rubens Watercolor Pencils 48 Set
https://link.amazon/B08BZxKfe
Plastic Squeeze Bottle
https://amzn.to/4tLUrqq
===RECOMMENDED VIDEOS===
Tricked Again — Kalour’s Oil and Wax Pencils Have the Same Core
https://youtu.be/Azr52zO8hug?si=4PGnhxhai7j4Xza9
Best Watercolor Pencils – 26 Brands Tested! Who Do You Think Won?
https://youtu.be/Y44Dfwj7Lgw?si=PwmOQ2oEmqjcs4QX
===CHAPTER MARKERS===
00:00:00 – Welcome & Introduction
00:00:41 – Unboxing
00:07:21 – Swatching
00:14:36 – Swatching Results
00:19:58 – Price
00:22:02 – Watercolor Pencil Coloring & Tips
00:39:56 – My Recommendation
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Transcript
Color 180-Piece Premium Watercolor Pencils — Unboxing, Swatching & Review
A few weeks ago, I filmed a video comparing two different lines of Color colored pencils. In that video, I teased a third set — these ones right here. They’re the Premium Watercolor Pencils by Color, 180 piece. I’m really hoping that Color can redeem itself after that very frustrating comparison video. I’ll put a link in the video description in case you’re curious, but you don’t need to watch that one to enjoy this one.
My name is Jennifer Stay. This is Coloring Bliss. I’m glad you’re here. Let’s start by unboxing this tin!
Unboxing the Tin
I love the cover of this tin — it’s so pretty. Let me get the plastic off so the glare goes away.
Okay, so we have 180-piece Premium Watercolor Pencils. That means they work both wet and dry — they are water soluble. The tin also says: rich and vibrant colors, soft smooth lead, break resistant, artist quality, acid-free, and non-toxic.
Let me check for any other information. “Made from the best quality wood and high pigment lead. Perfect for shading, layering, blending, and detailing. Widely used for designs, portraiture, landscapes, anime, adult coloring, and more. Quite suitable for artists of all levels. We deserve your trust.”
I’ll be the judge of that, Color.
More from the tin: “Water-soluble pencil core. 180 unique and vibrant colors — no duplicates. Suitable for precision coloring and filling. Ideal for drawing, illustrating, and watercoloring. Break resistant. Soft, smooth, and thick leads. Professional artist grade watercolor pencils. Unsurpassably lightfast and acid-free quality pigment. Smooth color lay-down for superior blending and shading. Vast color range with color numbers and color names for easy recognition.”
I’m excited they mentioned that. And of course, these are coming in from China, just like their other lines. So, let’s open this up.
Oh wow, that’s a really tight lid. Okay, I got it off!
First Look Inside
Inside, we have a really big swatch chart, just like their other pencils came with. I’m starting to wonder if we have the same colors as the other 180-piece set. Let me grab that set and compare.
Okay, here is the Red Deer set — that’s what we ended up calling it. Looking at the color charts side by side: Titanium White, Ginger Yellow is number two, Bright Yellow… we do have some different color numbers than the Red Deer tin, which makes me happy because I always want more colors, not duplicates. Of course, the Red Deer line is not water soluble — we even tested that in the last Color video. So we’ll definitely be testing the water solubility of these today.
Underneath the swatch chart, there’s a pretty piece of paper for a classy presentation. Moving that aside, we also find two flat paint brushes included right up front. They’re about the same size — nothing too special, but it’s a nice, thoughtful addition.
A Closer Look at the Pencils
Now let’s get our first look at the pencils. Here’s a pretty pink one. It reads “Watercolor” on the barrel, and when you turn it, you get the color name — this one is Carmine — along with star ratings for lightfastness. On the far end, the last thing to get sharpened off will be the color number, which I’m sure includes a “W” for watercolor. Everything we need is there, and the writing is relatively legible — not too small. I don’t love the shiny barrel, but it’s not too bad here.
There’s an open core visible at the base — they didn’t dip it — so we can see how centered the core is. I like that.
These are also hexagonal pencils, which I really like. Hexagons are just as comfortable as round pencils in my hand, but they don’t roll off the table. Even better, the hexagonal shape immediately distinguishes these from the round Red Deer pencils. If you’re working side by side with both sets, you’ll know right away — just by feel — that you’re holding a watercolor pencil. That’s a smart way to differentiate the two lines.
I believe these have a 3.8mm core. I’ll look that up and try to confirm.
Looking at All the Trays
Let’s take a quick look at all the trays. Isn’t that gorgeous — those plummy purples flowing into vibrant oranges and yellows, then into the greens? If you love blues and blue-greens, wow. Then more greens, pretty ochres, umbers, dark tones, and a black at the end. And one more tray — more blues, more violets, and some grays. Very good selection overall.
I’m going to take some time to reorganize the pencils into the color order I prefer, and then set up a swatch book printed on watercolor paper so we can see how every color performs both dry and wet.
Setting Up the Swatch Book
Alright, I just spent about an hour and a half organizing the pencils and setting up the swatch book. The special thing about this swatch book is that it’s printed on watercolor paper, which should show off these pencils at their very best.
Here’s my plan: I’ll swatch the left half of each rectangle dry, and then come back and activate them with water — which is always the most fun part. Let’s speed through the swatching and get to the water activation!
Water Activating the Swatches
The next step is to activate each swatch with water. I’m using my water brush, and I’m cleaning it between each swatch to keep the colors as uncontaminated as possible.
My favorite moment with a watercolor pencil is when you hit it with water and see what it does. What I’m looking for is a pencil that breaks down easily with water and releases a lot of vibrant, beautiful color.
While watching me water-activate these swatches, I also want to mention that I have an upcoming Battle of the Watercolor Pencils planned. I did this years ago — I’ll link to that video in the description because it’s still very relevant — but a lot has changed. There are so many more brands making watercolor pencils now, so I’d love to do an updated version. Make sure you’re subscribed, hit the like button, and tap the notification bell so you don’t miss it when it goes live. It’s going to be a great battle with brands like Staedtler, Holbein, and Paul Rubens all in the mix. I’m really curious to see if any of them can take down the winner of the last battle: Faber-Castell Albrecht Dürer.
Quick note — I ran out of water mid-swatching! I use a squeeze bottle with a long neck to refill my water brushes right at my desk without ever having to get up and go to the sink. I’ll put a link to that bottle in the video description in case you need one.
Observations Before We Look at the Swatches
Okay, the swatching is all done! Before we take a peek, I want to share a few observations.
First: There were minimal crumbs when coloring with these pencils, which is really important with water-soluble products. If a bunch of crumbs from a vibrant blue land in your yellow area and you activate them, you’re going to end up with unexpected greens. Minimal crumbing means better control — a definite point in Color’s favor.
Second: Keep in mind that the less saturated a color is to begin with, the more washed out it becomes when you add water, because you’re diluting it even further and letting the white of the paper show through. If you start with a super pale color and add water, it gets even paler. For that reason, when I’m evaluating a watercolor pencil set, I look for plenty of midtones and dark tones. I can always add lots of water to a dark blue and bring it down to a lovely light wash — but I can’t take a light blue, add water, and expect it to hold its color. You’ll see this issue come up as we look at the swatches.
Third: These pencils are reasonably good when it comes to water solubility. I’ve used pencils where you hit them with water, agitate the bristles, and almost nothing happens — the pigment just stays stuck to the paper. These weren’t like that. I’d call them mediocre — not the most water-soluble pencils I’ve ever used, but far from the worst.
Reviewing the Swatches with Steve
I’ve invited Steve to look at the swatches with me. I asked him to analyze the set of 180 as a whole — is it well balanced across lights, mediums, and darks, and does it cover the full color wheel?
Jennifer: Let’s start at page one. Looking at the left side — the dry swatches — Steve, does it look like a well-balanced set?
Steve: A couple of thoughts. Yes, overall you’re getting a good balance, and you’d hope so with 180 pencils. But oddly, I think there are too many colors that are really similar. I keep feeling like I’m seeing the same color over and over again. They could probably bring it down to 150 or even 120 and still have a balanced set.
Jennifer: Look at this row of reds and pinks — it really makes the point.
Steve: So it comes down to the price, I guess. Do you really need to pay for 180 watercolor pencils when maybe a set of 120 would give you something similar? It’s kind of an odd critique because we don’t usually complain about having too many pencils —
Jennifer: — but in a watercolor pencil set specifically, I’d rather have fewer colors that are highly saturated than a huge range where many of the lighter ones fall apart when you add water. Now, let’s look at the right side of the swatches — the activated side — and look at how washed out so many of them become. These first four, for example: you might as well not use them wet at all. There’s no color payoff. You’d have to jump all the way over here to get something worth activating.
Steve: And that last page really illustrates what I was saying. Go to the bottom row. Look at those colors starting around 36 or 38 — they might as well be the same color. I feel like you’ve got five colors there where one would have done the job, especially once you wash them out.
Jennifer: They really do converge to almost the same color when wet. And look at these grays — none of the light grays worked well when activated. You have to get all the way up into the darker, more saturated grays before you get a payoff when you hit them with water. That’s exactly why the upcoming watercolor pencil battle is so important. I don’t want you buying 180 pencils when a set of 48 might be all you need and serve you better.
Comparison: Paul Rubens & Derwent Inktense
Let me show you a few comparisons. Here’s a set of Paul Rubens — just 48 pencils, mostly midtones and dark tones. When you hit them with water, they just explode with color. Look how vibrant.
Steve: I’m trying to be critical here. Maybe one or two of these don’t do much when wet, but they’re still doing something — where some of the Color pencils totally disappear when activated. Dry, they’re fine. But for water solubility, the Paul Rubens are on a completely different level.
Jennifer: And here’s another one that might surprise you. Any guesses, Steve?
Steve: I saw the name — Inktense?
Jennifer: Yes, the Derwent Inktense. A completely different formula, of course. In the world of water-soluble pencils, I’d place the Color pencils in the average-to-mediocre range. Not my favorite, but not the worst I’ve tried either.
The key takeaway: you can use all 180 Color pencils dry or wet depending on the situation. And I’m going to color with them now on one of my coloring cards so you can see exactly how I work with them back and forth, wet and dry.
Price Comparison
Before we color, let’s talk price. The Color 180-piece set on Amazon in the US as of September 2024 is $44.99 — that’s about 25 cents per pencil. Great value for such a large tin.
The Paul Rubens 48-piece set I showed you is $45.99 — about 96 cents per pencil. So the question becomes: would I rather see you spend $45 on 180 pencils with a lot of duplicates and some colors that fall flat when wet, or $45 on 48 Paul Rubens pencils with rich, highly saturated colors?
I’ll link to both in the description so you can decide for yourself. I purchased all these products with my own money so I can give you my honest, impartial opinion.
Coloring Time — Simple Bliss Autumn Charm Collection
Little sweet Rose is at my feet, so I’m going to bring her up here, clear away the swatches, and do some coloring. I’ve been working on the fall coloring cards — as you can see on the back wall, there are so many fun ones! We have cards for Christmas, Halloween, Valentine’s Day, mandalas, flowers, and so much more. Follow the link in the video description to get your own set.
Let’s pick a cute, simple illustration to color. Oh, I like this one — we can add green grass and a blue sky background. It looks like it came from Pack B. I usually keep my packs held together with a small elastic band, then display them on my back table using the acrylic stand that’s included when you purchase coloring cards.
These cards are printed on 120 lb card stock — not watercolor paper, so there’s no sizing to help with wet media. But 120 lb card stock can take a lot of abuse before the fibers start to break down, so I’m confident we can use water and pencils together without any trouble.
Tips for Coloring with Watercolor Pencils on Card Stock
One of the key tricks when using water-soluble media on untreated card stock is to use as little water as possible. If you’re using a standard paintbrush, make sure it’s nearly dry before you activate the pigment.
The more pigment you lay down, the more there is to activate. I’m using the side of my pencil to really load up the paper so that when I hit it with water, I still get a good color payoff — even accounting for the dilution effect.
I used three different orange pencils to color the first pumpkin. Then, with my water brush tapped nearly dry, I started in the lightest area and worked toward the edges where I’d added darker shading. If the color feels out of control — especially if a darker tone is bleeding into a lighter area — just tap off the color, give the bristles a small squeeze of clean water, and start fresh.
Once that first layer dries (and you can speed things up with a blow dryer), go back in with either the same pencils or slightly darker ones to deepen the color and refine the blends. All the white of the paper is already gone at that point, so you’re just building up richness and making small adjustments. And then your pumpkin is complete!
Coloring the Fence, Grass, and Sky
For the fence, I chose Coffee Deep (number W107) — a relatively dark brown. I’m applying it on its side for an even layer of pigment, planning to activate it with water, let it dry, and then come back with the same pencil to add shadows. One dark, well-pigmented pencil doing all the work — a fun experiment.
I did make a small mistake and colored into the wrong area, but we’ll fix that with the blue sky. Part of getting good at coloring and art in general is learning how to fix your mistakes!
Another tip: think about the direction of your water brush strokes and use them intentionally. On the vertical fence posts, I brushed up and down to follow the grain of the wood. On the horizontal rail, I went left to right. Any streaks that result look deliberate and actually help when you add shading on top.
For the grass, I layered in several greens — a darker green under the pumpkin for depth, a medium green through the middle, and a lighter green toward the corners. I kept all my strokes horizontal so the grass feels consistent when activated. Using multiple greens gives you those lovely streaks of varied color in the final wash.
For the sky, I chose Cyan Blue — a slightly blue-green tone that I knew would be really pretty once activated. I laid down a good layer of pigment, activated it with water, and let it dry before coming back with another pass of the pencil to deepen the color. The “mistake” area I’d accidentally colored brown blended in beautifully after a layer of blue over the top. When you hold it up, you can hardly tell it was ever a mistake.
Finishing Touches
Once everything was dry, I added white highlights using my white gel pen, following the highlights the illustrator had already drawn. A little on the main pumpkin, a little on the stem — not too much. Then I signed and dated the card: September 16th. On the back I wrote “Color Watercolor.”
The card did warp slightly from the water, which is completely normal. Just bend it gently back on itself a couple of times to stretch the fibers back into place, or lay it flat under a heavy book while it dries. That’s flat enough for me, and the final result looks really lovely.
That’s my simple, fun illustration from the Simple Bliss Autumn Charm Collection, completed with Color watercolor pencils.
One more thing worth mentioning: this set is numbered 1 through 180. If you prefer to keep your pencils in numerical order, you can organize them that way and use the included swatch chart as a reference guide. As I showed earlier in the video, I personally prefer to organize by color wheel order, so the numbering system wasn’t as helpful to me — but I’m still grateful that every single pencil has both a name and a number.
Final Impressions
Okay, we’ve reached the part of the video where I give you my final impressions and tell you whether I think you should invest in the Color 180-piece watercolor pencil set.
Honestly, I think there are better options out there. A set of 48 Paul Rubens pencils — all highly saturated, all with strong color payoff when wet — will give you better value than 180 pencils where some perform beautifully and others fall completely flat when water is applied, with a lot of duplicates in between.
I’ll link to both sets in the description so you can compare and decide for yourself. Those are affiliate links, and as always, I purchased everything with my own money so I can stay as impartial as possible.
If I’m being honest, I’m not sure I’ll reach for these Color pencils again. I’d reach for my Paul Rubens first, or for my beloved Faber-Castell Albrecht Dürer, which I love so much. I simply have better options available.
So here’s my recommendation: go back and watch the original Battle of the Watercolor Pencils video linked in the description. And if you’re trying to be smart with your budget, consider waiting. Don’t purchase any watercolor pencils just yet — hold off until we do the big updated battle and see who wins. Start saving now, because the winner might cost a little more than a budget set like this one, but I think you’ll be much happier with it in the long run.
That said, I really am happy with how my illustration turned out. The colors are vivid, fun, and happy, and they blended beautifully — even on standard 120 lb card stock. If you use these pencils on actual watercolor paper, you’ll get an even more striking watercolor effect. There’s a lot to explore in the watercolor pencil world, and a lot more coming to this channel to help you spend your money in the best way possible.
Rose and I are done for the day! I hope you enjoyed this video. Comment below — are you going to pick up some watercolor pencils now, or are you going to wait for the big battle results? Fair warning: that battle might be a couple of months away. Thank you so much for watching, everyone. I hope you all have a wonderful, colorful, blissful day. Bye!
