Have you ever heard of Koh-I-Noor Woodless Colored Pencils? That’s OK, years ago, I hadn’t either. One of the elders in my colored pencil class brought them in to show me.
As soon as I put one in my hand, I was enthralled and began taking it for a little test drive. I “ooed” and “ahhed” over them and probably a little too much because she gave them to me!! (She insisted lol).
I still have the set and think of her every time I use them. Since I do love them, I thought it was about time I reviewed them so here goes.
In a nutshell, this article will hopefully motivate you to try Koh-I-Noor Woodless Colored Pencils for their:
- Professional Quality
- Excellent Performance
- Affordability
So without further ado, let’s get into the nitty-gritty….
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1. Eye-Catching Appearance
Pros :
These pencils come in a cute, tidy package. Very convenient for transporting them!
You immediately notice the no wood aspect of these pencils. Indeed, you can easily see the pencil is all pigment with a shiny, attractive lacquer finish that matches the pencil color so there is no guessing on color!
Also, they are finished off nicely with a rounded end. Conveniently, they are sold in open stock as well so you can replace individual colors.
Cons:
The pencils do not have color names on them, but they are numbered.
Limited quantity—the most you can get is 24 colors. I wish more colors were available, but if you know your color theory, you’ll be able to mix to get the color you want.
If you aren’t familiar with color theory, check out my post, “What is the Color Wheel – Color Theory Definition and Basics.
2. Feel: Just Put One in Your Hand… I Dare You!
Pros:
If I was asked which colored pencil brand is truly addicting, I would say hands down Koh-i-Noor Woodless Colored 
Not that I don’t like Prismacolor, Faber Castell Polychromos, Derwent, or even Crayola, but Koh-i-Noor is in a class all by itself. You can just feel the quality, holding it in your hand.
You will instantly notice it’s weighty feel. Boasting a 7.6mm core, no wonder! Also, you will love the silky-smooth finish of the lacquer, such a nice feel in the hand.
Con:
You may end up being late for your dentist appointment since you couldn’t put these pencils down! 🙂
3. Standing Ovation for Koh-I-Noor Woodless Colored Pencils
Pros:
You can depend on this pencil, trust me. One of the most outstanding features is the feel of the pigment as you are laying it down. Not only is it buttery soft—more so than Polychromos and Prismacolor—as it lays down, but also feels thick, dense, and substantial when you apply it.
In addition, they also easily fill in tooth of the paper due to their softness. It’s weight somehow works so well when you lay down color, I swear it makes the job easier. I think that’s because the weight of the pencil helps with control during the application. They are just delightful to work with.
Layering with Koh-I-Noor Woodless Colored Pencils
Multi-layering is no issue with this quality pencil. I always use a vellum paper that has a little tooth, and these pencils layer and mix beautifully. Furthermore, it takes fewer layers to obliterate the tooth thereby making your art process more efficient.
Putting these to the test, I tried a little experiment with three colors. I laid down the three colors, then only had to repeat the sequence twice to 
Pressure variation is no problem. These pencils layer beautifully with light or heavier pressure. Therefore, there is really no need to use very heavy pressure since the pigment comes off so easily.
Moreover, with the point being all pigment, you have a larger area of pigment to make very broad strokes if you use the pencil on its side, covering a lot of ground quickly.
Blendability of Koh-I-Noor Woodless Colored Pencils:
The softness of these pencils makes blending very easy. I have no complaints here.
Cons:
I have heard another artist on You-Tube say they break easily as she layers. Two things: 1. She admitted she has a heavy hand, and 2. This has never happened to me while using. Honestly, I personally don’t think this is a con but in full disclosure, people have said this about them.
What people have to understand is that the wood around traditional colored pencils protects them, so naturally they don’t break easily. Koh-i-Noor pencils do not have that protection. If they roll onto a bare floor, they will break (and your heart will too!).
Protect Koh-I-Noor Woodless Colored Pencils with this Simple solution:
As you are working with them, set them down on a felt pad or towel to prevent them from rolling. You just need to take extra care of them, that’s all. Believe me, these pencils will reward you if you take extra care of them.
In addition, they wear down more quickly and will need sharpening more often due to their softness. Did I just hear a groan? No groans necessary. Since they are all pigment, they sharpen beautifully in a hand-held sharpener!! Therefore, you won’t have the issues facing you when you go to sharpen a wooden pencil. Perfect!
Also, you may notice more crumbs when working with them as they are so soft, but it’s not to an annoying level.
4. Bye-bye Wax Bloom and Build-up! Hello Vibrancy!
Pros:
One of the biggest advantages is that these pencils are oil-based, so you will not be dealing with wax bloom nor wax build-up. Yay!
In addition, the oil-base of the pigments translates to vibrant, rich colors you will just love! These pencils are highly-pigmented and do not disappoint!
Also, regarding lightfastness, 75% are very good or excellent, another 6 are rated good. Only 6 are a 3 or below. This is really very good for lightfastness.
Cons:
3 of the colors are rated 2 in lightfastness (poor).
5. More Bang for the Buck
Pros:
This may be an obvious conclusion, but I’ll state it anyway. With the pencils being all pigment, you are getting way, way more pigment. In fact, I read it’s approximately 5 times the amount you get in a regular colored pencil. What could be better in terms of value?
In addition, these pencils are priced very reasonably. Check prices here for a 24 pack.
When you sharpen them—and I do recommend a handheld sharpener—they produce shavings that are all pigment. Therefore, you will not want to toss those shavings; they can be used under your fingertip for a kind of “finger-painting” technique. I explain how to do this in my post:
How to Create Backgrounds in Drawings – 3 Unique Methods for Colored Pencil Drawings.
Tip: If you want to save the shavings every time you sharpen, you can use an egg carton (2 for 24 colors) to separate and save the shavings. Then whenever you want to use them, you can easily grab them. And when you rub the pigment shavings into the paper, oh my! Such intensity (as shown here).
Con:
No con in this category. The price is very affordable, and you are getting a tremendous bang for the buck!
Koh-I-Noor Are Simply Irresistible!
Koh-i-Noor woodless colored pencils are simply and irresistibly delightful to use, are well-made, and perform so well. I rate these quite high not only because of these reasons, but also because they are very affordable. Honestly, I don’t know why artists wouldn’t have a pack of them in their art box!
So, I would encourage you to give these a try. They are amazing! Again, Here’s the link for a 24 pack.
Thanks for reading and please share if you liked the article and/or you found it helpful. Also, I welcome any comments or questions in the box below. And don’t worry, your email address will not show on the comment and will never be shared.
For more info, check out my post on “Basic Colored Pencil Techniques – Improve Your Colored Pencil Art.
Have an artful day!
Elaine
