This Fine Art 24 Water Color Pencil set is a collection of 24 high-quality watercolor pencils. They function as both traditional coloring and sketching pencils when used dry and as a watercolor applicator pencil when used to apply layers of colors that are then brushed with a damp paintbrush to blend the pencil colors to create watercolor paint.

I have no real talent, but coloring it is a relaxing hobby, and the pencils provide some flexibility in their use as a wet or dry medium. When the pencils are used dry, the color is highly pigmented. I was pleased with the depth this gave to water coloring pictures and the range of colors it produced. I also enjoyed using these pencils with my adult coloring book sets as it provides an opportunity for an extension of the fun of relaxing coloring activities. The pencils have a nice texture to them; they don’t leave a waxy pencil finish on the paper or leave dents in either regular scrap paper or sketching papers. This makes them very suitable for crafting ideas such as watercolor designs on DIY greeting cards.

I also like that by using a combination of dry and wet for the final artwork, it gives some structure to the look of a watercolor piece, which if you are a novice like me, makes for a much nicer result on your projects. I can do outlines in pencil and blend the water colors in interior sections with a wet brush for a gentle flush of color on large items, darker pigment on the detailing. When the pencil colors are combined a lovely flush of color tones and shades result, and the white and black pencils can be used with colors to create lighter or darker shades respectively.

There is both a brown and gray that are not quite metallic but they are almost a matte metal color of gold and silver, and these give nice custom color effects to a combination of colors once water is brushed over them. When my flower got too dark in sections, I went over it with the white watercolor pencil to fill in some spaces and then it was closer to my intended color once it was blended as a watercolor. I added some white pencil where the light would hit, and a faint outline of black where the shadow would appear, and it gave some nice depth to the picture. While these are “Coloring 101” kinds of basics, being able to do this with pencils instead of watercolors gave me more control over the final color result, and that makes my projects look better, which I enjoy.

The kit comes with a number 5 starter brush which personally I find suitable for using on larger areas, but it is too cumbersome for smaller detailing. It is long, thin and stiff and bends awkwardly. This brush is more suitable for someone who does not have any watercolor brushes and needs something just to get started. But if you are giving it as a gift, then you know the recipient can create watercolor designs right away.

I would consider this a nice gift for someone who enjoys adult coloring books, enjoys using watercolors outside or while traveling, and it comes in an attractive cardboard box. They look more expensive than they are, which is always a nice thing in a gift item.

I received this product in exchange for testing and review purposes.