Amazrock Watercolor Pencils
36 count pack
Wax core
Hexagonal barrel
Budget-priced
Pros:
Affordable
Comes with Stylish Carrying Wrap
Durable
Cons:
Lighter Colors Require Above Average Application Pressure
Few Aesthetic Features on Pencil Barrel
Amazrock Watercolor Pencils Review
Last updated by Brandon F. on December 28, 2022
Amazrock was nice enough to send us a set of their 36-pack watercolor pencils to check out. This company appears to sell a variety of products across various niches and its watercolor pencil set is quickly climbing up the ladder in several online marketplaces. This watercolor set utilizes a standard wax core, a hexagonal barrel, and takes a very proven approach.
Visual Appeal – 3.5/5
This product only comes in a 36-pack set so you will be a little limited on color selection on that merit alone. That being said, the available colors are spaced out nicely and you will get several different shade choices between popular colors such as greens, blues, and reds. They did go a bit heavy on the pinks and purples, however (in our experience these colors are typically used the least).
The color application is nice and thick in darker colors. You can produce deep strokes that allow for a great base layer to build off of. We particularly enjoyed the browns and dark blues that jumped off the page. The lighter colors, on the other hand, will require a much stronger push to produce similar color intensity. That isn’t to say that they cannot produce an equally intense color, but it will require more effort.
Being a watercolor pencil, the real magic happens once water is applied to the Amazrock Watercolor Pencils. Small amounts of water opened up the colors and allowed for above-average blending from a budget pencil. This helped to fill in some of the gaps that a smaller pencil set naturally has in color choices.
Usability and Durability – 4/5
Overall, this wax core is above average hardness and resembles some of the oil cores we have tested in the past. This means that it is easy to form a sharp point for highly detailed areas but after creaminess, you may not be as impressed. Being a watercolor pencil, having a creamy application and blending ability when dry isn’t that important. What is important is how well it performs with the application of water. As mentioned above, water opens up the pencils and allows not only great color blending but also a fun experience.
The pencil lead comes in at 3.4mm which we have found to be sort of the “sweet spot” for many pencils. It is small enough to allow for great control in high-detailed areas but still large enough to allow for broad color applications in areas such as skies, fields, etc.
The build quality of these pencils is quite good considering their price point. The lead is consistent, easily sharpened, and seems to keep a nice point even with above-average application pressure. You shouldn’t find yourself having to resharpen these constantly.
Packaging and Presentation – 3.5/5
One of the bright points of the Amazrock Watercolor Pencils set is its packaging. It mixes things up a bit by coming in its carrying case wrap. Most pencil sets utilize traditional pencil cases so this cool addition alone makes these pencils stand out. You can easily wrap them quite tight in this wrap which allows for easy storage and mobility.
As to how well the case does at protecting the pencils: we still feel that a tin case will be a “safer” home but this wrap should do an adequate job.
The pencils themselves are a bit underwhelming in appearance. They are a solid color that represents (somewhat accurately) the color of the pencil core. There is no stamping that shows the color or any sort of attractive white/gold dipping at the base that we see in many other pencil brands. The only visual features are a silver stamp of the brand name and a random number. They look fine, but there is nothing visually that stands out.
Cost – 4/5
The Amazrock Watercolor Pencils are very reasonably priced and fall comfortably into the budget tier. Given their performance, this is a nice price point that should be within most people’s budgets. The fact that it comes with its carrying case is also a nice bonus and makes these even a better bargain. When you are looking at budget pencils, you have to be open to some flaws due to the low price but Amazrock doesn’t have to worry about that issue.
Overall Ranking – 4/5
The Amazrock Watercolor Pencils are a nice addition to the budget lineup of watercolor pencils currently on the market. While they don’t do anything groundbreaking, their wax cores are of good quality and have acceptable performance given their price point. Color application varies (and is somewhat limited since this is a smaller set) but seems to be best in the darker colors but all the colors open up once exposed to small amounts of water. The included carrying wrap was a great addition and something we wish other brands would consider doing. Overall, if you are after a simple and cost-effective set of durable watercolor pencils, you can’t go wrong with these.