It seems that everyone has their own set of watercolor pencils and Moleskine couldn’t be left behind! Now, these are not new to the market, but they sure are new to me. *Sigh*…that center table at Blick; I always fall for it!

While my main jam is paper, I love experimenting with different mediums! If you’re like, you might have known Moleskine for their sleek notebooks, but did you know they’ve ventured into art supplies too? I’ve used their notebooks for so many years, I just couldn’t resist testing them out. Now, to really put these pencils to the test, I chose to illustrate something simple, but with enough colors to try—plantains! Not only are they delicious, but they also remind me of home.

First Impressions

As with most of their products, the tin and pencils look sleeeeeek! The pencils come in a slim, matte black tin that slips easily into a bag—perfect for on-the-go sketching. The square barrels with glossy end caps are a unique feature that I hadn’t seen in other watercolor pencil sets, and the shape turned out to be a blessing; they stay put on the table and don’t roll around waiting for your cat or toddler to pick it up. The set includes 12 different and they are different enough that you’d be able to quick sketchbook art without adding any other tools.

Putting Them to the Test

I started my test with color swatches to get a feel for the pencils both wet and dry:

• Dry on dry paper: The pencils glided smoothly across the page, with a consistent, if slightly dry, texture. The colors are vibrant enough for casual sketches but definitely more subdued than some of the more vibrant brands I’ve tried like, e.g., Derwent’s Inktense line of pencils.
• Wet on dry: Once I activated the colors with a watercolor brush, I was pleased to see that the hues remained true to their dry state. Also, I found that the lighter washes worked great for shading—subtle, but effective!
• Wet on wet: By drawing directly onto the wet paper, I was able to get richer, deeper shades. This method is perfect if you’re looking for more saturated color.
• Dipping the pencil in water: I know, you’re technically not supposed to do this, but the effect was stunning! The pencil created bold, dark lines that felt almost like ink. Just be careful not to damage the pencil’s wood.

Sketching Plantains

For the main event, I sketched some plantains. The color range offered just enough variety to capture the rich greens and yellows of the plantain skin, with “Shine Yellow” adding the brightness and “Maze Green” grounding the natural tones. I also used “Woodtone Brown” and “Pitch Black” to add that top layer. I then went in with Neocolor pastels for added texture and vibrancy. The pencils stayed put under the pastels!

Final Thoughts

While Moleskine’s Naturally Smart Watercolor Pencils might not be the most vibrant or richly pigmented watercolor pencils I’ve ever used, they excel in other areas. For one, I don’t think the intent of the pencils is pigment per se. When I am sketching on the go, “mistakes” are bound to happen and it is easier to build on pigment than starting out with a lot of it and not being able to take it back. Also, the design is thoughtful, I love the square shape!

So, whether you’re heading out on a city adventure or just sketching from the comfort of your own home (perhaps with some plantains on hand for inspiration), these pencils make for a fun, lightweight, and creative addition to any artist’s toolkit!