Derwent Drawing Pencils 72 Set: A Beloved Range Finally Grows Up

Introduction

For nearly four decades, the Derwent Drawing range has been one of the most distinctive coloured pencil sets on the market. What began as a six-pencil sketching set in 1986 grew into a beloved 24-pencil collection, and it stayed there for 25 years. Now Derwent has finally expanded the range to a full 72-pencil set, and the result looks like a carefully considered evolution rather than a rushed filler job.

If you already love the original Drawing pencils, the new set deserves a close look. If you have never tried them, this is genuinely one of the most characterful coloured pencil ranges available from any major brand.

A Quick History of the Derwent Drawing Pencil

The Derwent Drawing pencil first appeared in 1986 as a modest set of six: Chinese white, ivory black, brown ochre, sepia red, sanguine, and chocolate. It was very much a traditional sketching set in the classic sanguine-and-white tradition. Around the year 2000, Derwent expanded it to 24 pencils, and that palette became one of the most sought-after sets in the coloured pencil world, admired alongside offerings from Faber-Castell, Caran d’Ache, and Lyra.

Part of the charm is thematic. Derwent is based in Keswick, in England’s Lake District, and the palette draws directly from the region’s natural beauty: wildflowers, moorland walks, and muted skies. The original colours reflect that landscape almost perfectly.

Interestingly, back in 2017 the company’s own leadership suggested there were no plans to expand the range, worried that adding colours would dilute its uniqueness. That concern makes the new 72 set all the more interesting, because the expansion clearly took the palette’s identity seriously.

What Makes the Pencil Itself Special

The core is a generous 5.0mm, which is enormous by coloured pencil standards and larger than many pastel pencils. That core sits in an 8.3mm cedarwood barrel lacquered in a rich golden reddish-brown that ties the whole range together visually.

The barrel carries clear white print along one side: “Made in England”, the Derwent Drawing name, and the pigment name and number for open stock purchases. The end of the pencil features Derwent’s signature angled pigment flash, separated from the barrel by a decorative bronze ring. In the hand, the pencil immediately communicates quality.

Beyond the hardware, it is the consistency of the core that wins people over. It is soft, easy to blend, and forgiving when layering. Across years of feedback from artists worldwide, it is remarkably rare to find anyone who dislikes the Drawing range. The appeal is not just the palette; it is how the pencil feels and behaves.

The New 48 Colours: What Changed

Derwent has not simply padded the set out. The new additions follow the Lake District theme and fill genuine gaps in the original palette.

On the warm side, the new golden yellows are muted rather than garish, evoking sunsets rather than highlighters: champagne, sunflower, mustard, gold, and apricot, followed by autumn-leaning tones such as autumn leaf, rust, and strawberry. Dusty pinks like light russet and dusky pink sit alongside standout violets such as burnt rose, ash rose, and grape.

The blues were perhaps the biggest gap in the original 24. The old palette’s Solway blue, smoke blue, and ink blue suit overcast Cumbrian skies, but there was little for bright sunny days. New additions like deep Atlantic, polar ice, and teal blue fix that.

Most notably, the greens were sparse in the original set, which was an odd omission for a range aimed at landscape and botanical artists. The new set spoils those artists with fir green, spruce green, distant green, fresh green, moss green, light moss, green earth, rainforest, and sage leaf, alongside new earth tones and near-black shades like midnight and forest. The greys, including mist, platinum, carbon grey, granite, taupe, and fossil grey, round out the set beautifully.

Lightfastness: What We Know So Far

Official lightfast ratings for the 72 set had not been published ahead of release. However, the original 24 set was rated on the blue wool scale, where 23 of the 24 pencils achieved a rating of 8 and the remaining one rated 7. On a scale where 7 and 8 are the highest attainable, that is exceptional.

Given that track record, it is reasonable to expect the expanded set to perform in a similar vein, though it is worth checking the official ratings once Derwent publishes them before committing irreplaceable artwork to the new colours.

Performance on Paper

The Drawing pencils performed beautifully both on Derwent Lightfast paper, which has more tooth and is 100% cotton, and on Strathmore Bristol Smooth 300 series, a much smoother and very affordable surface. The soft core takes well to both.

On the Lightfast paper, layering feels almost limitless and blending comes easily; the pencil and the paper feel made for each other. On the smoother Bristol surface, the pencils still lay down smoothly and transitions between colours remain graceful. For botanical work in particular, the soft muted tones and the subtle near-whites with a hint of colour, such as Arctic and Oyster, are especially promising for flowers and delicate transitions.

Buying Advice

The 72 set was scheduled for release on 1 October, so availability may still be rolling out depending on when you read this. The original 24 set remains a fantastic entry point if you want to test the range before committing to the full collection, and it was previously valued at around 60 pounds.

Two practical points worth knowing: Derwent has periodically run discount promotions on its own website, so it pays to check before buying, and the 72 set’s value hinges on whether you actually need the added greens, blues, and earth tones. Botanical and landscape artists will find the expansion most rewarding; portrait or still-life artists should weigh how much of the palette they will realistically use.

Conclusion

The Derwent Drawing 72 set is a rare example of an expansion that respects what made the original special. The soft 5mm core, the quality cedar barrel, and the muted Lake District palette all carry over, and the 48 new colours fill real gaps rather than diluting the range. For landscape and botanical artists especially, this looks like one of the most appealing coloured pencil releases in years.