STAEDTLER Mars Lumograph Aquarell Watercolour Pencils – Set of 12

STAEDTLER Mars Lumograph Aquarell Watercolour Pencils

The STAEDTLER Mars Lumograph Aquarell is a watercolour pencil built for artists who want to move freely between drawing and painting. Used dry, the leads lay down smooth, richly pigmented colour for sketching, line work and layered detail. Add a wet brush and the same colour opens into a soft, transparent wash, so you can work from a crisp pencil sketch straight into a full watercolour piece without changing tools.

Each pencil carries a 3.6mm lead made from finely ground, artist-grade pigments. STAEDTLER's super-bonded lead formulation keeps the core resistant to breakage during sharpening and use, while still delivering a soft, velvety laydown that blends cleanly on the page. Colour stays true over time too: every shade is tested against the internationally recognised Blue Wool Scale and rated for lightfastness, so finished pieces keep their depth rather than fading out.

The pencils come housed in a sturdy metal case, which doubles as a handy palette tray if you want to wet the pencil tips directly and lift colour with a brush. The wood barrels are sourced from certified, sustainably managed forests, and every pencil is made in Germany.

Why artists reach for this range

• Water-soluble leads that move seamlessly from dry sketching to full watercolour washes
• Artist-grade pigments for vibrant, consistent colour with every stroke
• High lightfastness, rated and printed on each pencil, so artwork holds its colour for years
• 3.6mm super-bonded lead that resists breaking under normal sharpening and use
• Soft, even laydown for smooth layering and gradual colour build-up
• Sturdy metal case that protects the pencils and keeps a growing collection organised
• Sustainably sourced wood, PEFC certified, made in Germany

Choosing your set

• Set of 12 – a compact, well-rounded starter palette. Ideal if you are trying watercolour pencils for the first time or want a travel-friendly kit for plein air sketching.
• Set of 24 – a broader spread of hues with enough tonal variation to handle most subjects, from portraits to landscapes, without constant colour mixing.
• Set of 60 – the range for artists who want depth and nuance on hand, with enough shades to move through subtle gradients and complex colour work without stopping to blend.

All three sets are drawn from STAEDTLER's full 120-shade Mars Lumograph Aquarell palette, so colours can be extended later with open stock pencils if you want to build toward a larger set.

How to use them

Work dry for controlled line work and fine detail, the way you would with a standard coloured pencil. To activate the pigment, go over the dry colour with a water brush or a soft, damp paintbrush, working from light to dark so you keep control of the wash. Minimal water keeps lines crisp; more water lets the pigment flow into broader, softer areas. You can also dip a damp brush directly onto the pencil tip and paint with it like a tube of watercolour, which is a quick way to add small, saturated details. Once a layer has dried, it can be worked back into or layered over, though like any artist pigment it will not lift away completely.

For best results, sharpen with a quality sharpener built for thicker artist leads, such as STAEDTLER's own Mars double-hole sharpener. Store the pencils somewhere dry, as moisture will soften the water-soluble core over time.

Specifications

• Lead diameter: approximately 3.6mm
• Lead type: water-soluble, artist-grade pigment
• Barrel:hexagonal wood, sourced from certified, sustainably managed forests
• Lightfastness: individually rated against the Blue Wool Scale, graded on each pencil
• Case:metal tin
• Pack sizes:12, 24 or 60 pencils
  

Whether you're sketching on location or working up a detailed studio piece, the Mars Lumograph Aquarell gives you one set of pencils that handles both the drawing and the painting.