---
title: "Arteza Expert Colored Pencils 72: 4 mm Lead, Tin"
canonical: "https://stationerytimes.com/guides/arteza-expert-colored-pencils-72/"
description: "Arteza Expert Colored Pencils Set, 72 pc. (ARTZ-8072) explained: wax-based cores, a 4 mm lead, a red metal tin with three trays, and what the maker leaves out."
category: "Pencils"
type: "Colored pencil"
published: 2026-11-02
updated: 2026-11-02
author: "Ellis Penhale"
publisher: "Stationery Times"
sources: 4
products:
  - name: "Arteza Expert Colored Pencils Set, 72 pc. (ARTZ-8072)"
    brand: "Arteza"
    brand_origin: "United States"
    made_in: "Not stated"
    material: "Wax-based cores, break-resistant construction, 0.16 in (4 mm) lead, metal tin (Plaid, pack photo)"
    price_band: "$ (under $5 per pencil (multi-packs divided by the count), typical US retail, October 2026)"
    manufacturer: "Arteza, part of Plaid Enterprises, Inc."
    model: "Expert Colored Pencils Set, 72 pc."
    mpn: "ARTZ-8072"
    sku: "ARTZ-8072"
    url: "https://plaidonline.com/arteza-expert-colored-pencils-set-72-pc-artz-8072"
---

# Arteza Expert Colored Pencils 72: 4 mm Lead, Tin

> The Arteza Expert Colored Pencils Set (ARTZ-8072) holds 72 wax-core colored pencils in a red metal tin. Arteza prints a 0.16 in (4 mm) lead, break-resistant and acid-free, on the pack and sells it for coloring, illustration and design. It sits in our $ band (under $5 a pencil). Length and lightfastness aren't stated.

- URL: https://stationerytimes.com/guides/arteza-expert-colored-pencils-72/
- Category: Pencils
- Author: Ellis Penhale
- Published: 2026-11-02
- Updated: 2026-11-02

![Open red tin of 72 colored pencils in three trays, each pencil a different color, drawn by eye from the maker's pack photo](https://stationerytimes.com/images/raster/arteza-expert-colored-pencils-72-illustration-16x9.png?v=3c5c1cf4)

*The 72 pencils in their red tin, drawn by eye: Arteza lists no dimensions, so nothing is to scale.* Original illustration made for this guide. © Stationery Times. Original drawing (SVG): <https://stationerytimes.com/images/arteza-expert-colored-pencils-72-illustration.svg?v=65a18bc4>. Drawings © 2026 Stationery Times, reusable with credit under CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).

## Product facts

| Product | Brand | Brand origin | Made in | Material | Released | Price range (typical US retail, October 2026) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arteza Expert Colored Pencils Set, 72 pc. (ARTZ-8072) | Arteza (by Arteza, part of Plaid Enterprises, Inc.) | United States | Not stated | Wax-based cores, break-resistant construction, 0.16 in (4 mm) lead, metal tin (Plaid, pack photo) | – | $: under $5 per pencil (multi-packs divided by the count) |

- Made in (Arteza Expert Colored Pencils Set, 72 pc. (ARTZ-8072)): Not stated. Plaid's product page and Arteza's pack photo give no country of manufacture. Brand origin is the US because Arteza is sold through Plaid Enterprises, Inc., a US company; Arteza itself gives no origin. Source: https://plaidonline.com/arteza-expert-colored-pencils-set-72-pc-artz-8072

- Good for: Drawing and sketching. Skip it if you need a lightfastness rating or color names: neither is stated.

## Key takeaways

- The set has 72 pencils, each a different color, in a metal tin; the pack photo on Plaid's page shows them in three trays.
- The pack prints a 0.16 in (4 mm) lead, plus Pro Series, Artist Quality, Blendable, Break-Resistant and Acid-Free.
- Plaid's page says the wax-based cores lay down evenly and blend into gradients, and that the pencils resist breaking when sharpened.
- Not stated: pencil length, barrel shape, wood, color names, lightfastness rating or country of manufacture.
- At US$29.24 (regular US$38.99) on November 2, 2026 it works out to about US$0.41 a pencil, in our $ band (under $5).

## What are Arteza Expert Colored Pencils?

**They are a set of 72 colored pencils with soft wax-based cores, sold by Arteza in a metal tin.** Arteza is a Plaid brand, and Plaid's page says the cores give even laydown and blend easily for gradients and fine details. It names adult coloring, professional illustration and design as uses.

We read Plaid's pages on November 2, 2026. Arteza's own address, arteza.com, now forwards to Plaid's site.

## What are the specs?

**72 pencils, a 4 mm lead and a metal tin are the facts the maker states.**

| Spec | Value (Plaid, Arteza pack photo) |
|---|---|
| Model | ARTZ-8072 |
| Pencils | 72, each a different color |
| Core | Soft, wax-based |
| Lead | 0.16 in (4 mm), printed on the pack |
| Also printed on the pack | Pro Series, Artist Quality, Blendable, Break-Resistant, Acid-Free |
| Case | Metal tin; the photo shows three trays |
| Price | US$29.24, regular US$38.99, on November 2, 2026 |

Not stated: pencil length, barrel shape or diameter, wood, color names, lightfastness, country of manufacture.

![A sharpened colored pencil from the side with its 4 mm lead marked, drawn at 1 mm = 24 px](https://stationerytimes.com/images/arteza-expert-colored-pencils-72-lead-size.svg?v=38168e8a)

*The 4 mm lead from Arteza's pack, drawn at 1 mm = 24 px; the barrel and wood are drawn by eye. Original illustration made for this guide. © Stationery Times.*

## Who is the Arteza Expert 72 for?

**It suits people who want a big range of colors for drawing in one tin, at a low cost per pencil.**

- **Drawing and sketching:** the pack prints a 0.16 in (4 mm) lead, and Plaid says the soft wax-based cores blend into gradients and fine detail.

Skip it if you need a lightfastness rating or color names: neither is stated.

## What does a 4 mm lead mean?

**It is the width of the colored core, and Arteza prints it on the pack.** Faber-Castell lists 3.8 mm for its [Albrecht Dürer watercolor pencils](https://stationerytimes.com/guides/faber-castell-albrecht-durer-watercolor-pencils/) and Polychromos, so the Arteza core is a little wider on paper. We haven't measured either, and a wider core doesn't tell you how it sharpens or lasts.

Plaid says the cores resist breakage when sharpened and under heavy pressure, but gives no test. Sharpen one in a pencil sharpener you trust and see.

## How do you get more colors out of 72?

**By layering.** Plaid's colored-pencil page says new shades appear on the paper: blue layered over yellow reads as green, and red over blue as purple. More layers, or burnishing, deepen and smooth the result.

Because the cores are wax-based, Plaid contrasts them with watercolor pencils: they stay dry on the page. If you want washes, look at the [Arteza Expert Watercolor Pencils](https://stationerytimes.com/guides/arteza-expert-watercolor-pencils-48/) instead. Our [best colored pencils](https://stationerytimes.com/guides/best-colored-pencils/) roundup compares other artist sets.


## What paper does Plaid suggest?

**Medium-weight drawing paper with a light texture.** Plaid's page names Arteza's Drawing Pad (9 × 12 in, 80 sheets) and its Hardbound Sketchbook (8.5 × 11 in, 110 sheets) for colored pencils, and says the main difference is format and portability. It names no paper weight.

## How does the 72 compare with the 48?

**The 48 is the same line with fewer colors.**

| | 72 set (ARTZ-8072) | 48 set (ARTZ-8071) |
|---|---|---|
| Colors | 72 | 48 |
| Case | Tin | Portable metal tin |
| Plaid price, Nov 2, 2026 | US$29.24 (regular US$38.99) | US$28.99, out of stock |
| Regular price per pencil | about US$0.54 | about US$0.60 |

## Where are they made, and what do they cost?

**Arteza doesn't say where they are made.** Plaid's product page and the pack photo name no country.

At US$29.24 on Plaid's store, the 72 set is about US$0.41 a pencil, in our $ band (under $5). Prices change; check the listing.

## Frequently asked questions

### How thick is the lead in Arteza Expert colored pencils?

0.16 in (4 mm), according to the text printed on the pack in Plaid's product photo. Arteza's product page itself doesn't give a number.

### Are Arteza Expert colored pencils wax-based or oil-based?

Wax-based. Plaid's page says the set has soft wax-based cores, and its colored-pencil page contrasts them with water-soluble watercolor pencils. Arteza doesn't call them oil-based.

### Do the pencils come in a case?

Yes, a metal tin. Plaid lists a tin storage case, and its pack photo shows an open red tin with three trays.

### Does Arteza say how lightfast the colors are?

No. Neither the product page nor the pack names a lightfastness rating. If you plan to frame or sell the work, check it independently or scan it.

### Is there a smaller Arteza Expert set?

Yes, a 48-pencil set (ARTZ-8071) in a portable metal tin. Plaid listed it at US$28.99 but out of stock on November 2, 2026.

### Can you layer colors to make new ones?

Plaid says so. Its page explains that layering blue over yellow reads as green and red over blue as purple, and that more layers or burnishing deepen and smooth the result.

### What paper does Plaid recommend for colored pencils?

Medium-weight drawing paper with a light texture. Plaid points to Arteza's 9 × 12 in drawing pad (80 sheets) and its 8.5 × 11 in hardbound sketchbook (110 sheets).

### Is the 72 set made in the USA?

Arteza doesn't say. Plaid's product page and the pack photo name no country of manufacture, so check the tin you receive.

## Sources

- [Plaid: Arteza Expert Colored Pencils Set, 72 pc., ARTZ-8072 (72 pieces, wax-based cores, break-resistant, tin case, price and stock; pack photo text: Pro Series, 4 mm lead, acid-free; read November 2, 2026)](https://plaidonline.com/arteza-expert-colored-pencils-set-72-pc-artz-8072)
- [Plaid: Arteza colored pencils (colored vs watercolor pencils, layering colors, paper for colored pencils, 48 and 72 sets; read November 2, 2026)](https://plaidonline.com/brands/arteza/colored-pencils)
- [Plaid: Arteza Expert Colored Pencils Set, 48 pc., ARTZ-8071 (48 colors, metal tin, out of stock; read November 2, 2026)](https://plaidonline.com/arteza-expert-colored-pencils-set-48-pc-artz-8071)
- [Plaid: About Plaid (company since 1976; read November 2, 2026)](https://plaidonline.com/about-plaid)