Arteza Expert Watercolor Pencils 48: Wet or Dry, Tin
The Arteza Expert Watercolor Pencils Set (ARTZ-2846) holds 48 water-soluble colored pencils in a metal tin with sorting trays. You can draw dry or brush on water for transparent washes. The pack prints a 0.16 in (4 mm) lead, and Arteza says it meets ASTM D-4236. It sits in our $ band (under $5 a pencil).
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Product facts
- Product
- Arteza Expert Watercolor Pencils Set, 48 pc. (ARTZ-2846)
- Brand
- Arteza
- Brand origin
- United States
- Made in
- Not stated*
- Material
- Water-soluble, break-resistant cores, 0.16 in (4 mm) lead, metal tin with sorting trays (Plaid, pack photo)
- Good for
- Price range
- $under $5 per pencil (multi-packs divided by the count)
- Rate it
Notes on these facts
- Made by Arteza, part of Plaid Enterprises, Inc.. Country of manufacture 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. Price: example listing.
- How we test and disclose samples: How we test stationery.
- Price bands are typical US retail, checked October 2026. Conversions to US dollars are approximate, at October 2026 rates (US$1 = ¥158 = ₩1,330 = NT$32.5 = CN¥6.7 = SEK 9.9 = DKK 6.7 = ₺49.6 = C$1.41 = A$1.43 = CZK 21.7; €1 = US$1.12; £1 = US$1.32; CHF 1 = US$1.21).
Key takeaways
- The set has 48 shades in a metal tin with sorting trays; the pack photo shows two trays.
- The pack prints a 0.16 in (4 mm) lead and 'water-soluble', plus Pro Series, Artist Quality, Blendable, Break-Resistant and Acid-Free.
- Plaid says the pencils can be used wet or dry: a splash of water turns lines into transparent washes and layered effects.
- Plaid says the set meets ASTM D-4236 and is safe for artists of all levels; Arteza shows no test report.
- At US$21.74 (regular US$28.99) on November 2, 2026 it works out to about US$0.45 a pencil, in our $ band (under $5).
What are Arteza Expert Watercolor Pencils?
They are 48 colored pencils with water-soluble cores, so one pencil can draw dry or paint wet. Arteza, a Plaid brand, describes pigmented color you can use dry, or soften with a splash of water into transparent washes and layered effects. Each pencil is break-resistant, the page says, and the set comes in a metal tin.
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?
48 shades, a 4 mm lead and a tin with sorting trays are what the maker states.
| Spec | Value (Plaid, Arteza pack photo) |
|---|---|
| Model | ARTZ-2846 |
| Pencils | 48 shades |
| Core | Water-soluble, break-resistant |
| Lead | 0.16 in (4 mm), printed on the pack |
| Also printed on the pack | Pro Series, Artist Quality, Blendable, Acid-Free, Water-Soluble |
| Case | Metal tin with sorting trays; the photo shows two trays |
| Safety | Plaid says it meets ASTM D-4236 |
| Price | US$21.74, regular US$28.99, on November 2, 2026 |
Not stated: pencil length, barrel shape or diameter, wood, color names, lightfastness, country of manufacture.
Who is the Arteza Expert Watercolor 48 for?
It suits people who want washes from a pencil without buying a paint set.
- Drawing and sketching: Plaid says each pencil works wet or dry, and the pack prints a water-soluble 0.16 in (4 mm) lead for washes.
Skip it if you need a lightfastness rating or color names: neither is stated.
How do watercolor pencils work?
You draw first, then add water. Plaid’s colored-pencil page says watercolor pencils use a water-soluble core, so you sketch like a normal pencil, then go over the lines with a wet brush to dissolve the color into soft washes. Layering dry first, then wetting, adds a second way to mix color.
Plaid says the same set can also be used dry, like a colored pencil. For a pencil that stays dry on the page, see the Arteza Expert Colored Pencils.
What paper should you use?
Heavy, absorbent watercolor paper. Plaid says it handles added water and helps reduce buckling, and names Arteza’s Cold Pressed Watercolor Pad (9 × 12 in, 32 sheets) for activating the pencils. Plaid gives no paper weight. Our best watercolor sets roundup covers paint if you decide to move on from pencils.
Which Arteza pencil set should you choose?
Choose the watercolor set for washes and the colored set for dry layering. Plaid says the colored pencils stay dry on the page and the watercolor pencils dissolve with a wet brush. Both packs print the same 0.16 in (4 mm) lead, and both come in a metal tin.
The watercolor pencils can also be used dry, so one set can do both jobs, but Plaid doesn’t compare how the two sets feel or blend. Plaid’s page lists the 48 colored set and this 48 watercolor set as options under US$30 on November 2, 2026.
Where does the ASTM D-4236 claim come from?
From Plaid’s product page, with no document shown. The page says the set meets ASTM D-4236 and is safe for artists of all levels. We haven’t seen a certificate, and Arteza names no lab or date. The page makes no age claim.
How does the 48 compare with the 120?
The 120 is the same idea with more shades.
| 48 set (ARTZ-2846) | 120 set (ARTZ-8362) | |
|---|---|---|
| Shades | 48 | 120 |
| Case | Metal tin, sorting trays | Portable metal case |
| Plaid price, Nov 2, 2026 | US$21.74 (regular US$28.99) | US$69.99, out of stock |
| Per pencil at that price | about US$0.45 (regular about US$0.60) | about US$0.58 |
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$21.74 on Plaid’s store, the 48 set is about US$0.45 a pencil, in our $ band (under $5). Prices change; check the listing.
Frequently asked questions
How do you use Arteza watercolor pencils?
Draw as with a colored pencil, then go over the lines with a wet brush. Plaid says the color dissolves into soft, painterly washes; you can also leave it dry.
What paper works with Arteza watercolor pencils?
Plaid recommends heavy, absorbent watercolor paper that can take water without buckling, and names Arteza's Cold Pressed Watercolor Pad (9 × 12 in, 32 sheets). It states no paper weight.
Are Arteza watercolor pencils safe for kids?
Plaid's page says the set meets ASTM D-4236 and is safe for artists of all levels. Arteza shows no test report, and the page makes no age claim.
Is there a bigger Arteza watercolor pencil set?
Yes, 120 pencils (ARTZ-8362) in a portable metal case. Plaid listed it at US$69.99 but out of stock on November 2, 2026.
What is the difference from the Arteza colored pencils?
The core. Plaid says regular colored pencils have a wax-based core that stays dry; watercolor pencils have a water-soluble core you can dissolve with a wet brush.
Do the watercolor pencils come in a tin?
Yes, a metal storage tin with sorting trays. Arteza's pack photo shows two trays inside a red tin.
How many colors does the set have?
48 shades. Plaid's page calls them unique and pigmented but names none of them.
Is the 48 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 Watercolor Pencils Set, 48 pc., ARTZ-2846 (48 shades, wet or dry, break-resistant, tin with sorting trays, ASTM D-4236, price and stock; pack photo text: Pro Series, 4 mm lead, water-soluble, acid-free; read November 2, 2026)
- Plaid: Arteza colored pencils (colored vs watercolor pencils, paper for watercolor pencils, 48 and 120 sets; read November 2, 2026)
- Plaid: Arteza Expert Watercolor Pencils Set, 120 pc., ARTZ-8362 (120 shades, portable metal case, out of stock; read November 2, 2026)