Viarco Aqua Watercolor Pencils: Set of 12, Dry or Wet
Viarco Aqua is a set of 12 hexagonal colored pencils from the Portuguese pencil factory that work like ordinary colored pencils and wash like watercolor when wet. The pack says made in Portugal and lists no pencil length or lead width. The shop price was €6.80 (about US$7.62) on November 5, 2026.
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Product facts
- Product
- Aqua Watercolor Pencils, 12
- Brand
- Viarco
- Brand origin
- Portugal
- Made in
- Portugal*
- Material
- Wooden hexagonal colored pencils, water-soluble cores
- Good for
- Price range
- $$$5–20 per pencil (multi-packs divided by the count)
- Colors
Black
- Rate it
Notes on these facts
- Made by Viarco, Indústria de Lápis, Lda. Made in Portugal: Read from the pack back in the maker's photo: Fabricado em Portugal. The shop's text does not state it. Source. Price: example listing.
- Colors: names per Viarco online shop (Aqua pack photo with the printed 12-color strip), checked November 5, 2026. Viarco prints no color names. These 12 names are our plain descriptions of the 12 swatches printed on the pack, left to right; the tints are as printed, not measured from the pencils. Tints are representative, not measured. Shops stock different colors.
- How we test and disclose samples: How we test stationery.
- Price bands are typical US retail, checked October 2026. Conversions to US dollars are approximate, at October 2026 rates (US$1 = ¥158 = ₩1,330 = NT$32.5 = CN¥6.7 = SEK 9.9 = DKK 6.7 = ₺49.6 = C$1.41 = A$1.43 = CZK 21.7; €1 = US$1.12; £1 = US$1.32; CHF 1 = US$1.21).
Key takeaways
- Viarco says the Aqua set can be used both as regular colored pencils and as watercolor pencils: draw dry, or go over the work with a wet brush.
- The set holds 12 hexagonal pencils in a hanging pack listed at 18 × 9 × 1 cm and 60 g; pencil length, lead width and color names are not stated.
- The pack back is printed Fabricado em Portugal (made in Portugal), non-toxic to EN 71-3 and not for children under 3 because of sharp points.
- The shop price was €6.80 (about US$7.62) for the 12 on November 5, 2026, about €0.57 (about US$0.63) a pencil, in our $$ band ($5 to $20).
- Not stated: lightfastness, lead hardness, wood species and how soluble each color is.
What are Viarco Aqua watercolor pencils?
They are a set of 12 hexagonal colored pencils that turn to watercolor when wet. Viarco, the Portuguese pencil factory in São João da Madeira, says the Aqua pencils are of high quality, with watercolor features in contact with water, and that one set can be used in two ways: as regular colored pencils and as watercolor pencils.
We read the maker’s online shop on November 5, 2026, including the pack photos, which is where the use notes and the made-in line come from.
What does the pack say and list?
12 pencils, a 90 × 180 mm hanging pack, and a few lines of use and safety text.
| Spec | Value |
|---|---|
| Pencils | 12, hexagonal |
| Pack size (shop) | 18 × 9 × 1 cm |
| Pack weight (shop) | 60 g |
| Reference | OEC204012CX12 on the shop; REF. 2040/12 on the pack |
| Made in | Portugal (pack back: Fabricado em Portugal) |
| Safety text on pack | Non-toxic, EN 71-3; not for children under 3 years |
| Price, Nov 5, 2026 | €6.80 (about US$7.62); band $$ ($5 to $20) |
The pencil length, lead width, wood and hardness are not stated, so our drawing shows only the pack. The pack back also says it contains no tropical rainforest wood and is a renewable resource, in Portuguese, English and French.
What colors are in the 12?
A strip of 12 colors is printed on the pack, without names. Left to right it reads black, dark purple, indigo, light blue, dark green, light green, yellow, orange, pink, red and two browns. Those are our plain descriptions of the swatches, and they are the pack’s printing, not a measurement of the pencils’ own leads. Because the printed strip is the maker’s only color information, treat the match as approximate and swatch the pencils yourself.
What is the pack like to buy and store?
It is a flat hanging box, 10 mm deep, with a cardboard header. The shop photo shows a hang hole in the green header, the 12-color strip under it and a cut-out at the lower left that shows pencil tips. The pack is not a tin or a case, so a separate pencil case is worth having if you carry them. The back carries Viarco’s address in São João da Madeira, a customer-support address, CE and recycling marks and a barcode.
How do you use them wet?
Draw as normal, then go over it with a wet brush. The pack back, in Portuguese, says the Aqua colors blend easily, to use a wet brush to turn the drawing into watercolor, and to use suitable paper for the best results. Viarco names no paper weight or brand and gives no solubility rating per color. For a comparable wash set, see Arteza Expert Watercolor Pencils, or Faber-Castell Albrecht Dürer for another watercolor-pencil range.
Who is the Viarco Aqua set for?
It suits people who want colored pencils that can also be washed, in a small pack of 12.
- Drawing and sketching: Viarco says the 12-pencil Aqua set works dry like regular colored pencils or with a wet brush as watercolor pencils.
Skip it if you need a lightfastness rating or named, matched colors: Viarco gives neither. Our best colored pencils roundup lists artist sets with ratings.
Where are they made, and what else is not stated?
Portugal, per the pack back. Viarco is Portuguese and its pack says Fabricado em Portugal. Not stated anywhere we read: lead width, hardness, wood species, lightfastness and the solubility of each color. The shop’s tag list also includes ColorADD, a color code for color-blind users; the text does not say whether these pencils carry it, so we do not claim it. For Viarco’s other drawing materials, see ArtGraf Tailor Shape.
Frequently asked questions
How many pencils are in the Viarco Aqua set?
Twelve. The shop title is 12 Hexagonal Watercolor Pencils, and the pack front is printed 12 lápis, which is Portuguese for 12 pencils.
Can they be used dry?
Yes. The maker says the set can be used as regular colored pencils and as watercolor pencils, with surprising results. The pack back adds that the colors blend easily.
How do you make a wash?
The pack back, in Portuguese, says to use a wet brush to turn the drawing into watercolor and to use suitable paper for the best results. It names no paper weight or brand.
How big is the pack?
The shop lists 18 × 9 × 1 cm and 60 g. That is the pack, drawn at 90 × 180 × 10 mm in our cover; the pencil length is not stated.
Where are Viarco Aqua pencils made?
The pack back is printed Fabricado em Portugal, made in Portugal. The shop text does not say it, so we read it from the photo of the pack.
Are they safe for children?
The pack says non-toxic to EN 71-3 and not suitable for children under 3 years because of sharp points. Check the pack you receive.
How much do they cost?
On November 5, 2026 the maker's shop listed the 12 at €6.80 (about US$7.62), about €0.57 (about US$0.63) a pencil. The shop does not label tax on the page, and prices change.
Do the colors have names or a lightfastness rating?
No. The pack prints a strip of 12 color swatches without names, and neither the shop nor the pack gives a lightfastness rating.
Sources
- Viarco online shop: Aqua Watercolor Pencils, description, size, weight, SKU and price (read November 5, 2026)
- Viarco online shop: Aqua pack photo, front with the 12-color strip (read November 5, 2026)
- Viarco online shop: Aqua pack photo, back with use notes, safety text and made-in line (read November 5, 2026)
- Viarco (maker): company history, 1936 brand registration and the 1941 move to São João da Madeira (read November 5, 2026)