Colored pencil Colored pencil A colored pencil (US-English), coloured pencil (UK-English, Canada-English), pencil crayon (UK-English, Canada-English), lead or coloured/colouring lead (Newfoundland-English) is an art medium constructed of a narrow, pigmented core encased in a wooden cylindrical case. Unlike graphite and charcoal pencils, colored pencils’ cores are wax- or oil-based and contain varying proportions of pigments, additives, and binding agents. Water-soluble (watercolor) pencils and pastel pencils are also manufactured as well as colored leads for mechanical pencils. Colored pencils vary greatly in terms of quality and usability; concentration of pigments in the core, lightfastness of the pigments, durability of the colored pencil, and
Mechanical pencil collar that, when depressed as the lead is worn away, extends out again when pressure is released. An advanced ratchet type has a mechanism that rotates the pencil lead 9° counter-clockwise every time the lead is pressed on to the paper (which counts as one stroke), to distribute wear evenly. This "auto-rotation" mechanism keeps the lead 50% narrower than in the common propelling mechanical pencils, resulting in uniform thickness of the lines written onto the paper. The design was first developed by Mitsubishi Pencil Company, and named "Kuru Toga" under the Uni brand. This type of pencil is most suited