Target keyword: best coloring supplies under dollars25
(3,600/mo), affordable colored pencils for adults (5,400/mo), budget
coloring supplies (2,900/mo)
Meta description: You don’t need to spend dollars60 on art
supplies to enjoy coloring. These are the best colored pencils, books,
and accessories under dollars25 — tested and honest.
Category: Product Guides / Budget
Tags: budget coloring, affordable art supplies, colored
pencils, coloring books, beginners, gift guide Affiliate
tag: strongdogsmar-20 (Amazon)
The Lie That You Need
Expensive Supplies
Walk into an art supply store and you’ll see displays of dollars80 pencil
sets, dollars40 markers, and dollars25 coloring books that make you feel like your
dollars15 setup is somehow illegitimate.
Here’s the truth: some of the best coloring experiences happen with
supplies that cost less than lunch. The coloring industry has a vested
interest in making you feel like you need to upgrade constantly. You
don’t.
What you need are supplies that feel good to use, produce satisfying
results, and don’t fall apart after two sessions. That’s achievable for
under dollars25. Let me show you exactly what to buy.
Colored Pencils: The Sweet
Spot
This is where most of your budget should go. And the good news: the
sweet spot for quality-to-price is lower than you think.
Best Overall: Crayola
50-Count ( dollars8–12)
Yeah, Crayola. I’m not being ironic. The 50-count set has decent
pigment, smooth laydown, and a color range that handles 90% of adult
coloring pages. They don’t blend like Prismacolors, but they’re not
supposed to — at this price point, they’re the king of “good enough to
actually enjoy.”
The 50-count gives you enough variety to shade and layer without
feeling limited. Skip the 24-count — not enough colors for adult
books.
→ Crayola
50-Count Colored Pencils
Best Upgrade (Still Under dollars25): Arteza Professional 72-Color Set
( dollars20–25)
If you have a little more room in your budget, the Arteza 72-color
set is the best value in colored pencils. Rich pigment, smooth
application, and 72 colors means you’re almost never reaching for a
shade that isn’t there. They blend reasonably well and the leads are
sturdy — not prone to breaking like some budget pencils.
This is the “I want to enjoy coloring without thinking about my
tools” price point.
→ Arteza
Professional 72-Color Set
When
You’re Ready to Splurge (Over dollars25 — For Reference)
These aren’t in our under- dollars25 budget, but they’re worth knowing about
so you can decide if the upgrade matters to you:
→ Prismacolor
Premier 72-Color Set (~ dollars35–45) — buttery soft leads, incredible
blending, the gold standard → Faber-Castell
Polychromos 60-Color Set (~ dollars55–70) — oil-based, won’t break,
European craftsmanship
Coloring Books
Under dollars15 That Are Actually Good
A bad coloring book is worse than bad pencils. Thin paper, boring
designs, or tiny spaces that make you cross-eyed — none of these are
worth even dollars5.
These are the ones that deliver:
For Quick Sessions (10–15
minutes)
→ Mindfulness
Coloring Book by Emma Farrarons (~ dollars8–10) — Small, portable, designs
that are satisfying without being exhausting. Perfect for “I just need
to color something right now.”
For Getting Lost In (30+
minutes)
→ Secret
Garden by Johanna Basford (~ dollars10–14) — The OG adult coloring book.
Intricate gardens, hidden objects, pages you can spend an hour on. Thick
paper that handles pencils and fine-tip markers.
→ Enchanted
Forest by Johanna Basford (~ dollars10–14) — Basford’s follow-up, even more
detailed. The “lost in the woods” vibe is real — you genuinely forget
where you are.
For Something Different
→ Tropical
World by Flora Chang Marotta (~ dollars8–10) — Bright, tropical designs
that feel like a vacation. Great for markers or bold pencil work.
→ Worlds
of Wonder by Mythographic (~ dollars10–14) — Surreal, imaginative scenes
that feel like coloring inside a dream. If standard mandalas bore you,
this is your book.
The dollars3–8
Accessories That Make Everything Better
You can color without these. But these small investments make such a
disproportionate difference that I can’t not mention them.
Kum Automatic Long
Point Sharpener ( dollars5–8)
This is the single best value accessory in coloring. A sharp pencil
makes clean lines. A dull pencil makes muddy ones. The Kum gives you a
perfect long point every time — the kind that makes you go “oh, THAT’S
what these pencils can do.”
→ Kum
Automatic Long Point Sharpener
🗑 Kneaded Eraser ( dollars2–4)
Not just for erasing mistakes — a kneaded eraser lets you lift pencil
to create highlights, soften edges, and add texture. It’s like having a
“make it look intentional” button.
🖊 Prismacolor Colorless
Blender ( dollars4–7)
If you’re using the Arteza or Prismacolor pencils, this is the cheat
code for smooth blending without solvents. It’s a pencil that burnishes
the pigment into the paper, making layers look seamless.
→ Prismacolor
Colorless Blender
🔧 Pencil Extender ( dollars5–8)
When your pencil gets down to a stub, you throw it away, right? A
pencil extender lets you use every last inch. It saves money
and feels better in your hand than a tiny nub.
Three Complete Under- dollars25 Kits
Don’t want to piece it together yourself? Here are three setups that
each come in under dollars25:
The “I Just Want to Start”
Kit — dollars10–14
- Crayola 50-Count Colored Pencils ( dollars8–12)
- Mindfulness Coloring Book by Farrarons ( dollars8–10)
That’s it. Under dollars15 shipped. You’re coloring tonight.
The “I Want to Enjoy This”
Kit — dollars22–25
- Arteza Professional 72-Color Set ( dollars20–25)
- Mindfulness Coloring Book by Farrarons ( dollars8–10, if budget allows — or
use a book you already have)
The Arteza set alone is enough. Add any book and you’re set for
weeks.
The “I’m Hooked” Kit
— dollars24–28 (slightly over, sorry)
- Arteza Professional 72-Color Set ( dollars20–25)
- Kum Sharpener ( dollars5–8)
- Use a free printable coloring page (seriously — Pinterest has
thousands)
This is the setup where you stop fighting your tools and start
enjoying the process. The sharpener alone changes everything.
What to Skip (Save Your
Money)
Marker sets under dollars15. Cheap markers bleed through
paper, have inconsistent ink flow, and dry out fast. If you want
markers, save up for alcohol-based ones. Pencils are better at every
budget under dollars25.
Giant pencil sets (120+ colors) from unknown brands.
More colors doesn’t mean better quality. You’ll get 15 shades of beige
you never use and cores that crumble when you sharpen them. The Arteza
72 or even Crayola 50 will serve you better.
“Celebrity” coloring books. You know the ones — they have a famous
person’s name on the cover and generic designs inside. The books I
recommended above are loved because the artists made them, not
because a brand stamped a name on them.
Electric sharpeners under dollars15. They eat pencils
alive. The Kum manual sharpener gives you more control for less
money.
The Honest Truth
You can spend dollars200 on coloring supplies and still make something
ugly. You can spend dollars8 and have one of the most relaxing evenings of
your week.
The tools matter — but not as much as the practice. Start with what
you can afford. Color regularly. Upgrade when you notice your tools
limiting you, not because an ad told you to.
The best supplies are the ones you actually use.
This post contains affiliate links, which means ColoredCalm earns
a small commission if you purchase through them — at no extra cost to
you. We only recommend products we genuinely use and love.