Derwent, Pencils

Inktense Just Got Bolder: We Explore the 28 New Colours by Derwent

Spark your creativity and explore a palette of 28 vibrant new colours in the Derwent Inktense range. With their unique formulation, you can use these colours on paper, fabric, wood and more. Just lay down colour and transform into rich, vibrant washes with a touch of a wet brush – there’ll be no limits on your creativity. We took a look at the 28 new colours to see what they bring to the range.

Assorted pencils from the 28 new colours in the Derwent Inktense pencil range photographed with the 100 colour tin set.

Inktense are a range of water-soluble pencils and blocks from the UK brand Derwent are a favourite among artists, illustrators, designers, and hobby painters. Their precision is like that of a pencil, but they provide the versatility of a water-soluble paint, giving you the best of both worlds. The Inktense range includes pencils, blocks, and pan colours that can be intermixed to produce a stunning range of vibrant ink-like hues. In fact, this range has been a staple of Derwent’s product offering for years and has rightfully earned a dedicated following. Fans of the Inktense range will be excited to know that Derwent has expanded the colour range from 72 to a whopping 100, pushing the boundaries of their Inktense formula even further. So, ignite your imagination and join us as we explore the expanded range of Derwent Inktense colours.

What are Derwent Inktense Pencils?

Inktense Pencils photographed with swatches of colour

Derwent Inktense Pencils are a unique and innovative water-soluble medium that combines the control of a pencil with the beauty of intensely concentrated, ink-like colour. They’re incredibly popular with artists looking to create vibrant, watercolour-style paintings but their versatility on surfaces other than paper also makes them a hit with mixed media artists too. They also deliver much punchier colour than traditional watercolour pencils and offer some of the most vivid colours in the Derwent range. Although you can use Inktense pencils as a medium in their own right, they’re also great for combining with Inktense Blocks and Inktense Pans – as well as all other Derwent pencils.

Use Wet or Dry

Inktense Pencil swatch activated into a wash with a wet brush

You can use Inktense dry and they’ll behave much the same as a regular colour pencil, but as you add a drop of water you’ll notice that the colour intensifies to become a vibrant, fluid ink. Use the precision tip of the pencil to work with detail, then unleash vivid washes and gradients of colour with a stroke or spritz of water.

Permanent Once Dry

Artist layering washes of Inktense colour without reactivation

Unlike traditional watercolour pencils, Inktense pencils are permanent once dry. This allows you to build up layers of transparent colour without disturbing any of the layers beneath. You’ll be able to add layer upon layer without any bleeding or movement. This property makes them great for working with translucent glaze-like layers to gradually build up jewel-like colour.

Pigment Based

Artist drawing on a painting using Derwent Inktense pencils

Unlike other water-soluble pencils of comparable intensity, Inktense are completely pigment based. So you can be safe in the knowledge that every wash of colour will remain as vibrant as the day you painted it. This quality also makes Inktense perfectly suitable for artists who want their display their work and need it to last a long time without fading or losing vibrancy.

Paint on all kinds of surfaces

Artist using Inktense Pencil to paint on fabric

These versatile pencils can be used on paper, card, wood, ceramic, and other porous materials for a wide range of fine art and craft projects.

What are the 28 NEW Colours in the Inktense Range?

Inktense fanatics are sure to love the 28 new colours just introduced to the range. Bringing in a vibrant selection of new hues, these colours really open up your freedom to create. The 28 new colours cover a broad range of groups from bright golds and yellows to fiery reds and oranges, oceanic blues and turquoises, fresh greens, rich purples and a range of earthy tones. We swatched out the range so you can see their amazing vibrance for yourself! Check out our swatch video to see the transformation from dry to wet, or scroll down to see all the painted swatches side by side.

Colour swatches of the 28 new colours in the Derwent Inktense Pencil range
New colours (left to right, top to bottom): Lemon, Gold, Golden Sun, Orange Sorbet, Wild Flame, Mango, Paprika, Persian Red, Pink Flamingo, Sugar Plum, Amethyst, Nightshade, Violet Blue, Lapis Blue, Denim, Dark Cerulean, Malibu, Mineral Blue, Sea Breeze, Mint Leaf, Olivine, Jungle Green, Lime Green, Burnt Umber, Natural Brown, Asphalt, Storm Dust, Dark Mink.

These new additions put more colour at your fingertips and enable artists to experiment with an even broader range of techniques, adding more depth and richness to your work.

New Derwent Inktense 100 Colour Pencil Complete Set

In addition to the 28 new colours, therer’s also a new Derwent Inktense 100 colour set. This new set is perfect for Inktense enthusiasts looking to buy an entire collection of all the colours on offer. The set includes all your old Inktense favourites – plus the new colours – all packaged together in a beautifully illustrated tin.

These new colours are a must-try!

Derwent’s 28 new Inktense colours have pushed the boundaries of the Inktense formula, giving you an even greater choice of vibrant colours to work with. These new colours are sure to invigorate your creativity and add a new power to your imagination. You’re sure to experience colour like never before! These colours are great to try out on their own, or as part of the complete Inktense range. If you’re looking to experiment more try combining them with Inktense pans and blocks offers even more versatility. You can even use them with other Derwent ranges such as Graphitint or Tinted Charcoal. These new colours offer more convenience and versatility, allowing artists to explore Inktense to its fullest potential.

Explore the Derwent Inktense range on our website and try out these new colours today!

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Tanith is a Fine Art Graduate with a passion for drawing and watercolour. Her love of art extends beyond her own practice, as she regularly researches and tests new materials for the Bromleys blog. Through collaboration with suppliers, she gains the technical know-how to help troubleshoot artistic challenges, aiding fellow artists in refining their craft. While she specializes in watercolour, her articles span various topics, inspiring artists of every skill level to explore the world of art.
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9 thoughts on “Inktense Just Got Bolder: We Explore the 28 New Colours by Derwent

  1. It really would make sense for Derwent to put the new colours in a stand alone set. Those of us who already own the set of 72 may not be interested in duplicates.

  2. When will you offer these, and will you offer the set of 28 as well as 100? As an owner of the 72 set, I won’t be buying duplicates of what I have.

    1. Hi Chris. Thanks for your comment. Unfortunately I don’t think Derwent currently offer the 28 new colours in a set of their own, but I can certainly check in with them and see if it’s something they plan on adding to their range. We do stock all the new colours as singles on our website so they can be bought individually and added to a tin if required.

    2. Hi again Chris. Just wanted to confirm that I’ve heard back from our supplier and they have no plans to offer the 28 colours as a standalone set at the moment. It would just be a case of buying them individually with a separate storage tin.

      1. That’s strange….because Cult Pens are offering the Derwent Inktense pencils of the 28 new colours as a completely new set for the price of £48 (as at today’s date, June 12th. 2023).

        1. Hi Shiela! Thank you for your comment. I appreciate you bringing up the offer from Cult Pens. Upon checking their website, it seems that they are not offering an official Derwent tin set of the new colours, but rather providing a convenient option to purchase all the single pencils in one place.
          At our store, we do sell the new colours as individual pencils. To find them, you can visit the Inktense pencil page and use the filter option by typing in ‘NEW’. This should bring up all the new colours for you to purchase individually.

          1. The autocorrect thingy changed the spelling of your name which I did not notice until it was sent !
            Apologies, Tanith !
            Kind regards,
            Sheila

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