Water Soluble Drawing Pencils

Water-soluble drawing pencils bridge the gap between graphite and watercolour — use them dry for precise, controlled marks, then activate with a wet brush to create beautiful, fluid washes. It's a uniquely versatile medium that opens up a whole new dimension of mark-making without needing a separate set of paints or brushes.

PaperStory stocks two of the finest water-soluble drawing pencil ranges available:

Caran d'Ache Technalo

The Technalo range from Caran d'Ache offers water-soluble graphite in a range of subtle, nuanced grey tones — from warm to cool — as well as classic graphite grades. Swiss-made to Caran d'Ache's exacting standards, Technalo pencils dissolve smoothly and evenly for luminous, atmospheric washes. Ideal for landscape sketching, architectural drawing, and mixed media work.

Faber-Castell Graphite Aquarelle

Faber-Castell's water-soluble graphite pencils combine the precision of the Castell 9000 heritage with the fluidity of watercolour. Available in a range of grades, they activate beautifully with water for soft, expressive washes while retaining excellent mark-making quality when used dry.

• Use dry for precise graphite marks or wet for painterly washes
• No additional paints or brushes needed — just add water
• Available in a range of grades and subtle tonal colours
• Swiss Made (Technalo) and German Made (Graphite Aquarelle)
• Ideal for sketching, mixed media, and plein air work