Castle Art Supplies 72 Harmonious Coloured Pencils Set (72 muted & moody shades) in presentation tin

If you’ve ever opened your pencil case and thought, “I’m missing that exact tone”, this kind of set is built for that moment. The Castle Art Supplies 72 Harmonious coloured pencils focus on a muted, moody palette and land in a wax-based, soft-core style intended to blend smoothly.

It’s also the sort of pack you buy when you’re past experimenting with basic colours and want more usable in-between shades for shading, layering and atmosphere—without having to chase lots of singles. That said, the real test is whether your projects suit this specific “harmonious” mood, if you mostly need bright, punchy colours, you may find it less aligned with your usual work.

The essentials

This set includes 72 coloured pencils in a presentation tin, designed around a curated range of muted and moody shades. On paper, that makes it feel more like a “complete palette” than a random assortment, particularly for adults working on illustrative colouring, soft transitions and atmospheric colour work.

The set’s approach is also skill-minded. You get step-by-step tutorials and colouring tips included, plus a set of projects for inspiration. There’s even an illustration reference related to “Queen of Harmony” shown on the tin, alongside three more projects to guide your creativity.

Key features

What stands out first is the core promise: ultra-smooth wax cores intended for smooth application and effortless blending, with vibrant colour output across a variety of surfaces. In practical terms, wax-based soft-core pencils tend to be appealing when you want colour to move easily on the page and build gradually without feeling too scratchy.

The pencils are also positioned as part of a larger collection—your missing-link fill-in, rather than something that tries to replace every other pencil set you own. So if you already have a good starter range, this one may slot in to expand the moodier end of your palette.

Another advantage is that the set is developed and approved by the brand’s in-house artists, with a claim of being tested and trusted by artists worldwide.

What you’ll notice day to day

In use, the main thing you’ll likely care about is how quickly you can create smooth gradients and transitions. This set is geared toward blending, so it’s the sort of choice for skin tones with subtle variation, moody backgrounds, toned-down foliage, and muted clothing shades.

A small example: imagine colouring a shaded character scarf—start with a mid-tone, layer lightly to deepen folds, then blend outward to avoid harsh banding. With pencils like this (soft, wax-based), you can often keep edges more controlled while you build colour depth.

Where it shines

It’s a strong fit if you want a muted palette for adult colouring and illustration and you care about blending without making the process feel fiddly. The curated selection of 72 shades can be helpful when you’re working from reference images that rely on subdued colours and atmospheric depth.

It makes sense if you’re also the type of person who benefits from guidance. The included step-by-step tutorials and colouring tips aren’t essential if you already know what you’re doing, but they can help when you’re trying to improve technique rather than just filling pages.

Things to consider before buying

Keep in mind that this is a “harmonious” palette. If your usual work leans heavily towards bright, high-saturation art looks, you might end up reaching for other pencils more often.

Also, the description mentions performance across “a variety of surfaces”, but it doesn’t specify which paper types it performs best on. If you have a particular drawing paper or cartridge you always use, it’s worth checking whether it matches your expectations for blending and layering on that surface.

Is it worth it?

Buy it if you want a ready-to-go, muted and moody set of 72 coloured pencils in a presentation tin, especially if blending and smooth application are a priority. It’s particularly worthwhile for adult artists who want to fill gaps in a growing collection and for anyone who likes having tutorials and themed projects included.

Skip it if you mostly need bright, bold colours, or if you already have a palette that covers muted tones well and you’re only missing a handful of very specific shades.

Not sure you’ll love the palette? That’s the biggest “limitation” here: it depends quite a bit on whether the harmonious, moody direction matches the kind of art you actually make.

Mini FAQ

Are these pencils good for blending?

They’re described as having ultra-smooth wax cores intended for effortless blending, so blending is clearly part of the design.

Do I need to be an expert to use this set?

They’re positioned as soft core coloured pencils for expert blending, but the included tutorials and colouring tips suggest the set also aims to help you develop technique.

What do the projects on the tin help with?

They’re included as inspiration and learning prompts, including the “Queen of Harmony” recreation and three more projects.

What’s the benefit of getting 72 shades at once?

The main value is coverage: a curated range of muted and moody colours that can fill gaps and reduce the need to buy lots of singles.