Shuttle Art 80 Colored Pencils Review – 2024 Hands-On Test

Quick Verdict

The Shuttle Art 80 colored pencils deliver a surprisingly solid experience for the price. After working through half a dozen pages of a complex botanical design over three evenings, I found the color payoff to be rich and the blending performance to be genuinely enjoyable. They are not going to replace professional-grade colored pencils, but for anyone getting into adult coloring or working on a budget, this set earns a recommendation. I am giving the Shuttle Art 80 colored pencils a score of 4.3 out of 5.

What Is the Shuttle Art 80 Colored Pencils?

The Shuttle Art 80 colored pencils are a 80-color set designed for artists, beginners, and coloring enthusiasts. Each pencil features a soft core encased in high-quality wood, with the barrel color-matched to the core so you can grab the right shade without squinting. Every pencil carries a name and number printed directly on the wood, which makes following complex coloring tutorials much easier. The set is marketed toward both kids and adults, though the depth of color and layering capability clearly appeal more to serious hobbyists working in adult coloring books.

Key Features

• 80 unique colors with no duplicates for a full spectrum palette
• Soft, break-resistant cores that glide smoothly across paper
• Color-matched barrels and numbered labels for easy identification
• Non-toxic, acid-free formula conforming to ASTM D-4236 and EN71
• Suitable for coloring, drawing, shading, layering, and blending
• Works well for beginners, experienced artists, and children alike

Hands-On Review

I opened the box on a rainy Thursday evening, expecting the usual flimsy cardboard packaging that often comes with budget art supplies. The Shuttle Art 80 colored pencils surprised me. They were neatly arranged in a cardboard tray, each one wrapped in its own thin paper sleeve. The first thing I noticed was the weight — they feel substantial in the hand, not like the featherlight pencils you find in classroom packs.

The real test came when I started filling in a monstera leaf design. The warm greens went down smoothly, and I was able to layer a lighter sage over the base color without the core crumbling. What surprised me was how well the darker shades — the deep teals and near-black greens — performed on the leaf veins. By the second page, I had moved into the coral and terracotta tones for flower petals. These are colors that often look washed out in budget sets, but the Shuttle Art pencils delivered something closer to pigment-heavy warmth.

There is a minor issue worth mentioning. After heavy layering on a single section, I noticed a slight waxy sheen building up on the surface — what artists call wax bloom. It is not deal-breaking, and it is something you can manage by adjusting your pressure or using a lighter hand. I also tried the pencils on two different paper types. On 120gsm marker paper, the colors looked rich and true. On standard printer paper, the lighter shades — especially the pale yellow and off-white — went on slightly chalky.

Sharpening was straightforward on most pencils. I ran about 15 of them through a handheld sharpener over the course of my testing. Three of the softer reds produced crumbly shavings when I pushed the sharpener too aggressively, but gentle, steady turns gave me clean points without core breakage. The break resistance claim in the product listing holds up under normal use.

Who Should Buy It?

The Shuttle Art 80 colored pencils are a strong choice if you are new to adult coloring and want to build a diverse palette without spending heavily. The range of 80 colors means you can explore shading, gradients, and blending techniques that would require purchasing multiple smaller sets from other brands. They also work well for art teachers or parents looking for a safe, non-toxic option for kids who want more than a standard 12-color box.

Artists who primarily work in other mediums and want an affordable secondary set for quick color notes will appreciate the value here. The numbered barrels make matching colors across sessions simple, which is a small but meaningful quality-of-life feature when you are working through long coloring projects.

Skip this set if you are an experienced colored pencil artist who exclusively uses premium brands like Prismacolor or Polychromos. Thecores do not match that tier of performance in terms of pigment concentration or wax consistency. And if you are looking for a self-contained travel set with a built-in sharpener or case, you will need to buy accessories separately.

Alternatives Worth Considering

If you want a step up in core quality and pigment performance, the Crayola Colored Pencils 24-Pack offers superior smoothness on standard paper, though you get far fewer colors and no numbered barrel system. It is a better fit if you prioritize top-tier core quality over sheer variety.

The Castle Art Supplies 72 Colored Pencils is another budget-friendly alternative with a comparable color count. It has a similar price point and also features soft cores, though user reports suggest slightly more inconsistency in core hardness across the set.

For professionals who need artist-grade performance, the Prismacolor Premier 48-Colored Pencils deliver significantly richer pigment payoff and smoother blending. They cost more per pencil, but the difference in final artwork is noticeable, especially in detailed work.

FAQ

Final Verdict

The Shuttle Art 80 colored pencils hold their own in a crowded market of budget art supplies. They are not the most pigment-dense pencils I have used, and the packaging could be more robust, but the color range, smooth cores, and intuitive numbering system make them genuinely fun to work with. For anyone building their first adult coloring collection or looking for a generous palette at a reasonable price, this set delivers solid value. The cons are minor and manageable. If you are ready to pick up a set, check the current price on Amazon — the value at this price point is hard to argue with.