Derwent Coloursoft vs Chromaflow

Derwent Coloursoft and Chromaflow are both soft, blendable coloured pencils - colored pencils in the US - and they are often placed side by side on the shelf. Deciding between them comes down to who you are as an artist right now: someone learning how layering and blending work, or someone who wants a rich, painterly feel for finished work.

This comparison sets out how each behaves, then gives a verdict for beginners, portraits and bold colour. It builds on our Derwent coloured pencils reviewed overview and belongs to the complete coloured pencil guide. We stick to well-established characteristics and Michael’s descriptions and point you to Derwent for current ranges and prices.

The quick verdict

A row of sharpened coloured pencils fanned across white paper.

Side-by-side table

Feature	Derwent Coloursoft	Derwent Chromaflow
Character	Velvety, rich	Vibrant, soft
Blending	Soft blending, painterly effects	Easy to blend
Best for	Painterly work, portraits, soft finishes	Learning layering and transitions
Beginner-friendly	Yes, with a little practice	Yes, its main strength
Bold colour	Rich	Vibrant
Detail	Medium, points dull with use	Medium, points dull with use
Colour range	Check the current range	Check the current range
Price level	Check current listings	Check current listings

How they differ in character

Michael’s summary of the two is short and useful. Coloursoft is velvety and rich, great for soft blending and painterly effects. Chromaflow is vibrant and beginner-friendly, perfect for learning technique.

Think of Coloursoft as the pencil you reach for when you want a soft, luxurious finish, with colour that feels dense and smooth. Think of Chromaflow as the pencil that makes learning easy: bright, soft and forgiving while you find out how pressure, layers and blending interact.

Which is better for beginners?

Chromaflow. Michael places it first on his beginner list because it is vibrant, soft and easy to blend, which is exactly what a learner needs. When colour builds easily and transitions come without a fight, you spend your energy on understanding value and layering rather than fighting the pencil.

That said, a beginner who is drawn to soft, painterly work will not be badly served by Coloursoft either. It is friendly and rewarding, and if your goal is smooth, blended drawings from day one it is a fine choice. For a wider beginner shortlist that includes other brands, see best coloured pencils for beginners, and to learn the techniques, how to layer coloured pencils and how to blend coloured pencils.

Which is better for portraits?

Coloursoft has the edge for portraits in the way it handles: velvety, rich, with soft blending that suits skin, gentle shadows and subtle colour shifts. It is the pencil for artists who want a smooth, painterly finish.

Chromaflow can absolutely be used for portraits once you understand layering, and its vibrant colour is useful for warm undertones and reflected colour. If you are still learning the fundamentals, starting with Chromaflow and moving to Coloursoft, or another portrait-friendly range, is a reasonable path.

Neither is the top choice for the finest details such as eyelashes and individual hairs. Soft pencils dull quickly, so add a firmer pencil for those touches. Our shortlist of best coloured pencils for portraits and the guide to how to draw portraits in coloured pencil go further.

Which is better for bold colour?

Both. Chromaflow is described as vibrant, which makes it appealing for bright, saturated subjects and for learners who want colour that pops. Coloursoft is rich, so its colour has depth and density. If you want colour that feels immediate and cheerful, Chromaflow is a strong pick; if you want colour that feels deep and painterly, Coloursoft is the one.

Colour theory can also help any pencil look brighter. Michael made a swatch card on grey paper with Coloursoft, showing how pairing colours changes their brightness: black with deep red for a deeper black, white with cream for a brighter white, red with bright orange for a brilliant red, and bright lilac with yellow ochre for a bright gold.

Michael’s Coloursoft swatch card on Canson grey paper: colour pairings that make colours look brighter.

To explore this idea further, read colour theory on grey paper, and use the colour scheme generator to plan a palette.

Layering, handling and paper

Both are soft, so the same handling advice applies. Start with light pressure and build gradually. Soft pencils fill the tooth of the paper quickly, so choose a paper with enough tooth and weight; our best paper for coloured pencils guide will help. Store soft pencils carefully, because a hard knock can crack the core inside the wood, and sharpen with a sharp blade.

We do not claim differences in breakage or bloom between the two beyond this general behaviour of soft pencils; check Derwent’s guidance and your own experience.

A simple exercise to compare them

If you can get a few pencils of each, draw a small sphere in one colour with each range, on the same paper. First, shade it from light to dark with a single pencil and light pressure. Then blend the transition by adding a second, lighter colour over the top. Finally, add a cast shadow and a small highlight.

Notice how easily each pencil builds a smooth gradient, how quickly the paper stops accepting more colour, and how each colour looks next to the paper. That ten-minute test tells you more about which suits your hand than any description. If you enjoy the gradient from one and find the other fussy, you have your answer.

Mixing Derwent ranges

Because both are Derwent soft pencils, many artists build a kit from more than one range. A beginner set of Chromaflow can be topped up with a few Coloursoft pencils in colours the first set lacks, such as a rich brown or a deep red. Check the current range for overlaps before buying, and test each new pencil against your existing colours on a scrap of your chosen paper.

Be patient with the first results. Soft pencils reward a light touch, and most disappointment with them comes from pressing too hard too early. Give either range a few drawings before you judge it.

Which one should you buy first?

If you are…	Start with	Why
A complete beginner	Chromaflow	Vibrant, soft, easy to blend for learning
Learning but drawn to soft, painterly work	Coloursoft	Velvety, rich blending
Drawing portraits	Coloursoft (with a firm pencil for detail)	Soft blending for skin
After bold, bright colour	Chromaflow	Vibrant colour
Moving beyond beginner sets	Coloursoft, then consider professional ranges	Richer finish

Recommendation by budget and experience

• Lower budget, first set: a smaller Chromaflow set gives you a friendly way to learn without a big outlay.
• Medium budget: Coloursoft for a richer, painterly finish, especially if you like smooth blending.
• Higher budget or serious realism: consider Derwent’s premium range or other professional pencils; read Derwent coloured pencils reviewed and professional versus student coloured pencils.

Set sizes and contents change, so check the current range before you decide.

The short version

Chromaflow is the vibrant, easy-to-blend pencil that makes learning enjoyable. Coloursoft is the velvety, rich pencil for soft blending and painterly effects. Beginners should lean toward Chromaflow, portrait artists toward Coloursoft, and anyone after bold colour can happily use either. Add a firmer pencil for fine detail, and check current ranges before buying.