What is the difference between colored lead oil and water-soluble?

The core difference between oily colored lead and water-soluble colored lead lies in their solubility in water, which leads to differences in pen core composition, painting effects, and applicable scenarios.

Characteristics of oily colored lead:

Ingredients of pen core: wax or oil is used as a binder, and the pigment is wrapped in a hydrophobic matrix, completely insoluble in water. The hardness of the pen core is moderate and hard, and it is not easy to break.

Painting effect: High color saturation and strong coverage, single layer coloring can show color, excellent color stacking ability, can stack five or six layers or even more without graying, clear and tough lines, not easy to fade after painting, presenting a texture close to oil painting or crayon, suitable for fine carving.

Usage characteristics: Waterproof and scratch resistant, low paper requirements, ordinary sketch paper can be used for creation; But with strong adhesion, ordinary rubber is difficult to wipe clean, and modification is relatively complicated. After multiple layers are stacked, wax accumulation is prone to occur, resulting in subsequent colors not being able to adhere.

Characteristics of water-soluble colored lead:

Composition of pen core: Using water-soluble resin as adhesive, the pen core is soluble in water and has an overall soft texture.

Painting effect: When dry painting, the colors tend to be elegant and soft. When exposed to water, the pigments will diffuse and blend with the water, presenting a transparent and fresh effect similar to watercolor. It can easily create natural gradients and soft transitions, suitable for expressing a hazy and freehand atmosphere.

Usage features: Supports dual-use of one material, can be used for both dry drawing and wet drawing rendering, without the need to purchase additional watercolor paint; It is easy to modify in a dry state, as it can be wiped clean with a regular eraser, but it becomes irreversible after blending with water; Because it requires water immersion for creation, it is recommended to use it with thick water colored paper weighing over 120g to avoid paper wrinkling.

Simply put, if you pursue precise realism and want to paint right out of the box, choosing oil-based colored lead is more worry free; If you want to try watercolor texture and enjoy various techniques, water-soluble colored lead will be more interesting.