We have always loved Mitsubishi's graphite pencils, like Hi-Uni and the workday classic Mitsubishi 9850. So we're very excited to be the first U.S. retailer to offer Uni Watercolor Pencils, the artist-grade line of water-soluble colored pencils from the world's best cedar pencil manufacturer.

Uni Watercolor Pencils are made to the same high standards as Mitsubishi's beloved graphite pencils, with a gorgeous incense cedar body (you can tell from the grain, reddish color, and cedar aroma) and a soft, vibrant core that wets and blends easily. With strong pressure and lots of water, you can make richly saturated areas, and with a lighter touch, you can achieve very light and subtle shading.

We especially like how these watercolor pencils sharpen, with a strong and fine point that's only possible in a high-quality pencil. The core is precisely centered in the cedar, which reduces breakage and allows more of the creamy, pigmented center to be exposed by sharpening.

Each set of Uni Watercolor Pencils comes with a surprisingly nice watercolor brush, made from a mixture of natural and synthetic fibers that absorb lots of water and offer a luscious, soft touch that suits these pencils perfectly.

The set of 12 includes #801 White, #807 Lemon, #813 Light Orange, #821 Pale Geranium Lake, #826 Dark Carmine, #847 Light Blue, #851 Prussian Blue, #867 Sap Green, #870 Apple Green, #876 Van Dyke Brown, #890 Venetian Red, and #899 Black. The brush in this set is a size 8 round. It's all packed in a sturdy metal tin for storage.

Also available in sets of 24 and 36.

Made in Japan.

About Mitsubishi Pencil Co., Ltd.:

Founded in the 19th century in Tokyo, Mitsubishi Pencil has been one of the world's leading pen and pencil manufacturers for generations. Well-known around the world for their Uni brand of pens and pencils, Mitsubishi continues to innovate and release new products, like POSCA paint markers and an ever-expanding lineup of writing pens.

Fun fact: "Mitsubishi" means "three diamonds," and the name and three-diamond mark of Mitsubishi Pencil predates the better-known Mitsubishi Group by ten years. Despite sharing the same name and symbol, Mitsubishi Pencil is not related to any of the numerous other Mitsubishi companies in Japan.