Lyra Colour Giants Lacquered 6 Metallic Pencils

This pack has six lacquered Colour Giants in shimmering tones: metallic brown, metallic yellow, metallic green, metallic lilac, metallic gold and metallic silver. Each sits in a thick hexagonal barrel with the same extra thick, highly pigmented lead as the standard range, so the metallic finish comes through with strong, even coverage.

Two things change. The shafts here are lacquered with a smooth painted coating rather than left as bare timber, and the leads carry metallic pigments that catch the light instead of flat everyday colour. The barrel shape and thick core stay the same, so they feel familiar next to the unlacquered six pack.

Metallic tones shine as accents rather than as a full picture. Use silver and gold to outline stars, crowns, jewellery or lettering, and add lilac or green shimmer over a plain base to lift it. Because the effect reads best on top of other colours, many people keep these beside a standard set for finishing touches.

The heavy pigment and light catching particles make these stand out on black, navy or kraft paper far better than ordinary pencils. Gold and silver in particular glow against a dark background. On white paper the shimmer is subtler and shows most when you tilt the page toward the light.

Yes. The barrel is the same chunky hexagonal shape as the rest of the range, so it suits developing grips as well as older hands. The lacquered coating gives a smooth outer feel. Younger artists tend to enjoy them as sparkle to add over their usual drawings rather than as their only colours.

Use a wide hole sharpener made for chunky pencils, like the twin-hole Lyra sharpener. A regular slim sharpener will not accept the 1cm barrel. Sharpen gently and stop at a point, since the soft metallic core can crumble if you grind too hard.

Lay the metallic colour last, over dry paper or on top of other shades, so nothing dulls the shimmer. Avoid heavy rubbing over the top once it is down. Store the pencils flat or point up so the leads do not knock together, and the reflective finish stays clean between uses.