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Some of the best art brands started out making something completely different, and Bruynzeel is a great example. Cornelis Bruynzeel founded the company in Rotterdam in 1897 as a woodworking business, making window frames, doors and, later, floors and school desks. Pencils didn’t come into it until after the Second World War, when the Netherlands was short of writing materials and had always imported its pencils from Germany, Czechoslovakia and Switzerland. In 1948 the Dutch goverment asked Bruynzeel, with its woodworking know-how, to help get schools going again by making pencils, and it had just six months to deliver. Materials were scarce and the first batches weren’t the best, but it was the begining of a pencil business that has now been going for more than seventy-five years.
Production moved to Bergen op Zoom in 1968, and over the following decades the range grew to include pens, felt tips and school supplies. In the 1980s the pencil business separated from the rest of Bruynzeel and carried on as its own company, and in 1997 it joined the Japanese Sakura Color Products group. Since 2016 Bruynzeel has been part of the Royal Talens family, alongside brands like Rembrandt, Van Gogh and Amsterdam, which makes it a very Dutch art supplies story.
For artists, the most important range is Bruynzeel Design, made for professional artists, illustrators and designers. Design colour pencils have a liquid wax core that’s designed to avoid wax bloom, the cloudy film that can appear on heavily layered coloured pencil work, along with a generous 3.7mm core, cedar casings from sustainably managed forests and colours described as archival. The Design range also includes watercolour pencils, pastel pencils and graphite pencils, so you can build a complete drawing kit from a single brand.
The Expression range is aimed at hobby artists and anyone who loves to be creative. Expression colour, watercolour and graphite pencils come in handy tins, and they’re a great value way to get started without spending a fortune. Then there are Bruynzeel’s collectable gift sets, which are some of the prettiest pencil tins around. The Dutch Masters sets are inspired by famous paintings in the Rijksmuseum, including Rembrandt’s Night Watch, and there are also museum collections inspired by the National Gallery in London. They make a lovely present for anyone who draws, and plenty of people keep the tins long after the pencils are used up.
In sixteen years in the art supplies industry, including nearly a decade running digital marketing at ARTdiscount, I’ve seen coloured pencils grow massively in popularity, driven by adult colouring, botanical art and illustration. Bruynzeel has always punched above its weight in that space, offering a lot of quality for the money. In our community of 36,000 UK artists at Discount Art Supplies, the Design pencils often come up as a good-value alternative to the more expensive professional brands, and the Dutch Masters tins are a regular Christmas favourite.
Getting the best deal on Bruynzeel comes down to a few things. First, compare prices before you buy. Bruynzeel is stocked by several UK retailers, and prices on the same set can vary, so check our comparison above, which is updated in real time. Second, choose the right range. Design is the professional range for serious coloured pencil work, while Expression is a budget-friendly choice for hobbyists and beginners. Third, buy the bigger sets if you know you’ll use them, as they usually work out cheaper per pencil, and top up your most-used colours with single pencils later. And finally, watch for sales. Bruynzeel gift sets are often discounted on Black Friday and in the run-up to Christmas.
A few questions come up regularly. Where are Bruynzeel pencils from? Bruynzeel is a Dutch brand, founded in Rotterdam in 1897, which started making pencils in 1948. It’s part of the Royal Talens family. What is the difference between Bruynzeel Design and Expression? Design is the professional range, with a liquid wax core, a 3.7mm core and archival colours, while Expression is the more affordable range for hobby artists. Are Bruynzeel Design pencils good? Yes. They’re made for professional artists and illustrators and are well regarded for the price. What are Bruynzeel Dutch Masters sets? They’re collectable gift tins inspired by famous Dutch paintings, such as Rembrandt’s Night Watch, filled with good-quality coloured pencils. Do Bruynzeel pencils suffer from wax bloom? The Design colour pencils have a liquid wax core designed to avoid wax bloom.
Bruynzeel has come a long way from its post-war beginnings, and it offers some of the best value in coloured pencils today. Looking for a Bruynzeel sale, discount or discount code? Check the price comparisons above, updated in real time, and you’ll always know you’re getting the best current UK price.