Faber-Castell Black Edition, 24 pencils
Soft colour application at a modest entry price. A practical first set for tanks, scenery and general colouring.
Your colouring kitStart simple.
Start simple.
Make it comfortable.
A few pencils you enjoy using are a better beginning than a cupboard full of supplies. Browse starter sets, useful upgrades and specialist tools below.
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Choose Amazon AU for Australia or Amazon US for the United States. Check the listing for current prices, delivery and pack sizes. Regional alternatives are noted below.
These recommendations are based on product research. We have not tested every product on the finished books. Start on a practice page and check the reverse before continuing.
Coloured pencils
The main tool for the motorcycle illustrations. Start with 24 colours. Prioritise greys, black, white, blues, reds and earth tones over a very large set.
Faber-Castell Goldfaber, 24 pencils
A hobbyist upgrade for layering and controlled shading. AU and US listings use different regional product codes.
Faber-Castell Polychromos, 24 pencils
A premium choice for the fine mechanical detail. Artist-grade range with individual replacement colours available.
Prismacolor Premier, 36 pencils
An alternative for readers who favour softer blending and broader colour coverage. Sharpen gently and build colour in layers.
Watercolour pencils
Use these dry in the book. Reserve wet brushes and washes for separate watercolour paper. These are an alternative to ordinary pencils rather than an essential second purchase.
Faber-Castell watercolour pencils with brush, 24
Low-cost introduction. The included brush is for suitable separate paper.
Faber-Castell Goldfaber Aqua, 24
A hobbyist water-soluble range. Keep the Aqua and ordinary Goldfaber listings distinct.
Faber-Castell Albrecht Dürer, 24
Artist-grade option for readers who also want to paint on separate sheets. No need to pay this premium solely to begin colouring.
Fine-tip pens and water-based markers
Test the practice page and its reverse. Water-based ink can still show through. Avoid repeatedly rubbing wet tips over one area. A fine tip is useful around badges while a brush or bullet tip covers larger shapes.
Staedtler double-ended fibre-tip pens, 36
Fine and broader tips in one set. A starting marker option for a reader who wants many colours without a large outlay.
Staedtler Triplus Fineliner 0.3 mm, 20
Useful for tiny coloured details and fine patterns. Not the most efficient way to fill an entire tank or sky.
Tombow Dual Brush Pens Grayscale, 10
Flexible brush and fine tip with water-based ink. Particularly relevant to engines, tyres and shadows. This is a neutral set rather than a general colour palette.
Gel pens, white highlights and metallic accents
Use these after the main colouring for small highlights, badges and trim. Test over pencil first and allow the ink to dry. These options differ in effect as well as price; a larger glitter set is not automatically better quality.
Sakura Gelly Roll white 05/08/10, 3 pens
Three white tip sizes for highlights on headlamps, tanks and chrome. This is a white-only set.
Sakura Gelly Roll Metallic, 12
A range of metallic colours for selective accents. More relevant to realistic machines than covering everything in glitter.
Pentel Sparkle and Krazy Pop, 12
Shimmering effects for custom paint schemes and decorative details. Optional creative extra rather than a realism upgrade.
Crayons and wax pastels
Best for skies, roads and fields. Keep the motorcycle itself precise with pencils if desired. Use light pressure and test before adding pen over wax.
Faber-Castell crayons, 12; regional variants
AU: Jumbo Wax Crayons, 12. US: Beeswax triangular crayons in case, 12. These are different products with the same broad-background role.
Crayola standard crayons, 64 colours
AU: one 64-colour box. US: two 64-colour boxes. More colours rather than a large quality step.
Caran d'Ache Neocolor II, 10
Artist wax pastels for richer, looser backgrounds. They are water-soluble: use dry in this book. Keep them distinct from water-resistant Neocolor I.
Alcohol markers - optional advanced tools
Alcohol ink can soak through quickly. These are not the default recommendation for the printed book. Test first, use a reliable barrier and check beneath it. Prefer suitable separate marker paper for extensive blending. Higher-priced markers do not remove bleed-through risk.
Ohuhu beginner brush/chisel alcohol markers, 48
Low-cost way to explore alcohol markers. Brush/chisel version; do not confuse with the similarly priced fine/chisel set.
Ohuhu brush/fine alcohol markers, 48
Fine tips suit smaller mechanical areas. Regional listings differ. Confirm the brush/fine version and palette before ordering.
Copic Ciao Illustration Book Bundle, 12 markers
Premium marker brand in a smaller starter palette with an instruction book. A specialist purchase for committed marker users.
Sharpeners with shavings containers
A sharp pencil is more useful for spokes and badges than an oversized colour collection. Choose a sharpener suitable for coloured pencils. Very long points are more fragile.
Staedtler double-hole tub sharpener
Compact and inexpensive with a shavings reservoir.
Faber-Castell Grip Trio, silver/grey
Three-hole handheld design for different pencil sizes and uses.
Derwent Super Point manual helical, 2302001
Crank operation, shavings tray and desk clamp. Most useful for longer sessions rather than an essential beginner purchase.
Erasers
These tools can lift some colour but cannot reliably remove heavily burnished pencil or pen. Test light pressure first. The more expensive options offer precision or convenience rather than a guarantee of complete erasure.
Faber-Castell kneadable eraser, single
Mould a point and dab to lift light marks. Regional packaging differs.
Tombow MONO Zero round 2.3 mm
Small eraser tip for controlled corrections around fine detail. Buy the holder, not a refill-only pack.
Derwent battery-operated eraser, 2301931
Convenient for controlled lifting. Keep pressure light to avoid damaging the paper. Check battery requirements on the chosen offer.
Colourless pencil blenders
Optional. Try layering with light pressure before buying a blender. Use a dry pencil blender, not a solvent blender pen, as the starting choice for ordinary book paper. Test on the practice page because different pencils behave differently.
Caran d'Ache Pencil Blender and Full Blender Bright, 2-piece set
Model 0902.301 includes one wood-cased Pencil Blender and one woodless Full Blender Bright. A compact dry blending option.
Prismacolor colourless blender pencils, 12
Useful for workshops or frequent users. Too many for most beginners; the larger price buys quantity.
Brushes for clearing crumbs
An existing clean, very soft brush is the no-cost option. Keep it dry and reserved for art. A clean brush reduces the temptation to rub eraser crumbs across finished colouring.
Soft brush options; different products by market
AU: seven assorted goat-hair hake/gilding brushes. US: two drafting brushes. Check softness on scrap before using.
Artist/drafting dusting brush
AU: Faber-Castell Art & Graphic 1600, check current availability on Amazon. US: ALVIN 2340 10-inch horsehair brush. Different products; both serve crumb removal.
Barrier sheets and hand protection
Start with clean spare paper or card already at home. A scrap beneath your hand reduces smudging. Paper/card is sacrificial and can still become saturated; inspect and replace it. A reusable mat is an optional physical barrier, not a claim that the book paper becomes bleedproof.
LEOBRO silicone craft mats
AU: one large black mat, 23.4 x 15.6 inches. US: two A4-size mats, 11.69 x 8.26 inches. Different sizes and quantities. Ensure full coverage under the actual drawing. A soft mat may alter pencil feel; test it and keep the surface clean.
Marker-paper pads; regional alternatives
AU: Bianyo A4 70 gsm, 50 sheets. US: Canson XL Marker 9 x 12 inches, 100 sheets. For marker practice outside the book. Coated marker paper is not a substitute for watercolour paper.
Storage
The original pencil box or tin is sufficient at first. Storage upgrades improve organisation and protection rather than the colour result. Cases below are sold without pencils unless their listing explicitly states otherwise.
72-slot canvas pencil rolls; regional variants
Simple roll-up storage. The AU and US listings differ; check the chosen dimensions and slot fit.
Regional case alternatives
AU: Derwent Carry-All Bag 2306220 with pencil case. US: BTSKY 72-slot zipped case with two removable sleeves. These are different tiers and formats, not an identical-product price comparison.
Lighting and a firm working surface
Use an existing firm table and good lamp if available. Position the light to reduce hand shadows and glare. A lamp's marketing phrase 'eye-caring' does not establish colour accuracy. I have not independently measured brightness, flicker or colour rendering.
Clamp lamps; regional alternatives
AU: Lepro clip-on lamp with three colour modes and ten brightness settings. US: Voncerus clamp lamp. Check power supply and clamp compatibility.
Adjustable desk lamps; regional alternatives
AU: black remote-control adjustable lamp with USB adapter. US: Honeywell HWT-H2. Convenience upgrades; neither is presented as a proven colour-critical artist light.