Caran d'Ache Pastel Coloured Pencils 20 Set

Twenty pastel pencil colors spanning a well-rounded spectrum of light pastels, vibrant primary transitions, and rich earth undertones — the Caran d'Ache Pastel 20-set is a versatile mid-range studio set for landscape work, still life, and abstract drawing. The 4.7mm soft pastel core layers cleanly without generating excessive dust, blending into smooth background washes using a blending stump, tortillon, or fingertip with minimal effort.

Sixty-one of the 84 colors across the full Caran d'Ache pastel pencil range carry absolute lightfastness ratings — luminosity unchanged for over 50 years. The round FSC-certified cedar barrel is finished with a color-coded end cap for quick identification. Custom internal trays inside the presentation box protect the fragile cores from internal shattering during storage and transport.

Individual colors are also available as single pencils if you want to expand the palette with specific shades.

Specifications

• Pencil count: 20
• Colors included: Light Grey, Black, Pale Yellow, Ochre, Flesh, Raw Russet, Burnt Sienna, Scarlet, Plum, Ultramarine, Night Blue, Light Blue, Dark Green, Moss Green 10%, Fast Orange, Dark Sepia, Light Cadmium Yellow, Light Ultramarine Violet, Dark Phthalocyanine Green, Chinese White
• Core diameter: 4.7 mm
• Core type: Dry soft pastel — smooth, creamy laydown, minimal dust
• Casing: Round FSC-certified incense cedar wood with color-coded end cap
• Lightfastness: High international ratings — 61 of 84 full-range colors retain absolute luminosity for 50+ years
• Recommended surfaces: Pastel card, sanded paper, velour, grained drawing paper
• Packaging: Cardboard presentation box with custom internal protective trays
• Origin: Swiss Made, Geneva

FAQ

• What color range does the 20-set cover? Beyond the primary and secondary values, it adds intermediate tones and a broader range of light pastels and earth values, reducing the amount of blending needed to achieve transitional tones in landscape and still life work.
• What does the lightfastness rating mean for finished artwork? The high lightfastness ratings mean finished pastel pencil work will not visibly fade or shift in color under normal display conditions — even over several decades for the highest-rated colors in the range.
• Do these pencils produce a lot of dust during use? Less than loose pastels. The cedar casing controls pigment delivery, significantly reducing airborne dust compared to stick pastels while still producing the soft, blendable texture characteristic of the medium.
• Can the 20-set be used alongside other dry media? Yes. Pastel pencils layer well over graphite underdrawings and can be combined with loose pastels or pastel sticks for mixed-media work on compatible surfaces.