Caran d'ache artists coloured pencils 

As an artist, there's nothing quite like the excitement of trying out a new set of coloured pencils, the promise of fresh creative possibilities tantalisingly within reach.

But with so many brands vying for attention, it's easy to get lost in a sea of options.

That's why I'm excited to explore the with you the world of Caran d'Ache, a Swiss manufacturer renowned for its exceptional quality and commitment to artistry.

With a range that spans from the soft, buttery Pablo pencils to the lightfast, water-resistant Luminance, I'm sure you're eager to discover whether these pencils will become your new go-to tools or leave you feeling underwhelmed.

In this review, I'll look at the details of each range, from the core content and lightfastness to their performance on paper and price point, to help you make an informed decision about whether Caran d'Ache's offerings are worth adding to your artistic toolkit.

The Company

Founded in Switzerland over a century ago, Caran d'Ache has become synonymous with exquisite artistry, their pencils considered the gold standard among creatives. 

When it comes to choosing the perfect coloured pencils for your artistic needs, Caran d'Ache's extensive range can be both a blessing and a curse.

On one hand, the Swiss manufacturer's commitment to quality and innovation means that you're spoiled for choice, with a vast selection of colours and unique textures to explore.

On the other hand, choosing from the various series and collections can be overwhelming, especially for those new to the world of coloured pencil art.

o, how do you decide which Caran d'Ache pencils are right for you? By understanding the characteristics and strengths of each series, you can unlock the full potential of these exceptional art tools and take your creativity further.

Caran d'Ache Pablo

The Pablo range boasts an exceptionally creamy core, thanks to its proprietary formula. This allows for effortless layering and blending, resulting in rich colours and seamless transitions.

The 120 colours have a velvety texture and smoothly glide across the paper's surface. The range includes a variety of natural shades, suitable for a wide range of artistic applications, from landscapes to portraits.

Caran d'Ache's commitment to quality is evident in their use of high-grade pigments that resist fading. This ensures that your artwork will remain vibrant and unchanged over time. The Pablo range is an excellent choice for professional artists who require high-quality materials for their work.

The soft leads of the Pablo pencils allow for various effects, from delicate, feathery strokes to bold, opaque layers. This versatility makes them a valuable tool for artists of all levels.

While the Pablo pencils come at a premium price point, their exceptional quality and performance make them a worthwhile investment for anyone serious about their art. Whether you're a seasoned pro or just starting to explore your creativity, the Pablo range is sure to deliver outstanding results.

You can download the Pablo colour chart here.

Caran d'Ache Luminance 6901

The Caran d'Ache Luminance 6901 is a lightfast, non-soluble pencil that combines waxes and oils, meeting the American ASTMS standard for lightfastness, which was introduced in the UK in 2008. 

The lightfastness landscape in coloured pencils changed with the withdrawal of the Prismacolor lightfast range. At that time, the only other brand meeting the ASTMS 6901 standard was the Talens Van Gogh pencils.

Today, lightfast options include Luminance, Van Gogh, Derwent Lightfast and the Cretacolor pencils.

The Luminance pencils have a high pigment level, with all 76 colours being lightfast. The range includes several of varying tone strength within a hue (such as 30, 50 or 70%) which is useful, even though this means you get fewer distinct colours. 

The white Luminance pencil is a standout in the range, possibly the softest and best white dry point pencil available. It's ideal for highlights and working on black or dark papers.

The pencils are available in sets and individually, with a recommended retail price of around £3.70 per pencil.

Caran d'Ache Supracolor Soft water soluble pencils

Caran d'Ache Supracolor Soft Pencils offer you a versatile creative tool.

With 120 colours (identical to those in the Pablo range) to choose from, these water-soluble pencils are a comprehensive set for both dry and wet media techniques. 

The Supracolor pencils' strength lies in their reliability.

The colour's intensity deepens when wet without any significant colour shift; unlike many other aquarelle brands. This quality is demonstrated in the colour chart created by Peter, (below) showing the entire colour spectrum.

The chart compares the colours in three states: dry, concentrated wash, and fading wash. It's an invaluable reference, ensuring you can achieve consistent results with these pencils.

Notes from Peter

The chart is laid out in the following way:

• Column 1 - dry colour
• Column 2 - concentrated wash
• Column 3 - a clean, wet brush dragged across the dry colour producing a fading wash

The colours in the central section of the first column (on the left) are a set of very pale colours and these do not show at all well in the photo. Be assured that the colours are there in the original, and the same sort of results are seen as in the stronger shades.

The third colour down in Column 2 is Bordeaux Red. This is one of the few colours to show a step change in strength when water is added. 

There are two or three other colours that also come up stronger, but it is fair to say that no colour takes on a different shade when wet - the colours remain faithful to the intention of the artist.

Note for example, though, Apricot in column 4 is not a yellow. In real life the colour is correctly an apricot colour. Here the photo colour balance is incorrect.

Caran d'Ache Museum Aquarelle watercolour pencils

In the summer of 2013, Caran d'Ache introduced their Museum Aquarelle Pencils to the UK market.

They contain more pigment than Supracolor pencils, producing strong colour effects that fall between Derwent Inktense and Supracolor Soft

They are also very soft, making them a pleasure to work with. However, when using these pencils for the first time, be cautious when adding water, as it can produce unexpected results.

The lightfastness of these pencils ranges from 5-star to 2-star, with only one colour, Dark Plum, rated at 2-star. The Blue Wool scale ratings are equally impressive, with most colours achieving excellent ratings of 5-star, equivalent to 100 years of stability.

The pencils are available in a range of sets, including a box of 20 Landscape colors and a box of 20 Marine colors. Purchasing both boxes provides artists with a comprehensive selection of colors, with minimal duplication.

The remaining colors from the full set of 76 became available in October 2013 as single colors through selected UK retailers.

One of the standout features of these pencils is their value for money. At approximately £2.70 per pencil, they offer excellent quality at a competitive price, especially when compared to the cost of a small tube of watercolour paint from a market leader like Winsor and Newton.

To demonstrate the versatility of these pencils, Caran d'Ache initially released a small trial set of 6 colors, which artists could use to mix a wide range of colours. A competition was run, and some remarkable pictures were produced using just these 6 colours. Although the competition website is no longer available, the results were impressive, showcasing the potential of these pencils.

In practice, artists have found these pencils to be highly effective. Peter, for example, has undertaken commissions using these pencils, including a house portrait that was well received.

The vivid range of highly pigmented colours can be seen in the chart of the full range, which shows the dry colour and the effect of adding water. Again, there is no major colour shift when water is added, making these pencils a reliable choice for artists.

Neocolor crayons

Also in the Swiss range are NEOCOLOR .  These are solid wax crayons in a wide range of colours and can be used with the pencils.

NEOCOLOR 1 are non-soluble and come in sets of 30 with some extra metallics.  They can be used on a wide variety of unusual surfaces and are stable once the work has been polished to burnish the surface.  I have seen them used on wood and terracotta, and also over Matt Acrylic.  They appear to have limits only on glossy surfaces.

The big range are the soluble ones - NEOCOLOR 2 - which come in 126 assorted colours as well as singly. These don’t leave as strong an indented line when drawn (they are, after all ,a soft crayon) but they do wash in readily and blend on the page.   Good for larger works but not as easy as pencils to achieve any detail.

They can be used, both wet and dry, as an undercoat with coloured pencils added on top. 

Other Caran dache brands

Other pencil brands from Caran d'Ache (which may not be easily found) include the original Museum line which had a range of 24 highly water soluble ‘leads’ which fit in a propelling pencil holder. This  product had an advantage for those unable to sharpen pencils easily.

The colour range was said to be lightfast to a high standard though I don’t have data. The colour range was limited but the basic colours were there and being soluble, there was the ability to mix colours which were not represented. 

For most people, though, this line would be an expensive option compared to traditional wood cased pencils.  They were not so easy to use as the colour ‘lead’ had to be changed over every time unless you had extra holders ( which were expensive).

Colourless blender pencils

In 2011, The Company  launched a blender/burnisher for colour pencils based on the colourless core of the Luminance pencils. This is a woodfree stick of solid transparent waxy material which can be sharpened in a blade sharpener and is very effective for blending laid down colour from wax and oil based pencils.  The sticks are sold as the FULL BLENDER BRIGHT in packs of two sticks 17cm long, and can also be used to glaze over artwork and are said to protect against UV light.

Caran d'Ache pastel pencils

In addition to the aquarelles and non-soluble pencils, Caran d'Ache market an excellent range of pastel pencils which are reviewed in the Pastel Pencil section.

Availability of Caran d'Ache products is usually easier over the internet from the UK retailers, such as Ken Bromley Art Supplies, or Jacksons.

Prismalo pencils

For those who like a fine pointed, hard colour Aquarelle pencil, Caran d'Ache PRISMALO is still available.

This is an old line, but still useful. Price wise they are less costly than the lines shown above and they are available through Great Art at about the same prices as Lyra lines. 

There is also a student quality aquarelle branded SWISSCOLOR which is targeted at schools and colleges. I have not handled this pencil.

Where to find them

Caran d'Ache pencils are readily available from Internet sources and in the UK, a number of retailers stock the sets.   

A good source of both sets and individual replacement pencils is the Dartmouth based family run company www.pencils4artists.co.uk. 

Sets can also be sourced from larger Internet organisations such as Amazon (who often quote supplies from a range of smaller art materials companies)  but large discounts are not usually available. 

If you see a good offer from a reliable source it can be worth taking advantage of. Always bear in mind that when you buy pencils from the Internet, should the goods arrive damaged or in any way faulty, then you need to have easy recourse to the seller to get an exchange or refund.  Check the position before you click ‘buy’.

 

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