Many artists assume all colored pencils perform identically, yet choosing the wrong lead hardness can ruin your paper’s texture. You need a tool that balances pigment density with ease of blending.
Pastel pencils are a unique beast. Picking the Best Pastel Pencils requires understanding how the binder reacts to your drawing surface. Let’s compare these sets so you find the right match for your workflow.
Key Takeaways
- Prioritize high pigment concentration to ensure your colors remain vibrant after blending.
- Check the wood casing quality because brittle barrels often lead to core breakage during sharpening.
- Select a range that includes a dedicated white pencil for highlights, as this color depletes the fastest in any collection.
- Match the hardness level to your technique: softer leads provide smooth coverage, while harder leads excel at fine detail.
- Ensure your chosen brand offers open stock replacement pencils so you can swap out single colors without purchasing an entire set.
| The Gold Standard |  |
Stabilo CarbOthello Chalk Pastel Pencils | Extremely dry texture | Exceptional blendability | Vivid pigment intensity | View on Amazon | Read Review |
| Wide Palette Variety |  |
H&B 72 Piece Pastel Pencil Set | Extensive color selection | Soft application | Great for beginners | View on Amazon | Read Review |
| Ideal Skin Tones |  |
Kalour 24 Color Portrait Set | Specialized portrait palette | Smooth application | Good layering capability | View on Amazon | Read Review |
| Professional Artist Staple |  |
Faber-Castell Pitt 24 Pastel Pencils | Superior lightfastness | Professional grade pigment | Reliable brand reputation | View on Amazon | Read Review |
| Comprehensive Studio Collection |  |
Faber-Castell Pitt 60 Pastel Pencils | Massive color range | Consistent high quality | Durable lead construction | View on Amazon | Read Review |
| Versatile Mid-Range Set |  |
Faber-Castell Pitt 36 Pastel Pencils | Perfect color balance | High-quality professional lead | Sturdy storage tin | View on Amazon | Read Review |
| Essential Sketching Kit |  |
Faber-Castell Pitt 12 Pastel Pencils | Compact and portable | High-quality pigments | Essential color basics | View on Amazon | Read Review |
| Maximum Color Choice |  |
Kalour 72 Pastel Pencil Set | Huge variety of colors | Soft, smooth application | Great for detail work | View on Amazon | Read Review |
More Details on Our Top Picks
-
Stabilo CarbOthello Chalk Pastel Pencils
These pencils are the preferred choice for artists who demand fine detail without sacrificing the soft, dusty character of traditional pastels. They offer a dry, chalky texture that blends beautifully, acting like charcoal but with the vibrant punch of pigment.
You will appreciate how these leads maintain their sharp point longer than most competitors. Just be aware that the high pigment concentration makes them slightly brittle if you drop them, so keep your workspace organized.
- Brand:Stabilo
- Product Type:Chalk pastel pencils
- Additional Feature:High lightfastness ratings
- Additional Feature:Excellent control for fine lines
- Additional Feature:Easily smudged for soft effects
-
H&B 72 Piece Pastel Pencil Set
If you want to fill your desk with every possible hue, this set provides immense coverage for its size. The colors are soft enough to lay down smoothly, giving you a consistent feel across the entire color range.
These are best for artists who prefer to avoid constant blending and want to pick the exact shade from the box. The wood casing can occasionally be tough to sharpen, so use a high-quality manual sharpener for the best results.
- Brand:H&B
- Product Type:Chalk pastel pencils
- Set Size:72 pencils
- Color Count:72 colors
- Target Audience:Adults and artists
- Additional Feature:Broad spectrum of shades
- Additional Feature:Budget-friendly for large sets
- Additional Feature:Easy to organize storage
-
Kalour 24 Color Portrait Set
Portrait artists often struggle to find the right nuance in shadows and highlights. This set concentrates on the warm, earthy tones needed for human figures, saving you from sorting through a massive pile of irrelevant colors.
The lead is creamy and responsive, making it easy to build up skin layers quickly. Keep in mind that the softer lead means you will sharpen these more frequently than harder varieties.
- Brand:Kalour
- Product Type:Pastel charcoal pencils
- Set Size:24 pencils
- Color Count:24 colors
- Target Audience:Artists and portraitists
- Additional Feature:Shading-focused core
- Additional Feature:Includes essential flesh tones
- Additional Feature:Smudge-friendly composition
-
Faber-Castell Pitt 24 Pastel Pencils
Faber-Castell is synonymous with consistent quality, and this 24-pack is the perfect entry point into their professional range. The colors are highly pigmented and lightfast, ensuring your work stays vibrant for years.
These pencils strike a balance between hard and soft, allowing for both crisp details and broad, sweeping strokes. You might find the core slightly harder than other brands, which is a benefit if you prefer tight control.
- Brand:Faber-Castell
- Product Type:Pastel pencils
- Set Size:24 pack
- Packaging Type:Metal tin
- Additional Feature:Acid-free materials
- Additional Feature:Minimal dust production
- Additional Feature:Excellent color payoff
-
Faber-Castell Pitt 60 Pastel Pencils
For the artist who refuses to compromise, this massive 60-piece set contains everything you could possibly need to tackle complex landscapes or detailed illustrations. Having this many shades at your fingertips is like having a full paint box without the mess of water or brushes.
The quality of the wood casing ensures they sharpen cleanly without the lead snapping inside the barrel. These are an investment, but they provide the ultimate creative freedom for serious projects.
- Brand:Faber-Castell
- Product Type:Pastel pencils
- Set Size:60 pack
- Packaging Type:Metal tin
- Additional Feature:Professional lightfastness
- Additional Feature:Clean, precise sharpening
- Additional Feature:Wide tonal range
-
Faber-Castell Pitt 36 Pastel Pencils
This 36-pack serves as the sweet spot for most illustrators who want more than a starter kit but don't need a full studio collection. You get a balanced selection that covers all major color families, allowing for complex shading without feeling overwhelmed.
The pencils offer excellent grip and a refined finish that works well on textured papers. Note that like other professional pencils, they are designed for specific art surfaces and may not perform well on standard printer paper.
- Brand:Faber-Castell
- Product Type:Pastel pencils
- Set Size:36 pack
- Packaging Type:Metal tin
- Additional Feature:Vibrant, fade-resistant colors
- Additional Feature:Excellent blending ability
- Additional Feature:Professional archival quality
-
Faber-Castell Pitt 12 Pastel Pencils
If you are testing the waters or need a travel-friendly set, these 12 pencils provide the core shades required to sketch and study. Despite the smaller size, the quality is identical to the larger professional tins, meaning you don't trade performance for convenience.
These are perfect for quick studies or sketches where you want to keep your gear light. You will eventually want more colors for finished pieces, but this is a solid foundation for any artist.
- Brand:Faber-Castell
- Product Type:Pastel pencils
- Set Size:12 pack
- Packaging Type:Metal tin
- Additional Feature:Professional-grade core
- Additional Feature:Durable storage
- Additional Feature:Perfect for sketches
-
Kalour 72 Pastel Pencil Set
This expansive set is designed for artists who want to explore every nuance of a composition without needing to mix colors constantly. The diverse range of shades allows for subtle transitions and intricate highlights that shorter sets simply cannot match.
The pencils have a smooth, velvety feel that glides across the paper. Be sure to use a fixative after finishing your work, as the high pigment load can be prone to smearing if handled roughly.
- Brand:Kalour
- Product Type:Pastel charcoal pencils
- Set Size:72 pack
- Color Count:72 colors
- Target Audience:Adults and artists
- Additional Feature:High pigment concentration
- Additional Feature:Excellent shading capabilities
- Additional Feature:Versatile for various styles
