UNBOXING MY NEW $225 CARAN D'ACHE COLORED PENCILS - ARE THEY WORTH IT? (2024)

FAQs

Are Caran D'Ache pencils worth it? ›

One of the main reasons why Caran D'Ache Luminance is expensive is that their 80% rate of lightfastness. Which means that they don't fade easily when they are exposed to light. They might be a perfect choice for people who do commissions, but a beginner artist shouldn't think these pencils as a must have.

Caran d'Ache Luminance Pencils Keep a Sharper Point than Prismacolor. Wax-based pencils have a softer core, making it harder to keep a sharp point, especially for Prismacolors because they are especially soft.

The difference between cheap and expensive colored pencils is mainly in the amount of pigment. The more expensive pencils have more pigment, so the resulting color can be lighter and more opaque.

Our range of LUMINANCE 6901® pencils is valued by art and design experts for superior lightfastness. This collection is unique in that it is the only collection of any brand to contain 81 colours rated Lightfastness I (LFI), the highest level of resistance according to the international standard ASTM D-6901.

When to use wax pastels. As they are made of wax, Neocolor® I pastels are water repellant. For lovers of water color, we have created the Neocolor® II Aquarelle pastels. Available in sets of different colors, these watercolor wax pastels have a soft and velvety texture.

The name and colour code are printed on each pencil for ease of identification, but these pencils are thinner and have a cheaper production feel than the Polychromos. For colours, Prismacolor wins out. I find the pigments a lot more intense and varied than the Polychromos.

In general, my favorite brands are Prismacolor, Caran d'Ache, Faber-Castell, and Derwent. They have proven track records and offer high-quality artist grade products. Because different colored pencils of every type can be used together on the same artwork, you needn't feel pressured to pick a brand and stick to it.

Prismacolor colored pencils are professional grade and cost over $1 per pencil. Compared to cheaper brands such as Crayola, Prismacolors are infinitely more pigmented and smooth. When used on paper, these pencils don't leave white spaces that take away from the drawing like other brands.

Colored Pencil is less erasable, leaving more pigment adhered to the surface of the paper. Electric erasers can sometimes lift more than others can but also may destroy the paper. Both are paper-dependent; some papers will erase better than others, so test it out.

Are Caran D'Ache pencils worth the money? ›

These fine pencils last a blooming 100 years before they even start to lose their luster. So if you are trying to make it as an artist and want your art to last through the ages the Caran D'ache is where your dollars should go. Yes, they cost a limb or your first born child but they are worth the investment.

An icon of Swiss Made for many years, Caran d'Ache embodies Swiss excellence and know-how. Since 1915, Caran d'Ache has conceived and manufactured products exclusively in its Geneva workshops.

Caran d'ache does not do oil-based pencils and instead, their pencils are wax. Pablos are much harder, not as opaque as Luminance, and they don't have the same blendability.

Conclusion. I absolutely love the Caran d'Ache Grafwood Graphite Pencils and there is a huge difference between an HB pencils from this set and an HB pencil from your local stationary store. As to whether or not I feel they are worth the money, well this is what I think.

Caran d'Ache Neocolor II Wax Pastels are water soluble and can be blended with water after applying. The Neocolor I are not water soluble and can be used as a water resist in combination with water media.

Over time, colour fades and tarnishes to a yellow colour, however, if the pigment you are using has been treated for lightfastness, this is not going to happen for many years, which is one of the reasons the Caran Dache Luminance pencils are that little bit more expensive.