Faber-Castell Pitt Pastel Pencils (24 Pastels Pencils), multicoloured, (Pack of 1), 112124

Faber-Castell, 24 Pitt Pastel Pencil set - arrived on time. I bought this smaller set to try these pastel pencils out. I'm not an expert and have barely used pastel pencils. These are nice pencils to use with very good pigmentation, but I'm finding them a bit drier than I like, which makes them a bit chalky/dusty. I have built up several layers of colour tones and am finding that a lot of the colour is easily blown away or brushed away when blending. I'm not using a pastel specific paper pad, so that could have something to do with it; though the pad I’m using is for multi-media, including pastels. Despite the pastels being drier than I had hoped, they aren’t so hard as to make holes in the paper. If I was using proper pastel paper, with more grip/texture, I think these pastels would be perfect. Building layers of colour with these pencils is very easy because of the high colour pigmentation and they blend beautifully. I also like that you can wet the colours and literally paint with them. In some areas, I've applied the colours to the paper first, then ‘painted’ over them with water. Another reviewer suggested that there are enough colours in this set to build up skin tones. I have to disagree. I have been using every colour in this set of 24 colours, but there is only one bright red and the purple is a bit too light for the picture I'm practicing on. There are two browns in the set - a dark and medium, an ochre and a pale pink. I don’t find there are enough earth/skin tones and would prefer a a few more mid-tone colours. - Consequently, I have ordered another set of 60 pastel pencils (different brand) as I can’t achieve the variety of colour and depth of shading I'm aiming for, which is why I'm posting a half finished piece. I've also resorted to using some soft pastel sticks for the background and clothes from another set and brand. I still think this set is worth buying and trying. These Faber-Castell Pitt pastel pencils are good student and professional artist quality. Edit: Second image using mixed brand combined pastel pencils

Great pencils, use them for most of my portraits,

As a beginner in pastel pencil drawing, I am very impressed with these. I struggled with charcoal and thought I might have the same problems with pastel pencils but was pleasantly surprised - they are not at all messy to use, and you can achieve fine detail with them. Faber Castell is an old established firm with an excellent reputation for quality and they certainly don't disappoint in this case. I bought the set of 24 which seems to be a good range of colours. They definitely need to be sharpened with a sharp knife and sandpaper to achieve a sharp point, which takes a bit of time, but a normal sharpener will break them so it's worth the effort. They will probably wear down fairly quickly but as far as I know they are available in open stock so can be replaced as necessary. Opinions vary over the use of fixative but I have found that Winsor and Newton's Professional Fixative works very well. I have not noticed any appreciable darkening or altering of the colours with this, after applying two coats. I have got very good results with these pastel pencils on Canson Mi-Teintes grey tones pastel paper. Very satisfied with this purchase and would highly recommend.

Great colours and texture, the only flaw being for the price an actual named colour chart wasn't included. I have a colour deficiency which means I struggle to tell apart some (but not all) colours on the red/blue/green spectrum and pretty much rely on what some colours are by having them named. You shouldn't have to look them up online or just take a punt, especially given as pics associated with this products page on here actually has the colours named on each pencil which is exactly why I purchased them. On reciept you just get the colour code and a pointless bar-code. Disappointing in that case regarding usability but the quality of the product itself is very good.

These are good quality pastel pencils

An easy to use set of pastel pencils with a good selection of colours that should help you hit a good variety of studies and subjects. I mostly do amateur animal art in pastel and I only started a few months back but I have to say I love how easily and quickly these pencils lay down art - unlike my coloured pencils which could mean eight hours minimum to draw, pastel pencils take me maybe an hour and a half to three hours to lay down fairly detailed drawings with far more ease. There are drawbacks. They don’t sharpen well so it’s advisable to also invest in a crank sharpener or a craft knife. As they’re soft these can wear down super fast so you will find yourself replacing certain pencils a lot (especially earth tones). Also, you either have to set your work with a spray to stop it smudging ((which can alter the colours)) or be sure to invest in a good way to store your drawings (Special paper or folders). Also, it’s difficult to showcase your drawings to people without them touching the pastel and smudging it everywhere (which can be a pain). Also, you can draw on various papers but it’s better to get watercolour paper or a pastel paper - it’s a bit more expensive but the better the paper, the more layers you can put down (important for animal art and portraits). Lots of pros though. They’re less work than conventional mediums - they blend easy, erase very easily and you can mix colours with work. This is a good medium to start with if you’re not a confident artist as you can easily erase most colours (except black lol). A set of 24 will give you enough shades to do most skin tones - even warmer ones - as you can mix the colours by gently layering shades over each other then blending it out. I’ve created some fairly good warm tan skin shades and the only Caucasian skin tone there is “peach”, which shows how versatile even a 24 set can be. This brand sells in open stock so you will be able to replace colours you run out of or expand your collection or customise your colour palette for how you need it. All in all I love the pencils, they really help me put down art in faster time frames which means my chronic neck and back pain take less toll on me as I try to draw. I’ve included a few examples of drawings I’ve done with the pastels to show how well they work with details (the paper I use is Canson mi-tients).

This product was recommended by the tutor on an online art course I subscribe to. Good range of colours and a lovely smooth quality which has helped me produce artwork I am very pleased with. They blend well. I think they are good value for the results you can achieve...

These pastels pencils are very good and they sharpen well with my electric sharpener which means that the wood is good quality. I like them because they are hard and permit working into details