Caran d'Ache Classic Neocolor II Aquarelle, 15 Colors

Creamy, water soluble crayons. Nice pigmentation. I tried this small set to use much like pastels, and I like them. They blend well and don't get muddy. Easy to blend with a little water. I will probably get a larger set. These are fun and they go great with watercolors, Brushes and other powdered watercolors, great in mixed media, too! Resist with watercolor resist or other resists that work with watercolors, like oil pastels, wax crayons, etc.These are very nice, well pigmented crayons! These are professional quality.

I had been wanting to try the neocolor II water soluble wax pastels for years now and decided to finally try them. I saved up and got the largest set because I knew if I got the smaller one I’d regret not getting the largest. And I’m so glad I did. These are so fun to work with. Incredibly pigmented and very easy to melt down with water. I really like using them for larger areas but they work just as well for small details as well. As with all caran d’Ache products, these are incredibly high quality and a joy to work with.If you’re great at color mixing, you probably don’t need the full set. But if you like having convenience colors and have the extra money to spend, I’d get the larger sets. I also have the caran d’Ache mixing palette which has a textured side that you can rub the pastels down onto and then add water and use like traditional watercolors. I really enjoy using them that way as well as putting them down on paper and adding water. Highly recommend if you aren’t a traditional crayon or pastel user but you want to add them into your art supply rotation.

I love all Caran d'Ache products and these are no exception. They are of the highest quality and they give me joy : ) So, even though they are very expensive I buy them because I have not found a similar product that is better and cheaper. If I could only have one of their products it would be the Neocolor I Wax Pastels (opaque, buttery crayon, with rich pigments and they don't smear like pastels. I love sketching with these). I have used this Neocolor II Aquarelle set and their Aquarelle colored pencils and if the water soluble is what you need these are the best (IMO).

Always will buy these. The color payoff is elite, the things you can do with them are top of the line, the quality is fabulous, and you can use and use and use these; you’re not going to run out. 1000/10 purchase.

This is a good size set of 84 different colors. I swatched them as soon as I received my set. The colors are bright and vibrant. I made thick swatches to see how deep the vibrancy goes. I used a nylon water brush with water and a wet towelette to wipe the color. The colors cleaned up easily and left nothing on my fingers. Some colors really pop on the the paper. I used 140 lb cold press watercolor paper which has a distinct tooth I see as I lay down color. Trying to pick my favorite colors was difficult since I like just about all of them. I was impressed by the three metallic crayons. They really do look metallic. Bronze is particularly pretty. I believe that the colors we receive depends on when and where these are ordered. There are some sets that have a different color set, but the ones coming from Blick contain the following colors listed after my review. Blick also has loose stock for reordering. If they weren't so bulky to transport, these might easily have taken the place of my pencils. The tin is nice and sturdy, but heavy. I like the metal tray that holds the first plastic tray. The flimsy plastic tray is no good by itself. Overall, I am impressed by the quality and creaminess of the crayons. I do wish I could get all 126 colors.001 White002 Silver Gray003 Light Gray005 Gray007 Dark Gray008 Grayish Black009 Black010 Yellow011 Pale Yellow020 Golden Yellow028 Toledo Brown030 Orange031 Orangish Yellow033 Golden Ochre035 Ochre036 Raw Sienna039 Olive Brown041 Apricot042 Flesh045 Vandycke Brown049 Raw Umber050 Flame Red051 Salmon052 Saffron055 Cinnamon059 Brown060 Vermilion063 English Red065 Russet069 Burnt Sienna070 Scarlet071 Salmon Pink080 Carmine081 Pink090 Purple099 Aubergine100 Purple Violet110 Lilac111 Mauve120 Violet130 Royal Blue131 Periwinkle Blue139 Indigo Blue140 Ultramarine141 Sky Blue149 Night Blue150 Sapphire Blue159 Prussian Blue160 Cobalt Blue161 Light Blue171 Turquoise Blue180 Malachite Green190 Greenish Blue191 Turquoise Green201 Veronese Green210 Emerald Green211 Jade Green212 Chromium Oxide Green220 Grass Green225 Moss Green229 Dark Green230 Yellow Green231 Lime Green240 Lemon Yellow245 Light Olive249 Olive250 Canary Yellow260 Blue280 Ruby Red300 Fast Orange403 Beige407 Sepia409 Charcoal Gray497 Bronze498 Metallic Silver499 Gold508 Payne’s Grey521 Sahara Yellow560 Light Cadmium Red589 Crimson Alizarin661 Light Cobalt Blue710 Phthalocyanine Green720 Bright Green730 Chinese Green

Such rich colors, and such a great range of colors. Scrumptious really. They add so much to my art work. I recommend using a light touch of water with a brush after drawing; too much water muddies the color.

I can't knock Neocolor, colors are vibrant, the crayon feel is familiar in your hand, they blend well - you can produce instant art out of the box. They come in two formats: Neocolor I (wax based, so water repellent, but can be blended with other liquids) and Neocolor II (water based, so you can brush or sponge over to aid blending). I utilize both. They're a little pricey, often a little delicate, 30 pack is I feel the best bang for the buck. I wouldn't mind a better case, perhaps something with a handle. But the results and ease of use makes them so neccessary.

These are a nice splurge when you want to add a little extra something to your artwork. I use them over gouache on watercolor paper that has been antiqued with India ink and washed off, to redefine some areas that needed more highlighting.