Faber-CastellPitt® Pastel Pencils - Tin of 60

I had been using Stabilo Carbothello pencils for years but decided I wanted to give Faber Castell Pitt Pastel Pencils a try.When I see a reveiw on Amazon for pencils and art supplies, the first thing I do is look at the artwork of the reviewer to see if they are amateurs, beginners, or truly advanced artists who know the material they are using. The artwork and quality of the strokes or use of the material tell me a lot. As a professional artist (40 years in film, animation, gallery artwork, and professional art instructor for a state university), I believe I can give a fair evaluation of these pencils, having explored their capabilities and limitations.Pros and Cons on the Faber Castell Pitt Pastel 60 pencil set I purchased:It has a nice range of colors overall well balanced, with some decent nutrals for subduing.Color indicators on the ends of the pencil match the lead color nearly perfectly.Pleased that they have a good range of portrait colorsGood range of vibrant bright colors for landscapes, still life, and florals, etc.Leads do break easily when sharpening and can stand up to some decent drawing pressureNot waxyNot "chalky"Generous pigmentationThe pencils apply well on smooth or even rough "Pastel" sandy paper.Can be used over dry watercolor painting for accents and detailing.Soft leads, and can also be lifted with a kneaded eraser.In spite of the soft lead, they hold up excellently under hand razor sharpening.Good details with fine tips are possible.Blends easily with each other and with Stabilo Carbothello pastels.Can build up about 4-5 layers before it can't layer anymore (just no more paper tooth to grab it)Will bleed if smearing with water (even though they are not advertised as aqua/watercolor pencilsThe storage case is metal and well made. It is stacked in two layers with pinch positions to lift the top tray out easily.Cons:Color codes do not have the actual color stamped on the label (ie., "black", "sky blue", etc.You have to go to the website and download their chart and block in the colors for yourself to get it down.It would be easier to locate colors if the pencil was colored on the outside with the color on the inside. It would be less time looking for the needed color.Wish for:More colors in this Pitt-type pastel pencils. Larger sets!Side note: Faber Castell does make an 120 oil based pencil set (Polychromos) but they are oil based and do not blend, hence perhaps the need for more pencils in that set. That being said, I would still enjoy an expanded version of these Pitt-Pastel Pencils, beyond the 60 in the set.Comparison to Stabilo Carbothello "Chalk Pastel Pencils": I cringe at the word "chalk" in the Stabilo brand but I will make the comparison of Stabilo and Faber Castell here. The "chalk" in the Stabilo brand (not Faber Castell) is not chalky unless you consider the soft crumbly aspect of the pencil to equate with the word chalky. There is a small measure of chalk-like consistency but not as far as the color being pale or diluted. Since both pencil brands advertise as Pastels, I will make the comparison of the two here.The FC pastels are more durable. They are not as crumbly as the Stabilo pencils and do not break as easily as the Stabilo pastels. Faber Castel Pitt pastels also hold up under pressure and do not need as much sharpening to keep their shape. More pigment in FC perhaps? They also appear to have the same quality of pigment in them, perhaps a little bit more than Stabilo chalk pastels. That being said, I will still use BOTH brands because of the diversity of colors I get in one that the other may not have. BOTH blend well with each other.Faber Castell comes out slightly ahead in the comparison. They sharpen well without crumbling, they hold up under drawing pressure, and they have a rich pigment, more bang for the buck you might say.I also like the fact that these can be applied to dry watercolor paintings in order to enhance the details and ambiance of the paintings. They CAN be wet and reapplied on wet if needed. So in this regard, they have a good variety of applications in my opinion.Wish list: Please Faber Castell, come out with a larger set of these Pitt-pastel pencils and I'll be the first to buy them!

One of the things that a lot of people don't know about pastels is that some can be harmful and cause cancer. Faber Castell products are made with SAFE pigments and states that it conforms to the ATSM - I think those are the initials. The package arrived sealed in plastic wrap inside a cardboard sleeve. Faber Castell's higher end pencils always come sealed and placed in a box or sleeve just as an FYI. The pencils are a joy to use and blend out beautifully. I already own the 120 Polychromos and the 120 Albrecht Durer watercolor pencils so I wanted to keep the same color range as I can use two or three of the products in one picture. The 60 color tin is the largest set they make but I think that is quite adequate for a set a pastel pencils at least for me. I won't be using them exclusively but incorporated into my work. If not available directly from Amazon, I can state that Hyatt's does have an official account with Faber Castell so you know you will be getting authentic products from them. I'm sure Blicks and others also have legitimate accounts but it never hurts to call Faber Castells customer service number becaus when spending that type or money on art supplies you don't want them to be counterfeit. Personally I have never received a counterfeit product from Amazon and that's why I keep purchasing from them. My next purchase will be the Faber Castell Polychromos Pastels. Their products are excellent, they are safe, and the quality is unsurpassed.they also provide light fastness ratings on all their pencils which can make a huge impact if you are hanging or selling your artwork.

THESE ARE AMAZINGGGGGGG. Definitely worth the price. They blend like a dream!

Really nice set of pastel pencils...would buy again.

The pigment is wonderful in these pencils. They lay down and blend great. I’m still new at using pastel pencils, and so far, I’m a fan! Attached my swatches and some quick practice using them. The core is hard and doesn’t break, but also soft if that makes sense at all. They feel great in my hand.

These pencils may be a better solution than wax, oil or water soluble pencils. The pastels are so much easier to blend and I prefer the natural matte finish. These pastel pencils are firmer than the Derwents, which I also like. I use various sizes of blending stumps and precision tip cotton swabs to achieve the effects I want. Pastels tend to be messier because of residue but if I make mistakes, the medium erases easily. I use the the Faber-Castell pencil eraser with brush to clean up my work. 60 colors doesn't seem like a lot compared to 72 or 120 offered by other types, but with the ease of blending, the possibilities become endless. I sharpened some of my pastel pencils in an electric sharpener and there were no broken points. Overall, I am extremely pleased with the quality and vividness of color.

Love! just wish they had a set with more colors

Love the quality and color palette. I use for portraits