Top Premium Pastels for Serious Artists
The Sennelier Soft Pastel 80 Half-Stick Set is the top premium choice for most artists, offering intense pigment payoff and buttery smoothness, but its softness means more dust and breakage. For those who prefer harder sticks, the Rembrandt Soft Pastels provide excellent control with less mess.
Premium pastels transform your artwork with rich, velvety color that standard sticks can’t match. Whether you’re a professional or an advanced hobbyist, investing in a high-end set elevates your work and reduces frustration.
This roundup covers top-tier soft pastels, oil pastels, and pastel pencils from renowned brands like Sennelier, Rembrandt, and Caran d’Ache. We’ve analyzed each for color selection, texture, lightfastness, and ease of blending.
How to choose
The best picks, ranked
Sennelier Soft Pastel 80 Half-Stick Set
Sennelier pastels are crafted with the same pigment concentration as their famous oil paints, yielding exceptionally vivid and lightfast colors. The half-stick format reduces waste and makes them easier to handle for detailed work. Their incredibly soft consistency allows for effortless layering and blending, but they produce more dust and require a delicate touch to avoid breakage.
Pros
- Exceptional color payoff and brilliance
- Blend like butter for smooth transitions
- Wide, thoughtfully curated color range
Cons
- Very soft, prone to breaking
- Generates more dust than harder pastels
Rembrandt Soft Pastels 60 Half-Stick Set
Rembrandt pastels are known for their excellent handling properties: firm enough for sharp details yet soft enough for rich coverage. Made with high-quality pigments and a consistent binder, they adhere well to various surfaces. The 60 half-stick set offers a balanced palette of earth tones, brights, and neutrals, making it versatile for landscapes and portraits.
Pros
- Excellent control for detailed work
- Less dust and breakage than softer brands
- Uniform color consistency across the set
Cons
- Not as intensely creamy as Sennelier
- Some artists find them too hard for base layers
Schmincke Pastell 60 Half-Stick Set
Schmincke Pastell pastels are handmade in Germany with premium pigments and a chalk-free binder, resulting in soft, velvety sticks with exceptional lightfastness (all rated ASTM I). They offer a creamy texture similar to Sennelier but with slightly more body. The set includes a wide spectrum of colors, including rare earth pigments, and is a favorite among conservators and professional artists.
Pros
- Superior lightfastness for permanent artwork
- Buttery smooth application and blending
- Includes unique earth and mineral colors
Cons
- Price is higher than many competitors
- Limited availability in some regions
Caran d’Ache Pastel Pencils 12-Piece Set
Caran d’Ache Pastel Pencils combine the convenience of a pencil with the soft, matte finish of pastels. These are perfect for fine lines, details, and sketching over soft pastel layers. They sharpen to a fine point without breaking, and their high pigment load ensures vibrant strokes. The set of 12 covers primary colors, earth tones, and neutrals, making it an excellent addition to any pastelist’s toolkit.
Pros
- Sharp point for intricate details
- Blend and smudge like soft pastels
- Less dust and mess than traditional pastels
Cons
- Limited color range per set
- Can be costly per pencil
Terry Ludwig Pastels 15-Piece Landscape Set
Terry Ludwig pastels are handcrafted in Colorado and are famed for their intense pigment load, which is among the highest of any pastel brand. The landscape set includes a curated mix of greens, blues, earths, and warm neutrals that are perfect for capturing natural scenes. They are firmer than Sennelier but still soft enough to lay down smooth color, and they excel at creating saturated, dynamic skies and foliage.
Pros
- Incredible color intensity for vibrant art
- Excellent for layering and scumbling
- Handmade with quality control
Cons
- Smaller set size means fewer color options
- Premium price point
Mungyo Gallery Soft Oil Pastels 48 Set
Mungyo Gallery oil pastels offer a creamy, buttery texture that rivals more expensive brands. They are highly pigmented and blend beautifully with solvents or fingers. The 48-color set provides a diverse spectrum, including many earth tones and pastels. These are less waxy than student-grade oil pastels, allowing for better layering without crumbling. They are also acid-free and safe for archival work.
Pros
- Rich, blendable color without drying out
- Less dust and mess than soft pastels
- Excellent value for the color count
Cons
- Can smudge easily if not fixed
- Not ideal for fine detail work
Faber-Castell Pitt Pastel 60-Piece Set
Faber-Castell Pitt Pastels are an excellent entry point into premium pastels, offering a slightly firmer texture that is forgiving for beginners. They produce less dust than softer brands and are easy to control for both broad strokes and details. The 60-piece set includes a wide range of colors, including many half-sticks, and provides good lightfastness. While they lack the extreme softness of high-end brands, they are consistent and reliable.
Pros
- Affordable premium option
- Durable, less breakage
- Great color variety for the price
Cons
- Not as pigmented as top-tier brands
- Texture may feel too hard for some artists
The lineup, side by side
| # | Model | Set Size | Best for | Score | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sennelier Soft Pastel 80 Half-Stick Set | 80 half-sticks | Artists who want maximum pigment intensity and buttery texture | 9.4 | Check price |
| 2 | Rembrandt Soft Pastels 60 Half-Stick Set | 60 half-sticks | Artists who prefer a slightly harder pastel for fine lines and less dust | 9.1 | Check price |
| 3 | Schmincke Pastell 60 Half-Stick Set | 60 half-sticks | Artists seeking unmatched lightfastness and archival quality | 9.2 | Check price |
| 4 | Caran d’Ache Pastel Pencils 12-Piece Set | 12 pencils | Mixed media artists who want precision details combined with pastel effects | 8.8 | Check price |
| 5 | Terry Ludwig Pastels 15-Piece Landscape Set | 15 extra-soft pastels | Landscape artists wanting highly pigmented, rich darks and lights | 9.0 | Check price |
| 6 | Mungyo Gallery Soft Oil Pastels 48 Set | 48 oil pastels | Artists who love oil pastels but want a more premium, non-toxic option | 8.6 | Check price |
| 7 | Faber-Castell Pitt Pastel 60-Piece Set | 60 pieces (mix of full and half sticks) | Beginners to intermediates wanting a versatile, high-quality set without breaking the bank | 8.4 | Check price |
Common questions
What is the difference between soft and hard pastels?
Soft pastels have a higher pigment-to-binder ratio, making them creamier and easier to blend but more prone to breakage. Hard pastels contain more binder, resulting in firmer sticks that are better for fine details and linear work.
Are premium pastels worth the extra cost?
Yes, for serious artists. Premium pastels offer more intense colors, better lightfastness, and a more consistent texture, which can elevate your artwork and reduce frustration. Budget pastels often lack pigment and may fade over time.
How do I prevent pastel dust from ruining my work?
Use a gentle tapping motion to remove excess dust, and work vertically or at an angle so dust falls away. You can also apply a workable fixative between layers to reduce smudging, but use it sparingly to avoid dulling colors.
Can I mix different brands of pastels?
Absolutely. Many artists combine brands to get a wider range of colors and textures. For example, use a harder brand like Rembrandt for initial layers and a softer one like Sennelier for top accents.
What surface should I use for pastels?
Pastels require a surface with enough tooth to grip the pigment. Pastel paper, sanded paper, and textured boards are ideal. Avoid smooth paper as it won’t hold multiple layers.
How should I store my pastels to keep them safe?
Keep pastels in a sturdy wooden or metal case with foam inserts or individual slots. Store them flat to prevent rolling and breaking. Keep them in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight.
Are oil pastels considered premium pastels?
Yes, there are premium oil pastels made by brands like Sennelier and Caran d’Ache, but they are a separate medium. Our roundup includes Mungyo Gallery as a high-quality oil pastel option, but for traditional soft pastels, focus on those.
How do I know if a pastel is lightfast?
Check the packaging for lightfastness ratings, usually on a scale of I to III in the US (ASTM) or I to V internationally. Choose pastels rated I or II for permanent artwork. Brands like Schmincke specify this on their labels.
What is the best way to blend pastels?
You can blend with your fingers, a blending stump, or a soft brush. For smooth gradients, use a finger or a soft chamois. For precise blending, a tortillon works well. Some artists use a spray of water for water-soluble pastels, but not all are water-soluble.
Can I use pastels on canvas?
Yes, but you need a surface with tooth. Canvas should be primed with a pastel primer or coated with a mixture of gesso and pumice to create texture. Avoid using raw canvas as pastels will slide off.
Our pick
For most artists, the Sennelier Soft Pastel 80 Half-Stick Set is the best investment because it delivers the richest color and most luxurious feel, ideal for expressive work. If you prioritize detail and control, choose the Rembrandt Soft Pastels 60 Half-Stick Set instead. For those who want archival permanence above all, Schmincke is the clear winner.
Jake Monroe
Jake worked as a residential contractor for over a decade before shifting to full-time writing. He evaluates power tools, hand tools and workshop gear through the lens of someone who has actually used them on job sites, not just read the box.
