Caran d'Ache Luminance colored pencils are a high-quality, professional-grade line of wax-based pencils designed for artists who demand the best performance from their materials. These premium colored pencils are known for their vibrant colors, exceptional lightfastness, and smooth blending capabilities. One of the most loved features of Luminance pencils is their ability to blend and layer effortlessly. Thanks to their wax-based, soft, and creamy cores, artists can easily create smooth color transitions and build up layers of colors without the struggle of dealing with hard or scratchy cores. Their easy blending capabilities make it possible to achieve a wide range of effects and textures, giving your artwork depth and dimension. 2. Break-resistant Cores We do wish that Caran d’Ache would consider expanding its line to include more dull colors but we understand why they decided to prioritize bright colors with this particular set. As you might expect, their naturally brighter colors such as yellow and orange pop which further help to make this set stand out. Usability and Durability – 5/5 Many artists have created stunning and diverse artwork using Caran d'Ache Luminance colored pencils. Here are some of my favorite examples: Drawing made by Natalie Dark

Derwent Lightfast colored pencils are oil-based pencils with a focus on lightfastness. All colors in the Derwent Lightfast range have a high lightfastness rating, just like Luminance pencils. The Derwent Lightfast pencils have a slightly harder core compared to Luminance, which means they can hold a sharper point for longer, making them better suited for fine details. When searching for information, first use the global search button. Then use the column searches to refine your search. One of the best-performing pencils on the market also comes with a comparable price tag. Similar to many of Caran d’Ache’s products, expect to pay a premium price for these. Just about anything with the Caran d’Ache label is going to fetch a premium asking price, but we feel that it is more than worth it to enjoy this fantastic set of pencils. You get an extremely high-quality product that can compete with the best pencils in the world so it is no surprise to us that it costs more for this privilege. Being higher quality, they will also be more capable for a variety of applications ranging from entry-level all the way up to professional pieces. Overall Ranking – 4.5/5 In summary, Caran d'Ache Luminance colored pencils offer numerous benefits that make them an appealing choice for artists who value smooth blending, vibrant colors, longevity, and durability in their art materials. While they come at a premium price, the advantages they provide make them a worthwhile investment for those who want the best from their colored pencils. Techniques and Styles that Work Best with Caran d'Ache Luminance Pencils

The big question everyone asks me is “are they really worth the cost”. I really think that they are. First, being lightfast is huge, but on top of that, they seem to last longer than the Prismacolor premiers. I found myself burning through Prismas like crazy. In part because of breaking leads and splitting wood casings, but in part because the lead is a bit softer. The Luminance pencils still had the great smooth blending that I expect from a wax-based pencil, but a smaller amount appears to go quite a bit further, so the cost per square inch of paper they can cover doesn’t seem to be that much higher than pencils like Prismacolor.

I bet you weren’t expecting this. And I guess many of you will hate me for writing this blog post. But I cannot love caran d’ache luminance as much as I would have liked. And believe me, I tried to like them, I so much wanted to like them. The Caran D’ache brand, type, and color are stamped on the side in silver. All of this comes together for a style that we appreciate and we feel that you will as well. It also helps to make it easy to identify specific colors which are always nice. Cost – 3/5Many artists value the lightfastness of Luminance colored pencils, which ensures that the colors won't fade much over time. This feature is essential for artists who sell their work, as it increases the value and longevity of the artwork. Prismacolor Premier pencils are another popular wax-based colored pencil option. Like Luminance pencils, they have a soft and creamy core, which makes blending and layering a breeze. However, the cores of Prismacolor pencils can be more prone to breakage compared to Luminance pencils. Luminance 6901® colour palette has been expanded with 20 new colours – all with the same 100% lightfast guarantee – meaning the range now comprises 100 different shades. These new artistic colours, complementary to the existing colour chart, broaden the field of use and application of these exceptional lightfast colour pencils. As you dive into the world of Luminance colored pencils, you'll find that they offer a unique experience that sets them apart from other colored pencils on the market. With their soft, creamy cores, they make blending and layering a breeze, while their superior build quality ensures that they remain break-resistant and easy to sharpen. While these outstanding features come at a premium price, many artists swear by their quality and consider them well worth the investment. Features and Characteristics of Caran d'Ache Luminance Colored Pencils

Thanks to their blendability and versatility, Luminance colored pencils are suitable for various techniques and styles, from portraiture and wildlife art to botanical illustrations and abstract compositions. Their smooth application and vibrant colors make them an excellent choice for artists working in different genres and mediums. The range of 100 vibrant and natural colors offered by Luminance is appreciated, although some artists, like myself, wish there were more color options. It's worth noting that the pencils mix well, but some colors can be a bit transparent. The opacity of most Luminance colored pencils, particularly the white pencil, allows you to add highlights over darker colors easily. This feature gives you the flexibility to create stunning effects and make corrections or enhancements even after completing the initial layers of your drawing. 4. Durability and Break Resistance

Many colored pencil artists started out with Prismacolor as I did. If you’ve been using Prismacolor Premier for very long, you know how brittle that lead is. This can make getting a fine point on your pencils for detail work difficult (and frustrating). The lead on the Luminance pencils is stronger. I’ve not once had the lead break or crumble on me, making getting detail work quite easy in comparison to the Prismacolor Premier. I also found that I don’t get the wax bloom with the Luminance like I did with the Prismas. This allowed me to apply more layers with the Luminance than I was able to with the Prismas. That was a huge bonus for me. The premium build quality of Luminance colored pencils, including their sturdy barrels and break-resistant cores, means you can rely on them to withstand the rigors of regular use. You won't have to worry about constantly dealing with broken leads or replacing pencils due to damage. 5. Wide Range of Applications

The wide range of colors offered by Luminance colored pencils, including natural skin tones, allows artists to create stunning portraits. The soft, creamy cores make it easy to blend and layer colors to achieve lifelike skin textures and subtle shading, resulting in expressive and captivating portraits. Artwork Created with Caran d'Ache Luminance PencilsHere we come! Notoriously they are the most expensive pencils out there. In my country a 150 prismacolor set costs around 100€, a 120 faber castell set costs 160€ and a 76 luminance set costs 250€, which makes price per single pencil around 3.3€ which is just … surreal. Overall feel With hard pencils I can layer as many colors as I want. With other wax based pencils I can layer 4-5 colors before the paper cannot hold any more pigment. With luminance it is the same… if not worse. Possibly because they deliver a good amount of pigment with a single stroke, the paper cannot hold any more after a while. Blending We have come to that again… I hate blending, I have always hated blending. As I mentioned multiple times before, all these details I worked hard for, blended and gone… no, thank you very much. But, with luminance I found it impossible not to blend. And the funny thing is that I really loved the effect! So, I might keep experimenting with the pencils in the future, I feel there is more to be explored. Lightfastness The second difference was that these did not seem to build up as much of a wax bloom as primsas which did allow for more layering. They sharpen to a MUCH finer point than the prismas can, and again with no breakage, which allows for more detail work. I wasn’t expecting to get the kind of detail with a wax based pencil as I was with these. The Luminance colored pencils produce a beautiful matte finish on your artwork. This finish lends a professional and refined look to your drawings, making them stand out. 5. Excellent Lightfastness