The Academy Pastel Manufacturers Directory

The following listings are of the main pastel manufacturers worldwide.      It is not a definitive list, and it will grow and change with time.    It will be regularly revised.    The main company websites are directly linked, as are when possible, the colour charts (many of which are downloadable PDF’s)  and major available sets from each manufacturer.

Whenever possible I will add my own thoughts on some ranges based on my own experience with using them.    My opinions are only meant to act a a guide and of course, a with all things to do with pastel,  each range will have its own characteristics and will respond differently depending on the surface used, and the technique you employ.

Art Spectrum

Art Spectrum Website – Australia’s top pastel maunifacturer – available worldwide

Blue Earth Pastels

Blue Earth Pastels    – USA based – popular pastel.

Daler Rowney

Daler Rowney website  –  One of the Oldest British pastel Manufacturers.

Daler Rowney Pastels Shade Card  –

Daler Rowney Ingres Paper  – also known as Fabriano paper – one of the oldest and most respected pastel surface.

Daler Rowney Pastels

Diane Townsend Pastels

Townsend website   –

Townsend colour charts– 

Townsend Terrages –

Faber Castell

Faber Castell Soft Pastels – 

Ferarrio  Italian soft pastels

Ferarrio Pastels:   (Also known as Artisti)

Girault Pastels (Quentin de la Tour)

Girault website –

Video about Girault – 

Girault Colour chart –

Great American Artworks 

Great American website  –

Great American Colour Chart –

Great American products –

Henri La Roche Pastels

Henri La Roche Shop  – La Maison du Pastel – Paris

La Roche Colour Chart   –

Full Set of Henri La Roche –

The La Roche Legacy –

Terry Ludwig Pastels

Ludwig website –

Ludwig factory   – Great Virtual Tour of Terry’s pastel workshop!

Ludwig sets –

Mount Vision Pastels

Mount Vision   –

Shade Card  –   Mount Vision Shade chart

Mount Vision Sets  –

Mungyo Gallery

Mungyo website    –

Pan Pastels (Color Fin)

Pan Pastel video – One of the newest and most innovative form of pastel medium.

Pan Pastel Techniques  –

Fixing Pan Pastels –

Pan Substrates   – Surfaces for using Pan Pastels

Rembrandt Pastels (Royal Talens)

Rembrandt   pastels – images showing the ranges available – most are clickable links.

Rembrandt Colour Chart – Useful chart and good colour range.

Rembrandt/Talens brochure – featuring Rembrandt pastels and some of their additional range.

Richeson Soft Pastels

Richeson Soft Pastels – PDF for download

Richeson Hard Pastels  –

Richeson Pastel Surfaces –  PDF for download

Sennelier Pastels

Sennelier Website Link – Featuring all of Sennelier Pastel info and other products.

Sennelier Colour Chart -featuring all colours in PDF downloadable format.

Sennelier Latour Fixative – One of the best which I can personally recommend.

Sennelier Pastel Card –  Sennelier La Carte – known as Pastel Card – again one I can personally recommend.

Schmincke Pastell (Soft Pastels)

About Schmincke

Schmincke Website   –

Multi images of the Schmincke pastel sets – many of the images are linked.

chmincke labelling system – useful when cataloging or ordering individual sticks.

Schmincke Pastel Primer  –  information about the new pastel primer

STAEDLER – new soft pastels

Staedler new soft pastels –

Unison Colour

Unison Website   –   Hand made British pastels

The Unison Range –

Unison video – click to view

Caran Dache

Carandache –

Conte a Paris

Conte Carre Hard Pastels –

Faber Castell 

Faber Castell Pastels –

Faber Castell –

Nupastel (Primacolor)

Nupastel Hard Pastels –

Carb Othello Pastel Pencils

Carb Othello Pastel Pencils –   

Caran Dache

Carandache –

Conte a Paris

Conte website –

Conte products –

Conte soft pastels –

Conte       Conte Pastel Pencils images

Derwent

Derwent Pastel Pencils –

Derwent Pastel –

Pitt Pastel Pencils   (Faber Castell)

Pitt Pastel Pencils –

How to Choose Pastel Grounds  –  an interesting article about pastel grounds.

Art Spectrum – Colorfix

Colorfix pastel paper –

Canson

Canson Pastel Paper   – One of the most used and dependable pastel papers and of course – one of the oldest.

Video from the Canson Studio –

History of the Canson Brand –