The Caran d'Ache Luminance 6901™ Colour Pencil 76 + 2 Full Blenders Box Set is designed for professional artists. Providing guaranteed lightfastness complying with the highest standards for light resistance in coloured pencils (ASTM D6901). 61 pencils are rated as LFI with the remaining 15 LFII rating meaning they maintain their colour intensity for up to 100 years. These pencils combine the smoothness of a permanent lead with excellent lightfastness.

Every shade has been formulated using finely ground pigments chosen for their purity, intensity, and resistance to UV rays. Strong coverage and mixing capacity allow for intense applications, blending, and burnishing, while extreme softness enables subtle blending and graduations.

Perfect for artists seeking vibrant colour, precision, and professional-quality results. Ideal for detailed illustrations, ultra-realistic drawings, portraits, botanicals and fine-art works.   

Details of the Pencil & Lead

• Round cedar wood body with end casing matching the colour of the lead
• Light resistance complies with highest international standards for light resistance in coloured pencils (ASTM D6901) with 81 colours rated LFI and 19 colours rated LFII maintaining their colour intensity for up to 100 years.
• A permanent creamy lead - oil/wax blend
• 3.8mm diameter for clean and accurate lines
• Maximum covering power
• Diverse colour palette with 100 colours in the range
• Made in Switzerland.

Suggested subject matter for the set includes:

• Portraits & Skin Tones: The set includes a fantastic array of earthy tones, pinks, and warm beiges that make blending realistic, glowing skin tones smooth and intuitive. 
• Botanical Art & Wildlife: It includes a robust selection of deep greens, rich browns, and ocean blues, allowing you to capture intricate animal fur, bird feathers, and floral depths without muddying the colours.
• Vibrant Still Life & Landscapes: The oil/wax-based formula allows for intense burnishing, enabling you to create rich, luminous layers and striking highlights. 

Key Techniques & Blender Use

• Burnishing: Use the included 2 Full Blender Sticks (a colourless oil/wax formula used to soften strokes and burnish colours) included in the set to heavily press over your layered colours. This crushes the wax particles, flattens the tooth of the paper, and creates a glossy, wax-resistant finish while intensifying your hues.  The uncased stick can be used both horizontally or vertically and does not require sharpening.
• Gradient Transitions: Layer light colours first, then gradually press harder with darker shades. You can transition between colours seamlessly without damaging the paper.
• Colour Modification: Users often find that burnishing with light-coloured pencils (like white or pale pink) helps blend underlying blues and purples to create softer, dimensional effects.

Techniques for Use

• Superimposing colours, shading, unlimited mixed media combinations
• Combine with Caran d'Ache SUPRACOLOR Soft Aquarelle or Caran d'Ache Museum Coloured Pencils for wash drawings and watercolour effects
• Use with Caran d'Ache Pablo Coloured Pencils for details, hatching and to mixed media projects
• Can also be used with Caran d'Ache Neocolor II Wax Crayons as a layering medium for adding textures, gradients and fine details.

Surfaces

It is recommended to use heavyweight archival papers with a fine to medium tooth with Caran d'Ache Luminance Pencils to ensure the surface has just enough tooth to grip the creamy lead. A hot pressed watercolour paper (HP) is ideal. For precise photorealistic artwork consider a good quality bristol vellum paper which will provide an excellent flat foundation for the rich pigments in the range. Toned papers offer a subtle texture, providing a neutral background that makes highlights pop and allow you to achieve shadows and depth quicker than a white paper.