Faber-Castell makes pencils for every stage, from a child's first colouring book to a professional artist's studio. The ranges have different names, and it isn't always clear which one you need. This guide covers the ranges we stock and who each one is for.
Young children: Jumbo Grip
Thick, triangular pencils are easier for small hands to hold correctly. Jumbo Grip colour pencils have a chunky triangular barrel with raised grip dots, and the thick leads are less likely to snap when pressed hard. For early writing practice, the Grip 2001 HB pencil has the same triangular shape at a standard thickness.
School: Grip and Classic colour pencils
Grip colour pencils keep the triangular shape and grip dots, so they stay comfortable through long colouring sessions. Classic colour pencils are the traditional hexagonal pencils. A big set such as the Classic tin of 100 gives a wide choice of colours for school projects.
Artists: Polychromos
Polychromos are Faber-Castell's artist-quality colour pencils. The leads are oil-based, so they put down rich colour, layer well and resist smudging. They're also highly lightfast, which means finished work keeps its colour for years. Start with the tin of 24 and add colours as you need them. The full range has 120.
Watercolour effects: Albrecht Dürer
Albrecht Dürer pencils are artist-quality watercolour pencils. Draw with them dry, then go over the colour with a wet brush to turn it into watercolour. They share their colour range with Polychromos, so the two work well side by side. Try the tin of 24, or the Goldfaber Aqua tin of 36 as a lower-cost way to learn the technique.
Drawing and sketching: Pitt
- Pitt Graphite Pure pencils are solid graphite with no wood casing, so you can shade large areas with the side of the pencil. We stock grades from HB to 9B.
- Pitt charcoal pencils give deep, velvety blacks. Natural charcoal blends easily, while compressed charcoal is denser and darker.
- Pitt Artist Pens use pigmented India ink that's lightfast and waterproof once dry, so you can ink a drawing and paint over it. The brush pens are popular for lettering.
- Pitt Monochrome sets combine graphite, charcoal and other drawing media in one tin. The 9-piece set is a good first kit for someone starting to draw.
At a glance
| Who it's for | Range |
|---|---|
| Ages 3 to 6 | Jumbo Grip |
| School and hobby colouring | Grip, Classic |
| Watercolour effects | Albrecht Dürer, Goldfaber Aqua |
| Artists and illustrators | Polychromos, Pitt |
Browse all colour pencils and sketching supplies or everything from Faber-Castell.