Glazing involves applying a thin layer of color over an existing layer to change its hue or tone slightly. With their excellent layering capabilities, Luminance pencils can be used for glazing to create subtle color shifts or corrections in your artwork. 3. Realism

These colors blend great with both burnishing (applying a lot of pressure to the pencil as you layer to blend) and with odorless mineral spirits. I’m able to get a smoother look with these pencils than with any other brand I’ve used. I personally don’t like the grainy look that is common with colored pencils. I want my work to look like a painting and these pencils do great with this. These are also some of the most opaque colored pencils that I’ve used. Many 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. As an artist, I've found that many of my fellow artists appreciate the Caran d'Ache Luminance colored pencils for their exceptional performance and quality. Here's a brief overview of what artists, including myself, think about these pencils: The largest set these pencils come in is 76. I initially thought this was going to be an issue for me. I want as many colors as possible and that number didn’t seem like it would be enough. Once I got started I realized that I loved the colors the set did come with. While I would still like a few more colors, I was able to blend anything I really needed with the colors that came in the set. There were also a few colors that are not available in other pencils that I’ve tried. The violet grey and huge amount of cream, tan and grey colors is perfect for me given that most of my colored pencil work is either wildlife or portraits. The pencils come in choices of an attractive sturdy box or a beautiful wooden case. Both choices have the pencils comfortably placed in embedded grooves which means they are well-protected and also easy to identify and grab. The pencils themselves have a colorless outer barrel except for the base which is stamped in the matching color.Here 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 The Caran d’Ache Luminance pencils are undoubtably a professional pencil of the very highest quality. I have been reviewing art products now for about three to four years and within that time span, I have very rarely spoke to anyone who disliked the Caran d’Ache Luminance pencil. Caran d’Ache in general do a magnificent job in manufacturing and marketing their art products period. 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 search button on the right hand side above the table is the global search button and it searches all columns within the table. The search bar above each column searches for information with in that column.

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 Luminance colored pencils are wax based pencils. Being wax based, they have a smooth/creamy feel as you work with them. This is ideal for portraits. In summary, artists, including myself, hold Caran d'Ache Luminance colored pencils in high regard for their blendability, color range, lightfastness, and build quality. These pencils are a popular choice among professionals and enthusiasts alike, offering versatility and adaptability across various techniques and styles. Overview of All Features of the Caran d'Ache Luminance Feature Before the release of the Derwent Lightfast, the Caran d’Ache Luminance had very little in the way of competition if any. The Faber Castell Polychromos are of course, without doubt a tremendous pencil for colored pencil artists, but they are a very different pencil to the Caran d’Ache Luminance. The release of the Derwent Lightfast was the first pencil really to directly compete with the Caran d’Ache Luminance. So what’s the big deal with these pencils? What I experience with them is that they are luxury pencils. They feel luxurious and they are pure joy to work with. It is just like makeup (you girls know what I am talking about). You don’t necessarily need that super duper expensive mascara to create that badass smoky eye, but you use it because you like the way it feels, you like the luxury of it. Luminance are such well made pencils, you WANT to use them, despite the disadvantages. Whenever I am drawing with them I feel like a kid who discovers drawing for the first time! Final thoughtsLuminance 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. 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 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 The color can also be controlled into fine details, making it great for high-resolution areas of your piece as well. One important note that is worth mentioning is that the variety of colors available is a bit polarized, as the Luminance collection focuses on bright colors. Because of that, you might have to look elsewhere if you are after some dull grays or subdued earth tones. The high-quality build of Luminance pencils is evident in their comfortable barrels, soft wood casings, and robust cores. The wood casings make sharpening these pencils a breeze, while their durable construction ensures they'll withstand the test of time.

Faber-Castell Polychromos pencils are oil-based colored pencils that offer a different drawing experience compared to the wax-based Luminance. While both pencils produce vibrant and highly pigmented colors, Polychromos pencils have a harder core, making them more suitable for creating fine details. However, the harder core can make blending more challenging compared to the soft, creamy core of Luminance pencils. Caran d'Ache Luminance colored pencils provide numerous benefits for artists who choose to work with them. These advantages make them an appealing choice for both professional artists and enthusiasts who value high-quality art materials. Here are some of the key benefits of using Luminance pencils: 1. Effortless Blending and Layering The biggest set of prismacolor pencils comes in 150 colors. The biggest set of polychromos in 120. And the biggest set of luminance comes in just 76 colors. But this is not a disadvantage for me personally. 76 colors are more than enough to create any color through layering.Besides, I am the weird minimalist artist who works with a handful of tools. TextureIn summary, Caran d'Ache Luminance colored pencils offer an array of features that cater to the needs of professional artists and enthusiasts alike. Their smooth blending, break-resistant cores, vibrant colors, matte finish, excellent lightfastness, and premium build quality make them a top choice for those who value exceptional performance in their art materials. Comparing Caran d'Ache Luminance with Other Colored Pencils Several years ago prismacolor changed where and how these were manufactured. Prismacolor has a very brittle lead. That has always been true. The problem however is that they started using poor quality wood for their casings and overall quality control became non existent. The wood casings now are regularly warped and the leads are off centered more often than not, and the wood is prone to splitting when sharpened. Once I moved onto the detail of the flowers I saw the biggest difference. I do not enjoy small detail work with prismas because you’re constantly fighting to keep the pencil sharp enough. Then there is so much wax bloom that also hinders detail work if you’re layering a lot. I found getting the detail and maintaining control with the Luminance to be much easier. I spent more time working on the prisma piece than I did with the luminance because I was so unhappy with how those flowers looked. Even with the extra time, I couldn’t make them look as good as the ones done with luminance. Being that I am so detail oriented…this is a huge deal to me. Detail can be achieved with prismas, just not as easily. In terms of lightfastness, both brands are highly lightfast, ensuring that your artwork will remain vibrant over time. Polychromos pencils come in a wider range of 120 colors, giving you more options to choose from. Price-wise, Polychromos are generally more affordable than Luminance pencils. 2. Prismacolor Premier vs. Caran d'Ache Luminance