Caran d’Ache, Maison de Haute Ecriture, is once more emphasising its expertise in Colour by offering creative professionals the Luminance 6901 colour pencil, a combination of the highest lightfastness and the smoothness of a permanent lead. Two years of research went into developing the formulation in the greatest secrecy in the Geneva workshops.
In addition to the highest lightfastness, the Luminance 6901 leads benefit from an extreme softness which enables you to obtain subtle mixings and gradations, as well as blendings. Every shade has been formulated using finely-ground pigments chosen for their purity, intensity and resistance to UV. The chromatic range Luminance 6901 is perfectly balanced and comes in cardboard box sets of 20, 40, 76 or 100 colour pencils. The box of 76 colours comes with 2 free blender pencils. Artists, designers, architects, stylists, art Directors, interior designers and so on - all creative professionals will appreciate the technical features, aesthetics and ergonomics of Luminance 6901.
To see which colours are included in each box please click on the tabs above. Download the Caran d'Ache Luminance Colour Pencil Chart.
The full range of 100 pencils are now available to purchase in individual colours.
NEW Caran d'Ache Box of 20 Portrait Pencils now available! Includes 20 pencils in colours perfect for portraiture.
Colours included in the Caran d'Ache Luminance Box of 12 (subject to variation)
Colours included in the Caran d'Ache Luminance Box of 20 (subject to variation)
Colours included in the Caran d'Ache Luminance Box of 20 Portrait Colours (subject to variation)
Colours included in the Caran d'Ache Luminance Box of 40 (subject to variation)
Colours included in the Caran d'Ache Luminance Box of 76 (subject to variation)
Certified lightfastness and use of FSC wood.
At the request of the Colored Pencil Society of America (CPSA), the American Society for Testing and Material has developed standard ASTM D-6901 to determine the lightfast level of a colour pencil. With Luminance 6901, Caran d’Ache is the only brand to offer a set of 76 colours with 61 colours classified in the best category (Lightfastness I) under standard ASTM D-6901. Cut from California cedar, the Luminance 6901 colour pencils carry the FSC label, a guarantee of logging that is environmentally-friendly and socially and economically endurable. Caran d’Ache is a rarity among world pencil manufacturers, for it has obtained this label for both the type of wood used and its conversion in its Geneva workshops.
I bought these pencils because of their high lightfastness rating, but they are so much more than this; the colours are deep and vibrant, the lead is soft enough to blend easily but can also hold a fine point for finer details, and the slightly larger barrel makes for an easier grip for someone with arthritis or joint issues. If you are a professional coloured pencil artist or an aficionado who wants or needs archival quality, you can't beat these pencils! Carole Beasley (Aspley, Australia) on 4 Apr 2013
Thought the colour selection in this tin of 72 could have been a bit better - lots of earth colours and I am a bright colour person. Still, I can buy single pencils when I want. The quality is very good. Natalie Crosland (Burnham-on-crouch, United Kingdom) on 12 May 2014
After opening the box and drawing with these pencils about half an hour I only can confirm they are the best. Faber-Castell Polychromos and Prismacolor Premier Softcores rule the market in Europe and America respectively, and are also considered the best artist pencils in their latitudes. But Caran D'Ache Luminance is quickly capturing market share, and its simply because it combines the best features of its competitors and more: these pencils have the creamy laydown that Prismacolor fans love, they allow fine tip sharpening like the Polychromos and on top of all of this they have the beautiful wood casing with coloured end of the Lyra Polycolors. All these artist coloured pencil brands are of excelent quality, but Luminance surpasses them, also, the 100% of the colours are lightfast. That is the reason why they are the most expensive. Try 'em, you won't regret despite the price. Maximiliano Silva (LAS CONDES, Chile) on 26 Feb 2016
