Detailed Holbein Colored Pencils (Pastel Tones) Review and related article resources.
Adult coloring is among the most satisfying pastimes I have ever experienced. All it takes is your favorite coloring pencils, coloring book, comfortable chair, or favorite place for the day. Coloring happens at home when traveling, at the park, or in your neighborhood coffee shop. Whether you are just beginning or becoming an experienced colorist, there is nothing more satisfying than seeing and experiencing the joy of coloring.
This article is about my personal experience with Holbein Colored Pencils (Pastel Tones), and I have written the article from a colorist’s perspective on adult coloring. The review is subjective, based on my experience, research, and the performance of colored pencils in activities like coloring books, pages, and sheets. My review seeks to provide as much information as possible to ask the right questions, evaluate the information, and make better decisions about the colored pencils you choose and use. I will update this article as new information becomes available.
Holbein Colored Pencils (Pastel Tones)
Table of Contents
Additional Resources. The following are additional resources you can find on ColoringButterfly.com to assist you in learning more about colored pencils.
- Buying A Coloring Book: Everything You Need to Know (Guide)
- Buying Colored Pencils? Everything You Need Know (Guide)
- How to Find Colored Pencil Reviews (50+ ColoringButterfly.com)
- Guide to Amazon Colored Pencil Reviews (Fake vs. Trustworthy)
- Guide to Using Colored Pencil Set Reviews (Step-by-Step)
Holbein Colored Pencils (Pastel Tones) Descriptions and First Impressions
This section provides the facts, descriptions, and my first impressions of colored pencils. I am going to provide my subjective/personal review based on my experience, research, and the performance of colored pencils in activities like coloring books, pages, and sheets and answer the question; I am focused on answering the questions for the colored pencils, “What are the basic facts for Holbein Colored Pencils (Pastel Tones)?”; “What did you experience during the first inspection of Holbein Colored Pencils (Pastel Tones)?.” Let’s get started.
Go to ColoringButterfly.com YouTube Channel for more videos about coloring pencils, coloring books, and more. [Return to TOC]
Colored Pencil Facts
The following are some basic facts about the Holbein Colored Pencils (Pastel Tones).
- Best for: Hobbyist, Artist
- Size of sets: 12, 24, 36, 50, 100, 150
- Size of pastel tones set: 50
- Available in open stock: Yes, you can purchase replacement pencils.
- Lightfastness rating: Yes, the pencils do have a lightfast rating.
- Cost range: High-end/expensive and premium ($1.00-$2.00)
- Barrel size: 7.8 mm
- Core size: 3.8 mm
- Type of pencil core: Wax/oil-based (Mix of wax, fat, and oil)
- Barrel type: Round
- Wood: Maple
- Where to buy online: Amazon, DickBlick, JacksonArt, Aliexpress, JerrysArtarama
- Made by: Holbein
- Where manufactured: Japan
- Company URL: https://holbeinartistmaterials.com/ or https://www.holbein.co.jp/english/0423.html
- Google search term: holbein pastel tones OR coloured pencil review [Return to TOC]
Open Stock
Yes, you can purchase replacements for individual pencils, and this is especially important for pencils in the price range of Derwent Lightfast. If one or more pencils need to be replaced, you don’t have to purchase another set as a backup. [Return to TOC]
Barrel Description
The Holbein pencil shaft is round and very attractive. The entire length of the barrel of the pencil has the color of the pencil’s pigment, which is a very close
match. On one side of the barrel printed in gold are the words “Holbein Artists Colored Pencil,” followed by a decorative gold band and the country name “Japan.”
On the other side of the barrel appear the company logo “Holbein” and the company name “Holbein Works, LTD.” on the opposite side of the company name. After the company name appears, lightfast information and pigment color name. After the decorative gold, the band appears with the pigment identification number, and the pencil is capped. [Return to TOC]
Lightfast Rating
Yes. Holbein uses a three (***) system to indicate the lightfastness shown on the pencil barrel. Lightfastness is a property of a colorant such as dye or pigment that describes how resistant to fading it is when exposed to light. Lightfast rating is essential to artists, especially when they spend long hours creating art; they will want the work of art to keep its vibrancy for years to come. The lightfastness has a lot to do with the higher cost of the pencils. [Return to TOC]
Range of Colors
The Holbein Colored Pencils-Pastel Tones include an excellent range of 150 colors that come in sets of 12, 24, 36, 50, 100, 150. In this article, I reviewed pastel tones. The colors are nicely arranged in order of color, and the pastel color selection is well thought out and complete for my coloring purposes.
Before using the colors on a project, I recommend swatching the colors for the set (and for every pencil you own) rather than relying on the color printed on the pencil barrel. This will help you make wiser and more appropriate color choices. [Return to TOC]
Container Description
The Holbein Pastel Tones come in a well-designed/simple cardboard box that holds the 50 pencils in one layer in a plastic tray. Inside the box, there is a chart for identifying the colors. [Return to TOC]
First Inspection
As a habit, when I first open the box of pencils, I like first to check pencil duplications and missing pencils. Check to make sure the cores are centered. Next, I will check them for pencils for imperfections (e.g., shaft spits, broken cores, light printing). The pencils are presented in well-designed/simple cardboard box. The pencils are sharpened to a flat point. Every aspect of the pencil quality, from lead to printing, was sharp, without a flaw. There were no broken tips or dust. Overall, I was delighted with the presentation and quality of the pencils. [Return to TOC]
Holbein Colored Pencils (Pastel Tones) Review and Summary
In this section, I move beyond the description and facts of the colored pencils. I am going to provide my subjective/personal review based on my experience, research, and the performance of colored pencils in activities like coloring books, pages and sheets and answer the question; I am focused on answering the questions like
- What do you think about Holbein Colored Pencils (Pastel Tones)?
- Are the Holbein Colored Pencils (Pastel Tones) better than other colored pencils?
- What are the Holbein Colored Pencils (Pastel Tones) pros and cons?
- What are some tips on making the best purchase decision?”.
How the Colored Pencils Performed
The Holbein Colored Pencils colored pencils are a wax/oil-based (mix of wax, fat, and oil) softcore from Japan, and I lean toward the core of being oil-based.
When I held the pencil in my hand and began to color, I knew I was in for an exceptional experience. The softcore pencils were soft, smooth, and creamy, with beautiful color vibrance and saturation. It took minimal effort to achieve the full tone of the pencil pigment color. I liked the way the pencil felt in my hand.
When testing the layering, I purposely was heavy-handed and had a thick application on one coloring page, and I applied a lighter touch and gently applied the layers. In both cases, the pencil performed smoothly and effortlessly. The blending and shading were just as good and met what I needed for coloring, and I did not experience any waxy buildup or pencil dust.
I did a quick sharpening of the pencils (two/three turns) out of the box to bring the lead to a point and remove the protective layer. The pencils were easy to sharpen the pencils to point with no breakage and splitting. During coloring, I could not keep the point for long, and I made sure that I focused on the small, detailed areas of my coloring first.
Regarding paper, the pencil performance was flawless on the basic Amazon coloring book paper as on the more expensive artist edition coloring books. However, I will save these pencils for the nicer coloring books and adventures.
I think there are various ways to determine how you gain the most from the Holbein Colored Pencils-Pastel Tones colored pencil. You can use the coloring pencil
- As your sole source of a pastel coloring pencil.
- Your final coloring pastel pencils after you have practiced with less expensive
- pencils (e.g., Castle Arts pastels).
- In combination with other pencil sets.
- For permanent work.
Review Summary and Rating
Can you fall in love with the colored pencil set? I did. The Holbein Colored Pencils-Pastel Tones are a splurge/expensive choice for the adult coloring community. Holbein Colored Pencils-Pastel Tones softcore pencils were soft, smooth, and
creamy with beautiful color vibrance and saturation.
It took minimal effort to achieve the full brilliance of the pencil pigment color. I liked how the pencil felt in my hand and was very pleased with the layering, blending and shading.
If you want a colored pencil set, specifically pastels, and you don’t have the urge to splurge on Holbein, I recommend you choose Castle Arts Pastel pencils. You will have a good experience and satisfying coloring outcomes. The important takeaways are as follows:
User Experience (Pros & Cons) Considerations
- Recommend for adult coloring (+)
- Best for hobbyist, artists (+)
- Wax-based, medium-hardness core (+)
- Yes, pencils are available in open-stock (+)
- Yes, pencils have a lightfast rating (+)
- A broad range of colors (+)
- Rich pigmentation (+)
- Beautiful color vibrance and saturation (+)
- Color application is smooth and creamy (+)
- Very nice blending and shading (+)
- Pencils respond well to light and heavy pressure (+)
- Did not experience wax bloom or dusting (+)
- Sharpens to a fine point (+)
- Works well with different quality coloring books (+)
- Pencils feel good in the hand (+)
- Excellent quality for the price (+)
- Very nice adult coloring experience (+)
- High-end priced colored pencils (+/-)
- Can be very difficult to get pencils once ordered (+/-)
- Tips wear down quickly (+/-)
- Minor wax boom when coloring (+/-)
Tips for Purchasing
Holbein Colored Pencils (Pastel Tones) are considered high-end/expensive and premium ($1.00-$2.00) and come in sets of 12, 24, 36, 50, 100, and 150 pencils. Usually, before purchasing, it is advisable to get a feel of the pencils by either
purchasing a small set or individual pencils when you can buy open-stock or if you know someone who has the pencils can try theirs.
If you are considering reviewing, testing and considering any of the Holbein colored pencil sets, I strongly suggest purchasing 3-5 open stock pencils or a set of 12. At least you can get a feel and decide if you want to invest. Anyway, if you go with Holbein, it will be expensive. I look at the purchase of Holbein colored pencils as a splurge vs. a must-have. And yes, I did splurge.
Once I was convinced that I liked the pencils, I went ahead and purchased the most extensive set I could afford. You avoid duplicates and give yourself a full pallet of colors to work with. In the long run, I feel like I save the most, and I especially look for special promotions during holiday seasons and put out price watches on my favorite eCommerce sites.
An excellent way to learn about the performance is to read reviews like this, view YouTube reviews, and read Amazon reviews. In the long run, I feel like I save the most, and I especially look for special promotions during the holiday seasons and put out price watches on my favorite eCommerce sites. [Return to TOC]
Other Valuable Resources
The following are a few more resources to support your review of Holbein Colored Pencils (Pastel Tones).
Free Derwent Holbein Colored Pencils (Pastel Tones) Swatch Downloads
To give back to the adult coloring community, I have developed color pencil swatches for all the colored pencil sets I own and have reviewed. Note below two listings for each swatch, “Blank” and “Filled-in.” These terms mean. “Blank” is a swatch version you can download and fill in yourself, and “Filled-in” refers to a version of the swatch I filled in when I reviewed the pencils. You can also use these as a reference to see what the colors will look like before purchasing. Also, see the article “Free Color Pencil Swatch Charts for Adult Coloring (Detailed).”
- Holbein Pastel Tones 50 Color Pencils Swatch-Blank
- Holbein Pastel Tones 50 Color Pencils Swatch-Filled In
Suggested Holbein Colored Pencils (Pastel Tones) YouTube Reviews
I encourage you to seek other written evaluations, YouTube discussions, and Amazon-like reviews. I want to suggest the following a few YouTube reviews/opinions.
If you would like to find other reviews, do a Google search query on “holbein pastel tones OR coloured pencil review.”
Thank you for taking a moment to view and read the article. Feel free to provide your comments.
Don’t forget to share the post. [Return to TOC]
