Pastels For Students
Professional recommendations from a Cheshire-based illustrator
🎨 Introduction
As a professional illustrator, I've helped many aspiring artists find their first set of pastels. This guide covers top-rated options for beginners, focusing on ease of use, value, and quality.
Each product has been selected based on detailed research - examining customer reviews, pigment quality, blendability, and overall value for money.
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⏳ In a Rush? Our Top Picks
Based on detailed research and customer feedback, here are our award winners:
🏆 Recommended Products
1. KOH-I-NOOR TOISON D'OR 8556 Artist's Extra Soft Pastels (Pack of 48) ,...
This 48-piece set offers solid mid-range value with KOH-I-NOOR's soft pastels. Designed for developing artists and serious hobbyists, it delivers vibrant, high-pigment coverage suitable for portraits, landscapes, and expressive work.
✅ Pros
- Trusted by art schools and studios
- Serious upgrade from student materials
- Creates luminous, glowing effects
- Versatile 48 colours for most subjects
❌ Cons
- Individual replacements add up
- Significant investment for beginners
- Fragile sticks break easily
👁️ Quick Review Summary
⚡ Performance
These soft pastels from KOH-I-NOOR excel in colour brilliance and blendability. The 48-piece range covers essential hues beautifully.
🎨 Design
KOH-I-NOOR's soft pastels are designed for serious artists. The classic round shape is familiar and comfortable.
🔌 Compatibility
Compatible with most pastel-friendly surfaces. The pigment adheres well to textured papers and can be built up in multiple layers. Fixative is essential for permanence.
💰 Value
Value assessment: £34.09 is fair for the quality provided.
🎯 Verdict
A solid option for artists seeking KOH-I-NOOR quality. Well-suited for developing artists. Read our full review →
2. MUNGYO MPHM-15 Gallery Artists' Handmade Soft Pastels, Set of 15, Hand...
This set offers solid mid-range value with Mungyo's soft pastels. Designed for developing artists and serious hobbyists, it delivers vibrant, high-pigment coverage suitable for portraits, landscapes, and expressive work.
✅ Pros
- Trusted by art schools and studios
- Serious upgrade from student materials
- Creates luminous, glowing effects
- Mungyo's Korean craftsmanship at accessible prices
❌ Cons
- Individual replacements add up
- Significant investment for beginners
- Fragile sticks break easily
👁️ Quick Review Summary
⚡ Performance
These soft pastels from Mungyo excel in colour brilliance and blendability. The selection covers essential hues beautifully.
🎨 Design
Mungyo's soft pastels are designed for serious artists. The classic round shape is familiar and comfortable.
🔌 Compatibility
Compatible with most pastel-friendly surfaces. The pigment adheres well to textured papers and can be built up in multiple layers. Fixative is essential for permanence.
💰 Value
Value assessment: £33.21 is fair for the quality provided.
🎯 Verdict
A solid option for artists seeking Mungyo quality. Well-suited for developing artists. Read our full review →
3. PanPastel 5 Colour Set - Greys Set
This set offers solid mid-range value with PanPastel's pastels. Designed for developing artists and serious hobbyists, it delivers versatile performance suitable for portraits, landscapes, and expressive work.
✅ Pros
- Artist-grade quality justifies the £32.92 price
- Premium PanPastel quality for dedicated artists
- Intuitive for beginners to learn
❌ Cons
- Overkill for casual sketching
- May be excessive for occasional use
- Learning curve for blending
👁️ Quick Review Summary
⚡ Performance
The PanPastel pastels deliver what artists expect: smooth application, good blendability, and colours that stay true when layered.
🎨 Design
PanPastel has created a practical set for everyday use. Build quality is appropriate for the price category.
🔌 Compatibility
Suitable for beginners' papers through to professional-grade surfaces. Blending is straightforward with these versatile pastels.
💰 Value
The £32.92 investment gets you quality materials for serious work.
🎯 Verdict
A worthy consideration for artists building their skills. Read our full review →
4. KOH-I-NOOR TOISON D'OR 8516 Artist's Soft Pastels in Cardboard Packagi...
This 48-piece set offers solid mid-range value with KOH-I-NOOR's soft pastels. Designed for developing artists and serious hobbyists, it delivers vibrant, high-pigment coverage suitable for portraits, landscapes, and expressive work.
✅ Pros
- Serious upgrade from student materials
- Comparable to more expensive brands
- Velvety texture for seamless gradients
- Thoughtfully curated 48-piece palette
❌ Cons
- Needs quality paper to show best results
- Requires proper storage to maintain quality
- Colours can muddy if overworked
👁️ Quick Review Summary
⚡ Performance
These KOH-I-NOOR soft pastels provide rich, luminous colours with excellent coverage. The soft texture creates beautiful gradients and atmospheric effects.
🎨 Design
Build quality reflects KOH-I-NOOR's attention to detail. Each stick is consistent in size and the packaging protects against damage.
🔌 Compatibility
These soft pastels excel on papers with tooth like Canson Mi-Teintes, Pastelmat, or sanded papers. Blending options include fingers, tortillons, and soft brushes. Use workable fixative between layers.
💰 Value
At £31.30, the value equation suits developing artists.
🎯 Verdict
A practical choice. KOH-I-NOOR delivers reliable performance. Read our full review →
5. MEEDEN Soft Oil Pastels Set: 72 Vibrant Colors Oil Pastels for Artists...
This 72-piece set offers solid mid-range value with MEEDEN's oil pastels. Designed for developing artists and serious hobbyists, it delivers rich, creamy application suitable for portraits, landscapes, and expressive work.
✅ Pros
- Comparable to more expensive brands
- Artist-grade quality justifies the £30.95 price
- Painterly effects achievable with solvents
- Massive 72-colour range covers every need
❌ Cons
- Premium features come at a cost
- Learning curve to maximise potential
- Can smudge if not handled carefully
👁️ Quick Review Summary
⚡ Performance
Expect smooth, consistent application from these MEEDEN oil pastels. The pigment-to-binder ratio delivers rich colour payoff with minimal effort.
🎨 Design
Each stick is wrapped to keep hands clean during use. The 72-piece set comes in a sturdy storage box.
🔌 Compatibility
These oil pastels adhere well to textured surfaces and can be used over acrylic grounds. Blending tools include fingers, cloth, and paper stumps. Compatible with oil painting mediums.
💰 Value
The £30.95 price point positions this set competitively against similar offerings. Quality matches expectations for this tier.
🎯 Verdict
The MEEDEN pastels compete well in their category. Good value overall. Read our full review →
6. SENNELIER OIL PASTEL Set of 12 Introductory Colours
This 12-piece set offers solid mid-range value with Sennelier's oil pastels. Designed for developing artists and serious hobbyists, it delivers rich, creamy application suitable for portraits, landscapes, and expressive work.
✅ Pros
- Comparable to more expensive brands
- Artist-grade quality justifies the £30.08 price
- Painterly effects achievable with solvents
- Focused 12-colour palette for essentials
❌ Cons
- Premium features come at a cost
- Learning curve to maximise potential
- Can smudge if not handled carefully
👁️ Quick Review Summary
⚡ Performance
Expect smooth, consistent application from these Sennelier oil pastels. The pigment-to-binder ratio delivers rich colour payoff with minimal effort.
🎨 Design
Each stick is wrapped to keep hands clean during use. The 12-piece set comes in a sturdy storage box.
🔌 Compatibility
These oil pastels adhere well to textured surfaces and can be used over acrylic grounds. Blending tools include fingers, cloth, and paper stumps. Compatible with oil painting mediums.
💰 Value
The £30.08 price point positions this set competitively against similar offerings. Quality matches expectations for this tier.
🎯 Verdict
The Sennelier pastels compete well in their category. Good value overall. Read our full review →
7. Paul Rubens Soft Pastels, 48 Vibrant Colors Chalk Pastel, Fine Pigment...
This 48-piece set offers solid mid-range value with Paul Rubens's soft pastels. Designed for developing artists and serious hobbyists, it delivers vibrant, high-pigment coverage suitable for learning techniques and building skills.
✅ Pros
- Popular choice among hobbyists
- Step up from student-grade without premium cost
- Creates luminous, glowing effects
- Versatile 48 colours for most subjects
❌ Cons
- Lightfastness ratings vary by colour
- Not quite professional-grade pigments
- Fragile sticks break easily
👁️ Quick Review Summary
⚡ Performance
These soft pastels from Paul Rubens excel in colour brilliance and blendability. The 48-piece range covers essential hues beautifully.
🎨 Design
Paul Rubens's soft pastels are designed for serious artists. The classic round shape is familiar and comfortable.
🔌 Compatibility
Compatible with most pastel-friendly surfaces. The pigment adheres well to textured papers and can be built up in multiple layers. Fixative is essential for permanence.
💰 Value
Value assessment: £29.99 is fair for the quality provided.
🎯 Verdict
A solid option for artists seeking Paul Rubens quality. Well-suited for developing artists. Read our full review →
8. Sennelier OIL PASTELS IRIDESCE 12/PKG, One Size
This 12-piece set offers solid mid-range value with Sennelier's oil pastels. Designed for developing artists and serious hobbyists, it delivers rich, creamy application suitable for learning techniques and building skills.
✅ Pros
- Well-priced 12-colour set
- Quality-to-price ratio is competitive
- Excellent for impasto techniques
- Portable 12-piece set for travel
❌ Cons
- Colour range more limited than premium sets
- Replacement sticks harder to source
- Messier than dry pastel types
👁️ Quick Review Summary
⚡ Performance
These oil pastels from Sennelier excel in colour intensity and workability. The soft consistency allows for expressive mark-making and subtle gradations.
🎨 Design
Ergonomically sized for comfortable handling, these Sennelier oil pastels are designed for extended creative sessions. Storage solution is practical and portable.
🔌 Compatibility
Suitable for paper, card, canvas, and mixed media applications. The oil content allows for extended working time. Can be combined with oil paints for mixed technique work.
💰 Value
At £27.99, you're getting Sennelier quality without the premium price tag. The 12-colour range offers good variety.
🎯 Verdict
Recommended for developing practitioners. Read our full review →
📋 What to Look For
- Pigment Quality: Look for pastels with high pigment concentration for vibrant, long-lasting colours.
- Lightfastness: Check the lightfastness rating if your work will be displayed or sold.
- Colour Range: Consider sets with a good range of colours for your subject matter.
- Blendability: Soft pastels blend more easily than hard pastels. Oil pastels blend differently.
- Value for Money: Consider cost per stick and overall quality balance.
About the Reviewer
Every Big Red Illustration review is written by illustrator and agent Jamie Conner, drawing on over 30 years of combined professional experience in traditional art, digital tools, and the wider creative industry.
I'm Jamie Conner, a UK-based illustrator and illustrator agent with a background in character-focused and expressive artwork. I review digital and traditional art products, offering clear, practical insights to help artists choose tools that suit their workflow.