Sennelier Extra Soft Pastel Sets

Sennelier Extra Soft Pastel Sets utilize a deep and rich history of color!

In 1887, a huge supporter of the arts named Gustave Sennelier opened his artist’s supply store “Maison Sennelier” directly across from the Louvre in Paris, France. Sennelier was a talented chemist by trade, but through his love of art had a sharply honed eye for value and color. His extensive background researching and studying pigment origins led him to create his own personal pigment mixtures to sell directly to his customers (initially he sold his paints through existing manufacturers). His friendships with prominent artists of the day (whether already famous or yet undiscovered) and his fierce loyalty to them and their craft resulted in creating multiple mediums designed specifically for them.

At the turn of the 20th century, Gustave dedicated three years of development to create an extra soft pastel for his friend and patron, artist Edgar Degas. His goal was to create a stick with the highest amount of pigment possible, adding only the transparent binder of gum arabic (a watercolor binder) and mineral fines to change the gradients of the colors (increasing amounts as the pastel stick lightens towards white). The use of the gum arabic creates a soft pastel that can also be wetted once on the substrate, and spread like a watercolor. With a total of 525 colors and the largest chromatic range offered in soft pastels, their vibrancy and brightness can attributed to not containing clays, like other brands. Pastel artists everywhere revere Sennelier especially for their mellow and deep dark tones compared to other makers, likely due to their higher pigment concentration with little filler.

The cylindrical pastel mold used by Sennelier in the manufacturing process does not compress the pastel paste, instead merely forming the uniform shape (which now features a larger diameter stick than before for added strength, while maintaining the soft nature of the pastel). Sticks are dried naturally in the open air for 4 weeks for a uniform softness throughout the pastel.

Using Sennelier Soft Pastels utilizes a deep and rich history of color, backed up by one of the most dedicated craftsman to color in history. Artists who relied on his and his son Gustave’s expertise and experience achieved fame through their artworks, like Paul Gaugin, Modigliani, Monet, Cezanne, Degas, Picasso, Chagall, Salvador Dali, and so many more. Give yourself the treat designed for the pastel master Degas himself, and choose Sennelier for the finest quality soft pastels available!

• Half Sticks Measure 1 1/14” long x 5/8” diameter (unwrapped in a slightly larger, squared shape to prevent breakage)
• Standard Sticks measure 2 ½” long x ½” diameter

• Half Stick Black Wood Box Sets of 60 & 120 -  these Sennelier best selling half stick soft pastels are now available in chic black wood boxes, perfect for gift giving. Opening the ebony box of these luminous colors inspires creation!

• Plein Air Landscape Half Stick Set of 80 -  Sennelier has a rich history of providing Plein Air painters like Cezanne with their pastels, giving him the ability to produce the vibrant, rich landscape works he is known for. This 80 color half stick Plein Air collection has been carefully selected for its’ simplicity and ability to mix a full spectrum of landscape color, without carrying the extra weight of too many pastels in the field. Half sticks are great for making broad strokes, to cover larger areas more quickly.

• Voyage Set of 10 - This Voyage pastel set features 10 professional quality half-stick soft pastels by Sennelier. Handmade since 1900 these extra-fine pastels have unparalleled softness and pigment intensity providing each stroke with brilliant color. Enclosed in a sturdy metal tin for protection, each set also includes 3 sheets of pastel card, a graphite pencil and a pastel brush.

• Value Sets of 80 - Available in  sets of 80 Assorted Colors and 80 Landscape Colors, these value sets also include a 10-Pack of UArt Pastel Paper and a Creative Mark 12x16" Mesh Zipper Bag!

• Vintage Set of 12 - This unique limited edition set is the perfect way to celebrate Sennelier's 125th anniversary! Includes 12 soft pastels in the same original range as chosen by the company's founder, Gustave Sennelier, packaged in a vintage style cardboard box. A great gift for any artist!

•  Luxury Wood Box Set of 525 - This new Limited Edition Set celebrates Sennelier's 125th Anniversary of making the highest quality art mediums! Includes the entire range of standard stick Soft Pastels (one of each color), beautifully housed in a gorgeous convenient tiered box, featuring individual pastel drawers. An amazing gift set for serious artists!