10 Best Soft Pastels in 2026

Two hundred colors in one box means you get half of Schmincke’s entire extra-soft pastel range, with five gradations for 75 hues. That level of selection lets you match almost any tone you see in a landscape or portrait without mixing, and the highest lightfastness keeps your work vivid for decades. This set suits the dedicated pastel painter who wants a complete studio in a single purchase, and the handmade, chalk-free formula delivers that buttery, velvet application that makes layering and blending feel effortless.

The double-decker wooden case is 21.6 inches long and 19.3 inches wide, so it’s not something you’ll toss in a backpack for outdoor sketching. The extra-soft sticks are more delicate than harder pastels, making them better suited for desk work. If color range is your priority, this set delivers 200 colors, while the 60-piece Rembrandt set is a smaller alternative.

120 colors made with pure pigment and an uncompressed, air-dried manufacturing process give these pastels a depth and brilliance that cheaper sets simply cannot match. The pigment is high quality, so each stroke lays down rich color that blends well. If you want saturated hues for finished artwork, this set delivers that intensity straight from the stick.

The set weighs 2.6 pounds, so it has noticeable heft that keeps it steady on a table or easel. The manufacturing process doesn’t compress the paste, and the pastels dry naturally in open air. That gives them a soft, crumbly texture that lays down pure pigment quickly. Artists who want a harder stick might prefer the Schmincke Extra-Soft Pastels 200 Set, which is lighter at 1.0 pounds, but if you value high-quality, pure pigment and acid-free materials, this Sennelier set delivers rich, brilliant color.

Sixty half sticks of Rembrandt Soft Pastels deliver a professional-grade experience built on high pigment concentration and excellent lightfastness. The kaolin formula ensures smooth, consistent color transfer, so every stroke lays down evenly without unexpected graininess. This set suits the artist who prioritizes archival quality and wants colors that stay true over time, whether for gallery work or long-term studies. The half-stick format keeps the set portable and budget-friendly while still offering a solid range of hues for landscapes, portraits, and still life.

The 60 half-stick pastels in this set deliver high pigment concentration and excellent lightfastness, so your artwork keeps its color intensity over time without fading. Each half stick contains less material than a full-size pastel. That means artists covering large areas or building up thick layers may find themselves replacing colors sooner than with full sticks. Compared to the Schmincke Extra-Soft Pastels 200 Set, which includes 200 colors in a wooden box, this Rembrandt set offers a narrower range, 60 colors, so it suits artists who prefer a curated selection over a vast palette.

Eighty colors in one box means you can grab a specific hue for landscapes, portraits, or bold abstracts without constantly mixing. The square shape gives you both a fine corner for detail and a flat side for quick, broad shading, while the paper wrapper keeps your fingers clean and labels each stick by name and number. This set suits any artist who wants a broad palette in a single purchase, from beginners building their first collection to experienced sketchers who value variety on the go.

The trade-off is that these pastels measure 2.5 inches, which is the length stated for this set. The rigid paper box with foam trays protects well during transport, but it is not made of wood. If you prioritize a huge color range and portability over a wooden storage box, this is a practical, well-organized choice.

A light stroke delivers vivid and full colors that cover base lines perfectly, so you don’t have to press hard or go over the same area multiple times. The fine, particle-free texture makes these pastels glide smoothly on paper and blend into soft gradients with almost no effort. Strong adhesion keeps them stuck firmly to the paper, which means less smudging and fewer bits falling off as you work. This set works for beginners, hobbyists, and artists alike, making it a versatile option for landscapes, portraits, abstract art, sketches, and DIY projects.

At 48 colors, you get a solid range of highlights, mid-tones, and shadows, but you won’t have the broader selection that a larger set like the Sennelier 120 offers for more varied work. The shockproof case is genuinely portable, though, making this a good pick for outdoor sketching where you need fewer sticks and easy transport. If your work thrives on a wider palette, you might outgrow this set, but for everyday practice and smooth blending, it delivers exactly what it promises.

The trade-off is the color range. With only 30 shades, you will need to blend more to create subtle transitions or specific hues. That is fine for focused work, but if you want a broader spectrum straight out of the box, the Schmincke Extra-Soft 200 set offers far more variety. For someone who wants handcrafted pastels in a compact, portable kit, the Mungyo Gallery delivers a refined experience without overwhelming choice.

A 48-color set built around pure pigment and air-dried softness means each stick delivers lush, luxurious color with barely any pressure. That extra-soft formulation is the key reason artists reach for these pastels: the gentle laydown lets you build color without fighting the stick. For anyone who values that soft, high-pigment feel over a huge color range, this set delivers right out of the box.

With 48 colors, this set offers a focused palette, and the softness makes the sticks more fragile than harder pastels. If you need hundreds of shades for broad landscapes, the Schmincke 200 set offers far more variety.

This set includes 48 standard colors plus an extra black and white stick, for a total of 50 sticks. The 48 colors include 4 fluorescent pastels that glow under UV or black light, which is a distinctive feature for mixed-media or UV-reactive projects. The square chalk shape lets you draw fine lines, thick lines, or shade large areas by turning the stick on its side. The compact box with individual card slots keeps each stick secure, and the non-toxic label makes it safe for beginners or classrooms.

The 0.5-pound box is lightweight compared to some other sets in this guide, such as the Sennelier 120 half-stick set at 2.6 pounds. If you need a set with documented lightfastness across all colors, you may want to check individual brand specifications, as this set does not provide that information for the fluorescent colors. For sketchbook work or black-light projects, that may not be a concern.

The included tin storage case gives you a sturdy home for all 48 sticks, which keeps them organized and easy to carry to a sketch session. The soft, powdery texture blends with a finger or paper stump, and the set works with pastel pencils and charcoal, so you can combine techniques. The 48 colors offer a solid palette for many projects.

48 colors is a decent starting palette, but artists who crave more nuance might feel limited compared to the 120-color Sennelier set. The tin storage case keeps pastels organized and portable, though it lacks the cushioning of a padded wooden box. For someone building a first serious pastel kit who values tidy storage and easy blending, this set offers a practical balance of variety and convenience.

Seventy-two unique colors give you a palette that covers primaries, nuanced shades, and everything in between, so you can jump from portraits to landscapes without reaching for another set. The buttery-soft consistency glides onto paper and layers beautifully, making it a natural fit for artists who love building up rich, complex color. Beginners will appreciate the forgiving blendability, while more experienced creators get the range to explore subtle tonal shifts.

That softness, however, means the sticks release pigment generously, which is great for coverage but less ideal if you prefer a firmer pastel for crisp, controlled lines. Compared to the Rembrandt Half Stick 60 Set, which offers a harder, more durable stick for detailed work, the Lightwish set leans into a creamy, expressive feel that rewards broader strokes and layered color. If your style thrives on bold, blended washes rather than tight precision, this set delivers abundant variety for the money.