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For artists who value both the rich texture of pastels and the precision of a pencil, finding the right medium can be a challenge. Traditional soft pastels offer superb blendability but can lack control for fine details. Conversely, many colouring pencils provide precision but don't deliver that characteristic dusty, matt finish. This is where STABILO CarbOthello chalk pastel pencils come in, offering a bridge between these two worlds.
This guide provides practical information to help you decide if these professional artist pencils are the right fit for your creative toolkit. We will explore their key features and look at the different set sizes available to help you make an informed choice.
Before selecting a set, it's helpful to understand the features that define high-quality pastel pencils for artists.
The quality of a pastel pencil is largely determined by its pigment load. High pigmentation ensures that colours are vibrant and luminous, even on dark or coloured paper. Good opacity allows you to layer colours effectively without the underlying shades showing through, which is essential for creating depth and dimension in your work. The dry pastel pencils in the CarbOthello range are known for their high concentration of pigments.
A key advantage of pastels is their ability to be blended. Look for pencils that offer a smooth, dry stroke that can be easily smudged and mixed, either with your fingers, a tortillon or a cloth. Some blendable pastel pencils, including the CarbOthello line, are also partially water-soluble (aquarellable). This means you can go over your drawing with a wet brush to create watercolour-like washes and effects, adding another layer of versatility to your artwork.
The core of a chalk pastel pencil is inherently softer and more brittle than that of a graphite or wax-based pencil. A robust wooden casing is important to protect the core from breaking. The ability to sharpen the pencil to a fine point without crumbling is also crucial for executing detailed work.
Based on their features and popularity among artists, here are our recommended STABILO CarbOthello sets.
Why It Stands Out This introductory set provides a curated palette of essential colours, making it an excellent entry point into the world of chalk colouring pencils. It delivers the same high-quality performance as the larger sets, with a highly pigmented core that produces a dry, dusty stroke reminiscent of charcoal or traditional chalk. The wooden shaft provides good protection for the delicate pastel lead.
Pros
Who is it for? This 12-piece set is ideal for art students, hobbyists exploring pastels for the first time or professional artists who need a compact, portable set for sketching on the go.
Why It Stands Out The 24-colour tin is a versatile and popular choice, offering a well-rounded colour range suitable for a wide variety of subjects, from portraits to landscapes. This STABILO pastel pencil set provides a significant step up in creative possibilities from the basic set, with an expanded selection of tones and shades. The high pigmentation ensures great luminosity and opacity, performing particularly well on delicate or dark papers.
Pros
Who is it for? This set is a strong all-rounder, perfect for serious hobbyists and professional artists who require a broader palette for their work without committing to the largest set. It offers a fantastic balance of colour selection and value.
Why It Stands Out With 36 colours, this set provides a comprehensive palette that minimises the need for extensive mixing to achieve specific shades. It includes a wider variety of greys, earth tones and vibrant hues, allowing for greater nuance and subtlety in your artwork. Like the other sets, these pencils can be sharpened to a fine point, making them suitable for everything from broad strokes to the most intricate details.
Pros
Who is it for? This set is designed for dedicated pastel artists, illustrators and professionals who need a wide and reliable colour range at their fingertips. It is an excellent studio set for those who work frequently with the medium.
If the STABILO CarbOthello range doesn't seem to be the perfect match for your needs, or if you wish to explore a wider variety of textures and brands, we have more to see. Discover our full collection of art supplies to find the ideal medium for your next project.
[Explore our complete range of coloured pastels here](https://www.joybuy.co.uk/explore/coloured-pastels/GFBvrco5)
1. How do you blend STABILO CarbOthello pencils? These blendable pastel pencils can be blended in several ways. For dry blending, you can use your fingertips, a paper stump (tortillon) or a soft cloth to smudge and mix the colours directly on the paper. For wet effects, since the core is partially water-soluble, you can apply the colour and then go over it with a damp paintbrush to create smooth washes.
2. What is the best way to sharpen chalk pastel pencils? Due to their soft core, chalk colouring pencils require careful sharpening. While a standard sharpener can work, it is often better to use a dedicated pastel pencil sharpener or a sharp craft knife. Shaving the wood away carefully and then honing the pastel tip with a sandpaper block will give you a fine point while minimising the risk of the lead snapping.
3. Are STABILO CarbOthello pencils suitable for beginners? Yes, they can be a great choice for beginners. The pencil format offers more control and creates less dust than traditional soft pastel sticks, making them less intimidating for those new to the medium. They provide access to professional-grade pigment and blendability in an easy-to-handle form.