Pastel pencils: less mess than regular pastels, more fun than regular pencils

selection of pastel pencils and a sketchpad in the middle — (Image credit: Derwent/Conté à Paris/Rubens/Future/Edited with Gemini)

If you want to shake up your artistic life, then trying out a new medium is a great way to do so. I recommend using pastel pencils as they are not as messy as regular pastels but are a bit more exciting than normal pencils.

Below, I've outlined some of my favourite pastel pencils from some of the best brands out there. Some of them are even on sale right now. For more detailed reviews, see our best pastel pencil guide. I've also included options for a range of budgets, including everything from 12 pastel pencil sets to tins of 60.

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Rosie Hilder is Creative Bloq's Deputy Editor. After beginning her career in journalism in Argentina – where she worked as Deputy Editor of Time Out Buenos Aires – she moved back to the UK and joined Future Plc in 2016. Since then, she's worked as Operations Editor on magazines including Computer Arts, 3D World and Paint & Draw and Mac|Life. In 2018, she joined Creative Bloq, where she now assists with the daily management of the site, including growing the site's reach, getting involved in events, such as judging the Brand Impact Awards, and helping make sure our content serves the reader as best it can.