On hearing that Caran d\u2019Ache was expanding their already extensive line of excellent products with some new pastels, I was very excited! I\u2019m a big fan of Caran d\u2019Ache and their products \u2013 particularly their Luminance colour pencils, Neocolor II watersoluble wax pastels, and Neopastel oil pastels. I was intrigued to see how the Caran d\u2019Ache Neoart 6901 oil pastels would compare to both, and how they would work as part of a mixed-media practice.<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
![\"Caran](\"https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Caran_d_ache_01.jpg\")
<\/p>\nCaran d\u2019Ache Neoart 6901 Oil Pastels<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n The big plus to these new Caran d\u2019Ache Neoart 6901 oil pastels is that they are the first wax and oil pastels to meet ASTM D-6901 standards, ensuring exceptional lightfastness for up to 100 years.<\/p>\n Tested in the Arizona desert, the range of 48 colours offers superior lightfastness, with 34 LFI (best lightfastness) and 14 LFII (very good lightfastness) ratings. Featuring 75% single pigment or bi-pigment formulations, Neoart 6901 sets a new benchmark in pastel performance.<\/p>\n I tested the set of 12 assorted colours, which includes a selection of essential colours to get started, along with six single-pigment colours. Nine of the colours are LFI-rated, and three are LFII.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Caran d\u2019Ache Neoart 6901 Oil Pastels<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n The pastels have an unusual but very pleasing octagonal shape for easy handling. The Neoart oil pastels are aimed at professionals, art students, and passionate creatives. They have a soft texture, and a silky appearance. The pigment concentration feels very high \u2013 the colour lays down flat and easily on first use. They have the softness of a wax pastel, like Neocolor II<\/a>, but with a slightly richer colour payoff like the Neopastel<\/a>.<\/p>\n This set<\/a> comes in a smart cardboard storage box containing the following colours: White, Black, Brown Ochre, Permanent Red, Russet, Manganese Violet, Ultramarine, Lemon Yellow, Purplish Red, Spring Green, Chrysocolla Blue, and Dark Phthalocyanine Green.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Caran d\u2019Ache Neoart 6901 Oil Pastels on Jackson\u2019s Watercolour Block 300 gsm Hot Press Natural White<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n I tested the Neoart pastels on both Jackson\u2019s Watercolour Block 300 gsm Hot Press Natural White<\/a>, and Jackson\u2019s Watercolour Block 300 gsm Cold Pressed (not) Natural White<\/a>. They laid down easily on both types of paper as you can see from my swatches, showing the texture a little more on the cold pressed paper as is to be expected.<\/p>\n Although Caran d\u2019Ache states that the pastels don\u2019t crumble under pressure, you do get slight flecks of product coming off when using \u2013 more so when using on the cold pressed paper due to its rougher surface.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Caran d\u2019Ache Neoart 6901 Oil Pastels on Jackson\u2019s Watercolour Block 300 gsm Cold Pressed (not) Natural White<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n In comparison to Neocolor II, they feel quite similar, more so than compared to the Neopastel. They sit well on the page, and they do not smudge if you rub your finger over straight away, unlike the Neopastel which smudges easily. And they go over one another very well, even white covers all the colours as you can see from my tests. <\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n When you lay colours over the top of each other they blend ever so slightly. They are closer to the Neocolor II than I expected. Perhaps on a personal level, I think I was hoping for them to sit nearer to the Neopastel, but I guess it\u2019s a very personal preference on how you like to work.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Using Jackson\u2019s Pencil Blending Medium<\/a>, I tested the Neoart pastels individually on the hot pressed paper. They blend well, feeling and giving the texture of an alcohol marker when thinned down.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n I then tested both more freely on both types of papers to see how the colours would mix. They seemed to work better on the cold pressed paper \u2013 not leaving behind a \u2018shadow\u2019 of pigment and blending more fluidly.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n The sticks are robust and are only 68 mm in length so very easy to take on the go. They don\u2019t seem to be as potentially messy as an oil pastel product in terms of rubbing against other colours or melting in the heat. I think they would work very nicely on location, or in a sketchbook when out of the studio. I will be taking a few colours with me to add to my pencil case. The small box with foam insert is handy to store them, but I do not feel it\u2019s necessary to keep them in there for location drawing. I\u2019d feel confident adding them to my Neocolors II in a small tin or pencil case.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n I have tested them quite a bit with different media on both types of paper. I don\u2019t like to follow strict rules in terms of how I use my media \u2013 I enjoy using a resist technique for example, by using paint over a waxy material. In this case, you can see when I\u2019ve applied a Pentel Pigment Brush Pen<\/a> and some Holbein Acrylic Gouache paint<\/a> over the Neoart pastels to create a resist and give an interesting texture.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n The Neocolor II and Neopastel work well when layered over and under the Neoart pastels. Coloured pencils perform similarly over them as they do over Neocolor IIs. Some colours (the darker ones) work better and you have to apply quite a bit of pressure to see the pencil colour.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n I\u2019ve also shown how well the colours match to Luminance pencils<\/a> I already own. I expected nothing less from the Caran d\u2019Ache range, to be honest, but it is lovely to see what a great match their pigments are, Especially as it\u2019s hard to choose colours from computer screen swatches. If you own some Luminance pencils, you could swatch those and be sure of ordering the right colour in the Neoart pastels as the pigments are exactly the same. Or if you have a particular favourite Luminance pencil, you could try out a new material in the same familiar shade. <\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n If you already own and enjoy the Neocolor II, I am confident you will love these. If, however, you prefer a much softer, more buttery feel of a Neopastel, then I think these will be too much on the side of smooth and waxy for you.<\/p>\n They do have a great range of colours \u2013 a lot matching directly your favourite colours from the Luminance range. I like to buy materials like this individually, so although the boxes are handy and work out a better price per pastel, I still prefer the freedom of curating my own palette. If you already own some Neocolor II pastels, then being able to add some paler, more muted colours to your palette, I think is welcome.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Review of Caran d\u2019Ache Artist Neopastels for Drawing and Painting<\/a><\/p>\n Two Artists Test Jackson\u2019s Curated Sets for Sketching and Oil Painting<\/a><\/p>\n Review of Jackson\u2019s Pencil Blending Medium<\/a><\/p>\n Artist Insights: Kay Gasei<\/a><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\nReview of Caran d\u2019Ache Neoart 6901 Oil Pastels<\/h2>\n
Excellent Lightfastness Rating<\/h2>\n
![\"Caran](\"https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Caran_d_ache_03.jpg\")
<\/p>\nPhysical Qualities of the Caran d\u2019Ache Neoart Oil Pastels<\/h2>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Review_of_Caran_dAche_Neoart_6901_Oil_Pastels_Blog_Image-6.jpg\")
<\/p>\n![\"Caran](\"https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Review_of_Caran_dAche_Neoart_6901_Oil_Pastels_Blog_Image-13.jpg\")
<\/p>\nComparing the Neoart Oil Pastel to the Watersoluble Neocolor II and the Wax-Based Neopastel<\/h2>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Review_of_Caran_dAche_Neoart_6901_Oil_Pastels_Blog_Image-3.jpg\")
<\/p>\n![\"Caran](\"https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Review_of_Caran_dAche_Neoart_6901_Oil_Pastels_Blog_Image-11.jpg\")
<\/p>\nUsing the Pencil Blending Medium<\/h2>\n
![\"Caran](\"https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Review_of_Caran_dAche_Neoart_6901_Oil_Pastels_Blog_Image-4.jpg\")
<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Review_of_Caran_dAche_Neoart_6901_Oil_Pastels_Blog_Image-8.jpg\")
<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Review_of_Caran_dAche_Neoart_6901_Oil_Pastels_Blog_Image-5.jpg\")
<\/p>\nHow to Use Caran d\u2019Ache Neoart 6901 Oil Pastels in a Sketchbook or on the Go<\/h2>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Review_of_Caran_dAche_Neoart_6901_Oil_Pastels_Blog_Image-7.jpg\")
<\/p>\nMixed Media Techniques with Caran d\u2019Ache Neoart 6901 Oil Pastels<\/h2>\n
![\"Caran](\"https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Review_of_Caran_dAche_Neoart_6901_Oil_Pastels_Blog_Image-12.jpg\")
<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Review_of_Caran_dAche_Neoart_6901_Oil_Pastels_Blog_Image-9.jpg\")
<\/p>\n![\"Caran](\"https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Review_of_Caran_dAche_Neoart_6901_Oil_Pastels_Blog_Image-10.jpg\")
<\/p>\nFurther Reading<\/h2>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/JAS_Pigments_Series_Banner_02.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"