A Brand Built on Swiss Precision
Caran d'Ache is celebrated worldwide for its uncompromising craftsmanship and a history of innovation. The brand invented the world's first water-soluble colour pencil in 1931, a development that changed the way artists approached colour on paper. That spirit of precision and progress runs through everything they make, and it shows in the quality of every pencil in the Luminance line.
These are instruments built to last, perform consistently, and deliver results that justify the investment. For artists who take their work seriously, that reliability is what makes Caran d'Ache a brand worth knowing.
Caran d'Ache Luminance 6901: The World's Most Lightfast Coloured Pencils
The Luminance 6901 is Caran d'Ache's flagship coloured pencil, and one of the most respected in the world. These pencils are renowned for their exceptional quality, smooth application, and unmatched lightfastness rating (ASTM D6901), ensuring artwork remains vibrant and fade-resistant for generations.
That lightfastness distinction matters enormously for fine artists. Many coloured pencils fade noticeably over time when exposed to light, which is a real problem for display work, commissions, and anything archival. The Luminance line is engineered specifically to resist fading at the highest level, making it the professional's choice for work that needs to last.
Each Luminance pencil features a soft, creamy 3.8mm core that blends effortlessly, offering rich coverage, seamless layering, and stunning depth of colour. The soft core is a defining characteristic; it lays down pigment smoothly with minimal pressure, which makes blending and building up layers a pleasurable process rather than a technical exercise.
The pencils are made in Switzerland from premium sustainable wood, and the full range spans 100 colours, from delicate neutrals and earth tones through to saturated primaries and specialty shades like Payne's Grey and Burnt Sienna.
Individual Pencils or a Set: Which Is Right for You?
We stock the Luminance 6901 range in two ways, depending on how you like to shop.
- Individual pencils – All 100 colours are available if you want to build your palette deliberately, replace colours as you use them, or add specific shades you're missing. Whether you're topping up on favourites or looking to experiment with new shades, every Luminance colour is available singly for ultimate flexibility. A blending pencil is also available separately for achieving seamless gradients between colours.
- Sets of 20 – A strong starting point if you're new to the Luminance range and want a curated selection. A set gives you a working palette across the colour spectrum without the commitment of buying individual pencils before you know which shades suit your work.
What Can You Create with Caran d'Ache Luminance Pencils?
The Luminance range is ideal for portraits, botanical drawings, fine art illustrations, and professional, archival-quality work. The combination of soft layering, colour accuracy, and exceptional lightfastness makes these pencils particularly well suited for detailed, time-intensive pieces where you want both precision and longevity.
They also work beautifully alongside other drawing mediums. If you enjoy combining coloured pencils with watercolour techniques, browse our watercolour pencils range. For tonal sketch work and expressive mark-making, charcoal pencils pair well with coloured pencil detailing. And if you're building a broader coloured pencil collection, our full coloured pencils range has options across all price points.
Shop Caran d'Ache Pencils in Australia at CraftOnline
CraftOnline is one of Australia's largest online art and craft shops, stocking over 700 brands and 50,000 products. Whether you're picking up a single Luminance pencil to complete your palette or starting fresh with a set of 20, you'll find what you need here with free shipping on orders over $119.
Browse the full Caran d'Ache pencil collection, or explore the rest of our art and craft shop to find everything for your next piece.
