Bright, water-soluble pencil leads are soft yet strong, providing unlimited blending possibilities. Fancolor pencils are ideal for a wide variety of wet and dry techniques: drawing, crosshatching, graded applications, watercolor effects, and washes. You can also use Fancolor pencils for mixed media projects, along with Caran d'Ache Neocolor Pastels and Gouache (sold separately). The hexagonal pencil shaft is finished with a water based varnish. This set comes in a convenient metal tin. Pencils are made with wood from well-managed forests certified by the FSC (Forest Stewardship Council). This product meets EN71 safety standards for art materials. Caran d'Ache products are ideal for sketching, figure drawing, and portraits. Caran d'Ache uses high-quality pigments for colorfastness and excellent lightfastness. For over 80 years, Caran d'Ache has inspired amateur and professional artists, providing top quality pastels, pencils, paints, brushes and more.