Are any of the Art and Graphic materials toxic?
ALL of the Faber-Castell materials are NON-toxic.
Are the Faber-Castell Art Supplies acid-free and archival (ph-neutral)?
Yes, all of the Faber-Castell Art & Graphic art materials are acid-free and archival (ph-neutral).
One or two of my Colorburst Paint Pens seem to be dried out. What should I do?
The Colorburst Paint Pens may be re-hydrated by dipping the nib in water. The cap should always be securely fastened when the pens are not in use.
Are the PITT Artist Pens refillable?
The Faber-Castell PITT Artist pens are not refillable. They are disposable pens.
Is the ink in the PITT Artist Pen permanent?
Yes, we use pigmented India Ink. The Faber-Castell PITT Artist Pens are extremely fade-resistant, smudge proof and waterproof when dry. They are also acid free and archival.
How many colors are the PITT Artist Brush Pens available in?
The PITT Artist Brush Pens are available in 48 colors.
Are the 48 colors available for the PITT Artist Brush Pens available in other line widths?
Superfine, Fine and Medium are only available in colors Black, Sepia and Sanguine at this time.
How many grades of hardness are the Castell 9000 Pencils available in?
Faber-Castell offers 16 grades of hardness for the Castell 9000 Pencil.
8B, 7B, 6B, 5B, 4B, 3B, 2B, B, HB, F, H, 2H, 3H, 4H, 5H, 6H
Which pencils are included in the Castell 9000 Design Set?
The following grades of hardness are included in the Castell 9000 Design Set.
5B, 4B, 3B, 2B, B, HB, F, H, 2H, 3H, 4H, 5H
Which pencils are included in the Castell 9000 Art Set?
The following grades of hardness are included in the Castell 9000 Art Set.
8B, 7B, 6B, 5B, 4B, 3B, 2B, B, HB, F, H, 2H
What are the Castell 9000, Polychromos and Albrect Durer Pencils coated with?
Faber-Castell is an environment-friendly company. We use water-based varnish to coat our wood-cased pencils. All Faber-Castell wood-cased pencils produced in Germany are coated with environment-friendly, water-based varnish.
What is the difference between Faber-Castell Art & Graphic art materials and Faber-Castell Goldfaber Studio art materials?
Faber-Castell Art & Graphic art materials are premium quality artist materials. Goldfaber/Studio art materials are an excellent value for art students, the hobby artist and aspiring artists. The products do have different characteristics between the two brands. One example: The Art & Graphic Polychromos Colored Pencils contain thick 3.8mm leads housed in a premium California cedar wood casing. The Creative Studio Art GRIP Colored Pencils contain 3.3mm leads with an ergonomic triangular shaped housing.
How many grades of hardness are the Goldfaber Studio Graphite Sketch Pencils available in?
Faber-Castell offers 8 grades of hardness for the Goldfaber Studio Graphite Sketch Pencil.
4H, 2H, H, HB, B, 2B, 4B, 6B
What should I look for when choosing paper for my artwork?
Low quality paper becomes fragile due to acids reacting to sunlight (paper destroys itself). Artist papers are acid-free and should ideally consist of cotton rags. When buying paper one should pay attention that it is ph-neutral and that it carries the designation, resistant to ageing. "Ordinary paper" is made from cellulose and has a high percentage of wastepaper.
How do I properly conserve my artwork?
Artwork should be protected from direct sunlight, dirt, dust, changes in room temperatures and humidity. This can be done by preserving the piece under glass and placed in a dry area where direct sunlight does not come in contact with it.
What do the stars on my art supplies indicate?
Faber-Castell indicates lightfastness ratings on each pencil and pen. We use a star icon to indicate lightfastness. The lightfastness is indicated on each as follows:
*** = Maximum light-fastness = 7 ,8 Blue Wool Scale
** = Very good light-fastness = 5, 6 Blue Wool Scale
* = Good light-fastness = 3, 4 Blue Wool Scale
What does the lightfastness rating mean?
The lightfastness rating indicates the items resistance to fading.
*** = Maximum fade resistance (100 + years) (Tested Under Museum Conditions)
** = Very Good fade resistance (25 + years)
* = Good fade resistance (5 + years)
How many colors have the 100+Years lightfast rating?
100 of 120 Polychromos Color Pencils will last more than 100 years (Tested Under Museum Conditions)
64 of 120 Albrecht Durer Watercolor Pencils will last more than 100 years (Tested Under Museum Conditions)
22 of 27 PITT Artist’s Pens will last more than 100 years (Tested Under Museum Conditions)
How does Faber-Castell evaluate light-fastness?
Faber-Castell uses the Blue Wool standard to evaluate light-fastness. This standard utilizes eight scales to evaluate lightfast colors and it has been used for Artist paints for many years. It is tested under museum conditions. The Blue Wool test standard is comparable to ASTM D 5383-02 and ASTM D5383-97. The Blue Wool standard relates to our star icons as follows:
*** = 7, 8 Blue Wool Scale (Tested Under Museum Conditions)
** = 5, 6 Blue Wool Scale (Tested Under Museum Conditions)
* = 3, 4 Blue Wool Scale (Tested Under Museum Conditions)
Do other brands utilize the same standard?
Prismacolor, Derwent and Van Gogh have embraced a new lightfastness standard developed in conjunction with The Color Pencil Society. This standard is called ASTM D 6901. This standard is not as precise as the Blue Wool method and only has two scales to evaluate lightfast colors. It relates to our star icons as follows:
I = ***
II = ** and *
How many colors are available for Polychromos Colored Pencils, Polychromos Pastels and Albrecht Durer Watercolor pencils?
Faber-Castell offers 120 colors.
What are the names of the 20 new colors that were introduced to the Art &Graphic Line? (Totaling 120 colors)
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cadmium yellow lemon |
indianthrene blue |
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deep scarlet red |
purssian blue |
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deep red |
dark phthalo green |
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middle cadmium red |
permanent green |
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dark red |
chrome oxide green fiery |
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madder |
chrome oxide green |
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alizarin crimson |
green gold |
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magnese violet |
caput mortuum |
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mauve |
burnt umber |
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dark indigo |
burnt siena |
