Pan Pastel Pricing: Why The High Cost?

PanPastels are professional-grade soft pastel colours packed in a unique pan format. They are highly pigmented, with a creamy texture, and are easy to blend. The cost of a set of PanPastels varies depending on the number of colours included and the region in which they are being sold. In the UK, a set of 5 colours costs around £30, a set of 10 colours costs approximately £62, and a set of 20 colours is priced at about £117. In the US, the same sets cost $25, $39, and $90, respectively.

PanPastels are almost 100% pigment

PanPastels are packaged in a unique format, with the pastel in individual clear plastic trays. This is unlike traditional pastel sticks or cylinders, which are shaped and thus require binders and fillers to be mixed in with the pigment. With PanPastels, no binding agents or fillers are needed, so each tray is almost 100% pigment. This gives artists a vibrant, rich pigment medium that has become very popular.

The absence of binders and fillers in PanPastels means that artists can achieve that pure, intense colour with minimal product. A little goes a long way, so the pastels are worth the cost as they will last a long time. The high pigment content also means that PanPastels are very versatile and can be applied to almost any surface. They work on everything from delicate Japanese handmade papers to toothy pastel papers and even canvas and wood.

The PanPastel format also protects the colours, reducing damage and waste. The pastel is loaded into stacking and interlocking jars, which can be easily transported and stored. The packaging also makes it easier for artists to lift, apply and control the pastel colour.

The high pigment content of PanPastels means that they are very lightfast. All of the colours are independently tested to ASTM lightfastness standards and have excellent ratings.

They are packed in a unique pan format

PanPastels are packed in a unique pan format, resembling the pans of eyeshadow or makeup pots. This format is distinct from the traditional sticks or cylinders of pastel. The benefit of this packaging is that no binding agents or fillers are needed, as the pigment is contained in its own individual clear plastic tray. This means that each tray is almost 100% pigment, resulting in the vibrant, rich colours that pastel artists love.

The pan format also allows artists to blend and apply dry colour like fluid paint, in a way that hasn't been possible before. The pastel colour can be mixed together to create a complete painting palette, and the product is very low dust. The packaging also protects the colours, reducing damage and waste. The pans can be stacked and interlocked, and they come with lids and sponges for application.

They are the softest pastels in the world

PanPastels are the softest pastels in the world. They are packed in a unique pan format, with the pastel colour in individual clear plastic trays. This packaging protects the colours, reducing damage and waste.

The absence of binders and fillers in PanPastels means that each tray is almost 100% pigment, giving a vibrant, rich medium that pastel artists have embraced. PanPastels are loaded with the highest-quality artists' pigments and have a rich, ultra-soft, low-dust formulation. They are fully erasable and compatible with traditional pastel sticks, surfaces, and conventional fixatives.

The special qualities of PanPastels mean that artists can blend and apply dry colour like fluid paint for the first time. Each colour is loaded with the finest quality artists' pigments for the most concentrated colours possible. They can be mixed together for a complete painting palette.

The pastel scene had not changed or improved much in the last couple of hundred years, but PanPastels changed that. They are incredibly popular and have a lot of hype, ticking a lot of boxes for artists.

They are highly lightfast

PanPastel Colors are made using the highest quality pigments, with minimal binders and fillers, to ensure maximum lightfastness. The lightfastness of a colour or pigment indicates how permanent it is and how unaffected it is by light.

PanPastel takes lightfastness very seriously and conducts lightfastness testing for every colour. The company formulated and reformulated its products until it maximised the lightfastness of each colour. The resulting lightfastness rating for each colour is shown on all packaging and colour charts.

The lightfastness testing is done independently under museum conditions using the ASTM Lightfastness Standard. The ASTM standard for coloured pencils was used as there is no official ASTM lightfastness standard for pastels.

PanPastel's lightfastness ratings are categorised as follows:

• Lightfastness Category I: No visible colour change under museum conditions for at least 100 years.
• Lightfastness Category II: A slight amount of colour change after 50 years.
• Lightfastness Category III: A slight amount of colour change between 25 and 50 years.

They are versatile and can be applied to many surfaces

PanPastels are a form of soft pastels, but instead of being moulded into sticks, they are set into pans or jars. This format allows for much less binder and the highest pigment concentration of any pastel product. The packaging protects the pigment, reduces waste, and allows for easy storage and transport.

PanPastels are highly versatile and can be applied to many surfaces. They can be lifted with brushes, sponges, and other tools, and applied to the support like paint. They can be purchased individually or as part of a wide range of sets. There is a whole range of specialised PanPastel applicators called "Sofft Tools" that allow for varying degrees of detail and different painterly effects.

PanPastels are popular because they are super easy to blend, can be fully erased, and are compatible with other art mediums and surfaces. They are also cleaner to use and create much less dust than soft pastels. They are compatible with all soft pastels and pastel painting techniques, and can be mixed and blended in the pans for an infinite palette of colour.

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