Caran d'Ache NeoArt Wax Oil Pastels: In-Depth Review and Techniques

While scrolling through Instagram one day, I noticed The Coloured Pencil Shop showing off a new batch of Caran d’Ache NeoArt wax oil pastels. As a keen oil pastel artist, this medium immediately caught my eye. I had never tried wax oil pastels before, so I was eager to look into this new product and quickly bought a small selection to test out properly.

This article gives my honest view as an oil pastel artist using Caran d’Ache NeoArt pastels for the first time. I wanted to see how they perform, how easy they are to use, and how they stack up against traditional oil pastels. I expected a smooth but firmer texture, so I ran a few careful tests to check their blending ability, pigment strength, and versatility. Read on for my full review to see what these wax oil pastels can do and where they fit into the art world.

This is the information taken directly from the Caran d'Ache website:

​Caran d'Ache launches NEOART™ 6901 :  The first-ever lightfast pastel for up to 100 years

Caran d'Ache strengthens its Expert range with the launch of NEOART™ 6901, the first wax and oil pastel conform to the standard ASTM D-6901, offering unrivalled colour intensity and exceptional lightfastness for up to 100 years. This permanent pastel combines the softness of wax with the richness of oil, creating a unique texture.

With its high pigment concentration and octagonal shape for easy handling, NEOART™ 6901 is aimed at professionals, art students, and passionate creatives, offering a medium of unrivalled quality for creating nomadic, spontaneous and vibrant work that last over time. With NEOART™ 6901, Caran d'Ache reaffirms its expertise and spirit of innovation, setting a new standard in the world of pastels.
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ASSORTMENT

• 21 single-pigment colours
• 34 LFI colours (top level of lightfastness) and 14 LFII

DETAILS OF THE PASTEL

• Permanent wax and oil pastel
• Octagonal shape
• Outstanding lightfastness in accordance with the universal ASTM standard D-6901
• Soft texture, silky appearance, does not crumble
• Bright colours with good covering power to create uniform colour planes
• Anthracite grey paper label, easy to remove, indicating the name of the colour + LFI or LFII lightfastness
• Diameter: 10 mm x 68 mm

Caran d’Ache NeoArt wax oil pastels - Dark Indigo, Violet Grey, Light Malachite Green, Bismuth White, and Herculanum Red

When my small order of five pastels arrived, I was immediately impressed by their quality. They match the size and thickness of the well-known Caran d'Ache Neopastels, and their vibrant 48-colour range lines up perfectly with the Caran d'Ache Luminance series. The hexagonal barrel design is a great feature because it stops them from rolling off my desk, which is a big help while working. They are completely odourless and come neatly packaged with a paper sleeve that has tear strips, making it easy to unwrap the pastel as it wears down.
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I chose these striking colours:

• Dark Indigo (LF1)
• Violet Grey (LF1)
• Light Malachite Green (LF1)
• Bismuth White (LF1)
• Herculanum Red (LF1)

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Although I am an experienced oil pastel artist, I had never used wax oil pastels before and was curious to see how they compared. I expected them to have a soft texture, perhaps just a little firmer than Neopastels, and I was keen to see how they stacked up against traditional oil pastels and other products in the Caran d'Ache range. In this review, I share my personal findings on how they perform, how they feel to use, and just how versatile they really are.

Initial Trials with NeoArt Pastels on Daler Rowney Smooth Heavyweight Paper

First Trial: Evaluating Pigment Strength and Application on Daler Rowney Paper

Before doing any serious work with them, I wanted to run a few quick tests to see how the NeoArt pastels actually performed. I chose Daler Rowney Smooth Heavyweight paper for this. It is a 220gsm surface known for its durability and subtle texture, making it ideal for checking both the strength of the pigment and how the pastels apply.
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The pigment turned out to be remarkably strong, laying down very cleanly even on this slightly textured surface. Although the pastels are quite firm, they allowed for precise, fine lines, and the coverage remained consistently even. They did an excellent job of masking the texture of the paper despite their rigidity. These early tests showed me that on a smooth, heavyweight surface, NeoArt pastels deliver rich, dependable colour, though their firmness might be a bit tricky for artists who prefer a softer, more fluid feel.

Second Trial: Assessing Blending Capabilities of NeoArt Pastels

For my second trial, I wanted to see how well the NeoArt pastels blend. Each colour was applied individually, with a secondary colour positioned next to the first. Next, a paler shade was layered over a darker one to assess both blending quality and opacity. To see how effectively the colours mied, I built up multiple layers.

The results showed that these pastels do not blend very smoothly. Due to their firm nature, it is difficult to get the colours to blend together seamlessly. However, if you apply enough product, their opacity does allow for a decent blend that hides some of the harsh separation.

I noticed this clearly in my first sample when placing Bismuth Yellow right along the edge of the Dark Indigo. Even though they overlapped, a sharp line still remained between the two colours. By the time I reached my fourth sample, I tried using blending techniques that normally work for softer tools, but the hard edges were still visible, which really proves that these pastels resist traditional blending methods.

Third Trial: Applying Caran d'Ache Luminance Wax Pencils Over NeoArt Wax Oil Pastels

For my third trial, I wanted to see if I could successfully layer wax-based coloured pencils over the NeoArt pastels. Since coloured pencils are generally compatible with traditional oil pastels, I expected this wax oil formulation to behave in a similar way. I put down three different pastel shades and then tried to blend a darker coloured pencil from the same colour family along the edges.

The results were unsuccessful, as the wax pencils simply would not blend with the pastels underneath. Instead, the NeoArt pastels acted as a complete wax resist, repelling the pencil pigment so that the colour only adhered to the bare paper outside the pastel lines.
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Curious to see if a different type of pencil might alter this effect, I also tested Faber-Castell Polychromos oil-based pencils, but I ran into the exact same resistance. Just like the wax pencils, the oil-based version was entirely rejected by the NeoArt surface, leaving the pigment confined strictly to the clean paper around the edges. This consistent wax-resist effect demonstrates that the formula of these pastels makes it incredibly difficult to layer them with either wax or oil pencils, which certainly limits their use for mixed-media work.

Final Trial: Comparing Pigmentation of NeoArt Pastels and Luminance Pencils

In my final trial, I wanted to compare the pigmentation of the NeoArt wax oil pastels with their coloured pencil counterpart, the Caran d'Ache Luminance pencil. I applied each medium to a single sheet of paper, dividing the page into two sections with small pencil markers right in the middle. I used the coloured pencils on the upper half and the NeoArt pastels on the lower half.
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I found that the pencils struggled to saturate the texture of the paper, leaving visible gaps even when I applied significant pressure. In contrast, the NeoArt pastels filled the surface much more uniformly and smoothly with far less effort, achieving a beautifully consistent finish. Remarkably, the intensity of the pigment between the two mediums turned out to be nearly identical. This suggests that, despite the clear differences in how they apply, NeoArt pastels and Luminance pencils share a closely matched colour potency and opacity.

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Testing the Caran d'Ache NeoArt Wax Oil Pastels on Paper

Eager to see how these wax oil pastels performed in practice, I decided to test them on a couple of different papers. I began by fixing the sheets to a wooden-top easel with masking tape, which is a technique I highly recommend for any pastel work. This simple step secures the paper and leaves a clean, neat edge, which is perfect if you want to frame the piece later. My first choice was Clairefontaine Pastelmat, which is widely regarded as a top pick among pastel artists. I figured that if any paper could coax the best out of these pastels, Pastelmat would be it, thanks to its excellent reputation for versatility and quality. Clairefontaine Pastelmat stands out because of its unique surface, which blends the grit of sanded paper with a velvety softness. It is highly absorbent and designed to hold multiple layers of pigment or even solvents, making it ideal for techniques like blending, layering, and mixed media.​

Applying and Blending NeoArt Pastels: Challenges and Solutions

I started off by applying Dark Indigo and Bismuth White, with the latter showing a faint yellow tint. Right away, I noticed these Caran d'Ache NeoArt wax oil pastels were much harder than I had anticipated, and far from the 'softness of wax with the richness of oil' promised by Caran d'Ache. Getting an even application felt like a bit of a battle because the pigment resisted spreading smoothly, which left me wondering if my technique was wrong. As an oil pastel artist used to creamier textures, this firmness really threw me. Still, as I built up layers and pressed harder to coax out colours like the Dark Indigo, I noticed that the slow wear of these firm pastels meant they lasted longer, even if it took serious effort to achieve the pigment intensity I wanted.

Layering Bismuth White over Dark Indigo offered a glimmer of hope. Without using any tools, I managed a modest blend, though it was more of a subtle overlap than a seamless fade. The hardness of the pastel resulted in the pigment resting on the surface of the paper rather than penetrating the tooth, which limited how much I could manipulate it. Curious to see more, I included both Light Malachite Green and Violet Grey. Blending these proved even tougher, and no amount of finger-rubbing or blending stumps, which are my usual go-to tools for softer pastels, could soften the edges. These NeoArt pastels were simply too rigid, resisting every attempt to mix shades like I had expected​.

Blending Tools, Solvent Application and Paper Performances

Determined to find a workaround, I tested a couple of blending products. First, I tried the Caran d'Ache Full Blender, which is a tool designed for wax-based pencils. It softened the lines slightly, but the results were patchy, and at times it simply scraped off the pigment. Next, I turned to a solvent and reached for Zest-it Pencil Blend, which works for both coloured pencils and oil and wax pastels. It took a generous amount to loosen the wax, and while it blurred the colours a little, the finish was uneven. Plus, the strong citrus scent was quite overpowering, which was a distraction I had not bargained for. Zest-it does offer an odourless version, which I would certainly recommend instead; in hindsight, I wish I had used it.

​To make matters worse, the solvent left the paper slick and slow to dry. Every attempt to layer more pastel, such as adding Violet Grey for depth, just skimmed over the wet surface and barely stuck. To top it all off, the pigment that rubbed off onto my fingers clung stubbornly, resisting soap and water for much longer than I would like.

Despite the strong citrus smell and the long drying time of the Zest-it solvent, I noticed a clear improvement when I looked at the paper from an angle. The blend of Dark Indigo and Bismuth White actually looked far more successful, showing a smooth finish that made up for my earlier struggles. To neaten this up further, I used a thick piece of kitchen paper to work into the damp pigments, which created distinctive, textured marks that actually enhanced the piece. Photographs of this stage are included below, showing the subtle layering and the interesting effects achieved with this method.​

Since it was impossible to do anything else with the Pastelmat sample while the solvent was still wet, I had to stop and set it aside, as none of the pigment would stick. At first, I wasn't quite sure how to move forward, but looking at what I had done so far, the results were promising. The solvent had really deepened the pigment, making colours like the Dark Indigo look much richer, and it had allowed for a decent amount of blending, with the kitchen paper leaving a lovely subtle texture.
When I came back to the sample twenty-four hours later, the paper had dried completely and the pigment didn't smudge at all when touched. Encouraged by this, I put down a few more layers and used the solvent again. It worked perfectly, softening the new layers without lifting or disturbing the work underneath. This sort of durability is a huge plus, and it really sets this medium apart from traditional oil pastels, which never truly dry and always stay tacky and easy to smudge.

Next, I moved on to a cold-pressed paper to see how it would handle these firm NeoArt pastels. Known for being exceptionally absorbent, this paper looked like a promising option for working with solvents. It soaked up the Zest-it much faster than the Pastelmat did, which gave me far more control over how the pigment spread. Violet Grey, for example, actually started to blend into the texture of the paper rather than just sitting on top of it. 
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The heavy texture of this surface also helped the pastel stick much better, making it easier to build up the colour evenly without that annoying skimming effect I ran into before. The photos below show my progress, and while it is not absolutely flawless, it is a clear improvement over the earlier tests.

Non-Solvent Application on Bockingford Not and Final Thoughts

In contrast, applying the NeoArt pastels to old-pressed paper without using solvent proved to be a real challenge because of the heavy texture. Trying to get a decent blend was nearly impossible, as the rough surface only highlighted the natural hardness of the pastels, making it difficult to merge shades like Violet Grey and Light Malachite Green smoothly. It seems that simply layering one colour over another is a much better way to blend this medium than relying on tools, as the firm formula completely resists any manipulation by blending stumps or fingers.

In the end, your results will depend entirely on the look you are trying to achieve. If you want a smooth, highly detailed finish, using a solvent feels like an absolute must rather than just an option. On the other hand, if you are an artist who needs crisp, sharp lines, you will probably find the firmness and durability of these pastels quite useful, even though your blending options will be limited. I also found that you can layer coloured pencils over a light application of NeoArt pastel, but this is unlikely to work very well if the pastel is put down too thickly.
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It is always well worth looking out for reviews and different techniques from other creators, as everyone works differently with their tools. By seeing how others approach the medium, you might easily discover completely new ways to use these pastels in your own work.

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Questions and Answers About NeoArt Wax Oil Pastels

Caran d'Ache NeoArt Wax Oil Pastels - Set of 12

Caran d'Ache NeoArt Wax Oil Pastels - Set of 24

Caran d'Ache NeoArt Wax Oil Pastels - Full Set of 48

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What Are Caran d'Ache NeoArt Wax Oil Pastels Designed For?

Caran d'Ache NeoArt Wax Oil Pastels are specifically designed for professional artists, commercial illustrators, and fine art students who produce work intended for exhibition, sale, or high-end portfolios. Because they dry to a completely smudge-proof, touch-safe satin finish, they are tailor-made for plein air landscape painters and sketchbook artists who need to work cleanly outdoors without their pages sticking together or ruining their clothes. Their firm, rigid texture is uniquely built for artists who focus on tight, highly detailed linework, bold graphic illustration, and mixed-media projects where the pastel is used as a water-resistant mask. Essentially, they are designed for serious creators who want the rich pigment of an oil painting but require the absolute precision, clean handling, and scratch-resistant durability of a hard wax crayon.

How Can You Blend Caran d'Ache NeoArt Wax Oil Pastels Effectively?

The firmness of Caran d'Ache NeoArt wax oil pastels can make blending challenging, but several techniques can improve their workability:

• Solvent-Based Blending: Apply a small amount of solvent, such as an odourless thinner, with a brush to soften the pastel and achieve smoother colour transitions.
• Layering: Build light layers of pastel over one another to deepen colour intensity and create a blended effect without traditional merging.
• Scraping: Use a palette knife or scraping tool to remove portions of pastel, then add new layers for unique textures and subtle colour interplay.
• Brush with Solvent: Dip a stiff brush in solvent and work it into the pastel on the artwork, using the brush’s rigidity to enhance blending on absorbent paper.
• Surface Experimentation: Test different surfaces, like sanded or watercolour paper, to find textures that may improve blending outcomes.

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Are Caran d'Ache NeoArt Wax Oil Pastels a New or Revived Product?

During my research into the Caran d'Ache NeoArt wax oil pastels, I noticed they were quite difficult to find on UK online stores at the time of writing, which prompted me to look into things a bit further. I came across a 2010 review on the 'Making A Mark' website that discussed an older NeoArt product, which made me wonder whether these current pastels are a reintroduction or an entirely new offering. Since NeoArt is a registered trademark of Caran d'Ache, reusing the name seems like a deliberate choice.

In the past, there has been some confusion with the discontinued NeoArt Aquarelle pastels, which were large, water-soluble wax pastels quite distinct from the Caran d'Ache Neocolor II series, and were once available in sixty colours. Interestingly, a 2007 post that used to link to the old product on the Caran d'Ache website now redirects straight to these modern NeoArt wax oil pastels, suggesting the company has simply repurposed the name for a fresh product. Unlike those older water-soluble versions, these current NeoArt 6901 pastels are completely water-resistant, marking a definitive shift to an oil-based formula designed for better overall performance.

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​How Do NeoArt Wax Oil Pastels Compare to Coloured Pencils?

Both NeoArt wax oil pastels and coloured pencils enable vibrant, colourful artwork, yet their composition and application diverge significantly:

• NeoArt Wax Oil Pastels:
  • Composed of pigment blended with wax and oil.
  • Feature a creamy texture conducive to smooth blending and layering.
  • Ideal for producing rich, textured effects in artwork.
  • Versatile across a range of surfaces, such as paper and canvas.
• Coloured Pencils:
  • Formulated with pigment and a binder (typically wax or oil-based), encased in wood.
  • Provide a firm, precise application suited to detailed work and fine lines.
  • Offer limited blending compared to pastels, though gradients are achievable with techniques like burnishing.
  • Best suited to paper and similar textured surfaces.

In summary, whilst both media rely on pigments for colour, their binders and handling properties distinguish them, offering artists contrasting techniques and outcomes.

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​How Does the NeoArt Wax Oil Pastel Colour Palette Compare to Other Caran d’Ache Lines

While Caran d'Ache Luminance pencils and NeoArt wax oil pastels are distinct in their composition and properties, they do share complementary colour palettes. This intentional design makes it much easier for artists to use them together seamlessly. Caran d'Ache has a long-standing reputation for producing high-quality art supplies with consistent and vibrant colours. This level of consistency allows you to mix and match different products from their range without having to worry about colour discrepancies. Therefore, even though the products themselves are quite different, they can work beautifully together to enhance your artwork.

How Do NeoArt Wax Oil Pastels Differ from Other Caran d’Ache Pastels?

Caran d’Ache NeoArt wax oil pastels stand apart from Neocolor I, Neocolor II, and Neopastels in composition and use, here’s how they compare:

• NeoArt Wax Oil Pastels:
  • Composition: Blend of wax, oil, and high pigment concentration.
  • Features: Rich, vibrant colours with a silky texture and top-notch lightfastness.
  • Use: Great for broad colour sweeps and textured effects; blends with solvents; 48 shades.
  • Distinction: Oil-based hybrid, unlike purely wax-based options.
• Neocolor I Wax Pastels:
  • Composition: Wax-based, no oil.
  • Features: Firm, highly pigmented, water-resistant with excellent lightfastness.
  • Use: Perfect for detailed lines and dry techniques.
  • Distinction: Lacks oil, not water-soluble; 50 shades available.
• Neocolor II Watersoluble Wax Pastels:
  • Composition: Wax-based, no oil, water-soluble.
  • Features: Soft, bright colours with a velvety feel and strong lightfastness.
  • Use: Suits wet or dry work, offering watercolour effects; 84 shades.
  • Distinction: Water-soluble, unlike the oil-based NeoArt.
• Neopastel Oil Pastels:
  • Composition: Traditional oil pastel formula.
  • Features: Soft, matte finish with high pigment and good lightfastness.
  • Use: Ideal for blending and glazing; 96 shades.
  • Distinction: Softer than NeoArt’s wax-oil mix, less firm texture.

​How Does the NeoArt Wax Oil Pastel Colour Palette Compare to Other Caran d’Ache Lines

Questions often arise about whether Caran d’Ache NeoArt wax oil pastels can be used alongside Neopastels and the Neocolor ranges. However, research into their compatibility suggests there is very little synergy between them. Because they are made from a firm wax-oil blend, NeoArt pastels are simply too rigid to integrate effectively with Neopastels. Instead of depositing their own colour, they actually tend to push away the softer, oil-based Neopastel pigment, resulting in very little colour transfer. This incompatibility comes down to a major difference in texture, which makes smooth blending pretty much impossible.

​Similarly, pairing NeoArt with Neocolor I water-resistant wax or Neocolor II water-soluble wax gives very poor results. The oily nature of the NeoArt pastels resists sticking to the wax-based Neocolor surfaces, which is very similar to the problems noticed when trying to use them with coloured pencils. Whilst you can layer them if you want to create a bit of textural contrast, achieving a seamless blend remains out of reach across these different mediums. Consequently, NeoArt wax oil pastels seem far better suited to standalone work rather than being mixed with these other Caran d’Ache ranges.

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Have you tried the NeoArt wax oil pastels yet?

What are your thoughts on these pastels? Do you find them appealing?
How do you incorporate them into your work, and have you encountered
​any useful tools in your experience?
​Please share your feedback in the comments section below.