Faber-Castell: Polychromos vs Student Pencils, Pitt Artist Pens and Grip School Supplies

Faber-Castell is a German maker of pencils, coloured pencils, pens and art supplies, founded in 1761 near Nuremberg and still family-run. Its online store sells everything from children's school sets to professional artist ranges and fine writing instruments.

The range is wide, and the same product type comes in several grades. A good Faber-Castell order depends on matching the grade to the user: a child, a hobbyist, a student or a working artist.

Student grade or artist grade

Faber-Castell makes coloured pencils at several levels. The Classic Colour and school ranges are for children and everyday use: bright, affordable and sturdy.

Polychromos is the professional oil-based coloured pencil line. The leads are soft but hold a point, the pigments are highly lightfast, and they layer and blend without the waxy build-up of cheaper pencils. They are also priced accordingly.

Albrecht Dürer is the matching professional watercolour pencil. Used dry, it behaves like a coloured pencil; brushed with water, it becomes watercolour. Goldfaber sits below both as a more affordable artist-quality option.

Buy Polychromos or Albrecht Dürer if you are serious about drawing or selling work. For a child or casual colouring, the student Faber-Castell ranges are the better buy.

Graphite pencils and hardness grades

The Castell 9000 is Faber-Castell's classic graphite pencil, sold singly and in sets across hardness grades. H grades are harder and lighter, used for technical drawing and fine lines. B grades are softer and darker, used for sketching and shading. HB and F sit in the middle for writing.

For sketching, a set running from about 2H to 8B covers most needs. For writing and school, HB or B is enough. Buying a full set only makes sense if you draw regularly.

Pitt Artist Pens and markers

Pitt Artist Pens use pigmented India ink that is lightfast and waterproof once dry. They come in several tip sizes, from very fine to brush tips, and a wide range of colours.

They suit ink drawing, lettering and journaling. Because the ink is waterproof, you can paint watercolour over the lines without smudging, which is why sketchers pair them with Albrecht Dürer pencils.

Check the tip letter on each pen, such as S, F, M or B for brush, and buy a set of mixed tips before committing to one size.

For children: Grip and school supplies

The Faber-Castell Grip range uses a triangular barrel with raised grip dots, which helps young children hold a pencil correctly. Jumbo versions are thicker for small hands.

Faber-Castell also sells craft kits, washable markers and Connector pens, which clip together for storage. Check the age grade on each kit, since some contain small parts.

Back-to-school season is when Faber-Castell school supplies are most heavily promoted, and when school codes appear.

Fine writing and gifts

Faber-Castell makes fountain pens, ballpoints and pencils for writing, including the Ambition and e-Motion lines, plus the luxury Graf von Faber-Castell collection at a far higher price.

For fountain pens, check the nib size and whether the pen takes standard international cartridges or a converter. A fine nib suits small handwriting; a medium nib writes more smoothly for most people.

Pencil and pen sets in tins or wooden boxes are among the most popular Faber-Castell gifts. Check whether the set is student or artist grade before buying it for an artist.

Shipping, storage and care

Orders from the Faber-Castell store ship within the country the site serves; check the current shipping threshold and return terms at checkout. Unopened items are usually accepted within the stated window.

Store coloured pencils flat or upright in their tin, away from heat. Dropping a pencil can break the lead inside the wood, which then snaps repeatedly when sharpened. Use a sharp sharpener made for the pencil diameter.

Where the Faber-Castell savings are

The 20% code appears aimed at school supplies, so it suits a back-to-school basket of Grip pencils, markers and school sets. Try it on artist ranges too, but expect it may be refused.

The $10 code beats 20% on any order under $50. A single tin of Polychromos or a few Pitt pens often falls in that range, so compare both there. Above $50, the percentage wins if it applies.

The free-shipping code matters most on a small Faber-Castell order, such as a few replacement pencils, where delivery could be a large share of the total.

Faber-Castell codes do not usually combine, and they may exclude Graf von Faber-Castell and sale items. Try each at checkout and keep the lowest total.

Common questions

Are Faber-Castell Polychromos worth it?

For serious drawing, yes: they layer well, hold a point and resist fading. For children, a student range is better value.

What is the difference between Polychromos and Albrecht Dürer?

Polychromos are oil-based dry pencils. Albrecht Dürer are watercolour pencils that dissolve with water.

Are Pitt Artist Pens waterproof?

Yes, once the pigmented India ink has dried. That makes them suitable under watercolour washes.