Faber-Castell Art Supplies Deals — Sales, Discounts & Price Comparison UK

The Complete Guide to Faber-Castell Art Supplies — Plus How to Find the Best UK Deals and Discounts

There are very few art brands that can genuinely claim 265 years of unbroken history. Faber-Castell is one of them. The Bavarian manufacturer has been producing pencils and drawing materials since 1761 — before the Industrial Revolution, before the United States existed as a nation, before most of the world's great art institutions were founded. Understanding what that heritage actually means in terms of product quality, and where to find Faber-Castell at the best UK price, is worth knowing before your next purchase.

265 Years of German Craftsmanship

Faber-Castell's story begins in Stein, a small town near Nuremberg in Bavaria, where cabinetmaker Kaspar Faber established a pencil workshop in 1761. The choice of location was not accidental — the Nuremberg region had been a centre of craft production for centuries, with the skills, materials, and trade networks that a precision manufacturing business needed. The first Faber pencils built a reputation for quality that spread through Europe over the following decades.

The company's transformation from a regional workshop to a global brand happened largely in the nineteenth century under Lothar von Faber — Kaspar's great-grandson — who introduced standardised quality controls that revolutionised pencil manufacturing across the industry. Lothar established branches in New York, London, Paris, Vienna, and St Petersburg, turning what had been a German workshop into the first truly international art materials company.

The Faber-Castell name came from an unexpected direction. In 1898, Ottilie von Faber — who had inherited the business — married Count Alexander zu Castell-Rüdenhausen, uniting two noble German families and creating the hyphenated name the brand still carries. The family remains in ownership today, now in its ninth generation — an extraordinary continuity that is visible in the company's manufacturing standards and long-term thinking about quality.

The twentieth century brought the two products that define Faber-Castell's reputation in the art world. The Polychromos coloured pencil was introduced in 1908 — and remains one of the most respected coloured pencil ranges in the world today, over a century later. The Castell 9000 graphite pencil followed in 1931, setting a standard in precision graphite manufacture that has made it the preferred pencil of architects, designers, and artists worldwide ever since. Vincent van Gogh and Karl Lagerfeld are among the artists recorded as enthusiastic users of Faber-Castell materials. The company now produces approximately 2 billion pencils per year across more than 120 colours.

The Faber-Castell Art Range — What's Available in the UK

Faber-Castell produces one of the broadest drawing materials ranges of any single brand. Here's what UK buyers need to know:

Faber-Castell Polychromos Coloured Pencils

The crown jewel of the Faber-Castell art range and the product most serious artists associate with the brand. Polychromos are oil-based coloured pencils with a hard, break-resistant core and outstanding lightfastness ratings. The oil-based formulation gives them a distinctive working quality — they're firmer than wax-based alternatives, which makes them particularly well-suited to detail work, cross-hatching, and layering techniques where a softer pencil might smear or fill the tooth of the paper too quickly.

Available in 120 colours, with open stock available individually across the full range. The lightfastness ratings are among the highest of any coloured pencil brand — most colours carry ratings of I or II, making Polychromos a genuinely archival product suitable for work intended to last.

Polychromos are the primary competitor to <a href="https://discountartsupplies.co.uk/brandstore/caran-dache-art-supplies-deals" target="_blank">Caran d'Ache Luminance</a> and Derwent Lightfast at the professional coloured pencil tier, and the choice between them is one of the most frequently debated topics in the coloured pencil community. Luminance is softer and creamier; Polychromos is firmer and more precise. Most serious coloured pencil artists have strong opinions about which they prefer — and many use both.

Faber-Castell Albrecht Dürer Watercolour Pencils

Named after the German Renaissance master who was born in Nuremberg — the same city where Faber-Castell has been based for 265 years — the Albrecht Dürer range is widely regarded as the finest watercolour pencil available. Available in 120 colours, the Albrecht Dürer combines excellent dry pencil performance with exceptional water-solubility that produces rich, luminous washes when activated.

The pigment quality is noticeably higher than most watercolour pencil alternatives at this price tier, and the dry-to-wet behaviour is more predictable — which matters enormously for artists who need to plan how a wash will behave before they commit to applying water. For botanical illustrators, landscape watercolourists, and anyone who works in water-soluble pencil media seriously, the Albrecht Dürer is the benchmark product.

Faber-Castell Castell 9000 Graphite Pencils

The most famous graphite pencil in the world — and possibly the most precisely manufactured. The Castell 9000, introduced in 1931, is available in 16 grades from 9H to 8B and is the pencil of choice for architects, technical illustrators, designers, and fine artists who need absolute consistency across grades. The leads are break-resistant, the graphite is smooth and consistent, and the characteristic dark green hexagonal casing has become iconic in pencil design.

For any artist or designer who works seriously in graphite and hasn't tried the Castell 9000, it's worth comparing it against whatever graphite pencil you currently use. The consistency between grades — the predictability of how 2H behaves versus 4H, and how that maps to your understanding of the grades — is noticeably better than most alternatives.

Faber-Castell Pitt Artist Pens

The Pitt Artist Pen range has become one of the most popular fine art pen products in the UK market — used by illustrators, calligraphers, manga artists, urban sketchers, and anyone who does ink work. Available with brush, fine, medium, broad, and extra broad nib options, the Pitt pens use India ink that is waterproof and lightfast once dry — which makes them fully compatible with watercolour washes applied over the top without the ink lifting or bleeding.

The brush nib in particular is popular with illustrators who want a flexible, responsive line — the soft brush tip produces variable line widths depending on pressure and angle, making it considerably more expressive than a rigid round nib at equivalent cost.

Available in 60 colours plus black, and in sets ranging from the basic 4-pen starter pack through to comprehensive 48-pen collections. Regularly on promotion at UK art retailers and one of the Faber-Castell products most frequently discounted in sale events.

Faber-Castell Goldfaber Coloured Pencils

The mid-range coloured pencil from Faber-Castell — sitting between the student Colour Grip range and the professional Polychromos. Goldfaber pencils are wax-based with a softer lead than Polychromos, good lightfastness ratings, and a price point that makes them accessible to developing artists who aren't yet ready to invest in the full Polychromos range. A sensible upgrade path from student pencils with a clear route to Polychromos when the practice warrants it.

Faber-Castell Colour Grip Pencils

The student and educational range — triangular grip pencils with soft, highly pigmented leads suited to children, beginners, and casual colouring. The Colour Grip range is one of the most widely stocked Faber-Castell products in the UK and is regularly included in promotional sets and gift ranges. Not a professional product but a reliably good one at the price point — the Faber-Castell manufacturing standards show even in the student range.

Faber-Castell Pastel Pencils

A range of 60 pastel pencils for detailed pastel work — firmer than stick pastels, allowing more control for fine detail and linear work. Popular with portrait artists and illustrators who want the colour quality of pastel in a more precise format. Compatible with other dry drawing media on the same surface.

Faber-Castell Writing Instruments — The Graf von Faber-Castell Range

At the luxury tier, Faber-Castell operates the Graf von Faber-Castell sub-brand — fountain pens, ballpoints, and writing instruments made from noble materials including Pernambuco wood, platinum, and leather. These are collector and connoisseur products rather than everyday art supplies, but worth knowing about for anyone interested in the full breadth of what the company produces. The Graf von Faber-Castell range launched in 1993 and sits at the very top of the European luxury writing instrument market.

Sustainability — A Genuine Commitment

One aspect of Faber-Castell that deserves specific mention is their sustainability programme. The company owns and manages its own FSC-certified forest in Brazil — 10,000 hectares of sustainable pine plantation that supplies wood for their pencil casings. For every tree harvested, new trees are planted. The company has held environmental certifications since the 1990s and was one of the first art materials manufacturers to take a systematic approach to sustainable sourcing.

For artists who think about the environmental impact of their materials — and I've found that an increasing proportion of our community of 36,000 UK artists do — Faber-Castell's transparency about their manufacturing and sourcing is genuinely reassuring compared to brands where those details are harder to establish.

How to Get the Best Faber-Castell Deals and Discounts in the UK

Faber-Castell is one of the most widely stocked art brands in the UK, which means prices vary genuinely between retailers and comparison shopping is consistently worthwhile.

Use a price comparison tool first — this page aggregates live pricing from UK stockists so the best current Faber-Castell deal is immediately visible. Polychromos and Pitt Artist Pen sets in particular see meaningful price variation between retailers.

Sets vs open stock — Faber-Castell sets at 12, 24, 36, 60, and 120 colours are frequently better value per pencil than buying individually. For artists building a collection, comparing the per-pencil cost of sets versus open stock before buying is always worth doing.

Watch for sale events — Faber-Castell is a regular feature in Black Friday, January, and mid-year sale promotions at UK art retailers. Polychromos sets in particular can see meaningful percentage reductions during major sale events.

Pitt Artist Pen sets on promotion — the Pitt pen sets are frequently included in gift set promotions around Christmas and are among the Faber-Castell products most reliably discounted in seasonal events. If you've been thinking about trying the range, a promoted set is the sensible entry point.

Check discount codes before checkout — we list verified active codes for UK art retailers on this site. General retailer codes frequently apply to the full Faber-Castell range.

Faber-Castell vs Caran d'Ache — The Honest Comparison

The question most serious coloured pencil artists eventually ask. Both are professional-grade ranges with outstanding lightfastness and genuine archival quality. The practical differences:

Polychromos are oil-based and firmer — better for detail work, cross-hatching, and layering on rougher paper surfaces. Caran d'Ache Luminance are oil-based and softer — better for smooth blending and rich colour saturation with minimal pressure. Both carry excellent lightfastness ratings. Both are available in open stock across large colour ranges.

Most artists who work seriously in coloured pencil end up with both in their collection — using Polychromos for detailed work and Luminance for areas requiring maximum colour richness and smooth blending. The choice of which to lead with is a matter of working style and technique preference rather than one being objectively superior.

Frequently Asked Questions About Faber-Castell

When were Faber-Castell Polychromos pencils first introduced? The Polychromos coloured pencil was introduced in 1908 — making it one of the oldest continuously produced art pencil ranges in the world. The product has been refined over more than a century but the fundamental approach to oil-based pigment and break-resistant lead has remained consistent.

Are Faber-Castell Polychromos pencils lightfast? Yes — the vast majority of Polychromos colours carry lightfastness ratings of I or II (excellent to very good), making them suitable for archival work and professional pieces intended to last without fading.

What is the difference between Polychromos and Albrecht Dürer pencils? Polychromos are oil-based coloured pencils designed for dry use. Albrecht Dürer are watercolour pencils designed to be used both dry and activated with water for watercolour washes. Both are professional grade but serve different techniques.

Where are Faber-Castell pencils made? Faber-Castell operates 14 production sites across 10 countries. Their core pencil ranges including Polychromos and Castell 9000 are produced in Germany, where the company has been based since 1761.

Where can I buy Faber-Castell art supplies in the UK? Faber-Castell is stocked by Cass Art, Jacksons Art Supplies, Amazon UK, Hobbycraft, and most specialist art retailers. Use the comparison tool on this page to find the best current UK deal before you buy.