Luminance Colour Pencils
Caran d'Ache
Luminance 6901
Professional Lightfast Pencils for Artists
Developed and manufactured in Geneva, Switzerland, Luminance 6901 was created to give coloured-pencil artists true museum-grade lightfastness without sacrificing a creamy, blendable feel. The range launched to meet the rigorous ASTM D6901 standard for lightfast coloured pencils and quickly became a favourite for professional portrait, wildlife and botanical artists who need colour that lasts for decades.
The LUMINANCE 6901® collection comprises 100 colours, including 8 exclusive Caran d’Ache shades you won’t find elsewhere—curated to cover lifelike skin tones, complex neutrals and deep darks essential for fine art.
Each Luminance 6901 pencil features a permanent, creamy wax-based core (Ø 3.8 mm) encased in FSC™ cedar with a comfortable round barrel and colour-matched cap.
The barrel is printed with the colour name/number and lightfast rating, and the range is ASTM D6901 compliant—81 LFI (highest) and 19 LFII shades—delivering high pigment concentration for maximum coverage.
Made in Geneva, Switzerland.
Why artists choose Luminance?
Archival lightfastness:
Compliant with ASTM D6901; 81 colours are LFI (highest rating) and 19 are LFII, offering resistance to fading for up to a century in proper display conditions.
Creamy, permanent wax core:
The smooth, wax-based 3.8 mm lead lays down dense, even colour with minimal wax bloom and excellent coverage on toothy or smooth papers.
High pigment load:
Maximum coverage and intense, luminous colour make glazing, burnishing and subtle gradations effortless.
Precision + comfort:
Round barrel in FSC™-certified cedar wood sharpens cleanly and sits comfortably in long sessions; cap matches the lead colour for quick selection.
Professional markings:
Colour name, number and lightfast rating printed on every barrel for reliable workflow and archival documentation.
Luminance 6901 Colour range
Born from Caran d’Ache’s long tradition of Swiss pencil-making, Luminance 6901 was developed to meet professional artists’ calls for truly archival colour.
The range quickly earned a reputation with portrait and botanical artists for colours that hold their value on paper for decades.
Over time, Luminance expanded to 100 carefully curated shades—including exclusive neutrals and darks—while production remained in Geneva, ensuring consistent quality, sustainable material sourcing and the meticulous finishing that defines the line today.
Techniques & uses
Blending & layering:
Build seamless skin tones, velvety backgrounds and atmospheric depth with layered glazes and burnishing.
Detail & realism:
Strong coverage and controlled softness excel in portraits (human & animal), botanical illustration, still life and hyperrealism.
Mixed media friendly:
Works beautifully over toned papers, with solvent blending, and alongside Pablo, Museum Aquarelle (for underpainting), and pastel pencils.
Professional artists, illustrators and serious students who need archival certainty, naturalistic colour, and a pencil that can handle heavy layering, subtle transitions and precise details without crumbling or glazing over too quickly.
