Gioconda Soft Pastel Pencils offer the smooth finish of conventional pastels without the mess. They are highly pigmented, with a buttery smooth feel, and have excellent blending and toning characteristics on dark or light surfaces. All colors are lightfast and fade resistant. Gioconda Pastel Pencils also feature California cedar wood casings for crisp and accurate sharpening with minimal waste. They are available in a full range of 53 colors. Pencils are pre-sharpened.