Faber-Castell Polychromos

General

(image from Amazon)

Quick Specs 🏷️

Type: Oil-based colored pencils
Tips/Nibs: 3.8mm thick, break-resistant lead
Set Size: 120 Set
Purchase Info: Amazon | Purchased: Nov 2025 | Price: $168.01 USD

Official Product Highlights

Oil-Based, Unmatched Durability: Features a 3.8mm lead that is incredibly break-resistant thanks to Faber-Castell's secure bonding process (SV), allowing for fine, sharp points without crumbling.
Exceptional Lightfastness: Made with high-quality, acid-free pigments that boast unsurpassed lightfastness, ensuring your artwork remains vibrant and does not fade for over 100 years.
Smooth, Smudge-Proof Laydown: The oil-based binder allows for a soft, vibrant color application that is water-resistant and smudge-proof, making it ideal for layering and achieving crisp details.
Superior for Detail & Layering: The harder core holds a sharp point exceptionally well, making these pencils perfect for detailed work, layering, and burnishing techniques without the "wax bloom" common in wax-based pencils.
Premium Cedar Wood Casing: Encased in FSC-certified cedar wood, which is easy to sharpen and provides high break resistance, reflecting a commitment to sustainability.

✨ Usage Notes

✓ Positives/Strengths:

Hard core helps keep a finer point, lay’s less color so it’s easier to control. Sharp lines are easy, even on textured paper. Color is really nice.

✗ Negatives/Weaknesses:

Less saturation due to harder core. And sometimes pushing down hard is necessary to get more color..

💡 Recommendations:

Definitely prefer textured paper to smooth paper. Works well with Prismacolor pencils to balance each other out.

📝 Overall Thoughts:

Great pencils, top quality, one of my favorites.

Performance Rating: ★★★★★

🎨 Color Gallery

Color Table

Based on Super Deluxe paper swatches.

Name	Hex Code	RGB	Set
101 White	`#FFFFFF`	`255, 255, 255`	60, 120
103 Ivory	`#FCFAEB`	`252, 250, 235`	120
102 Cream	`#FFFAB5`	`255, 250, 181`	60, 120
104 Light Yellow Glaze	`#F9FF52`	`249, 255, 82`	60, 120
205 Cadmium Yellow Lemon	`#E9FC58`	`233, 252, 88`	60, 120
105 Light Cadmium Yellow	`#F7FF14`	`247, 255, 20`	60, 120
106 Light Chrome Yellow	`#FFFD57`	`255, 253, 87`	120
107 Cadmium Yellow	`#FFFA00`	`255, 250, 0`	60, 120
108 Dark Cadmium Yellow	`#FFD114`	`255, 209, 20`	60, 120
109 Dark Chrome Yellow	`#FFAB00`	`255, 171, 0`	60, 120
111 Cadmium Orange	`#FFA00F`	`255, 160, 15`	60, 120
113 Orange Glaze	`#FF8000`	`255, 128, 0`	120
115 Dark Cadmium Orange	`#FF7317`	`255, 115, 23`	60, 120
117 Light Cadmium Red	`#FF6017`	`255, 96, 23`	120
118 Scarlet Red	`#E04A24`	`224, 74, 36`	120
121 Pale Geranium Lake	`#CF3446`	`207, 52, 70`	60, 120
219 Deep Scarlet Red	`#BA1E31`	`186, 30, 49`	60, 120
126 Permanent Carmine	`#941221`	`148, 18, 33`	60, 120
223 Deep Red	`#A62836`	`166, 40, 54`	120
217 Middle Cadmium Red	`#752730`	`117, 39, 48`	60, 120
225 Dark Red	`#611123`	`97, 17, 35`	60, 120
142 Madder	`#7D1830`	`125, 24, 48`	60, 120
226 Alizarin Crimson	`#9C2746`	`156, 39, 70`	120
127 Pink Carmine	`#A80A4E`	`168, 10, 78`	120
124 Rose Carmine	`#F7728C`	`247, 114, 140`	60, 120
128 Light Purple Pink	`#E86BA7`	`232, 107, 167`	120
123 Fuchsia	`#C43FA1`	`196, 63, 161`	120
133 Magenta	`#751544`	`117, 21, 68`	60, 120
119 Light Magenta	`#D658C1`	`214, 88, 193`	120
129 Pink Madder Lake	`#D6589D`	`214, 88, 157`	60, 120
125 Middle Purple Pink	`#AB1F91`	`171, 31, 145`	60, 120
134 Crimson	`#7E2680`	`126, 38, 128`	120
135 Light Red Violet	`#75326F`	`117, 50, 111`	120
160 Manganese Violet	`#793294`	`121, 50, 148`	120
138 Violet	`#7F43A1`	`127, 67, 161`	120
136 Purple Violet	`#7043A1`	`112, 67, 161`	60, 120
137 Blue Violet	`#5718A1`	`87, 24, 161`	120
249 Mauve	`#6932AB`	`105, 50, 171`	60, 120
141 Delft Blue	`#5A32AB`	`90, 50, 171`	60, 120
157 Dark Indigo	`#282F3D`	`40, 47, 61`	60, 120
247 Indanthrene Blue	`#2E2A54`	`46, 42, 84`	60, 120
144 Cobalt Blue Greenish	`#0C2A96`	`12, 42, 150`	120
151 Helioblue Reddish	`#1B3887`	`27, 56, 135`	60, 120
143 Cobalt Blue	`#002EA1`	`0, 46, 161`	120
120 Ultramarine	`#321A99`	`50, 26, 153`	60, 120
140 Light Ultramarine	`#6E77E0`	`110, 119, 224`	60, 120
146 Sky Blue	`#A4BAF5`	`164, 186, 245`	120
110 Phthalo Blue	`#0819D1`	`8, 25, 209`	60, 120
152 Middle Phthalo Blue	`#2771E6`	`39, 113, 230`	120
145 Light Phthalo Blue	`#489CF0`	`72, 156, 240`	120
149 Bluish Turquoise	`#00458F`	`0, 69, 143`	60, 120
246 Prussian Blue	`#0A3061`	`10, 48, 97`	60, 120
155 Helio Turquoise	`#0F5663`	`15, 86, 99`	120
153 Cobalt Turquoise	`#006C7A`	`0, 108, 122`	60, 120
154 Light Cobalt Turquoise	`#1FBEE0`	`31, 190, 224`	120
156 Cobalt Green	`#00ACBA`	`0, 172, 186`	60, 120
158 Deep Cobalt Green	`#005E4D`	`0, 94, 77`	60, 120
159 Hooker's Green	`#005E37`	`0, 94, 55`	120
264 Dark Phthalo Green	`#146E49`	`20, 110, 73`	60, 120
276 Chrome Oxide Green Fiery	`#008C62`	`0, 140, 98`	120
161 Phthalo Green	`#00B57D`	`0, 181, 125`	120
163 Emerald Green	`#00B554`	`0, 181, 84`	60, 120
162 Light Phthalo Green	`#0A7D18`	`10, 125, 24`	120
171 Light Green	`#A8FF36`	`168, 255, 54`	60, 120
166 Grass Green	`#7BED2D`	`123, 237, 45`	120
112 Leaf Green	`#24C400`	`36, 196, 0`	60, 120
266 Permanent Green	`#008204`	`0, 130, 4`	120
167 Permanent Green Olive	`#336124`	`51, 97, 36`	120
267 Pine Green	`#184A25`	`24, 74, 37`	60, 120
278 Chrome Oxide Green	`#263830`	`38, 56, 48`	120
165 Juniper Green	`#29664D`	`41, 102, 77`	60, 120
173 Olive Green Yellowish	`#565C3E`	`86, 92, 62`	60, 120
268 Green Gold	`#AD9A11`	`173, 154, 17`	120
170 May Green	`#79AD11`	`121, 173, 17`	120
168 Earth Green Yellowish	`#8DB048`	`141, 176, 72`	60, 120
174 Chromium Green Opaque	`#5D693D`	`93, 105, 61`	60, 120
172 Earth Green	`#7B968C`	`123, 150, 140`	120
169 Caput Mortuum	`#804545`	`128, 69, 69`	120
263 Caput Mortuum Violet	`#5E4444`	`94, 68, 68`	120
193 Burnt Carmine	`#873151`	`135, 49, 81`	120
194 Red-Violet	`#782E53`	`120, 46, 83`	60, 120
130 Dark Flesh	`#EB8395`	`235, 131, 149`	120
131 Coral	`#D16672`	`209, 102, 114`	60, 120
132 Light Flesh	`#F7BFAD`	`247, 191, 173`	120
189 Cinnamon	`#CF927E`	`207, 146, 126`	120
191 Pompeian Red	`#BA4345`	`186, 67, 69`	60, 120
192 Indian Red	`#662B2C`	`102, 43, 44`	120
190 Venetian Red	`#B55A4A`	`181, 90, 74`	60, 120
188 Sanguine	`#AD591D`	`173, 89, 29`	60, 120
187 Burnt Ochre	`#AD6F1D`	`173, 111, 29`	60, 120
186 Terracotta	`#BA772D`	`186, 119, 45`	120
183 Light Yellow Ochre	`#C49A12`	`196, 154, 18`	120
185 Naples Yellow	`#EBD01E`	`235, 208, 30`	60, 120
184 Dark Naples Ochre	`#E6C02C`	`230, 192, 44`	60, 120
182 Brown Ochre	`#876012`	`135, 96, 18`	120
180 Raw Umber	`#85603C`	`133, 96, 60`	60, 120
179 Bistre	`#6B533A`	`107, 83, 58`	120
176 Van Dyck Brown	`#45382A`	`69, 56, 42`	60, 120
178 Nougat	`#705C4D`	`112, 92, 77`	120
280 Burnt Umber	`#523B2C`	`82, 59, 44`	120
283 Burnt Sienna	`#734B30`	`115, 75, 48`	60, 120
177 Walnut Brown	`#453430`	`69, 52, 48`	60, 120
175 Dark Sepia	`#2E2727`	`46, 39, 39`	120
275 Warm Grey VI	`#302E2E`	`48, 46, 46`	120
274 Warm Grey V	`#575252`	`87, 82, 82`	60, 120
273 Warm Grey IV	`#706969`	`112, 105, 105`	120
272 Warm Grey III	`#948B8B`	`148, 139, 139`	120
271 Warm Grey II	`#C7BFBF`	`199, 191, 191`	60, 120
270 Warm Grey I	`#E3DADA`	`227, 218, 218`	120
230 Cold Grey I	`#EDEDFA`	`237, 237, 250`	120
231 Cold Grey II	`#D1D1DE`	`209, 209, 222`	60, 120
232 Cold Grey III	`#8E8E9C`	`142, 142, 156`	120
233 Cold Grey IV	`#666673`	`102, 102, 115`	60, 120
234 Cold Grey V	`#494954`	`73, 73, 84`	120
235 Cold Grey VI	`#42424F`	`66, 66, 79`	120
181 Payne's Grey	`#30303B`	`48, 48, 59`	120
199 Black	`#1C1C26`	`28, 28, 38`	60, 120
251 Silver	`#BBBBC9`	`187, 187, 201`	120
250 Gold	`#C2B7A5`	`194, 183, 165`	120
252 Copper	`#B8988C`	`184, 152, 140`	120

Swatch Cards

Bee Paper Super Deluxe Paper

Bee Paper Stipple Paper

Strathmore Toned Tan Mixed Media

Strathmore Toned Gray Mixed Media

Strathmore Toned Blue Mixed Media

Paper Texture Comparisons

Overall Strengths & Weaknesses

Rating: 4.8 ★★★★★

What works well

Blends well.
Very bright and saturated colors.
Super hard tip doesn’t wear down over time/keeps point.
Blends with Prismacolor Premier colored-pencil’s well in Chromatic Fusion.
Layers really well.

What doesn't

Can sometimes seem less saturated.
Hard tips means it’s easier for me to accidentally create too hard of a line that I can’t blend out.

Tips

Super soft touch when started out and then blending with more pressure.

General

Official Product Highlights

✨ Usage Notes

🎨 Color Gallery

Color Table

Swatch Cards

Paper Texture Comparisons

Supply Combo 1

Supply Combo 2

Supply Combo 3

Supply Combo 3

Overall Strengths & Weaknesses