Holbein has developed an exceptional range of artist-quality soft pastels that offer great covering and blending power because of their soft powder richness. From inception to final production, Holbein's unique manufacturing process is computerized and mechanized. Every stick is scanned individually to guarantee even distribution of pigment and pigment purity, ensuring a predictably constant hue for use in sketching, undercoating, and finished work. Individually wrapped sticks feature a square shape for versatility! A smaller size (2" L × 5/16") makes them easy to hold and less prone to breakage. A pastel fixative is recommended to prevent colors from fading.