Caran d’Ache Supracolor Special Edition (2024)

 

Caran d'Ache Supracolor Special Edition set of 18 watercolor pencils

After the mildly disappointing release of the latest Caran d’Ache Bicolors, I was more than excited to find this set, which was announced at around the same time by my favorite colored pencil manufacturer: Caran d’Ache Supracolor Special Edition with Exclusive Colours.

The Supracolor full standard edition has long had 120 colors. You may recall that in 2018, the Swiss company commemorated Supracolor’s 30^th anniversary with a limited-edition set of 30 colors not included in the standard line. I kept wondering if Cd’A might eventually incorporate the 30 into the standard edition or at least offer them open stock, but that never happened. That doesn’t surprise me, as Cd’A enjoys offering “special” items for a short time only, increasing their perceived value and raising the pulse rate of collectors like me. It’s all good; I’m always prepared to grab as needed. And since it’s been six years, I’m thrilled to see a palette refresh, if a small one.

Back of sleeve

The sleeve removed reveals the iconic Caran d'Ache red tin.

When I opened the tin, every pencil was lying logo-side up, just like this! Be still, my heart-eyes!

The special edition set is marketed as “Special Edition Exclusive Colours + 1 Podcast.” The latter refers to a series of podcast interviews with Eric Vitus, Caran d’Ache’s fine arts and color expert. This online product bonus is similar to the art tutorials included with last year’s Mixed Media Botanical Set and 2022’s Neocolor II set. The programs are video recordings of audio interviews – no art lessons or visual inspiration. Still, as a colored pencil nerd, I enjoyed hearing about how the pencils are manufactured and the rigorous process for lightfast testing. In addition, the Caran d’Ache color numbering system is explained well. I’m assuming it’s a similar process to what other manufacturers use, but I had never fully understood it until I heard this explanation.

Inside the sleeve is information about the podcast interview with Eric Vitus. The other side of the sleeve interior includes a blank swatching area.

The branding and appearance of the new Special Edition set are similar to the 30^th anniversary set with a few notable differences (see below). To distinguish this edition from the previous “limited edition,” each pencil is designated “special edition.” Unlike all other Supracolor editions in my collection, the imprinting is in silver foil instead of gold. After years of confusing nomenclature that I have complained about several times, Cd’A finally dropped the “II” after Supracolor, and the name is now just Supracolor Soft. Please stick with this, Caran d’Ache, so I can stop losing sleep!

From top: older Supracolor from before the current branding change; 30th anniversary Limited Edition; latest Special Edition

The back side reveals . . . no French!

Finally, and most significantly, this is the first time Supracolor (or any Caran d’Ache colored pencil, I believe) color names on the pencils are in English only! Every other previous edition has included color names in both English and French. Interestingly, the one exception in this set is Bleu de Nîmes (135), which is denim blue. The reason for retaining the French without English in this case was explained by Eric Vitus as a nod to denim’s origins in Nîmes, France. Although packaging information on the sleeve is still in 10 languages to support worldwide sales, it’s curious and surprising that French has been dropped from the pencil barrel.

OK, let’s get to the all-important colors. The 18 Special Edition colors (chart downloadable from Caran d’Ache) are different from both the 120 standard colors and the 30 anniversary colors, bringing the total collection to 168. Surpassing Prismacolor Premier’s 150  and Holbein's 150 (though still a long way from some outrageously large sets available on Amazon, such as this one with 520), Supracolor seems to be Caran d’Ache’s vehicle for maximal color expression. As far as I’ve seen, no other Cd’A product has more colors.

Special Edition Supracolor swatches made in Hahnemuhle Akademie Aquarell sketchbook

I’m excited to see Quinacridone Purple (115), as there’s nothing close in the standard Supracolor line (and certainly nothing like it in the Museum Aquarelle line, likely due to its one-star lightfastness rating). Verdigris Medium (713) is a lighter version of Museum’s Cobalt Green (182), which is essential for verdigris-topped buildings in Europe (or sometimes vintage Volvos). Also, the aforementioned Bleu de Nîmes (135) is lovely and vibrant. Strangely, I see it as closer to blue-violet than blue jeans.

Despite the claim that the 18 colors are entirely new to the collection, at least seven are similar enough, to my eye, to existing Supracolors to make me look askance. Four of the seven lookalikes (indicated below with LE) are from the 30^th anniversary Limited Edition set. Perhaps this is Caran d’Ache’s way of keeping some “limited” colors in circulation, sort of?

Special Edition colors (right) that look close to existing Supracolors (left)

My only quibble with the color selection is Buff Titanium (801). It may be a useful gouache or oil color or as an opaque non-soluble pencil, but as a watercolor pencil, the wash simply disappears. Why bother?

Three colors in particular caught my eye – Ice Blue (185), Anthraquinoid Pink (571) and Dark Phthalocyanine Green (719) – because they are all part of the Museum Aquarelle line. The muted peachy pink is one I’ve used occasionally for spring blossoms, and the dark green is ideal for both the shady side of most deciduous trees and the sunny side of Pacific Northwest conifers. Judging by the number of 719 stubs I have, it is probably my single-most-used Museum Aquarelle color.

Three Special Edition Supracolors (S) and their Museum Aquarelle (M) counterparts. Lightfast ratings given in parentheses (the higher the number, the greater the lightfastness).

I swatched the new Supracolor pencils with the same color numbers side-by-side with their Museum counterparts (above). Both the dry applications and the washed results look very close. The difference, however, is in lightfastness (their numbered ratings are in parentheses).

Since my focus was on comparing the new Supracolors to the other watercolor pencils, I didn’t check Luminance, but a friend and fellow colored pencil geek has pointed out to me that all colors in the new set except Middle Moss Green 30% (234), Velvet Black (509) and Light Cadmium Yellow (512) are already part of the Luminance line. (Thanks for the supplemental geeking, Matt!)

Since 18 is a nice quantity for a colored pencil starter set, I wondered how well the 2024 Special Edition would hold up as a standalone set? Just for kicks, I mixed a primary triad and a secondary triad to see how they would do. Without a magenta, a CYM triad wasn’t possible, and it’s tough to get a decent mixed violet without something closer to cyan or ultramarine. But since the set includes that beautiful Quinacridone Purple, mixing isn’t necessary. I love the secondary triad that’s possible here (of course, I love almost all secondary triads). If that Buff Titanium or French Grey 10% could be swapped out for another blue, this set would be quite usable without any additional colors.

Secondary triad (left) and primary triad made from the set

Even though I’m very familiar with how Supracolors perform, I hadn’t used them (or any watercolor pencils) in so long that I relished an opportunity for a test sketch. The reference photo for the sketch below was taken last fall on a drizzly walk when I was afraid I wouldn’t have an opportunity to sketch this brilliant Japanese maple before rain and wind took the leaves down. I’ve been jonesin’ for color like this, so I think I’ll take a break from my comics approach in the fall. Either that, or I’ll figure out a way to incorporate color into my comics, which would be ideal, but so far it hasn’t worked out.

8/27/24 Supracolors in Hahnemuhle Akademie Aquarelle sketchbook (Now that I've gotten spoiled by Hahnemuhle's 100% cotton paper, I really noticed the difference with my now-typical aggressive dry-in-wet application. This student-grade paper felt like it might not stand up to this method, but I guess it did OK. I didn't feel confident using it, though, as I do with the 100% cotton.)

Overall, I’m as happy and excited about this Special Edition set as I was annoyed and disappointed by the new bicolors set, so it’s not a bad year for Caran d’Ache.

I bought my set from Cult Pens because I couldn’t wait for a US release, but not too long after I ordered, I found it at Blick – for quite a bit more. If you have enough in your Blick shopping cart to get free shipping, it will be approximately a wash with shipping from the UK. As with the recent bicolors, I am very pleased to see the set so easily available at Blick, Jerry’s Artarama and probably other US vendors. That hasn’t always been the case with Caran d’Ache’s “special” or “limited” editions.