Water-soluble pastels stand out for their high-quality pigments and excellent lightfastness. They can be used dry for rich, soft strokes that blend effortlessly with your fingers or diluted with water to create delicate watercolor-like effects, offering the flexibility to switch between intense color and subtle shading. With a wide range of pure and nuanced tones, these pastels promise vibrant, versatile results, unlocking endless creative possibilities for artists. Having spent over 200 years providing quality products to artists, schools & offices all over the world, the historic LYRA brand — founded by Johann Froescheis in Nuremberg in 1806 — is one of the oldest pencil companies in the world. Synonymous with innovation & quintessential German quality, Lyra is a well-respected name all over the world. Ever since it produced its first pencils, Lyra has stuck to strict rules to ensure the utmost quality — from the selection of raw materials right through to the manufacturing process.