10 Best Pastel Sets for Mixed Media in 2026: Top Picks for Layered Artwork

The best pastel sets for mixed media give you more than attractive colors. They should blend cleanly, layer over other media, and offer a format that suits your working style, whether you prefer pans, sticks, crayons, or complete art kits.

These 10 options cover soft pastels, oil pastels, water-soluble formulas, and broader mixed-media collections. Use the buying guide below to match color range, handling, portability, and included accessories to your projects.

Best 10 Pastel Sets for Mixed Media Picks for 2026

PanPastel Donna Downey Set – Exploring Mixed Media I

For artists seeking pastel sets for mixed media, this PanPastel kit offers seven curated colors in a cake-like pan format. The included Sofft tools support smooth application, blending, and color mixing with less dust than traditional loose pastel use.

Best For: Mixed-media artists who want paint-like blending and a compact, tool-inclusive pastel set.

Pros:

• Seven colors selected by mixed-media artist Donna Downey.
• Pan format supports even application with the included Sofft tools.
• Colors can be mixed and blended to create smooth gradations.
• Highly pigmented, erasable, lightfast, and low dust.

Cons:

• Offers seven colors, fewer than a broad traditional pastel assortment.
• Designed for adult artists and includes specialized tools that may require practice.

This is a focused, professional-style option for layering pastel into mixed-media work, especially when controlled application and reduced dust matter more than having a large color range.

Mungyo Soft Pastels – 64-Color Square Set

This 64-color Mungyo set is a practical choice among pastel sets for mixed media when color variety and traditional dry-pastel techniques are priorities. Its square sticks are designed for blending, gradation, and dry-wash applications.

Best For: Students, hobbyists, and artists who want a broad, portable selection of soft pastel colors.

Pros:

• Includes 64 rich and vibrant colors.
• Soft, blendable sticks support shading and color gradations.
• Square shape is easy to handle and apply.
• Non-toxic and AP-certified according to the supplied notes.

Cons:

• Not water resistant.
• Soft pastel chalk can be less suitable for artists seeking an oil-pastel feel.

With its large color selection and compact box, this set provides flexibility for dry techniques and exploratory mixed-media projects without requiring a large individual-stick collection.

Pentel Oil Pastels – 50-Color Drawing Set

For mixed-media artists who prefer a bolder, more vibrant medium, this 50-color Pentel oil pastel set offers smooth application and easy blending. It is intended for use on paper, canvas, and artboard.

Best For: Artists and families creating vivid drawings, shading, and color mixes on varied art surfaces.

Pros:

• Provides 50 assorted colors.
• Applies smoothly and blends easily for shading and mixing.
• More vibrant than chalk pastels, according to the supplied notes.
• Acid-free and resistant to humidity effects for longer-lasting drawings.

Cons:

• Oil pastels may be less suitable than dry pastels for low-dust, powdery techniques.
• The notes do not list included accessories or tools.

This set is a strong fit when saturated color and a creamy oil-pastel working experience are more important than the specialized application tools found in some pan-pastel kits.

Colour Block Art Set – 151-Piece Mixed Media Kit

This comprehensive kit stands out among pastel sets for mixed media by combining 31 soft pastels with paints, pencils, charcoal, brushes, and other supplies. The aluminum case keeps the materials organized and makes the set practical for travel or getting started.

Best For: Beginners, students, and artists who want one portable kit for drawing, painting, sketching, and mixed-media experimentation.

Pros:

• Includes 24 color-tone soft pastels and seven grey-tone soft pastels.
• Also provides colored pencils, watercolor pencils, acrylics, watercolors, charcoal, and sketching pencils.
• Trays attach securely inside the aluminum case for organized storage.
• Supports multiple uses, including coloring, painting, drafting, and sketching.

Cons:

• The pastel selection is smaller than dedicated 50- or 64-color pastel sets.
• A broad kit may be more than needed for artists focused only on pastels.
• Materials are not water resistant according to the supplied details.

Choose this set for versatility rather than pastel specialization. Its strongest advantage is the ability to move between dry and wet media while keeping the core supplies together in a travel-ready case.

Best Value Oil Pastel Set – Artecho 48-Color Oil Pastels

If you want pastel sets for mixed media that are easy to carry and blend, the Artecho 48-color oil pastel set offers a practical range for drawing, painting, layering, and texture building. Its soft texture and individual paper sleeves make it approachable for both beginners and experienced creators.

Best For: Students, family craft sessions, illustrators, and artists who want a portable oil pastel assortment.

Pros:

• Includes 48 vibrant, richly pigmented colors.
• Soft, buttery pastels blend and shade smoothly for layering and color mixing.
• Compact 70 mm sticks come in individual protective paper sleeves.
• Non-toxic and suitable for a wide range of skill levels.

Cons:

• As oil pastels, they may be less suited to artists specifically seeking dry chalk-pastel techniques.
• The set focuses on basic colors rather than a larger specialty-color range.

This is a strong value-oriented choice when portability, smooth application, and versatile oil pastel techniques matter more than an extensive accessory selection.

Best All-in-One Kit – COLOUR BLOCK 91-Piece Mixed Media Set

For shoppers seeking pastel sets for mixed media with tools and multiple drawing mediums included, this 91-piece COLOUR BLOCK kit is built as a complete tabletop setup. It combines soft pastels, pastel pencils, colored and metallic pencils, charcoal, graphite, blending tools, paper, and an easel-style wooden case.

Best For: Beginners, hobbyists, and artists who want to experiment with several media from one organized kit.

Pros:

• Includes soft pastels, pastel pencils, colored pencils, metallic pencils, charcoal, and graphite sticks.
• Provides blending stumps, a tortilion, two erasers, a sharpener, and a color wheel.
• Comes with a 50-sheet 8 x 10-inch drawing pad.
• Wooden easel case offers organized, portable tabletop storage.

Cons:

• The assortment gives less color depth within any single medium than a dedicated pastel set.
• The kit is larger and less streamlined than a compact pastel-only option.

This set is the most flexible pick for exploring cross-media techniques, especially if you value included tools, drawing paper, and storage alongside the pastels.

Best Color Range – COLOUR BLOCK 80-Color Soft Pastels

If color variety is your priority in pastel sets for mixed media, this COLOUR BLOCK collection provides 80 soft chalk pastel colors for portraits, landscapes, and expressive work. The square, full-size sticks support both broad coverage and detailed marks, while the rigid case helps protect the set during storage or transport.

Best For: Artists who want a broad soft-pastel palette for blending, shading, layering, and varied mark-making.

Pros:

• Offers 80 vivid colors for direct use or color mixing.
• Soft pastels blend, shade, and layer smoothly on textured paper.
• Square sticks provide fine-point corners and broad flat sides.
• Paper-wrapped, labeled pastels come in a rigid foam-protected storage box.

Cons:

• This is a soft chalk pastel set, not an oil pastel assortment.
• It does not include drawing tools or paper in the listed components.
• The larger 2.5-inch sticks may be less compact than shorter pastel formats.

Choose this set when a wide color selection and flexible square-stick handling are more important than a multi-medium accessory kit or highly compact packaging.

Versatile Watercolor Pastel Crayon Pick – Multi-Technique Water-Soluble Set

If you want pastel sets for mixed media that can cover both dry and wet techniques, this water-soluble crayon kit is a flexible option. Use the crayons directly for textured pastel strokes, or activate them with water and the included brush for washes, gradients, and layered effects. The mixing palette also supports custom color blending.

Best For: Beginners, students, journalers, and hobby artists who want a compact set for sketching, cards, illustration, and mixed-media projects.

Pros:

• Supports dry pastel coloring, watercolor-style washes, palette mixing, and layered effects.
• Includes blendable colors, a brush, and a mixing palette.
• Useful for backgrounds, shading, florals, landscapes, journaling, and creative drawing.
• Designed for flexible use by beginners and hobby artists.

Cons:

• It is a water-soluble crayon set rather than a traditional oil pastel set.
• The supplied notes describe the color selection as 25 colors, while the listing details state 36 count.

This is a practical choice when versatility matters more than specializing in one pastel technique. Its ability to combine dry texture with water-blended areas makes it especially adaptable for mixed-media experimentation.

Complete Studio Set – KINGART 175-Piece Mixed Media Kit

For shoppers seeking pastel sets for mixed media alongside a broad range of other supplies, the KINGART Ultimate Series offers a large all-in-one studio collection. It combines oil pastels with watercolor cakes, metallic watercolors, colored and watercolor pencils, acrylic paints, charcoal, brushes, palettes, tools, and paper.

Best For: Teens, adults, and developing artists who want to explore multiple painting, drawing, coloring, and mixed-media techniques from one kit.

Pros:

• Includes 24 oil pastels plus watercolor, acrylic, pencil, and charcoal mediums.
• Comes with brushes, palette knives, multiple palettes, an eraser set, and a sharpener.
• Provides mixed-media and drawing paper so users can begin creating immediately.
• Offers traditional and metallic watercolor cakes for varied color effects.

Cons:

• The large assortment may be more equipment than someone seeking only pastels needs.
• Only 12 sheets of mixed-media paper are included, so frequent users may need additional surfaces.

This set is strongest as a broad starter studio rather than a focused pastel collection. Choose it if you want oil pastels as part of a larger medium-spanning kit and value having tools and paper included.

Oil Pastel Kit Pick – WINSONS 65-Piece Soft Color Set

If your search for pastel sets for mixed media centers on rich, blendable oil color, the WINSONS kit provides a focused collection with useful accessories. It includes 48 soft colors, four extra white pastels, pastel paper, and tools for holding, shaping, scraping, and adding texture.

Best For: Beginners, students, artists, and gift recipients who want an oil pastel set for drawing, sketching, layering, shading, and scratch-art techniques.

Pros:

• Offers 48 colors plus four extra white pastels for highlights and blending.
• Soft pastels are described as smooth-gliding, strongly pigmented, and easy to blend.
• Includes a holder, scraper, sharpener, and 10 sheets of oil pastel paper.
• Listed as non-toxic and low-odor, with lightfastness intended to help colors stay vivid.

Cons:

• This is primarily an oil pastel kit, without water-based or paint mediums.
• The included paper quantity is limited to 10 sheets.

This kit makes sense for buyers who want a dedicated oil pastel experience with more control-oriented accessories. The holder and scraper are particularly useful for cleaner handling and textured details, while the extra white sticks support highlights and blending.

How We Picked the Best Pastel Sets for Mixed Media

We compared these sets by looking at the qualities that matter most when combining pastels with drawing, painting, and collage techniques. Color variety, blendability, pigment format, set organization, and compatibility with common mixed-media surfaces were key considerations. We also included both focused pastel collections and larger kits for artists who want pencils, paints, brushes, or specialty tools in the same case.

Because “mixed media” can mean anything from pastel-and-ink studies to layered acrylic and collage work, there is no single best formula for everyone. The right choice depends on whether you prioritize buttery coverage, dry blending, water activation, portability, or the convenience of an all-in-one set.

Quick Comparison

• Best for professional pan application: PanPastel Artist Pastels by GOLDEN.
• Best for a broad soft-pastel palette: MUNGYO 64-Color Soft Pastel Set.
• Best for classic oil pastel work: Pentel 50-Color Set.
• Best for complete mixed-media supplies: KINGART 175-Piece Set or COLOUR BLOCK 151-Piece Set.
• Best for compact drawing-focused kits: COLOUR BLOCK 91-Piece Wooden Easel Case.
• Best for water-reactive techniques: Water-Soluble Pastel Crayons Set.

Key Buying Factors for Pastel Sets for Mixed Media

Pastel Type and Texture

Soft pastels produce powdery, blendable marks and are useful for atmospheric backgrounds, expressive shading, and layering. Oil pastels are denser and more resistant to smudging, making them suitable for bold marks and richly colored surfaces. Water-soluble crayons add another option: use them dry, or activate marks with water for watercolor-like effects.

Color Range and Usable Organization

A larger color count is helpful only if the shades are distinct and easy to access. Look for sets with useful neutrals, dark values, skin tones, and highlight colors in addition to bright hues. Cases, trays, and labeled compartments can save time when you are switching between materials.

Surface Compatibility and Layering

Check whether the set is intended for pastel paper, drawing paper, canvas, board, or multiple surfaces. Toothier paper generally holds dry pastel better, while oil pastels can work on smoother surfaces. If you plan to add ink, acrylic, watercolor, or colored pencil, test layering order and drying time before committing to a finished piece.

Tools and Portability

Blending tools, scrapers, brushes, palettes, sharpeners, and pastel paper can make a kit more useful, particularly for beginners. However, a large accessory count may add bulk without improving the pastels themselves. Choose a compact case for travel or a larger organized kit for a home studio.

Who Should Buy Which Pastel Sets for Mixed Media?

Choose a professional pan set if you want controlled application, clean color mixing, and a format that integrates neatly with broader mixed-media workflows. Pick soft pastel sticks when dry blending and expressive coverage are your priorities. Oil pastel sets are better for saturated, tactile marks and techniques that do not rely on powdery pigment.

Beginners and gift buyers may prefer a complete art kit with multiple media and tools, while experienced artists may get more value from a focused set with a carefully selected palette. If experimentation is your goal, a water-soluble pastel kit offers several ways to work without requiring a separate watercolor setup. For frequent travel, prioritize a secure case, manageable size, and accessories you will actually use.