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FAQ
ABOUT HENRI ROCHÉ PASTELSAre Roché pastels soft or oil pastels?Roché pastels are soft/dry pastels.
What are the characteristics of Roché pastels?Compared to other soft pastels, Roché pastels are particularly dry, a bit gritty, and are quite solid, but release easily on paper. Given our commitment to offering the most intense colours possible, the pure hues in our range may vary in texture, reflecting the different characteristics of the pigments used. Some may be harder (such as colours with a large proportion of Prussian blue) while others are softer or more fragile (the golds, silvers, and coppers are made from very soft pigments.) The texture of our pastels becomes more uniform as you move down into the tints or shades.
What are the dimensions of Roché pastels?Roché pastels average 7.5 cm long and 1 cm wide and have the unique characteristic of being mostly round, with slightly flattened edges. Because the sticks are hand-rolled, our pastels, especially the purest colours (which behave very differently during fabrication) may vary in shape and size a little bit.
How many colours do you make?over 1800 colours and counting…
Do you have any favorite colours/recommendations?It’s too hard to choose a favorite, but we are quite happy to put forward some truly exceptional creations we’ve made that have been well-received by artists: the 6911, our most luminous ultramarine blue; the Intense Red (2571), an extraordinary ruby-like red; our incomparable Extra Black (9181), the most intense black you can find in the pastel medium; and the 9640 Scarab range, which is absolutely stunning and unique to Roché pastels. The 1,000th colour we made, the 9441 Diamond White, also lives up to its name!
What are the “Petits Roché”?The “Petits Roché” are what we affectionately call our half sticks. They are simply our regular sticks, cut in half.
Where are your products made?Roché pastels are handmade by the two of us (Isabelle Roché and Margaret Zayer) in a quiet village around 60km southwest of Paris. All of our packaging is also manufactured in France.
Is is possible to visit your workshop?Our atelier is not open to the public, though we do have a shop in Paris (20 rue Rambuteau) where we receive artists on Thursday afternoons, 2pm-6pm.
PLACING AN ORDER/SHIPPINGSome remarks about our online shop…We welcome you to browse our full offering of products by clicking on the images on our shop homepage. (There are additional shortcuts to some of these categories on the top bar.) To get back to the full range of categories on the welcome page, click "shop homepage" on the top left corner of your screen.
If you are choosing individual sticks, we welcome you to click on the "view colour palette" button (either in your cart or on the left column while you shop) to review or edit your illustrated color selection. You can access your cart for checkout, or to remove items, by clicking either "view cart" on the left column, or "cart" on the top right of your screen.
Additionally, you can choose to package any set or individual sticks in a specialty box by adding an empty one to your cart and following the instructions before checkout. If you have more detailed preferences, you can address them to us by email at contact@lamaisondupastel.com.
Do you ship your pastels internationally?Yes, we frequently ship our pastels around the world.
How are your products shipped?All standard orders are shipped via Collisimo recommandé (traced parcels requiring signature.) You will receive a tracking code for your parcel once your order is processed.
When will I receive my order?We try to process and ship orders within 72 hours. Orders within France usually arrive two working days after shipment. For orders within Europe or internationally, packages usually arrive a week after being sent.
How are the pastels packaged?Our pastels are packaged in custom, die-cut foams, fit within simple but sturdy cardboard boxes. (Alternative boxing options are also available.) These boxes are then floated in packaging peanuts within a hefty cardboard box, to prevent damage during shipping. It is a method that has been proven quite effective.
Is there a minimum order requirement?No, you can choose to order as many or as few colours/sets as you wish. However, a 6 euro service charge will be applied to orders under 50 euros.
GIFT CERTIFICATE Where can I use my gift certificate?Our gift certificates can be used online (using a code) or at our shop in Paris, 20 rue Rambuteau (with the physical card or simply the code reference.)
Can I use my gift certificate for multiple purchases?Yes, you may, as long as you still have credit remaining.
Does my gift certificate expire?Our gift certificates expire approximately one year after purchase.
HEALTH AND SAFETYDo your pastels contain heavy metal pigments such as cadmium or cobalt?For some of our colours, we do use cadmium or cobalt pigments to achieve effects we are unable to manage otherwise (especially for certain brilliant yellows and blues.) They are among the most reliably lightfast and luminous pigment families around and are still used quite extensively in the art materials industry.
We do, however, offer a wide and growing range of cadmium and cobalt-free colours of exceptional quality for artists who prefer avoiding these pigments altogether. If you would like us to recommend a selection of cadmium and cobalt-free colours to suit your taste, we invite you to contact us directly at contact@lamaisondupastel.com
It is important to note that the greatest hazard affecting pastel artists is irritation from dust particles inherently generated by the medium. We encourage artists to keep a clean working environment with good ventilation, and to prevent spreading as much dust as possible to avoid injestion or inhalation. Wearing dedicated/protective work clothing, a dust mask, and/or gloves (keeping in mind potential latex allergies) are some steps certain artists take for their comfort and safety. We ourselves always wear a dust mask when handling loose pigments, and regularly vacuum or wash away dust with a wet sponge to clean our workspace.
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