Gondola Pastels - 36 Piece Set

I am a 36 piece Gondola Pastel Set. Enough colors to get lost in, if you let yourself.

Curator's Notes 

Gondola Pastels have been made in Kyoto for over a century, originally developed because artists felt imported pastels couldn’t quite capture the colors of Japanese landscapes. That intention still carries through till this day. What drew us in most are the names of the colors. Each one reads almost like a memory or a place. Not just “orange,” but "A Sunny Day in Ohara". A rural town outside Kyoto, warm, expansive, a completely different feeling from the city. The colors don’t just describe what you’re seeing, they suggest where you are are create a whole imaginary world while you create.

They’re soft pastels, smooth and easy to work with, made through a careful blending of pigment and binder that gives them that rich, velvety feel. It feels closer to how perfume is described than how art materials usually are. The 18-piece set offers a focused palette with a nice beginner's range of colors, while the 36-piece set gives a bit more range. 

36 piece Gondola Pastel Set was curated by Angélique Chmielewski

Designer/Maker 

Maker: Ohkan Kagaku Kogyosyo

Specifications

Dimensions: Box - 6.5" (w) x 4.0" (l) x 1.2" (h) or 165mm (w) x 102mm (l) x 31mm (h)

Weight: 8.2 oz or 231 g

Materials: Pigments

Details

• Made in Kyoto, Japan
  
• Limited edition set of 36 soft pastels inspired by the traditional colors of Japan, perfect for painting landscapes and more
  
• Handmade in small batches using carefully selected, high-quality pigments
  
• Includes 36 colors and a swatch card
  
• Pastel length is 0.8" (20 mm); compact size designed for portability and outdoor sketching
  
• Soft texture allows for smooth application and rich color payoff
  
• High pigment concentration delivers vibrant, saturated hues unique to Japanese landscapes
  
• Ideal for artists of all levels, from beginners to professionals
  
• Housed in a lightweight paulownia wood box, offering durability while helping regulate humidity and preserve pastel quality
  
• Paulownia box combines functional longevity
  
• Crafted by Gondola, Japan’s oldest soft pastel manufacturer, established in 1919, with over a century of traditional pastel-making expertise