A Sennelier pastel "à l'écu" is an extra-soft pastel composed of high-quality pure pigment, grounded with a natural transparent binder. The high-quality composition of Sennelier soft pastels is due to a perfect balance between binder and pigment. Their exceptional brightness is a result of the high-quality pigment, and of the natural mineral fines discovered by Sennelier in 1905, which are still used today.Sennelier's Paris Collection features 120 half-stick soft pastels in assorted colours, the ideal starter set for pastel enthusiasts.