Unison Colour

Unison Colour: Handcrafted Soft Pastels, Made in the UK

For over 30 years, Unison Colour have been crafting some of the world’s finest handmade soft pastels. Unison Colour Soft Pastels are made in the UK using traditional pigments and techniques that produce a velvety texture and vibrant hues.

Founded in the 1980s by artist John Hersey, Unison Colour was born out of his frustration with mass-produced pastels that lacked consistency and didn’t match his artistic vision. After years of perfecting his craft, John created the pastels that have become loved by artists worldwide.

In 1987, John and his wife Kate introduced the first range of Unison Colour pastels at an art materials show in London. The response was overwhelmingly positive, and since then, Unison Colour have expanded their range and grown into a globally respected brand.

Today, the team produces nearly half a million pastel sticks each year from their workshop in Northumberland, set amidst the scenic Tarset Valley in the Northumberland National Park.

With each pastel handcrafted for durability and rich pigmentation, Unison Colour soft pastels offer artists the depth and brilliance they need for professional results.

We went On Location at Unison Colour to see how their pastels are made by hand in the workshops and coach house at Thorneyburn, in the heart of Northumberland.

We also spoke to Dan Hersey, Chairman and son of Unison Colour founder John Hersey, and Jim Longman, one of their team of makers, in our In Conversation series. We spoke about the history of the company and share the reasons why their soft pastels are regarded as some of the finest in the world.