Like so many of Crayola's products -- particularly their color pencils -- the fact that they're associated with children's art means they can't, and don't, charge the laughably outrageous prices you'd see for "professioinal" art supplies, even though their products are often of professional quality. But these pastels, while they may not compare with the absolute highest-end, $25-for-a-handmade-stick pastels, are absolutely comparable to Caran D'Ache and other artists' pastels. I'm really happy with the color selection, the texture, and the feel of the sticks in my hand. I'm an avid amateur artist, art school degree and all, and my five-year-old and I love using these. And that's another great thing about these -- because they're so cheap and sturdy, my boy can use them with abandon. We have the greatest time.