Viarco ArtGraf Tailor Shape: 13 Water-Soluble Color Blocks
ArtGraf Tailor Shape is a block of pressed pigment from Viarco, the Portuguese pencil maker, inspired by the tailor's pencil. The shop lists it at 5.5 × 5.5 × 0.5 cm and 60 g in 13 colors, and the maker calls it extremely soft and water-soluble. One block was €8.30 (about US$9.30) on November 5, 2026.
On this page
Product facts
- Product
- ArtGraf Tailor Shape
- Brand
- Viarco
- Brand origin
- Portugal
- Made in
- Not stated*
- Material
- Pressed pigment, water-soluble
- Good for
- Price range
- $$$5–20 per pencil (multi-packs divided by the count)
- Colors
Yellow
- Rate it
Notes on these facts
- Made by Viarco, Indústria de Lápis, Lda. Country of manufacture not stated: The shop page and the maker's pages give no country of manufacture. The maker says Viarco produces the earth tones, but not in which country. Source. Price: example listing.
- Colors: names per Viarco online shop (ArtGraf Tailor Shape color options and product photos), checked November 5, 2026. All 13 colors the shop lists, named as the shop writes them. Tints were sampled from each variant's photo; the photo for Magenta looks red-brown, so the tint is as photographed. Tints are representative, not measured. Shops stock different colors.
- How we test and disclose samples: How we test stationery.
- Price bands are typical US retail, checked October 2026. Conversions to US dollars are approximate, at October 2026 rates (US$1 = ¥158 = ₩1,330 = NT$32.5 = CN¥6.7 = SEK 9.9 = DKK 6.7 = ₺49.6 = C$1.41 = A$1.43 = CZK 21.7; €1 = US$1.12; £1 = US$1.32; CHF 1 = US$1.21).
Key takeaways
- Viarco calls the Tailor Shape a block of pressed pigment for drawing and painting, inspired by the traditional tailor's pencil, 5.5 cm square and 5 mm thick.
- The shop lists each block at 5.5 × 5.5 × 0.5 cm and 60 g, in 13 colors: green, magenta, red, yellow, blue, black, graphite, white and five earth tones.
- The maker says it is extremely soft and water-soluble, giving light, dark and opaque colors; it states no pigment or lightfastness data.
- One block was €8.30 (about US$9.30) on the maker's shop on November 5, 2026, in our $$ band ($5 to $20); the shop also sells sets.
- Not stated: pigment names, binder, lightfastness, country of manufacture and a drying or blending guide.
What is the Viarco ArtGraf Tailor Shape?
It is a flat block of pressed pigment for drawing and painting. Viarco, the Portuguese pencil factory, says it is inspired by the traditional tailor’s pencil and describes it as extremely soft and water-soluble, so one block can give light, dark and opaque colors. The maker calls it an excellent tool for drawing and painting.
It belongs to ArtGraf, Viarco’s range of water-soluble graphite and pigment. We read the shop page and the maker’s pages on November 5, 2026.
What size is it, and what comes in the pack?
The shop lists 5.5 × 5.5 × 0.5 cm and 60 g.
| Spec | Value (Viarco shop) |
|---|---|
| Size | 5.5 × 5.5 × 0.5 cm, listed for every color |
| Weight | 60 g, listed for every color |
| Colors | 13 |
| Price, Nov 5, 2026 | €8.30 (about US$9.30) per block |
| Price band | $$ ($5 to $20) |
The block is about as tall as a bank card and roughly two thirds as wide, and thin at 5 mm. The shop photos show each block with an embossed logo beside a clear plastic box; the shop does not say whether the listed size and weight are the block alone or the packed item.
Which colors are there?
Thirteen, from yellow and blue to graphite, white and five earth tones. The shop names them Green, Magenta, Red, Yellow, Blue, Sanguinea, Ocre, Sepia, Brown, Brown Dark, Black, Graphite and White. A Viarco news item says the five earth tones (ocher, sanguine, sepia, brown and dark brown) were produced to join the black block, and that the range was aimed at the foreign market first; the page we read gives no date.
The swatches on this page are tints sampled from the shop photos, not measurements. The Magenta photo looks red-brown, which is how we show it. Sets are sold too: the shop lists Primary Colors at €26.00 (about US$29.10), and also Earth Tones, Monochromatic and Cork Base sets whose contents we did not read.
What do the sets add?
The shop sells single blocks and themed sets. Besides one block in any of the 13 colors, it lists Primary Colors, Earth Tones, Monochromatic and Cork Base sets; the Primary Colors set was €26.00 (about US$29.10) on November 5, 2026, about 3.1 times the single-block price of €8.30 (about US$9.30). The shop page we read does not say how many blocks a set holds, so do the count before comparing. Viarco’s ColorADD page adds that its sets of 3 and 6 blocks carry the ColorADD color code.
How is it used?
The maker gives one line: soft, water-soluble, light to opaque colors. It names no technique, paper, brush or blending method, and we have not tested it. Try a corner of your own paper before a finished piece. Our best watercolor sets and best drawing pencils roundups show what else covers the same jobs.
Who is the ArtGraf Tailor Shape for?
It suits people who like broad, soft color in drawing and painting, since it is a water-soluble block rather than a pencil.
- Drawing and sketching: Viarco calls it a water-soluble block of pressed pigment for drawing and painting, 5.5 × 5.5 × 0.5 cm, in 13 listed colors.
Skip it if you need a lightfastness rating or named pigments: the pages we read give neither.
Where is it made, and what else is not stated?
The pages do not name a country. Viarco says it produces the earth tones, and the brand is Portuguese, but manufacturing country is not stated. Also missing are pigment names, binder, lightfastness and a drying or blending guide. For the same maker’s putty, see our ArtGraf No. 1 guide.
Frequently asked questions
How big is a Tailor Shape block?
The shop lists 5.5 × 5.5 × 0.5 cm and 60 g for every color. It does not say whether those are the block or its clear box, which the photos show next to it.
What colors does it come in?
Thirteen on the shop: Green, Magenta, Red, Yellow, Blue, Sanguinea, Ocre, Sepia, Brown, Brown Dark, Black, Graphite and White.
Is it water-soluble?
Yes, per the maker: it calls the block extremely soft and water-soluble, so it can make light, dark and opaque colors. It gives no mixing or drying guide.
Why is it called a tailor shape?
Viarco says it is inspired by the traditional tailor's pencil. The maker does not say it is meant for fabric; it describes it as a tool for drawing and painting.
How much does one block cost?
On November 5, 2026 the maker's shop listed one block at €8.30 (about US$9.30) in every color, and the Primary Colors set at €26.00 (about US$29.10). Prices change.
Are there sets?
Yes. The shop lists Primary Colors, Earth Tones, Monochromatic and Cork Base sets, and Viarco's ColorADD page mentions sets of 3 and 6 blocks marked with the ColorADD code. We did not read what each set contains.
Which earth tones were added?
A maker news item says five earth tones (ocher, sanguine, sepia, brown and dark brown) were added to the existing black. The page we read carries no date.
Where is it made?
The maker says Viarco produces the earth tones but does not name a country of manufacture, so we do not state one.
Sources
- Viarco online shop: ArtGraf Tailor Shape, description, size, weight, 13 colors and price (read November 5, 2026)
- Viarco (maker): ArtGraf Tailor Shape news, five earth tones joining black (read November 5, 2026)
- Viarco (maker): ColorADD page, Tailor Shape sets of 3 and 6 with the color code (read November 5, 2026)
- Viarco (maker): ArtGraf water-soluble graphite range (read November 5, 2026)