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User perspectives on different Pastel Supports

Your chance to have a say

From the lens Pastels - Resources for Artists.

This is an opportunity to say what you like or don't like about different brands of pastel supports/paper. Please be as concise and precise as you can and highlight positives as well as negatives.

(Note this also includes past comments about soft pastel brands - there is now a new feedback module for comments about pastels in the "All About Pastels" section about pastel brands)

  • Jillynn Apr 15, 2012 @ 6:05 pm | delete
    Very thorough lens. I just know the tip of the iceberg about pastels, This lens is a great resource!
  • castlequeen51 Apr 10, 2012 @ 3:27 pm | delete
    Haven't tried many of them..did like the velour papers and had fun and good succes with those.
  • lestroischenes Feb 15, 2011 @ 8:53 am | delete
    Goodness, I'm an artist but never knew there was so much to know about pastel. Many thanks for all this mass of info.
  • makingamark Feb 20, 2011 @ 6:45 pm | delete
    You're welcome! Tell your fellow pastel artists about it too!
  • CJ Janus Aug 1, 2010 @ 9:58 am | delete
    I'm looking for the multi-colored pad of Ingres pastel paper that used to be sold under the name of Grumbacher. Even in sheets would work. It is thin but very fine quality.
  • makingamark Aug 6, 2010 @ 9:43 pm | delete
    I'm afraid I've not heard of this.

    Grumbacher is an American brand and I note from their website http://www.grumbacherart.com that they no longer reference pastels as a product in current production - which may provide the answer for why you can no longer find this support.
  • Lene Jun 1, 2010 @ 2:13 am | delete
    hi
    did you have a link for a UK supplier of the Wallis paper / you referr to a link under the description of the support, but I cannot find it?
  • makingamark Jun 1, 2010 @ 2:16 pm | delete
    Jackie Simmonds used to supply it but I'm not sure she does any more. I'll send her an email and enuire what the current situation is.

    Otherwise you could try Tim Fisher's online supplies http://www.thecsc.co.uk/ for Fisher 400 (similar to Wallis) plus he has other abrasive pastel supports such as La Carte and Colorfix
  • Lene Jun 1, 2010 @ 3:06 pm | delete
    thanks, I didn't know Fisher 400 was like Wallis. I do have some Fisher 400 from Tim Fisher's, just haven't done anything but a small test yet :)
  • Observe Closely Jan 10, 2010 @ 8:18 pm | delete
    Eight Adaptable Pastel Supports: http://jan777.blogspot.com/2009/12/eight-adaptable-pastel-supports.html
  • Alex Nov 23, 2009 @ 9:07 pm | delete
    For my most recent pastel drawing I used 1/4 inch plywood for support. I did not use a primer and loved the flexibility it gave me when working with pastels. Does any one know if it is necessary to use a primer for plywood support? and If no primer was used what kind of outcome should I expect with the passage of time?
  • makingamark Nov 24, 2009 @ 3:09 am | delete
    Plywood is a laminated product made up of numerous thin strips of wood laid in alternating directions. These are then bonded together using glue to create strong, stable sheets which are much less susceptable to expansion and shrinkage compared to normal wood.

    However at the end of the day they are still wood! It's the lignin in wood that goes to make up paper which makes it acidic and causes it to become fragile over time - which is why artists should always use acid-free Ph neutral paper if they can get it

    I don't know how they finish plywood but I'm very sure that a decent coat with primer won't do it any harm at all and might help preserve your artwork!

    My initial reaction is to think that you'll eventually get the acid from the wood which makes up
  • Laurie Toth Jan 16, 2011 @ 12:25 am | delete
    I have prepared my own boards using some methods which I later realized were not archivally sound. Were I to do it again, I would use a hardboard that is not impregnated with oils and either coat it with Golden Ground For Pastels, or ArtSpectrum Pastel Primer which is available in a wide array of colors or is tintable. I might also use a slightly dilute mixture of acrylic gesso or acrlyic medium to adhere cotton muslin to the board. These surfaces can be more coarse than a sanded paper such as Wallis, or ArtSpecrum, and they will use up your pastel sticks alarmingly fast, but also allow endless layers.
  • makingamark Oct 27, 2009 @ 6:09 am | in reply to Paul Finn | delete
    Try Wallis Paper - it's very abrasive and also takes underpaintings in different media
  • Paul Finn Oct 27, 2009 @ 5:16 am | delete
    I am an English Illustrator who uses pastels. For some time I was using Schmincke's Sanfix pastel board. It had a plastic backing and an incredibly rough tooth. Recently Schminke have completely changed this to a cork based ground with nowhere near the same tooth. Does anyone know of a paper with similar properties to the original product?
  • CKarch Jun 12, 2009 @ 11:56 pm | delete
    This is a wonderful resource. I am passionate about pastels. Thanks you for putting this together. I prefer to paint plein air. I just found a great new umbrella, that I find is a must include on my excursions. This umbrella is adjustable 360 degrees, It is made of quality parts, and will hold at any angle including low angles so you can catch the moment the first of the morn, or last of the evening. Fits on round and straight surfaces. Check it out at www.bestbrella.com.
  • burchett Apr 12, 2009 @ 4:35 pm | delete
    I completely love working with pastels and generally start with drawing the lights and darks in with charcoal and then spraying with fixative. I then lay out the underpainting with NuPastels. After I have the basic painting complete, then I used Rembrandts and finish with Sennelier and Terry Ludwigs, which are wonderful for both their excellent colors, softness and square shape. My favorite surface is the Ampersand board, because of the great texture and ease of transport.
  • Jan 28, 2009 @ 10:45 am | delete
    oh i love pastels, they are so much fun to use, though i wouldn't say they are a strength of mine but they are still a blast to work with
  • naturegirl7 Sep 10, 2008 @ 8:05 pm | delete
    Gosh it's been years since I picked up my pastels and created. This lens makes me want to put down the shovel and/or the camera and get back to my art. I'll come back when I have more time. 5*'s and thanks for visiting with our Butterflies.
  • Starving_Artist Jun 3, 2008 @ 2:46 am | delete
    great lens for pastel resources, I'll have to come back and read more 5 *'s
  • lhiller Apr 14, 2008 @ 1:34 pm | delete
    I like to build my pastel painting from the bottom up, or similar to making a cake. I like NuPastel for establishing size and placement, blocking in and values. Girault for creating the painting and getting my colors the way I want and Ludwigs for the "fosting". Of course, sometimes I have to disregard all of the above for that "just right color". Of course that's always from another brand.
  • Renee Apr 8, 2008 @ 1:22 pm | delete
    Hello. If you're open to a suggestion, try Blick Art Supplies online. In many instances their prices are the most reasonable of any supplier I have come across.
  • Karen Jan 27, 2008 @ 6:14 pm | delete
    I like and have pastels from most brands, but Girault offers the most unique size, shape and colors. Paul de Marrais pastels are as heavily pigmented as Ludwig and Sennelier, but creamier than both, not as powdery as Ludwig, not as grainy as Sennelier. Rembrandt and Mount Visions are great middle of the road pastels in texture, color and price and are probably the best choice for people starting out until they know their 'touch' and preferences. Great American and Schmincke are gorgeous as top color pastels, but I don't find their texture or their price good for building a painting from start to finish. Art Spectrum pastels are ones that cause a respiratory problem for me, and I cannot use them. Paperwise, I really prefer to prepare my own surfaces, but the new UART paper is quite nice with various tooth to choose from, and Art Spectrum boards great for taking outside to paint plein air.

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makingamark

Katherine Tyrrell creates art in pastels based on drawings from life and plein air studies. 

Her work is in private collections in the UK, Australia... more »

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