Pastel Paper: The Ultimate Guide to Choosing the Best

[@nicolab9565]

Very helpful! Thank you!

[@ThePastelWorkshop]

You're welcome!

[@mahshadi]

Thank you! it was very helpful for me!

[@ThePastelWorkshop]

You're welcome!

[@davidritter7237]

By the way, I do like your presentation style--no loud music, spoken very clearly and not dragging, well organized, direct. Overall good presentation.

[@ThePastelWorkshop]

Thank you. I appreciate the feedback!

[@sujanithtottempudi2991]

I love UART p400 and Lux archival sanded papers only

[@ThePastelWorkshop]

Those are two of my favorites, as well.

[@annelloydholden2567]

This is such a helpful guide. Thank you!

[@ThePastelWorkshop]

I'm glad it was helpful!

[@leslieharris9088]

I started doing abstract pastel art during the pandemic, and don't sell much, so Pastelmat & other sanded papers get a bit pricey. Currently I alternate between Mi-Tientes, Canson XL Dry Mixed Media (Sand Grain), and 500 grit wet/dry sandpapers. I've also made my own using either Golden Pastel grounds or Art Spectrum Color Fix. Many pastelists complained about UArt buckling and bending and most are now loving Pastelmat.

[@ThePastelWorkshop]

Yeah good paper can be a little pricey, but definitely worth it. It's cheaper if you buy in bulk, or get large rolls or sheets and cut them down. Wet/dry hardware store sandpaper is a decent option for practicing, but it isn't archival, so it's not a good choice for creating finished pieces. Making your own surface is a great option, though. When you make your own what paper do you like to use as the base? To help with curling you can easily mount any paper to foam core or gator board. I mount pretty much all my paper now because it's so much easier to work with, you can paint right to the edges, and when you're done you have a piece of art ready to drop in a frame or give to a collector.

[@davidritter7237]

I'm relatively new with drawing and pastels; just started about 14 months ago. Papers aren't cheap, but neither are pencils or pastel sticks; art hobbies do have a price, but so do other hobbies. Cost is not deal-breaker for selecting the best paper or other supplies. I've tried other surfaces and finally settled on PastelMat and now gave Uart 600 grit paper a try (I purchased an entire pad) after watching so many reviews. Unfortunately, I'm really disappointed; it just doesn't hold the pastel dust like PastelMat and I'm concerned that the pigment wall fall off over time. I used Rembrandt, Koh-I-Nor extra soft pastels, and some Jack Richeson pastels, along with Pitt and CarbOthello pastel pencils. I can totally remove pigment with a kneaded eraser; that's a bad thing as it shows lack of permanence. Total removal is not possible on PastelMat. When applying pastel to the surface too much dust comes to the surface The sanded surface will take a deep layer of pastel, but it's difficult to layer and blending removes too much pastel. Perhaps a need a new technique.

[@ThePastelWorkshop]

Sanded surfaces are definitely different from Pastelmat. And, yes, with some effort you can remove most of the pigment. And the sanded surface will produce more dust because of the rougher nature of the paper. But the end result is quite permanent if you take care of it. Store it in a clear art bag and frame under glass (as all pastels should be framed). As long as you don't touch the surface too roughly it will stay in place forever. If you are used to Pastelmat then sanded surfaces will take some getting used to, and some adjustment to your technique, but the texture you get from them can be very nice. Everyone has their preference, though, and the key is to find a quality paper that you are comfortable working with. In my opinion the paper you choose is the most important decision in pastel painting. How it grabs, holds, and interacts with the pastels is so crucial to producing quality work. If you love Pastelmat stick with it! If you want to explore you might try velour papers. They are more similar to Pastelmat.

[@davidritter7237]

@@ThePastelWorkshop Thanks. Everything I complete gets framed (not cheap) behind plexiglass with double matt as I found storage unframed, even with glassine, isn't so good. Static electricity seems to pull pigment dust away, even from PastelMat.

[@ThePastelWorkshop]

@davidritter7237 I really like storing in clear art bags. A small amount of pigment might pull away but not enough to noticeably affect the painting, especially if the bag is the right size or edges are folded over so the painting can't move around inside. Then store flat.