Paper for Pastels
Pastel painting continues to grow in popularity. This
recent trend has helped to create new and exciting choices of pastels
and pastel papers. Wet Paint offers an extensive selection of pastels
and surfaces on which to use them. Unison, Schmincke,
Sennelier and other pastels offer subtle differences in color
and hardness. Most pastelists use a variety of these brands in their
paintings but are often very loyal to a particular surface to paint
on. Surface choices have a great range of texture and price. We can
help you choose the one that’s right for you.
Sanded surfaces are the largest category of substrate
for pastel painters. Pumice, sand, silica or marble dust is used to coat paper, board and canvas. Every manufacturer has
a secret recipe but the idea remains the same. The sand holds the color
in place on the surface and allowing for multiple layers. LaCarte
Pastel Board from Sennelier is the most rigid.
A finely ground vegetable flake coats the surface. Sansfix from Schmincke has slightly more tooth and is on a
lighter weight board. Some solvents can be used on the surface of Sansfix. Colourfix from Art Spectrum is a collection
of softly textured papers in 16 colors. The color is actually screenprinted
on white paper. A liquid form of Colourfix is available
for the artist to create their own sanded surface. The coarsest surface
for pastel painting is pastel canvas.
Velour paper from Hahnemuhle is another
option with a soft texture. There are a variety of papers without added
surface texture suitable for use with pastels. The “Ingres”
style papers feature a traditional laid pattern. These papers are great
for all dry media. Papers more commonly used for printmaking are also
good surfaces for pastel. Arches and Rives
BFK are just a couple of examples.
The papers mentioned are available in a variety of colors. Each one
has a unique surface. We encourage artists to try a variety of these
to determine the one that best suits their artistic style.
