Canson velvet paper is my new favorite go to. With a surface very close to pastel mat it takes loads of layers, tolerates wet washes with no curling and isn’t curled up at the sides like pastel mat paper is. I love it! Plus it’s very economical compared to pastel mat
Alice M08/03/2026 08:54
"excellent substrate"
I often underpaint my pastel paintings, and the Canson velvet pads are wonderful: no wrinkling with alcohol wash, and excellent tooth.
Jan Fead03/16/2026 09:42
"Canson Mi-Teintes Velvet brown tones Pad"
A gentle soft surface, reminiscent of suede mat board, but still able to hold a crisp line.
A kneaded eraser can lift color without damaging or clogging the surface tooth if a delicate blotting technique is used.
I’ve been using a combo of Faber Castell Pitt and Brunzelle pastel pencils with satisfying results.