"It’s all an experiment — not too expensive to try something new"
I heard great things about Canson Velvet.
I generally use 600 grit sanded paper or Pastelmat. Results of my first test piece:
1. I used my (in order of hardness) old Nupastels, Jack Richeson hard pastels, Jack Richeson semi-hard (student grade) pastels, Rembrandt pastels, Sennelier, Unison, Schminke, and Blue Earth. I didn’t try pencils, although that’s coming.
2. I also used sponges and my fingers to blend, as well as blending color-on-color directly.
Underpainted w/hard pastels&gamsol didn’t have the results I expected. Velvet grabs pastels and doesn’t easily release them. Needs a heavy base layer down to get a good underpainting.
3. The color of the paper makes a BIG difference and affects the color of the final because the surface holds the pastels, but it sucks them up (not shredding them, mind you). Very little dust, but lots of layers.
4. SOFTest pastels work better than middle-soft and much better than hard pastels to cover and hold a fine line.
Cathleen Nardo01/12/2025 05:42
"Wonderful New Paper for Pastel"
I was eager to try this paper and am not disappointed. It is heavy, will not require mounting, and does not curl or buckle. The surface is similar to Pastelmat. It feels smooth to the touch but grabs pastel very well. I think it's my new favorite.
Jeanne Conant Kramer01/10/2025 13:10
"Pleasantly surprised"
The paper is available in multiple colors, it’s thick, and has a very fine grit surface. Easy layering of pastel color, it only barely smudges when I rake my finger across it which I really like. There is almost no dust at all, almost no pastel crumbs in the tray beneath my easel. One small drawback is that there is a texture that shows up once you've applied pastel with a light touch. This goes away after a few layers. It also goes away if I spritz the surface with alcohol and lightly use a brush. I think this is just fine for landscapes. A portrait artist might find it bothersome but, it can easily be covered. Love the paper so far.