Which is the best pastel ground?

There are a wide variety of pastel grounds - and I've finally got round to listing them all out in a poll to find out from pastel artists which pastel papers or pastel boards they like the best.

You can find the poll in a new "resources for artists" site I've created - Pastel Papers and Pastel Grounds

This is the link POLL: Which pastel paper or other support do you like best for pastels?

These are the options:

• Ampersand Pastelbord
• Art Spectrum Colourfix Paper
• Art Spectrum Plein Air Painting Board
• Art Spectrum Suede
• Art Spectrum Supertooth
• Canford Black Pastel Paper
• Canson Mi Teintes Pastel Paper
• Canson Mi-Teintes Touch - sanded texture board
• Clairefontaine Pastelmat
• Daler Rowney Murano Pastel Paper
• Fabriano Tiziano Paper
• Fisher 400 Paper
• Hahnemuhle Bugra Paper
• Hahnemuhle Velour Pastel Papers
• Ingres Paper (various)
• Richeson Pastel Paper
• Saint-Armand Sabretooth paper
• Schminke Sansfix
• Sennelier La Carte
• St Cuthberts Mill - Somerset Pastel Paper
• Townsend Pastel Paper
• UART Archival Sanded Pastel Paper
• Wallis Archival Sanded Pastel Paper - Museum Grade
• Wallis Archival Sanded Pastel Paper - Professional Grade
• Watercolour Paper (various)
• Winsor & Newton Tints Pastel Paper
• Other (please comment below)

I'm developing a systematic analysis of the range of pastel grounds on the website according to:

• characteristics
• made of
• colours
• size
• consumer opinion

This should make it easier for people wanting to consult the site to find out which pastel ground might suit them best.

If you are a pastel artist could you please:

• vote in the poll 
• share your personal views as to the pastel ground you like the best - lave a comment below or on the website
• let me know if you've ever reviewed a pastel ground - and let me have a link to the review
• let me know if I've omitted a pastel ground which should be included in the poll!

You can find out more about pastels and other papers and supports in two related websites:

• Pastels - Resources for Artists
• Fine Art Paper and Non-Canvas Supports for Artists

NEW PRODUCT: Caran d'Ache hard dry pastels and pencils

This is to let people know that the Swiss company Caran d'Ache will be releasing a new line of hard and dry pastel sticks and pastel pencils in April in 2012.

© Astrid Volquardsen

German pastel artist Astrid Volquardsen (Astrid Volquardsen pastellbilder 'Malerin des Lichts' ) has been in touch to tell me about them and to highlight the fact that she has two posts on her blog which relate to the new line

Last year I was asked to test some prototypes and from this a very nice working relationship has evolved and I was able to see the production site in Geneva and wrote a report about this on my blog A visit at Caran d’Ache / Pastel Pencils . The company was very much interested in the opinion of pastel artists all over the world and to create a line which meets the needs of pastel artists.

She has now written a review of the NEW Caran d'Ache Pastels which highlights why pastel artists might be interested in them - see Caran d’Ache Pastel Pencils and Pastel Cubes.  In it she demonstrates how they work on a variety of different papers as well as identifying the characteristics which she really likes.

Astrid told me that she usually works with Sennelier; Unison, Terry Ludwig and was very surprised by the quality of these new hard pastels from Caran d'ache.  She's now convinced they're a worthwhile addition to our collection of pastel supplies.

You can also see a video of somebody working with the hatrd pastels and pencils on the Caran d'Ache website - click "Pastel - Preview"

The cubes and pencils are being released in April 2012 and can be obtained in

• France: www.magasinsennelier.com

• Germany: via the website www.boesner.com or at various branches of boesner

• Switzerland: www.gerstaecker.ch

I'm adding links into my resource site Pastels - Resources for Artists - and will be looking for them in the art supplies shops when they are introduced.  Now you know to look out for them too!

Which is your favourite make of hard pastels? (2010 Poll Results)

2010 POLL: Which is your favourite make of hard pastel?
on Pastels - Resources for Artists.

310 people voted in the 2010 Poll: What is your favourite make of hard pastels?

This poll shows which particular make of artist grade hard pastels was most liked by most pastel artists in 2010.  The pastels included were artist grade hard pastels available in 2010.  Some may be listed as soft - but in terms of the gradations of pastels overall - these are all the ones up at the harder end of the spectrum.  All pastels were listed in alphabetical order.

The four brands of HARD PASTELS were ranked as follows by the 310 people who voted in poll

1. Prismacolor Nupastel 51.9%
2. Conte a Paris 23.5%
3. Faber Castell Polychromos hard pastels 19.4%
4. Cretacolor Carre 5.2%

The poll has now been cleared and the image is of the results as at the beginning of January 2011