In principle, any surface can be used, provided it has sufficient surface structure. Paper is usually used. In pastel painting, dry coloured powder is transferred from the pastel onto the paper. Unlike paint, pastel does not have the property of adhering to the surface through a binding agent. The pastel powder sticks to the fibres of the paper, as it were. To be able to apply a lot of colour, the paper must therefore have a certain surface structure. Drawing paper that is suitable for Siberian chalk, for instance, is too smooth and/or too hard to hold enough pastel. When using other flexible substrates such as textiles, it is important that the painting is framed so that the substrate cannot move. Vibrations can cause the pastel particles to come loose.
Which surfaces are suitable for soft pastels?