I recently ordered a package of eight large (24" x 36") pastelbords from Above Ground Art Supplies in Toronto (ordered by phone, they arrived on my doorstep by special post, but took several months--I had been warned by the clerk that this could be the case, and I wasn't in a hurry, so that was ok). The package of eight, ready-to-paint boards was around $250, delivered. I wanted to try painting LARGE, and was frustrated by having to cope with the persistent curling of Wallis paper purchased in rolls (I could have it dry mounted, but that would require an extra, off site step and pre-planning!). PastelBord, a relatively new product, is hardboard coated with a special mix of kaolin clay and marble dust--heavy, but sturdy. I painted my first piece on the full-size sheet, and was very pleased with the drama of the resulting painting. Because of its size (the biggest I've done yet in pastel) and its subject matter, I called it Breathtaking.

Next, I asked my husband to cut a board in half horizontally on his tablesaw, and experimented with two strongly horizontal paintings. The second one kept me up until 2 a.m., struggling with achieving a needed depth of field, but that was because of the subject source (a photo with an extremely shallow scene), not the pastelbord. Again, I was very happy (eventually) with the result. I think I'll keep using this support--but now I have to save up for the framing of these large works!

I've just tried out a new pastel painting surface--well, it's been around for awhile but I haven't tried it before. It's called PastelBord and it's by Ampersand. Each board is a rigid composition-board support coated with some kind of a clay mixture. It doesn't feel as if it has a lot of tooth--it's sort of like suede--but the label insists that it accepts "unlimited layers" so I thought I'd give it a try. Inspired by the emerging signs of spring here, I chose a scene featuring the burgeoning colours in the willows and dogwoods along local streams. The first lesson I learned was to make sure that whatever I draw on it with isn't too sharp. I laid out my composition with a pastel pencil that had been carelessly sharpened (by me!) and which had a protruding sharp point of wood. This point scratched into the clay surface, and created shallow grooves that were nevertheless somewhat hard to disguise with later applications of pastel. Note to self: sharpen your pencils more carefully or use a pastel stick for layout!

After that epiphany, however, all went smoothly. The surface is easy to blend and layer on, and the gray colour (it also comes in white) really made the pastel hues jump out. It's a bit more expensive than sanded paper, but the advantage is that your framer won't have to add a rigid backing board to it when framing, so it works out about the same in the end.

I like this product, and have special-ordered eight of their largest size (I think it's 24 x 30) for special works that are planned for an exhibition in 2013 at Station Gallery in Whitby, Ontario. What will they be? I don't know yet, but I'm sure having these large boards around will inspire me! :)

Here's the piece that resulted, titled Early Colours.

About Ruth

I work in soft pastels, acrylics, oils, watercolours, and mixed media. My usual style is best described as ‘naturalism,’ which seeks to represent how the human eye and brain perceive the world—with occasional side trips into abstract and contemporary approaches! I am inspired by, and hope that my work will help viewers to see, the beauty in the everyday world.

I have studied with many excellent Canadian and American artists, and hope to have integrated their teachings into my own distinctive style.

I am a Master Pastelist within (and former President of) the Pastel Artists Canada, and a member of The Landing Artists Collective, the Sunshine Coast Arts Council, the Coast Cultural Alliance, and an Active Member of the Federation of Canadian Artists. I am on the Purple Banner Tour, and the Sunshine Coast Art Crawl.