Below is a brief description of the different types of support for painting.

Processed wood
From the selection of processed woods now on sale, probably the best support for the artist, is MDF (Medium Density Fibre Board). This is stronger and more stable than other processed woods and so is less likely to warp. The surface is quite smooth though does take ground preparations well.

Natural Wood
Natural wood has been used for centuries in painting, but it does have to be well seasoned. Suitable examples will show straight close growth rings which where possible are aligned across its thickness. Wood with knots and sap wood should be avoided. As a general rule hardwood make a better support than softwoods

Linen
Linen is the best fabric for painting, it is a strong, long-lasting material that, if well made, offers a relatively flawless surface with a fine weave.

Cotton
Cotton is cheaper than linen and much more available to the artist, however it doesn’t have the longevity of linen. The better cloths are heavy (10oz or more) have a close weave and few stubs or knots.

Paper and card
Paper is an ancient product that has it’s origins in China. It is made from vegetable fibres matted together to form a sheet. Western paper was originally formed from linen waste (known as rags) but when cotton came into general use, cotton rags came into use. If made with care using the best materials, paper can last a long time, but tends to be fragile. In painting it is tends to be used as a ground for water colour, gouache, tempera, pastel and acrylics. Though, if heavily sized, can be used for oil colours. For paper to stand the test of time it must be acid-free.

Stone
A few types of stone have been tried and tested as painting supports. Some fine examples have survived from the renaissance. Slate is an obvious choice as it comes in sheet form, but other materials such as marble and onyx may provide more interesting backgrounds that can also be utilised. Non-absorbant surfaces do not need preparation, though it is advisable to wipe down with white spirit before starting.

Pastel sticks are soft, medium or hard according to the amount of binder incorporated into the paste. The greater the amount of binder used the harder the pastel, but colour intensity is diminished, the better pastels are the softest but they tend to be more brittle.

This is the method

1. Start with one pigment this will need to be lightened with an equal amount of zinc white or finely powdered whiting to get the desired colour. It is best to start with the darkest shade select some of the mixture for the pastel and reserve the rest to make the lighter shades.

2. Getting to know how much binder to use only really comes through trial an error. There are several possible types of binder, a mix of gum arabic and water (commonly in a ratio of 1:20, however weaker solutions may be required for some colours) or leaf gelatine (melted into distilled water) can be used (again experiment to find out what the minimum is required to do the job). A gum arabic binder tend to produce harder pastels that form a crust on the outside, so that pastels need to be ’started’ by rubbing with sandpaper. Gelatine creates a friable pastel, however it is more difficult to shape.

3. Place the pigment for the pastel on a slab of ground glass and pour sufficient binder solution to work it into a thick paste. Use a palette knife to mix the materials together, the final mixture should be moist but not sticky.

4. Select enough mixture to make one pastel, form it into a sausage shape using the palette knife and lay it on a strip of blotting paper. To create the crayon shape, roll the mixture by alternately lifting either side of the blotting paper, it is best to avoid making it too long or thin.

5. Once the first set of pastels are complete, you can use the reserved pigment mixture to make up the next colour shade. Add sufficient whiting to achieve the tint required, separate some of the mixture for the pastels and reserve the rest for the next tint in the range and so forth, until you have all the shades you need from that particular colour.

6. For darker shades the same process is used with black instead of the whiting and greens can be made brighter with yellows.

You’re now in command – give it a go! It will be possible for you to create stonger, brighter colours with the texture that suits you best.!