Pastel Paper
Pastels or soft pastel in particular is one of those mediums where the results are very much dependent on the materials you use. You can’t just use any old paper or pastels at least not if you want the completed paintings to look the same in a weeks time. Pastels need a paper that has enough tooth to grip the pastel and keep it on the paper. If you use a rubbish paper it does not matter how much fixative you use the pastel will not stay put.
So lets get it right from the start. I use a range of papers for my pastels and my choice of paper is dependent on the subject I am painting i.e the level of detail I intend to have in the image and whether I intend to add any other medium to the piece such as a watercolour wash for the background. These are the ones that over the years I have found have provided me with a consistent surface to work on and thus the best results. They are also papers that have enough tooth on them to allow you to forego the use of fixative which is nasty icky stuff best avoided as it kills the colours in your work.
Art Pastel Paper
Canson Mi-Teintes Touch
The unique surface texture of Canson Mi-Teintes Touch allows for many creative possibilities andÂ
layering of pigments. A great palette of cool blues, warm earth, and grey tones are now available to support a wide range of artist creativity. Pastels, charcoal, crayons, & acrylic perform beautifully. Give artwork a new dimension while allowing colours to really pop due to the thinly sanded surface. Highlight work that requires precision & fine detail.
Mi-Teintes Touch sheets retain all dry pigments because they have micro abrasive surfaces created by a sanded primer. Mi-Teintes Touch is the ideal support for dry pastels.
In addition to being particularly suited to layers of pastels Mi Teintes Touch also works well with wet media and can be used in mixed media applications that combine wet and dry media.
Clairefontaine Pastelmat
PASTELMAT® is a premium card surface (360gsm / 170lb) specially developed for 
pastelists. Its unique velvety surface, made from a fine coating of cellulose fibers, has the ability to grab and hold multiple layers of even the softest pastels.
PASTELMAT® significantly reduces the need for fixative, which means that colors remain vibrant and fresh once applied. It has the added bonus of being gentle on both fingers and blending tools. It is acid free and lightfast.
PASTELMAT® is ideal for use with all dry media - pastel sticks, PanPastel, pencils and charcoal. It is also water resistant.