Ampersand Pastelbord | A premium hardbord surface for wet or dry applications

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​Pastelbord as its name denotes, is a sanded absorbent durable surface well suited to pastels. The marble-dust tooth holds more layers than pastel paper and it works well with all types of pastels including soluble ones and they can be used alone or with other media - however, it is not just for pastels, it also works well with other mediums such as charcoal, conte crayon, coloured pencils, watercolour pencils, ink and acrylics.
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​In this article we show you what can be achieved with this gritty surface beyond soft pastels by showing samples of works created in oil pastels, acrylics and coloured pencils.

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ABOUT THE SURFACE

If you're an artist looking for a high-quality pastel surface, Ampersand Art Supply's Museum Series Pastelbord might be just what you need. This board is made from premium 1/8" FSC-Certified Hardbord that won't warp and coated with acid-free clay and gesso ground with a marble dust finish for added texture. This unique finish allows you to layer more pastels than you would be able to on regular paper. Plus, the hardboard backing makes it an excellent choice for plein air painting, and you can use it with wet and dry media. Pastelbord is also compatible with various other mediums, including charcoal, conte crayon, coloured pencils, watercolour, ink, and acrylic. You can choose from four colours: grey, green, sand, and white, and all Ampersand Museum Series panels are eco-friendly and formaldehyde-free. Best of all, they're proudly handcrafted in the USA.​

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High-Density Hardbord™ Core
Ampersand’s premium, warp-resistant, FSC-certified Hardbord™ ensures your artwork is supported to prevent damage from warping, bowing, or movement. Sealed and protected with our proprietary Archiva-Seal™ barrier technology to prevent yellowing from Support Induced Discoloration.

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• Thin applications of ink, watercolor, or acrylic can also be used to tone the white Pastelbord to any color desired

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​There are four colours in the series and 15 different sizes. Not all sizes are available in every colour, though; availability will also differ from country to country. In the UK, standard size options tend to be 8" x 10", 9" x 12", 11" x 14", 12" x 16" & 16" x 20" 
White and grey boards are accessible in many UK art stores; however, sand and green boards are not. Availability of all four colours may vary depending on your location, with the USA offering more options. 

Click to view the size chart

It may be worth contacting an online store if you require a size they do not stock, as they may be able to order it for you. Be aware that you may have to buy the pack size, which can be expensive as the store will need to order from the wholesaler, which may have to be shipped in. Keep in mind that international shipping may come with high costs and additional fees such as tax and excise charges.

Info	5" x 7" (3pk)	6" x 6"	6" x 8" ​(3 pk)	6" x 12"	6" x 18"
WHITE	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y
GREY	Y	Y	​Y	​Y	Y
SAND	Y	X	X	X	X
GREEN	Y	X	X	X	X

Info	8" x 8"	8" x 10"	9" x 12"	11" x 14"	12" x 12"
WHITE	Y	Y	Y	​Y	Y
GREY	Y	​Y	Y	Y	​Y
SAND	​X	Y	Y	Y	Y
GREEN	X	Y	X	Y	X

Info	12" x 16"	14" x 18"	16" x 20"	18" x 24"	24" x 36"
WHITE	Y	​Y	​Y	Y	​Y
GREY	Y	​Y	Y	Y	Y
SAND	​Y	X	Y	Y	Y
GREEN	X	X	Y	Y	X

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ADVANTAGES

• Marble dust finish holds more layers of pastel than pastel paper
• unique absorbent coating and rigid backing allow it to be used for wet or dry applications.
• Archiva-Seal™ barrier prevents discoloration
• Made from FSC-certified forest products and free from formaldehyde or harmful VOC's​

DISADVANTAGES

• May feel too hard for some mediums
• Complaints of patchy areas that create adherence problems.
• Only one grade available
• Expensive

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DRY (SOFT) PASTELS

Working with pastels can be challenging since they are quite delicate. To ensure optimal results, use a sanded and durable surface that provides enough texture for the pigments to adhere to as you paint in layers and blend repeatedly. Fortunately, the Pastelbord is designed to meet all these requirements and is suitable for various pastels, including hard pastels, soft pastels, oil pastels, and pastel pencils. For even more versatility, you can use water-soluble pastels on Pastelbord, which can be used wet or dry without the risk of curling or buckling. Remember that pastel artworks should always be framed behind glass to protect them.
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Ampersand offers a few hints and tips for Pastellists here (taken directly from their website)

• It is easy to combine painting techniques with also dry drawing techniques for diverse and interesting surface control using this tip. Lay down a watercolour or acrylic wash before using your pastels. Either work over the washed surface while wet or after it has dried. For blending, use a wet brush to go back in and soften edges and blend colours
• For maximum detail, try using pastel pencils in the finishing stages. The colour of the panel may be altered by applying light washes of acrylic paint or by airbrushing a new colour over the surface
• To save you expensive soft pastels, start your piece using hard pastels and then cover with the soft pastels. You will use less pigment this way and achieve great results

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Pastelbord v's Pastelmat

You may be curious about the differences between Pastelbord and Pastelmat. Pastelmat has a slightly smoother texture compared to Pastelbord. To allow you to analyze, we have provided a magnified photo of each side by side for your reference.​ The white Pastelbord may appear grey in some areas due to shadows created by the camera flash, highlighting the gritty texture.

OTHER MEDIUMS

Pastelbord is a highly favoured surface among artists who prefer working with soft pastels. However, it's worth noting that this versatile surface is also ideal for a wide range of other art mediums. Some examples demonstrate how effectively this surface can function with them.​
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OIL PASTELS

When working with oil pastels and dry (soft) pastels, choosing a surface with a toothy texture is essential to ensure optimal results. A product like Pastelbord is an excellent choice since it can hold multiple layers without wearing down the pastels quickly or tearing blenders made of paper. Its textured surface creates a unique ground that doesn't detract from the marks produced by the pastels. Moreover, the grey-coloured foundation is ideal as a mid-tone for subjects like this black labrador, as it limits the number of layers required. To protect your artwork, always cover it with a non-stick sheet during intervals and avoid direct contact between an oil painting and glass when framing.

If you want to find out more about this oil pastel painting, you can read the blog here

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COLOURED PENCILS

We used the Caran d'Ache Luminance and Derwent Lightfast pencil ranges for this project. The Pastelbord surface held the pigment exceptionally well, requiring only light pressure. We also used the Zest-it pencil blend during this trial which we wrote a separate article about here. The pencil blend helped us achieve smooth finishes and near-perfect colour transitions. This board had a slightly coarse texture, resulting in a textured finish when using pencils alone. However, using lighter pencil tones or a colourless blender can help smooth and blend the colours. For better adhesion, try sanding the board's surface before use. The board may feel too rough for coloured pencil work, making it hard to apply smoothly. Using supports like the Pastelbord allows for heavier applications, and incorporating other mediums can add significant effect and depth to your work.

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ACRYLICS

​If you're looking for a board that allows you to work with wet paint like watercolours, the Pastelbord is an excellent choice. Its slow drying time lets you lift paint while it's still wet, and adding water to the paint will give you rich colour washes. Although it can be challenging to blend acrylics smoothly due to the grit, you can easily overcome this by applying a light layer of water to the board before painting. Doing so will make the surface more pliable, and the paint will glide along more efficiently, resulting in an appearance like an oil painting with more effortless tonal blending. Keep in mind that once the paint is dry, it becomes sealed on the board, so removing it won't be possible. The clay surface of the board is excellent for absorbing pigment washes, making it a great choice for various painting techniques.

Initial loose layers act as the groundwork for future intricate and refined details.

Acrylic applications on a damp surface can help to achieve an oil paint appearance.

REUSING THE BOARD

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Hardwearing surface

While Ampersand does not officially support reusing their boards, it is possible to clean off dry mediums such as soft pastels and charcoal and use it again for another project. Removing as much as possible is recommended to clean the board, and then use a toothbrush to scrub the rest off. The amount you can eliminate will vary depending on the quality of the pigment in the product. We used high-quality Unison pastels, which were able to be scrubbed off successfully. If you want to cover up an acrylic painting, you can apply a pastel ground to the surface and start over, but the success of this technique will depend on the number of layers you have used.

You can try this soft pastel 'Swallow' tutorial here.

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Other articles that may be of interest
​

Find out more about other Ampersand boards

View all our articles that cover papers and canvases

Soft Pastels | A guide for beginners

Soft pastel tutorial | Swallow on Pastelbord

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FRAMING PAINTINGS PRODUCED ON PASTELBORD

Every medium will vary when it comes to framing. Some paintings and drawings will need to be framed behind glass, others won't. Some are better not framed behind glass. In this section, we discuss a few ideas of how best to frame your artwork that you created on Pastelbord (or any hardboard surface)
Ampersand also produces high-quality floater frames that will perfectly compliment your artwork.

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VARNISH

Experts recommend leaving an acrylic painting unglazed to allow for proper ventilation. However, if there is a need to display them in high-traffic areas, a spacer can prevent contact with the glass. It is important to note that sealing an acrylic painting behind glass can result in the absorption of the moisture trapped in the paint layers or canvas surface. To safeguard your painting without glass, you should apply an isolation coat and then varnish to create a barrier between the two. Applying an isolation coat to protect the painting for future varnish removal is imperative. This will ensure that the artwork remains intact and unharmed during the process of varnish removal.

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SPACERS

There may be more appropriate options than a standard mount when framing hardboard canvases. A spacer between the canvas and glass is favoured to prevent potential damage to a pastel drawing. This spacer will create a small, measured gap between the two materials. Avoid using glass, as allowing the painting to "breathe" is crucial. However, if glass is preferred, using a spacer will prevent the glass and paint from fusing. ​

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STANDARD FRAMING

Before adding glazing and framing, a mountboard is placed around the Pastelbord and both are then secured  to a backboard. Seeking a professional framer's guidance is advised to ensure the framing is safe and secure, thereby promoting the long-term preservation of the artwork. When employing specific mediums, a spacer will be required.

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Online customer reviews

Positive

​"  I love working on Ampersand Pastelbord. I've used many other substrates with pastels and the two I go back to the most is ampersand and LaCarte. Love these products, there is a lot of tooth and it is easy to layer, actually make several layers of pastel to create your painting.  "

" This was the first time I used this board and it was amazing! I generally love using board as opposed to paper, since I’m pretty rough on paper when I draw. It was different and took a little getting used to, since it reminded me of drawing on a sandpaper block at first, but the tooth and pick up of the pastel is amazing. It layers very different from the paper and I really like that it’s less messy for me. There’s more control. It’s really nice and I’ll be ordering more in the near future. "

" If you think this is only for pastels, think again. Though we do paint in pastels in our family, this board we have found to be exceptional for acrylics. Cuts painting time down as colors hold and can easily build. The texture is smooth it how it comes out. The paint flows on effortlessly and holds its color. This is a real win. I would never paint on canvas again. "

​" I love this Pastelbord for colored pencil! It made my last creation so easy! I drew a white Egyptian Arabian on this grey background. Sprayed it with varnish and didn't have to use glass or plexiglass over the drawing. Framing was a lot cheaper like that! "

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Negative

​" I wanted to try better quality paper for my pastels, THIS WAS NOT IT!! Omg the pastels doesn't even stay on this. It basically ate most of my pastel pencils and pastel chalks. My pastel paper was better than this. I don't like the paper that I used for the finished product because of its texture. I had to start all over again. DONT BUY THIS!!!."

" This was too smooth. There needs to be more of a rough surface for me, almost like a chalkboard. Will not buy again. "

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Mixed reviews

" This is convenient, yet there are many ways to get this quality of toothy texture, these days. I thought I'd be more impressed. It's okay. "

" I bought this for my husband. He really liked the way the pastels went on and says it's good quality. He bought the smallest one because he wasn't sure if he would like it. Well, he did and said he would buy some of all sizes if the price weren't so high. "
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" Love the quality. Not sure why they are so pricey. Will look for cheaper alternatives as a new artist, I will need many for practicing!. "

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Finally, where can you buy the Pastelbord?

As our business is situated in the UK, the initial four links lead to UK-based online stores that sell Pastelbord. Nevertheless, they also offer worldwide delivery in most cases. Buying from a local establishment might be more cost-effective, so we have added buttons that enable you to refine your search to a nearby store or website. Select the International or USA buttons below to explore your area and visit the Ampersand website.

JACKSONS ART (UK)

CASS ART (UK)

PEGASUS ART (UK)

TINDALLS (UK)

FIND A STORE NEAR YOU (INTERNATIONAL)

FIND A STORE NEAR YOU (USA)

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Ampersand states:
Eco-Friendly and Artist SafeCentral to Ampersand’s mission is to ensure that our products do not harm the environment or the artists who use them. Both our domestic and imported panels are made from FSC-certified forest products that promote sustainable forests and are also free from formaldehyde or harmful VOCs (volatile organic compounds), unlike other hardboards and MDF boards.​

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Last updated: May 2023
​Article first written: December 2019