Choosing the right surface for your project is a very personal choice. People have strong opinions on surface type, some like smooth, some like more tooth, some like abrasive and there really isn’t one surface that is best for a certain subject. However I have put a few guidelines together to help you you choose.

• I find the surface I have just been using is usually the best surface to start my next project
  on. I have the muscle memory from this surface, I understand the techniques and it’s
  much easier to just jump into my next project using the same surface. You’ll find the
  majority of commissioned artists predominantly use just one surface to create their work
  on due to them knowing the surface inside out and knowing how their project will end up.
• If you have a subject that is from a poor quality photo that’s maybe a bit fuzzy and not
  overly detailed, I find using a surface like Clairefontaine Pastelmat is really useful due to
  the blending properties and the more painterly feel you can get relatively simply.
• If you have a subject that has a lot of very strong texture, a surface like Grafix Drafting Film
  can be really useful, using subtraction techniques is a fabulous way to get texture and if
  you are wanting a crisp sharp outcome, drafting film is a great choice.
• If you are wanting to incorporate a background but don’t want to use dusty messy pastels,
  then again Pastelmat is a great choice, using your hard and dry pencils for the background
  enables you to create soft out of focus elements with a few layers and a cotton bud.
• If you enjoy using indenting methods then hot press or smooth paper is a great choice,
  indenting works extremely well on these surfaces.
• If you really don’t like any of the tooth showing through on your drawings, then choosing a
  smooth or plate surface might work best for you if you don’t like the idea of drafting film.
  You will need sharp pencils and you will need to up your pressure so you get the vibrancy
  and richness. Using a softer pencil works really well on a smoother surface, pencils like
  Luminance or Prismacolor work very well and blend beautifully.
• If you like working on a toned background, then choosing a surface that has toned options
  like Strathmore toned tan or grey, or the Stonehenge papers that have subtle tonal
  options. Pastelmat also has a number of different coloured backgrounds that work
  extremely well.
• If you have a piece where you would like to work light over dark, then an abrasive surface
  like pastelmat is a great choice – light over dark is the holy grail of coloured pencil,
  something that isn’t really possible on the smoother papers, but a paper that has plenty of
  abrasive tooth is a fabulous choice.
• Size of the paper could also be a reason for going with a certain kind, you may want to
  create a very large drawing, in which case you will need to buy as sheet or on a roll.