Pastelmat is a favourite of mine but it’s also a surface a lot of people find difficult to get used to. If you’re one of those people currently getting frustrated, well worry no more because I have a few top tips for you to add to your bank of knowledge so that you can fall in love with Pastelmat as I have!

Understand the Surface Before You Start Drawing:

My first tip is, to make sure you understand that it’s a very different surface before you start drawing because it’s got tooth to it so you’re going to need to use different techniques than you would on something like hot press paper. It’s really important to understand the surface before starting because your process is going to be different, so when using Pastelmat you need to get your layers in to create depth and vibrancy in your drawings.

Create Your Base Layers to Focus on the Values First:

My second tip is when working on Pastelmat, to start with a base layer as this will allow you to concentrate on your values first, then your colour and then the details. It’s much easier to get the little details in when you have multiple layers laid down and it creates a beautiful effect this way. By getting all those layers in it also helps to cover the tooth of the Pastelmat so your drawing doesn’t look grainy.

When You Go Wrong, Just Layer Over the Top!

My third tip is, when you go wrong, which we all do, it’s bound to happen at some point, just layer over the mistake. It sounds a bit crazy but if you put down a colour and think “Oh gosh, that colour isn’t right” then just incorporate it by layering more colours over and you’ll find it adds more vibrancy to your piece, plus you don’t have to spend time trying to rub it out or worrying about the fact you’ve gone a little bit wrong.

I have so many tips when it comes to Pastelmat, so to hear me talk about them more, make sure you watch the full video on YouTube here. If you want a couple of extra tips about what types of pencils work well on Pastelmat you can out more here.