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PAPER This page is new and there will be more added to it before long. At this time we have the following descriptions of some of the different kinds of paper he uses with Conte crayons from Brian McGurgan.
CANSON MI-TENTES PASTEL PAPER
Canson Mi-Teintes is probably the most broadly available paper for pastels and can be used with Conté Crayons as well. It is available in pads in various sizes and in individual sheets in most art supply stores in the United States and comes in a broad range of colors. The pads are typically stocked with a sample of various colors and most are very well-suited as a base tone for working in pastel or Conté Crayons. Canson Mi-Teintes pastel paper has two very different textures: the front of each sheet has a rough tooth and the back is smoother, with less texture. In my experience, Conté Crayons work better on the back of the sheet unless you plan to do a heavily-layered drawing. The smoother back allows for easy blending of colors with tissue or paper towel but will generally not allow you to layer color heavily. Using the coarser front of each sheet will require that you fill the tooth with crayon unless you prefer to have the tone of the paper appearing in a spotty way where crayon hasn't filled the tooth (some artists prefer this look). The tooth of the paper provides texture that enables you to build up color and to blend colors by layering strokes on top of each other or close together. This can result in a more "painterly" appearance with thicker, blended color. However, it can eat up your expensive Conté Crayons rather quickly and is probably better suited to a soft pastel. I'm interested in hearing about other artist's experiences with Canson Mi-Teintes and whether you prefer the coarse or smoother side of the paper. Canson also makes a number of drawing papers for pencil, charcoal, and other media and I'm interested to know if you've found that any of these other papers work well with Conté Crayons. _____ Cartiera Magnani Pastello Paper Pastello is a heavy weight (120 lb.) paper made in Italy for use with pastels and charcoal. It has a rough texture, with the back of the sheet having a somewhat heavier tooth than the front. It is available in block pads in 9" x 12" and 11" x 14" sizes, and can also be purchased as individual sheets in 55lb. and 120 lb. weights. The block pads contain five colors of paper in light tones (off white, cream, light blue, gray, and celadon green). The tooth of the paper is similar to that of Canson Mi-Teintes pastel paper, although the paper itself is of a heavier weight and has a firmer feel to it. It is probably best suited for soft pastels, but I found it easy to work with using Conte crayons - even with a lighter stroke and when rubbing and blending colors. The finished surface of my work had an appearance somewhat similar to paintings done on cold-pressed watercolor paper. I like the weight of the paper and think the light colors should provide a good ground for drawings. I purchased the paper at New York Central Art Supply. _____ I would be very interested in hearing from people on what types of paper they like to use and why. As Jean knows (and is probably tired of hearing [reading] me talk about!), I've been enjoying using Cartiera Magnani Velata paper these days. This is an ivory-colored paper with a very fine, smooth surface and just the slightest texture and is manufactured in Italy. While it is recommended for use with pencil, charcoal, and pastel, it lends itself better - I think - to a somewhat lighter approach with pastel or Conte crayon. Since it doesn't have much tooth, building up many layers of crayon or pastel is not really possible but it works well with fewer layers of crayon and allows for nice blending with tissue or other material. I'm curious whether others have used this paper and what observations you might have - and if there is other paper you particularly enjoy using. I have purchased Velata paper at Pearl Paint and New York Central Art Supply, although in both cases I visited the store rather than online. It is available in several different weights and sizes. I've used a lighter weight and heavier weight and both seem to work equally well for Conte crayons, although you might want the heavier weight if you were to use any type of wet media on the paper. While at New York Central Art Supply, I looked at Sennelier pastel paper and this looks like it has a very nice texture for those who prefer a heavier, more layered approach to Conte crayon or pastel. I'd be interested to know if anyone has used this paper with Conte crayons and - if so - how you like it. _____ This is another paper for pastels from the French manufacturer of art supply products, including pastels, paints, and papers. It is a light-weight (45 lb.) paper with a very fine, even tooth that allows for blending and rubbing of colors and for heavier layering of pastel or crayon strokes. I've only found this paper in a single size in a spiral-bound pad measuring 9-1/2" x 12-1/2". The pads contain five colors that serve as a nice ground: light cream, dark cream, felt blue, light gray, and medium gray. Like the Sennelier l'Esprit du Pastel paper, the Ingres pastel paper is a real pleasure to use. It is also pricey, although not quite as expensive as the l'Esprit paper. The tooth is similar as well - much finer and more even than Canson Mi-Teintes paper. I found this paper at New York Central Art Supply but you can also buy it online here. _____ Sennelier l'Esprit du Pastel Paper This medium-weight paper from France is available in spiral-bound pads. Each piece of paper is separated by a clear insert page to protect works in progress when the pad is closed. The paper is described as "grey felt paper" and it has a nice tone to it which serves as a neutral ground for pastels and Conté crayons. The paper has a fine regular tooth to it, much more even and smooth than the coarse side of Canson Mi-Teintes paper. You do not need to apply many layers to fill the tooth and can blend or rub color onto the paper with ease, and without uncolored spots appearing where the depths of the paper's texture are untouched. I found this paper a real treat to use and highly recommend it, especially if you prefer a heavier, more painterly feel to your work. It is one of the more expensive papers I've worked on and is not available everywhere. I found small 6 x 9-1/2" pads at New York Central Art Supply but I know it comes in at least two sizes and may be available in other stores in the US. Please let us know if you find it elsewhere and in other sizes! _____ - Brian
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