Clairefontaine Pastelmat Pad 360g 24x30cm

Key features

The pastelmat pad offers a unique, soft yet adhesive surface designed for the pastel technique, allowing multiple pigment layers without saturation or the need for fixatives. Each leaf is white and richly textured to grip dry pastel strokes while preserving vibrancy and detail. The 360 g weight provides a substantial feel and excellent support for energetic lines and refined shading alike, making it a versatile choice for both bold mark making and subtle gradations. The glued block design keeps sheets neatly aligned, and a crystal spacer protects each page when you work on several drawings in one session. Pastelmat paper performs well with both dry pastel and light wet techniques, maintaining its texture and grip even when slightly dampened or treated with gum, which helps artists build depth without sacrificing surface quality. This combination of surface, weight and stability makes it a reliable option for students and professionals seeking consistency across a series of studies or full pieces.

Crafted for longevity, the pad is acid-free and neutral in pH to help preserve drawings over time. The white surface provides a clean, true base for colour accuracy and easy erasing, so you can experiment freely without compromising results. The format measures 24x30 cm, a practical size for study sketches, travel work and gallery-ready compositions. By carrying a block of 12 sheets, it helps you maintain a cohesive workflow while giving you the freedom to detach sheets one by one as you complete each piece. Clairefontaine Rhodia’s Pastelmat line is trusted by artists who value durability, predictable handling and a surface that accepts delicate blends as well as dynamic, energetic strokes. If you are looking for a dependable pad that supports graphite as well as pastel experiments, this block is a sensible choice.

What to know

This pastel paper is specifically designed for dry pastel work, delivering lively strokes and rich shading without the need for heavy fixatives. Its surface remains receptive to multiple pigment layers and retains integrity when used with light washes or alcohol techniques, which some artists employ for special effects. The neutral white sheets provide consistent tonal base and reduce colour shift across pieces, helping to achieve uniform results in a series. The glue-bound format is convenient for portability and quick page turning, while the spacer between leaves minimises abrasion during stacking or storage. For best results, test a small area first to gauge how your chosen pastels interact with the surface, but in most cases the Pastelmat surface offers reliable performance across a range of media and techniques. The 12-sheet pack is a practical option for ongoing projects, auditions and classroom use, where durability and cost efficiency matter. If you value a robust yet forgiving surface that can accommodate layering and blending, this pad provides solid value and dependable results for both beginners and seasoned artists. It is an ideal companion for creating vibrant landscapes, still lifes and studies that require smooth tonal transitions and controlled textures. ⓘ Note that results may vary depending on media and technique, so allow for some experimentation to determine personal preferences. You will appreciate how the surface grips pigment without saturating, enabling clean edges and precise detail, which is especially helpful for portrait work and intricate texture rendering.

Technical details

• Name: Clairefontaine Pastelmat Pad White 360g 24x30cm
• Type: Paper pad
• Format: Glue bound block
• Size: 24x30 cm
• Capacity: 12 sheets
• Material: 360 g paper with Pastelmat surface
• Colour: White