This is a Pastelmat top bound pad of 12 sheets of coloured card in anthracite black, the dark ground is guaranteed to emphasise the intensity and brightness of pastel paintings. Each sheet is protected by an interleaf. Pastelmat is a premium 360 gsm card surface with a unique velvety texture made from a fine coating of cellulose fibres, which has the ability to grab and hold multiple layers of even the softest pastels. Pastelmat significantly reduces the need for fixative so that colours remain vibrant. It has the added bonus of being gentle on both fingers and blending tools. Though it was designed for pastellists, Pastelmat is suitable for all dry media, from pastel sticks and pencils to charcoal. It is also water resistant which means that it can be used with wet media such as acrylics or watercolour. It comes in a range of colours, all of which are acid free and lightfast. This pad measures 18 x 24cm. Clairefontaine actively participates in the development of French forests, by managing several hundred hectares of fir and spruce trees in the Vosges mountains. With regards to the paper mill itself in the Etival Clairefontaine region, it is still as dynamic 150 years after its conception. Self-sufficient for 80% of its own biological installations for water treatment, and has been rewarded a "Water trophy" by the State.