Comments about Richeson Gator Foam Premium Pastel Surfaces:

Very coarse surface that ate my pastels so quickly I almost didn't want to paint. Very hard to fill areas where you want to cover the colour of the board. This product would hold many many more layers than I was willing to put down. Not possible to use pastel pencils to any effect as no fine lines achievable due to coarseness. I will say that they finished product was very easy to frame and board as really light and sturdy. If you like very coarse papers this will suit you.

Comments about Richeson Gator Foam Premium Pastel Surfaces:

I found that this board was way too rough for my tastes and needs. I have used several sanded pastel surface, but this feels like a 200-grit sandpaper, where it is utterly impossible to obtain any detail. Plus, the price is way too high for materials that aren't anywhere near as expensive. I will not buy this ever again.

Comments about Richeson Gator Foam Premium Pastel Surfaces:

Lightweight, so it's terrific for plein air. Surface really holds the pastel so you don't need any fixative unless you've really filled it up (hard to do) and want to hold on to some delicate stroke work you've achieved. I've been able to erase and scrub the surface without ruining its ability to hold pastel. The colors are rich. The gatorfoam makes it easy to frame because you don't need to mount it. It's my favorite surface to date. I'm just about to experiment using it with watercolor underpainting and I expect it to continue to perform beyond my expectations. The Kitty Wallis paper has a larger and "rounded" or "pebblly" feel to its surface, while the Richeson has a finer grade that is denser, smaller and sharper in feel. The Wallis paper is nice too, but it doesn't come premounted on gatorfoam, which I really prefer.