Ampersand Art Supply Pastelbord Panel 5" x 7" — Assorted Neutrals, 1/2" Thick, Archival & Wet-Ready

Ampersand Museum Series Pastelbord is a museum-grade, hardboard panel with a marble-dust tooth designed to hold many more pastel layers and mixed-media passages than pastel paper.

This 5" x 7" Pastelbord from Ampersand Art Supply combines a gritty, clay-and-gesso surface with a rigid, warp-resistant Hardbord™ backing so artists can build deep colour, refine fine detail, and apply wet underpaintings without buckling. Offered in four neutral starting tones—Grey, Sand, White, and Green—these panels are sealed with Archiva-Seal™ and handcrafted in the USA to give professional pastelists and illustrators a long-lasting, archival substrate that frames cleanly behind glass.

How does Pastelbord improve layering and blending compared to pastel paper?

The marble-dust finish provides a pronounced tooth that captures and holds significantly more pigment per square inch than conventional pastel papers. That extra bite lets you achieve richer colour buildup and smoother transitions while reducing the need to constantly fix or rework lower layers.

• Granular abrasion retains both soft and hard pastel particles.
• Stronger pigment hold means deeper glazing and repeated passes.
• Rigid panel prevents flexing that can disturb delicate layers.

Can I use wet media on this pastel panel without warping?

Yes—Pastelbord’s gesso- and clay-based coating accepts thin wet washes such as acrylic, watercolour, or ink without the curling and buckling common to paper supports. The sealed Hardbord backing remains flat, so you can combine underpainting and dry finishing on the same surface.

• Archiva-Seal™ helps keep the ground stable when using washes.
• Use thin, controlled washes to tone white panels or lay colour foundations.
• Dries flat—no additional mounting board required for framing.

What dry media work best on Pastelbord?

The tooth is ideal for soft pastels, hard pastels, charcoal, coloured pencil, graphite, and conté. Its granular surface gives reliable bite for fine lines and textured strokes, making it well suited for realism, portraiture, still life, and detailed illustration.

• Soft pastels layer deeply for saturated fields of colour.
• Hard pastels and pencils retain crisp edges for detail work.
• Charcoal and conté adhere for rich darks and strong value contrast.

How durable and archival is this panel for finished artwork?

Pastelbord is manufactured on FSC-Certified Hardbord™ and sealed to be pH neutral and non-yellowing, providing a stable archival foundation. Because it is a true rigid panel, framed pieces sit flat and do not require additional backing, improving long-term presentation and preservation.

• pH-neutral, non-yellowing ground for colour stability.
• Warp-resistant Hardbord supports multiple wet and dry techniques.
• Frames cleanly behind glass for exhibition or sale.

Who is this for? Ampersand Museum Series Pastelbord is aimed at serious pastelists, mixed-media illustrators, and professional students who need a compact, archival surface that accepts heavy layering and both wet and dry processes. The 5" x 7" size is convenient for plein-air studies, reference sketches, framed gifts, and practice pieces—while the robust backing and textured ground make it equally useful for finished gallery work.

• Panel size: 5 x 7 inches; depth: 1/8 inch (Hardbord™ backing)
• Pack quantity: 4 panels, assorted tones (Grey, Sand, White, Green)
• Surface: clay-and-gesso marble-dust finish, pH neutral, non-yellowing
• Suitable media: soft/hard pastel, charcoal, coloured pencil, graphite, conté, acrylic, watercolour, ink
• Made in USA, archival seal with Archiva-Seal™