Lascaux Pastelground (2015)

The Townsend Dry Ground is a block of pumice tinted with pigments and bound togetherwith a formula I created to adhere to any paper as a support for pastel or any drawingmedium. I have been working with this concept for 45 years. I first made a wet groundapplication based on Cennino Cennini’s “Il libro dell’arte” in which he tells how toprepare a panel for silverpoint by gathering the chicken bones from under the table andplacing them in a fire and collecting the ash and grinding it to a fine powder…tri calciumphosphate…. and mixing it with gelatin. Then apply to a panel and let dry.The prepared surface holds graphite, silver or pastel etc. and intensifies the mark. I usedto make a fine hand painted ground for paper called “pastel deluxe” or “Townsend PastelPaper” that was very successful, but the labor involved made it commercially prohibitive!The surfaces I like and recommend are delicate and allow for subtle uses in a pastelpainting.But priming a paper with a wet ground brings lots of managing in the application and Ithought of a dry ground applied anywhere and the paper could be prepared on the spotwhether in a studio or in the field.The Townsend Dry Ground has been tested for over a year now and works wonderfullywell for those who like the flow of pastel or any medium.Townsend Dry Ground should be applied to paper lying flat on a table or floor. Firstapply a light coat, and then rub it in with your hands. You must wear latex gloves or therewill be nothing left of your hand!Rub this into the paper firmly and reapply a second coat, rubbing firmly! That shouldgive you a smooth even application and just dust off the excess and you are ready to go.