Textured paper acts as a drawing ground for charcoal, ink wash, and dry pastel, catching pigment unevenly for natural tonal variation. Pearlescent card adds a light-reflective quality useful for presentation mounts and mixed-media coursework. This guide covers named finishes — linen, laid, hammered, embossed, speckle, pearlescent — and which techniques each suits, written for GCSE and A-Level art students sourcing their own specialist materials.