In my past painting life I used stretched canvas with a bit of introduction to canvas boards. I have had good experiences with Raymar Boards but I see a lot of Acrylic artists using Ampersand Boards. There are absorbent and semi-absorbent panels, and there are smooth and textured etc. Which is your preference and would you share Why it is your preference? And maybe there is a better painting surface option? Thanks so much!
I love Ampersand Gessobord for my acrylic work, both in the studio and en plein air. It’s a lovely surface to work on and accepts the paint beautifully. I especially like how it works with the transparent layers I like to start with. The bright white of the gessoed surface glows through and gives the washes a nice luminosity, similar to the behavior of watercolor paper. It’s also very sturdy and allows unlimited layers as you develop your painting, holding up well to texture techniques like wiping, scraping and scratching. I like both the flat panels and the cradled panels. The cradled panels have the benefit of not needing a frame if you’re open to a contemporary, frameless presentation. I also like Ampersand Aquabord, which is very similar to watercolor paper, but Gessobord is my favorite.
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Hi, I am an acrylic painter. I used to use cradled canvas many years ago but I’ve recently (within the last year) started using Ampersand hardbords. I did use the “Gessobords” that are already gessoed, but I find that I need to add additional layers of gesso anyway so I spend a little less getting them without the gesso and doing it myself. I absolutely LOVE the smooth surface, after sanding down my gesso. It works really well with fluid acrylics that are not as thick as regular hard-bodied acrylics. I guess it all depends on the look you’re going for. I tend to want my brush strokes to lay effortlessly on the surface. Good luck with your search for finding the right one for you.
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Thank you so much, Jayne. How think is your bord? 3/8" or 1/8"?
Karen
Thank you so much, Nancy. How think is your bord? 3/8" or 1/8"?
I use 1/8” thick boards. They store nicely and also costs less to ship.
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I usually use 1/8” thick Ampersand Gessobord flat panels. I also like Ampersand’s cradled Gessobord panels but they’re more expensive. (The benefit is that they can be hung without a frame.) The flat panels are easy to carry, store and frame.
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