Tutorials & tips - Ampersand Art

Butterfly Effect 48x60 Ink on Claybord — Artwork by Andrea Pramuk

Inks on Claybord

Claybord's smooth, absorbent surface was designed for use with inks. Its smooth kaolin clay coating eliminates smudging, bleeding, and feathering. The pigments in most inks are only absorbed into the top layer of the Claybord surface allowing them to be easily erased and manipulated.

Graphite on Claybord

Claybord’s rigidity, soft tooth finish, ability to be scratched or manipulated, and archival qualities make it a fresh alternative for pencil work. Graphite pencils and powder graphite both pair perfectly with Claybord.

Graphic Media: Pen and Ink on Claybord

Claybord is an ideal surface for fine drawings using technical pens. The smooth and absorbent surface will faithfully reproduce the desired line width without feathering or bleeding.

Egg Tempera on Claybord

Egg tempera is a very vibrant and durable paint, but it requires a rigid and absorbent support. Claybord is the perfect solution, saving you many hours of painstakingly preparing your panels.

Casein on Claybord

Rigid panel supports like Claybord are ideal for painting with casein. Canvas cannot be used, because a dry casein paint film is the most inflexible of the permanent paint binders and becomes increasingly brittle as it ages.

Airbrush on Claybord

Claybord's smooth, absorbent surface and rigid hardboard backing make it ideal for airbrush. The clay coating allows manipulation of the surface without affecting its integrity. Instead of using masking fluid, scratch in your details and apply a glaze layer for a whole new dimension.

Acrylic on Claybord

The combination of Claybord’s kaolin clay coating and smooth surface allows for free-flowing brush strokes, intense color, and the ability to remove paint from the surface with ease.

Fluid Art with Claybord Art Tiles and Marabu Alcohol Inks

In this step-by-step guide by Celia Buchanan, you’ll find a fun and easy tutorial for fluid art. Explore with Marabu Alcohol Inks and acrylic pouring medium on Ampersand Claybord Art Tiles.

Claybord and Golden High Flow Acrylics

Amy Shawley Paquette demonstrates her "painterly illustrative" style using Claybord and Golden High Flow acrylics. Inspired by nature, texture, color, and travel; her work incorporates figurative elements with wildlife, architecture, and landscapes that are influenced by her adventures.

Silhouettes on Primed Smooth

Ampersand Primed Smooth works great for making silhouette paintings of your family or friends. Its smooth surface means that you’ll have excellent control of both the drawing and the painting steps in this project. Also, because it is a rigid panel, you can frame it without a mat or glass when you’re done for a lasting keepsake!

Image transfer on Claybord

Claybord is great for this kind of work because of its versatility. The rigid panel takes the pressure of an image transfer process without bending or tearing. Its smooth surface allows for a clean transfer and for collage materials to make a perfectly flush connection.

Read more … Image transfer on Claybord

Windows of the World: Watercolor tutorial

Karen Vernon's painting Windows of the World is an 11x14 watercolor on Ampersand Aquabord. Take a look at the many layers of color that have been applied to this beautiful painting.

Scratchbord overview

Originally developed as an alternative to scratchboard paper, it is the surface of choice for most professional scratchboard artists today. Learn what makes Ampersand Scratchbord considerably more durable and easier to scratch into than traditional paper-based scratchboards.

Tips for getting the perfect watercolor effects on Aquabord

Aquabord offers the ability to do more on the surface and to create effects easier than on other surfaces. It is an archival panel with a unique clay coating which includes a tiny mineral that helps to dissipate the water and pigment throughout the painting. Designed to work with water media, Aquabord can be used for other media as well.

The many colors of white with Karen Vernon

For the past 20 years I have worked on Aquabord which allows me to do far more than I ever dreamed of doing on paper. Not only does it give me more luminous, vibrant color, but it allows me to present my works with no glass. I can create intimate 1x1 pieces up to large 42x90 paintings. Or pieces to be framed traditionally or to present cradled with no frame at all.