Tutorials, videos, tips & techniques

Learn techniques from professional artists, follow tutorials, videos, and more.

Think all unprimed wood panels are the same? Think again! Watch this video and learn why Ampersand's Unprimed Basswood is the best choice for artists that love working on raw, uncoated wood.

Primed smooth pour-over

Paint glides across the surface of Ampersand Primed Smooth without a texture or weave to interrupt the flow. It is the perfect surface for paint pouring.

Learn more about the Ampersand Primed Smooth gesso panel and why artists enjoy this smooth surface for oil, acrylic, pouring, ink, graphite, mixed media, and more.

Hardbord is the most stable substrate on the market and is used for all Ampersand Museum Series panels. Watch this video to learn more.

Learn more about Ampersand Floaterframes: the profiles, the styles, the colors available, even which frame to use for flat or 1.5" cradled artwork. You'll see why the Ampersand Floaterframe is simply the easiest floater frame you'll ever use.

Learn why artists love Encausticbord for more than encaustics. It is also perfect for image transfer, acrylic, charcoal, ink, graphite, markers, collage, and more.

Want all of the benefits of painting on a panel, but with the familiar texture of canvas? Watch this video and learn how you can get the best of both worlds!

Mountain Pass Time-lapse

Time-lapse of Mountain Pass by Alicia Philley. Acrylic on 48x48 Ampersand Unprimed Basswood.

Ampersand Artist Ambassador Scott Gellatly is a landscape painter at heart, but his work has become more abstracted, with greater emphasis on pure color and gestural mark-making to evoke nature. As a plein air painter, Scott uses Ampersand Gessobord, Aquabord, and Pastelbord for his work.

An exciting video demonstrating the beauty of alcohol inks on Claybord Art Tiles.

Image Transfer

Ampersand Artist Ambassador Frances Tyler gives an excellent demonstration on how to transfer images onto Claybord Art Tiles.

Learn why Claybord is the ultimate multimedia panel in this informational product knowledge video.

charles_ewing_scratch
Artwork by Charles Ewing

While Claybord allows the use of traditional pigments, tools, and techniques, it is also an ideal surface for experimentation. You can cut into the surface and expose the white clay ground as part of the creative process. Pigments can be manipulated to vary tonal value, create detail, develop highlights, and correct mistakes.

Jose Royo
Artwork by José Royo

Claybord is a wonderful surface for printmaking. It can be used for silk screening, intaglio, relief, and monotype printing. This ultra-smooth rigid panel will not stretch or swell during the printing process ensuring perfect registration.

Artwork by Louise LeBourgeois

Some oil painters prefer Claybord because they work in many layers with glazing techniques. The absorbency of the clay ground enhances their technique and adds a unique style to their images.

Butterfly Effect 48x60 Ink on Claybord
Artwork by Andrea Pramuk

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.