Ampersand Claybord | 10x10 | 1.5" Cradled | Ink & Acrylic Painting Panel

Great product! Will order again !

These are lovely to paint on. I use watercolors, and I love the smooth texture (makes smooth colors, too). They’re a good thickness for the size, but I did receive mine with a couple slightly dented corners. That wasn’t a big deal for me as I’m just experimenting. I will order them again, probably in a bigger pack which will be cheaper and (hopefully) less likely to arrive without damage. I appreciate the price point, too. —One note, I’ve heard in a few places that you can wash these off and paint on them more than once. This is definitely not true of watercolor paints. The clay is porous and will stain.

The ultra-smooth surface produces some interesting results. I've tried oil pastels, watercolor, acrylic and water-based paint on them. Pastels and water-based seem to work the best for me. Unlike, say a glazed tile (also smooth), this board is extra-absorbent so the media immediately finds purchase and won't run (as in a glazed tile). Also, unlike canvas the surface will not deteriorate with steel wool, painting knife and the like. Only the paint is affected. Water-based can be manipulated after-the-fact by applying water. Kinda like oils that remain unset for a while. However, oil will dry much sooner on this board than in canvas. It is very similar to Formica (I haven't tried in Formica yet). However, due to its reasonable price and the frame's fit and finish this is worth it, in my opinion. Finally, the variety of sizes and widths makes it easier for the artist.

For a long time, I preferred to use hot press illustration board for my finished artworks, but once I started to use these clayboards I find it hard to return to using it. Pros: - Archival quality. It is nice to know that my art will last for years on this board and still look beautiful. - SCRATCH OUT TECHNIQUE. In my opinion this sets clayboard apart from other surfaces because with ink or watercolor, you can scratch it out with an exact-o knife to reveal sharp white highlights that are difficult to achieve otherwise. - Gorgeous smooth surface. - Sturdy. I can safety transport my work to and from class without worrying about it getting bent. - It will not bend, regardless of how much water is on it. When doing watercolor/gouache, you don't have to worry about stretching paper. I used illustration board for years and for larger pieces, if not stretched and held down, even heavy illustration board starts to bend to the force of the water. - Takes gouache beautifully. The colors look so brilliant. Cons: - Hard to erase pencil on it short of scratching it out. - Gouache dries faster than I'm typically used to but that lessens as more layers are added. - Looks a little yellow when scanned into a computer. Now this is an incredibly easy fix in photoshop but I feel it should be mentioned.

Unfortunately, the product was damaged in the corner during transport. My understanding of the reason for this is that the product was loosely packed in a slightly too large package without taking into account shocks during transport. Had to cut off the lower part of the plates to be able to use them, otherwise satisfied with the products.

No marks on them. Arrived perfect, packaged well. Very pleased

If you are an artiste you will appreciate this material, the surface is smooth & can handle a variety of art techniques, cost is a bit high however. If you want to create something that will last it is a decent choice in my experience.

Love these boards, but like others have mentioned they are easily damaged in transit. My order arrived with chipped edges and bent corner. In my case the damage will not be visible when framed, but for the price I expect better.