If you are looking for a quick and easy way to create a white ground for encaustic painting we have great news for you! R&F has produced a ready to use white ground for encaustic painting. This is a modern version of the traditional, but painstakingly laborious, rabbit skin glue/chalk gesso. It is also an alternative to the time-consuming mounting of paper on panel.

Please note that this product is water-based.

Ampersand Museum Series Claybord is made using 3mm true artist hardboard and features Ampersand’s simply amazing kaolin clay ground formula similar in paintability to the clay gesso grounds used during the Renaissance. The surface is sanded to an ultra-smooth, highly absorbent finish so your paint colours remain true and brilliant. Work the surface by thinly applying paint or ink, then remove it, reapply it, even scratch through it to add contrast, texture and fine details. Claybord is a favourite of both fine and graphic artists. Only Ampersand builds their cradles by hand with premium grade 13-ply birch plywood for maximum stability and a clean, finished look from edge to edge. Ampersand Claybord panels are available in a 22mm or 38mm Cradle Profile. The new 38mm profiles offers more flexibility to artists for hanging and framing their work. This cradle profile is handcrafted with premium grade 13-ply birch plywood, designed to fit both standard canvas and floater frames. The cradle can easily be painted or stained to complement the artwork or primed with gesso to wrap the image around the edges. No other panel on the market protects an artist’s work like an Ampersand panel. Every Claybord panel is protected by our proprietary Archival-Seal barrier technology, the most advanced formula for sealing wood that prevents support induced discoloration. Only Ampersand uses true high-density hardboard made from US-grown renewable Aspen wood fibres. Claybord is archival, eco-friendly, formaldehyde-free and made by hand in the USA. Apply paint and ink using brushes, sponges, palette knives, paper towels, airbrush, technical pens and painting tools. Claybord is also an excellent printing surface and can also be used for image transfers. With Claybord, paints and inks can be manipulated to vary tonal value, create detail and to develop highlights and correct mistakes. Various artist tools can be used such as Ampersand scratchboard tools, hobby knives, razor blades, etching tools, sand paper, oil-free steel wool, and electric erasers. Claybord's clay coating allows for the use of sgraffito techniques to cut into the surface and re-expose the white clay ground. The coating is 7 to 10 dry-mils thick allowing for multiple cut-ins or erasers. The smooth finish and the absorbency of the clay ground allows the use of an abrasive like oil-free steel wool or sand paper to remove pigment without damaging the finish. While Claybord allows the use of traditional materials, tools, and techniques, it is also an ideal surface for mixed media and experimentation. Details can be added, highlights created, and mistakes corrected. Ampersand Claybord Panels • Ultra-smooth absorbent clay ground • Accepts more mediums than any other surface • One of a kind workability with paints and artist tools Many Fine Art Uses: • Excellent for use with India, pigmented and alcohol inks • Also use with egg tempera, acrylics, collage, pencil, pens, airbrush, photo-transfers, casein, watercolour, gouache and mixed media • Bonds well with adhesives to mount paper and fabrics

Ampersand Museum Series Gessobord is made with superior quality acrylic gesso ground. This ground does not dull colours and the wonderful lightly sanded surface provides exceptional brush control. Made with Ampersand’s 3mm True Artist Hardboard and Archiva-Seal technology, the surface is acid-free, non-yellowing, and archival. Perfect for all painting styles with oil paints, acrylics and mixed media.Only Ampersand builds their cradles by hand with premium grade 13-ply birch plywood for maximum stability and a clean, finished look from edge to edge. Choose from 22mm and 38mm deep panels. The 38mm Cradle Profile that offers more flexibility to artists for hanging and framing their work. This cradle profile is handcrafted with premium grade 13-ply birch plywood, designed to fit both standard canvas and floater frames. Gessoboard is also available in a 3mm uncradled profile.No other panel on the market protects an artist’s work like an Ampersand panel. Every Gessobord panel is protected by proprietary Archival-Seal barrier technology, the most advanced formula for sealing wood, that prevents support induced discoloration. Only Ampersand uses true high-density hardboard made from US-grown and renewable Aspen wood fibres. Gessobord is archival, eco-friendly and formaldehyde-free.Ampersand Gessobord Panels• 88% thicker acrylic gesso than other brands• Consistently even, bright white finish• Right level of absorbency, will not dull coloursMany Fine Art Uses:• Great for oils, acrylics and mixed media• Excellent for both fine brushwork and palette knife painting• Ideal for thin glazes, alla prima and even impasto 

Ampersand : Artist Panel : Smooth Primed : Cradled 22mm : 12x16in

The Unprimed Basswood panel is handcrafted using a non-flexible basswood top, sanded perfectly smooth and ready to seal and prime with the ground of your choice. Compared with other wood panels on the market, the Unprimed Basswood is sanded perfectly smooth and lacks plywood seams, knots or raised fibres providing the cleaner, more professional look artists’ want. The support frames are made with quality solid pine strips that can be finished with paint or stain. Unprimed Basswood is great for encaustic, mixed media, collage and wood engraving. All wood should be sealed and primed. Available in two standard cradled profiles, 22mm and 38mm, both are simple to hang or frame. Ultra-stable, these wood panels will not give, bend or flex and like all Ampersand’s panels, they are made with quality materials that have been tested not only for durability, but also for performance with artists’ paints. Ampersand uses true high density hardboard made from US-grown renewable and FSC Certified Aspen wood fibers. Ampersand brand Hardbord is made without formaldehyde or harmful VOC’s (volatile organic compounds) unlike other hardboards and MDF boards. Both their domestic and imported panels are made from FSC certified forest products that promote sustainable forests. Artist Panel Unprimed Basswood Panel• Ultra-stable premium Basswood top• Sanded perfectly smooth• Free of knots, seams and excess wood grain• Supported with solid pinewood cradles Many Fine Art and Craft Uses:• Accepts all types of painting grounds• Great for encaustic, mixed media, collage and wood engraving• Perfect for mounting canvas & giclees

Our Wooden Art Cradle Boards provides a sturdy canvas for creativity. Smooth wood surface, and is suitable for all artist media.
Prime with gesso for optimal results.

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Our Wooden Art Cradle Boards provides a sturdy canvas for creativity. Smooth wood surface, and is suitable for all artist media.
Prime with gesso for optimal results.

Our Wooden Art Panels provides a sturdy canvas for creativity. Smooth wood surface, and is suitable for all artist media.
Prime with gesso for optimal results.

Our Wooden Art Panels provides a sturdy canvas for creativity. Smooth wood surface, and is suitable for all artist media.
Prime with gesso for optimal results.

Our Wooden Art Panels provides a sturdy canvas for creativity. Smooth wood surface, and is suitable for all artist media.
Prime with gesso for optimal results.

Dala Archival Artist Canvases are quality, splined gallery profile canvases that are 100% pure cotton and 380gsm.

These canvases are triple primed for Oil and Acrylic and are reinforced with Swedish pine.

Daler-Rowney Premium stretched canvases are made with a high-quality 380gsm, acid-free, 100% cotton, medium grain canvas, and professional stretcher bars for improved strength and optimal stability. The canvases have been given three coats of acrylic primer; triple-priming creates a perfect ready-to-use painting surface for both oils and acrylics. This holds the colour on the surface and prevents seepage through to the back. The canvases are stapled on the back to give clean edges and come complete with wooden wedges to adjust tension in the traditional manner. They are individually wrapped to protect the surface.

Ampersand Museum Series Claybord is made using 3mm true artist hardboard and features Ampersand’s simply amazing kaolin clay ground formula similar in paintability to the clay gesso grounds used during the Renaissance. The surface is sanded to an ultra-smooth, highly absorbent finish so your paint colours remain true and brilliant. Work the surface by thinly applying paint or ink, then remove it, reapply it, even scratch through it to add contrast, texture and fine details. Claybord is a favourite of both fine and graphic artists. Only Ampersand builds their cradles by hand with premium grade 13-ply birch plywood for maximum stability and a clean, finished look from edge to edge.Ampersand Claybord panels are available in a 22mm or 38mm Cradle Profile. The new 38mm profiles offers more flexibility to artists for hanging and framing their work. This cradle profile is handcrafted with premium grade 13-ply birch plywood, designed to fit both standard canvas and floater frames. The cradle can easily be painted or stained to complement the artwork or primed with gesso to wrap the image around the edges.No other panel on the market protects an artist’s work like an Ampersand panel. Every Claybord panel is protected by our proprietary Archival-Seal barrier technology, the most advanced formula for sealing wood that prevents support induced discoloration. Only Ampersand uses true high-density hardboard made from US-grown renewable Aspen wood fibres. Claybord is archival, eco-friendly, formaldehyde-free and made by hand in the USA.Apply paint and ink using brushes, sponges, palette knives, paper towels, airbrush, technical pens and painting tools. Claybord is also an excellent printing surface and can also be used for image transfers.With Claybord, paints and inks can be manipulated to vary tonal value, create detail and to develop highlights and correct mistakes. Various artist tools can be used such as Ampersand scratchboard tools, hobby knives, razor blades, etching tools, sand paper, oil-free steel wool, and electric erasers. Claybord's clay coating allows for the use of sgraffito techniques to cut into the surface and re-expose the white clay ground. The coating is 7 to 10 dry-mils thick allowing for multiple cut-ins or erasers. The smooth finish and the absorbency of the clay ground allows the use of an abrasive like oil-free steel wool or sand paper to remove pigment without damaging the finish.While Claybord allows the use of traditional materials, tools, and techniques, it is also an ideal surface for mixed media and experimentation. Details can be added, highlights created, and mistakes corrected.Please note: These products have been finished with an industrial sander. If you are planning on doing a very thin glaze or wash, this may reveal usually imperceptible circular marks made by the sanding process. If you need an extremely smooth claybord surface, we suggest using a very fine sandpaper or oil-free steel wool prior to applying paint.Ampersand Claybord Panels• Ultra-smooth absorbent clay ground• Accepts more mediums than any other surface• One of a kind workability with paints and artist toolsMany Fine Art Uses:• Excellent for use with India, pigmented and alcohol inks• Also use with egg tempera, acrylics, collage, pencil, pens, airbrush, photo-transfers, casein, watercolour, gouache and mixed media• Bonds well with adhesives to mount paper and fabrics

White Gesso Primer is a unique formulation which needs no dilution. This product is highly adhesive and is ideal for directly sealing all semi-absorbent surfaces before applying colour – both acrylics and oils. Daler Rowney’s White Gesso Primer is suitable for both interior and exterior applications. It dries quickly to produce a matt white surface, with a slight tooth, which is easily sanded for highly detailed work.

Ampersand Museum Series Aquabord is an acid-free textured clay surface that absorbs watercolours like a fine paper. Colours retain their purity and vibrancy in a way that even the finest of watercolour papers can never match. When compared with watercolour paper, this multimedia panel simulates the absorbency and texture of a cold pressed surface, but allows colour to be lifted back to white easily while also leaving the richest, most vibrant colour possible. This workable surface provides natural looking highlights, fluid glazes, transparent subtle layers, and the ability to lift colour while the surface is wet or even after it is dry. Uniquely absorbent Aquabord is perfect for watercolours and gouache, but is also ideal for casein and acrylics. It will not tear, shrink or buckle even under heavy water application. Ampersand Aquabord is archival and eco-friendly. Seal finished watercolours or gouache with several light coats of spray varnish (or fixative), being careful to spray outdoors during warmer months or in a well ventilated and heated area during colder times of the year. Aquabord is available in a 3mm flat panel for standard framing behind glass and in a 22mm cradle profile for either frameless presentation or for use with floater frames. For best results, it’s a good idea to first “flush out” the surface of the panel with water using a large flat watercolour brush to release trapped air. Once the surface is slightly damp, it is ready to use. Rewetting may be needed as you work. Note that heavy water applications may release more air. Use a blow dryer to dry and also to dissipate air if needed.

The Primed Smooth cradled panels have a semi-absorbent acid-free ground that is excellent for painting in oils, acrylics, watermedia and also for drawing. Consisting of top quality 3mm MDF, these panels are coated with an acrylic gesso primer and fully supported with solid pine wood cradle support frames. This panel is completely primed on the surface and on the sides of the cradle—g reat if you want to wrap your images over the edge without the extra prep work. The Primed Smooth panel is ideal for all painting styles especially highly detailed paintings and drawings. Ampersand quality, affordably priced and ready to use. Available in two standard cradled profiles, 22mm and 38mm, both are simple to hang or frame. Ultra-stable, these wood panels will not give, bend or flex and like all Ampersand’s panels, they are made with quality materials that have been tested not only for durability, but also for performance with artists’ paints. Ampersand Artist Panel Smooth Primed • Fully primed on top and sides• Super smooth acrylic gesso finish • No fibre show-through on coating Many Fine Art and Craft Uses:• Accepts all artists’ paints including oils, acrylics and watercolour• Ready to paint and draw on• Great for fluid lines and fine detail• Perfect for mounting canvas & giclees

The Unprimed Basswood panel is handcrafted using a non-flexible basswood top, sanded perfectly smooth and ready to seal and prime with the ground of your choice. Compared with other wood panels on the market, the Unprimed Basswood is sanded perfectly smooth and lacks plywood seams, knots or raised fibres providing the cleaner, more professional look artists’ want. The support frames are made with quality solid pine strips that can be finished with paint or stain. Unprimed Basswood is great for encaustic, mixed media, collage and wood engraving. All wood should be sealed and primed. Available in two standard cradled profiles, 22mm and 38mm, both are simple to hang or frame. Ultra-stable, these wood panels will not give, bend or flex and like all Ampersand’s panels, they are made with quality materials that have been tested not only for durability, but also for performance with artists’ paints. Ampersand uses true high density hardboard made from US-grown renewable and FSC Certified Aspen wood fibers. Ampersand brand Hardbord is made without formaldehyde or harmful VOC’s (volatile organic compounds) unlike other hardboards and MDF boards. Both their domestic and imported panels are made from FSC certified forest products that promote sustainable forests. Artist Panel Unprimed Basswood Panel• Ultra-stable premium Basswood top• Sanded perfectly smooth• Free of knots, seams and excess wood grain• Supported with solid pinewood cradles Many Fine Art and Craft Uses:• Accepts all types of painting grounds• Great for encaustic, mixed media, collage and wood engraving• Perfect for mounting canvas & giclees

The Unprimed Basswood panel is handcrafted using a non-flexible basswood top, sanded perfectly smooth and ready to seal and prime with the ground of your choice. Compared with other wood panels on the market, the Unprimed Basswood is sanded perfectly smooth and lacks plywood seams, knots or raised fibres providing the cleaner, more professional look artists’ want. The support frames are made with quality solid pine strips that can be finished with paint or stain. Unprimed Basswood is great for encaustic, mixed media, collage and wood engraving. All wood should be sealed and primed. Available in two standard cradled profiles, 22mm and 38mm, both are simple to hang or frame. Ultra-stable, these wood panels will not give, bend or flex and like all Ampersand’s panels, they are made with quality materials that have been tested not only for durability, but also for performance with artists’ paints. Ampersand uses true high density hardboard made from US-grown renewable and FSC Certified Aspen wood fibers. Ampersand brand Hardbord is made without formaldehyde or harmful VOC’s (volatile organic compounds) unlike other hardboards and MDF boards. Both their domestic and imported panels are made from FSC certified forest products that promote sustainable forests. Artist Panel Unprimed Basswood Panel• Ultra-stable premium Basswood top• Sanded perfectly smooth• Free of knots, seams and excess wood grain• Supported with solid pinewood cradles Many Fine Art and Craft Uses:• Accepts all types of painting grounds• Great for encaustic, mixed media, collage and wood engraving• Perfect for mounting canvas & giclees

Ampersand Museum Series Aquabord is an acid-free textured clay surface that absorbs watercolours like a fine paper. Colours retain their purity and vibrancy in a way that even the finest of watercolour papers can never match. When compared with watercolour paper, this multimedia panel simulates the absorbency and texture of a cold pressed surface, but allows colour to be lifted back to white easily while also leaving the richest, most vibrant colour possible. This workable surface provides natural looking highlights, fluid glazes, transparent subtle layers, and the ability to lift colour while the surface is wet or even after it is dry. Uniquely absorbent Aquabord is perfect for watercolours and gouache, but is also ideal for casein and acrylics. It will not tear, shrink or buckle even under heavy water application. Ampersand Aquabord is archival and eco-friendly. Seal finished watercolours or gouache with several light coats of spray varnish (or fixative), being careful to spray outdoors during warmer months or in a well ventilated and heated area during colder times of the year. Aquabord is available in a 3mm flat panel for standard framing behind glass and in a 22mm cradle profile for either frameless presentation or for use with floater frames. For best results, it’s a good idea to first “flush out” the surface of the panel with water using a large flat watercolour brush to release trapped air. Once the surface is slightly damp, it is ready to use. Rewetting may be needed as you work. Note that heavy water applications may release more air. Use a blow dryer to dry and also to dissipate air if needed.

Jackson's Cotton Art boards are portable, 3mm thick surfaces suitable for use with Oils and Acrylics. They consist of a sheet of medium texture, universal primed cotton canvas glued to a backing panel of thick card.

Jackson's Cotton Art boards are portable, 3mm thick surfaces suitable for use with Oils and Acrylics. They consist of a sheet of medium texture, universal primed cotton canvas glued to a backing panel of thick card.

These high quality Italian made canvas panels are more solid than regular art panels, they are made from 3.2mm thick MDF board with fine grain 100% cotton canvas glued to the front surface. The canvas has a sheared edge, and is universal primed making it suitable for oils, acrylics, mixed media etc.

This iridescent gold acrylic gesso by Daniel Smith provides a lustrous metallic ground for oil and acrylic artists. It will enliven the transparent and semi-transparent colours which are painted over it, and will show through gaps between brushstrokes. It is vibrant, lightfast and archival.This product is made with Mica and iron oxide particles. Please remember that the Mica particles in this ground are heavy, and will sink to the bottom of the pot over time. It is therefore a great idea to mix the gesso with a palette knife before use, just to get the Mica back in suspension.

The Primed Smooth cradled panels have a semi-absorbent acid-free ground that is excellent for painting in oils, acrylics, watermedia and also for drawing. Consisting of top quality 3mm MDF, these panels are coated with an acrylic gesso primer and fully supported with solid pine wood cradle support frames. This panel is completely primed on the surface and on the sides of the cradle—g reat if you want to wrap your images over the edge without the extra prep work. The Primed Smooth panel is ideal for all painting styles especially highly detailed paintings and drawings. Ampersand quality, affordably priced and ready to use. Available in a 3mm uncradled version made with Ampersand quality hardboard that is sealed with super smooth acid-free acrylic gesso. It’s perfectly suited for all painting mediums and for mounting papers, giclees and canvas. Use with standard framing or also frameless clips. Ampersand Artist Panel Smooth Primed • Fully primed on top and sides• Super smooth acrylic gesso finish • No fibre show-through on coating Many Fine Art and Craft Uses:• Accepts all artists’ paints including oils, acrylics and watercolour• Ready to paint and draw on• Great for fluid lines and fine detail• Perfect for mounting canvas & giclees