Ampersand Art Supply

Tips for Painting on Claybord™

2012-01-17T11:18:00.000-06:00


Lost Marbles by Lorna Hannett, Claybord Inks on Claybord

Claybord™ is an extremely smooth surface, workable for both additive and subtractive art making. Its name comes from the absorbent clay ground that is reminiscent of the clay gesso grounds, made with chalk and animal hide glue, used during the Renaissance. Claybord has an archival finish, suitable for acrylics, casein, gouache, tempera, egg tempera, pen and inks as well as for mixed media techniques, airbrush, and collage.

Since Claybord is so receptive to watermedia, it is recommended for painting when an absorbent ground is needed.

Some quick tips on painting with Claybord:

Leaves in a Pool by Lorna Hannett, Claybord Inks on Claybord

In order to remove a mark, gentle strokes with Ampersand's oil-free steel wool may be used.
Claybord's coating is thick enough to use a razor blade or scratch tool to reveal the white clay beneath a layer of painted color to give detail and definition to a painting.
When painting in acrylics, if removal of paint is desired, consider painting in thinner films. Acrylic dries to a more flexible, plastic-like film.
First layers of oil paint will dry rapidly to a matte finish, due to the absorbancy of Claybord. Subsequent layers will dry more slowly and keep their luster. In order to keep the oils from absorbing into the panel's coating, consider using Gessobord or following these steps to prepare the Claybord for oil paints.
Claybord is ideal for casein and egg tempera, considering the fragility of these ancient mediums. Both are prone to cracking when dry and need the stability and absorbency that only Claybord can provide. Apply these paints in thin layers.
Softer leads with high pigment content work best on Claybord when using pencil or graphite. Claybord tolerates repeated erasing without marring the surface and can be sealed and framed without glass.
Claybord works well with pen and ink as fine lines do not smudge and the ink dries rapidly; however, take heed to prepare the board by dusting and wiping down in order to prevent clogging of pens.
If you are interested in sealing your work in watercolor, ink or scratchbord for glass-free presentation, we recommend using the Krylon® UV Archival line of spray varnishes found on Krylon's website.

For even more technical information about Claybord, refer to our website: ampersandart.com/claybord.html

Claybord is now on promotion nationwide at discounts of up to 50% during our Ampersand Winter Sales Event. To find a participating dealer in your area, visit our Winter Sale Promotion page.

Paint On!

~Karyn

Claybord Installation Art from Mary Ann Peters

2011-12-30T09:05:00.000-06:00

Mary Ann Peters and Jim Olson in the meditation room

There are always new and interesting uses for artist materials, and in this case, an endless list of ways to create art on panels.

Mary Ann Peters did just that -- taking painting to the next level with installation work designed by Jim Olson, who creates residences for major art collectors via his firm, Olson Kundig.

Mary Ann created several large pieces using tinted plaster, Claybord™, gouache and watercolor for private residences both nationally and internationally. The Washington State Museum of Art is currently featuring her work in an exhibition titled: Jim Olson: Architecture for Art.

The exhibition includes Mary Ann's interior, a meditation room, which is painted on custom built Claybord. Mary Ann stumbled onto Clayboard in 1997 doing research for panels that would travel well for a residency in Istanbul. At the time she was making her own plaster based surfaces, however, Clayboard appealed to her need to make both a detailed precise mark and a diffused wash on one surface, two methods that she regularly employs in her work. As though painting on unfired porcelain, Mary Ann shares, "[my] work in painting on earthen surfaces was a direct result of traveling in non Western countries where images were made with a marriage to the natural surfaces of the culture's dwellings."

Mary Ann puts a lot of thought into her work, her muses being architecture, science, personal heritage and lost histories. Many of her interiors are quite a bit larger than this meditation room surrounding the viewer, the resident, with a sense of wonder and awe. It is clear how Mary ann is able to meet the desires of her clients by her close attention to their lives and surroundings. To see more of her work, her process and bio, refer to her website.

Ampersand has a wide variety of panels to choose from, in all different sizes with many different archival finishes. To learn more about Claybord specifically, you can find out all the technical details on our website: ampersandart.com/claybord.html

Paint on!

Karyn

Happy Holidays from Ampersand

2011-12-22T11:00:00.000-06:00

It has been a busy and full year for Ampersand, and hopefully for you to as the economy is beginning to pick up. We've enjoyed seeing your work online and hope you'll continue to join us and post on our Facebook page and here on our blog, and don't forget to find us on Twitter, too.

As the New Year opens, we'll be spending more time writing to you here in our blog and starting up a monthly newsletter. So, if you haven't already signed up, please do so!

We'll be highlighting artists who use Ampersand panels and sharing their techniques and projects with you. If you have questions about panels, thoughts and comments, please don't hesitate to write to us.


"Tomato Harvest" by Cynthia Haase, 6" x 6" oil on gessobord

We are also always on the lookout for your work and blogs, so let us know who you are and what creative things you're doing on panel!

However you spend the holiday season, whether it be with family celebrating or at home in your studio working, Ampersand wishes you and yours the very best.

Claybord™ Box for Trinkets: How-to by Vickie Kammerer

2011-10-05T10:46:00.000-05:00

This project was originally created by designer Vickie Kammerer for our Stampbord™ line of products. We are republishing it here since these techniques can also be applied to our Claybord™ Box Kit. This trinket box idea was inspired by techniques included in Patricia Baldwin Seggebruch's book Encaustic Workshop: Artistic Techniques for Working with Wax. Be sure to check it out too.

Materials:

• 1 - Claybord™ 5"x5" Box Kit

• Zinsser® Bulls Eye® Shellac

• Modern Options - Rust Antiquing Set

• 3M™ Scotch-Blue™ Painter's Tape

• Natural Beeswax

•Hot Plate

•Teflon Pan - small, to melt beeswax

• Butane Torch

• Hake Brush or Natural Bristle Brush

•2-3 Foam Brushes (hardware store)

• Embossing heat tool

• Sea Sponge

• Copper Letters

• Gorilla glue or other adhesive

• Phillips head screwdriver for box hinges

• Electric or cordless drill with small drill bit for hinge screws

1. Using the blue painter's tape,mask the edges of the Claybord™ Box lid surface and the top of the box base.Using a foam brush, paint the sides of the lid and the base sides with the Iron Surfacer from the Rust Kit. Let dry completely. Then paint a second coat andlet dry over night.

2. Using a clean foam brush,paint a coat of the Rust Antiquing Solution over all of the Iron Surfacerpainted surfaces. Let this dry and cure and then paint another coat. If youwant a uniform shade of rust, paint subsequent coats with the foam brush. Ifyou want a more random rust finish, use a sea sponge and sponge some areaslighter and some areas heavier. Let each coat cure in between. Repeat layersuntil you are pleased with the finish. Do not seal. Let the box and box lid drycompletely over night after before moving onto next step.

3. Remove all of the masking tapefrom Claybord™ surface. Plug in the hot plate and heat the Teflon pan. Placeseveral pieces of natural beeswax in pan to melt. While the wax is melting,cover the wooden sides of the box lid with painter's tape. Pre-heat the lid's Claybord surface by running the heat tool over the surface until it is warm.Using the hake brush, paint a single layer of beeswax over the entire box lidsurface then fuse (reheating with the heat tool until surface just appearsshiny). Allow to cool.

4. Paint a thick layer of shellacover box lid with a new foam brush. Let dry.

5. Using the butane torch, burn“spots” into the shellac on the box lid. Do this by first placing the flamedirectly onto the shellac and when it begins to burn the shellac, pull theflame away when the spot is the size and shape you wish. Repeat this over thebox lid, moving the torch to where you want a new spot to be, until you arepleased with the pattern. Let the lid set overnight.

6. Spellout the word "trinkets" with copper letters and glue into place onthe front of the box lid. Attach the enclosed hinges to complete the box–be sure to pre-drill the holes for best results.

Caution: Please use extreme care when using heat and open flames in the studio and always keep a fire extinguisher on hand.

Step 1: Mask the top and inside edges of the box

Step 2: Paint on Rust Antiquing Solution

Step 3: Apply beeswax

Step 4: Apply shellac

Step 5: Burn spots onto the shellac with butane torch

Step 6: Apply copper letters to the front of the box

Be Generous, Buy Art, Meet Gensler Fundraiser Sept 29

2011-09-15T13:34:00.001-05:00

Ampersand is proud to support GenerousArt.org in their efforts by supplying free panels to select Generous Artists on which to create works for sale in order to raise funds for local Austin non-profits. The Generous Art online gallery is dedicated to donating 40% of sales to local nonprofits, and gives 40% to local artists, seamlessly supporting the Austin community. Please join us for this grand opening affair - everyone is welcome: GenerousArt Opening Show and Fundraiser: "Be Generous, Buy Art, Meet Gensler".

WHAT: The grand opening ofGenerousArt.org will raise money through sales of original works of art by Generous Artists for Amala Foundation, Art Alliance Austin,Austin Child Guidance Center, Austin Creative Alliance, Austin School of Film,Big Medium, Cancer Connection, Center for Maximum Potential Building Systems,Communities in Schools of Central Texas, Emancipet, Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, Meals on Wheels and More, Mental Health America of Texas,Open Door Preschools, SafePlace, SIMS Foundation, Sustainable Food Center, andTexas RioGrande Legal Aid.

Featured artists include: Stella Alesi, Jennifer Balkan,Jennifer Chenoweth, Virginia Fleck, Carol Hayman, Melanie Hickerson, Carolyn Kimball, Suzanne Lewis, Karen Maness, Richard Mansfield, Wells Mason, Emily Moores, L. Renee Nunez, Andrea Pramuk, Judith Simonds, Annie Simpson, Jade Walker, Sydney Yeager and more.

Listen tolive music by the Robert Kraft Jazz Trio, while browsing and buyingone-of-a-kind works of art. Comemeet global design firm Gensler and tour their new offices in the W Hotel.Refreshments will be served.

WHEN: Thursday,September 29, 2011 from 5:30 p.m. until 8:30 p.m.

WHERE:

Gensler

W Hotel, 3^rd Floor

212 Lavaca Street, Suite 390

Austin, TX 78701

ENTRY: The event is free and open to the public.

ABOUT GENSLER: Gensler is an international group of architects, designers,planners and consultants dedicated to the transformational power of design inimproving the quality of life in the communities it serves.

Aquabord™ 2.0

2011-09-07T11:28:00.000-05:00

Aquabord™ has undergone a number of important changes over the past few monthsdue to a change in one of the raw materials we use to produce this uniquesurface for watercolors. We saw this challenge as an opportunity to makeAquabord even better than before. While the new Aquabord is in essence, thevery same, it does have a few differences:

Left: Previous version
Right: New flatter version

1. The new Aquabord™ surface has a flatter,more even texture. It’s less pebbly and feels more like a cold press watercolorpaper.

2. The new surface is slightly softer. You need to use less pressurewhen wet-lifting paint just like you would on paper.

3. The new surface is more absorbent and emphatically more likewatercolor paper (see helpful tips below).

4. The new surface requires less water for washes and blends.It behaves more like a cold press watercolor paper now, so you don’t need asmuch water for wicking the paint across the surface – the paint moves morefreely and blends beautifully.

5. The vibrant color you’re accustomed to still applies.

6. The lovely eggshell color of the natural clay you’reaccustomed to is still around.

7. You can still seal your watercolors and frame them withoutglass.

Top: New version
Bottom: Old version

Some helpful tips: The new Aquabord surface is very porous. You may see some air bubblescome up when you apply very wet washes of color. To prevent this, flush thesurface first before you start painting. Take a flat brush and apply big washesof water across the surface. Allow all the air bubbles to release. When thesurface reaches a damp stage, then you can start applying watercolor to thesurface. By allowing the air to escape first, you are basically opening up yoursurface to accept the pigment. This process will prevent those tiny air bubblesfrom affecting the consistency of the smooth transitions in your washes.

Top: Washes on Aquabord
Bottom: Washes on
Watercolor paper

Morethan a dozen professional watercolor painters and avid Aquabord usersrepeatedly tested our trial runs until we had the surface they felt workedbest. As a result, we think you will love this new version of Aquabord. Either way,you are welcome share your feedback with us. We make Aquabord for you and it matters tous that you have a successful experience with our products.

Wegreatly appreciate your patience over the last few months during thisreformulation. We think the new Aquabord is well worth the wait and we hope you do too. Now it’s timeto do what you love and get back to painting watercolors on Aquabord!

Get Ready for Back to School with Ampersand

2011-04-26T11:37:00.000-05:00

Ampersand Booth at Namta in Phoenix, 2011

We are back from a successful trip to Phoenix where we attended the annual NAMTA (National Art Materials Trade Association) trade show. We showcased a number of new display items for retailers for the Fall Back to School Season. If you missed us at the show, be sure to contact us for pricing and details on these great new displays for your store. And artists, be on the look out for these displays this Fall!

First, we have a new Artist Panel™ Pallet Stacker. Easily unload it right from the truck into your store. Available in both mixed 3/4" and 1.5" profiles or in just the 1.5" profile. It comes with the bright green skid!

New Artist Panel Pallet Stacker for Fall

Next, we have a new product. It's a smooth version of the Artist Panel™ that can be used with oils, acrylics and mixed media. It's perfect for the artist who prefers a smoother surface in contrast to the canvas texture of the standard Artist Panel. Portraits, landscapes, this is your surface. The 1/8" profile fits nicely into pochade boxes as well. Prices to artists start as low as .59 each! This little counter top display was very popular at the show. Contact us if you'd like to get one for BTS.

New Smooth Artist Panel in a compact counter top display for Fall

And, we have these fun Gessobord™ blow-out multi-pack boxes. Each box comes filled with Gessobord and priced to sell. We have four varieties available each packed with top selling skus. Contact us for pricing.

Gessobord Blow-Out Sale Multi-Pack boxes for Fall

And last, but not least! Scratchbord™ artist Linda Sheets designed six new scratchbord kits and showcased them at the show. The new kits feature the most adorable characters. She created over 100 monkeys and dogs in scratchboard for our dealers over the course of the show. The new kits will be available in stores for Fall. Contact us for pricing and availability.

Linda Sheets monkeying around

"Crowned Monkey", one of Linda Sheets' new kit designs

All of these new store displays will be available for shipping mid-late June.

In other news, we'd like to congratulate our newest Encaustic Painting Center, Sarnoff Artist Materials. They picked up our show display and loaded it right into their store that weekend. Tucson artists can now buy all the Encausticbord™ and R&F handmade paints and accessories they could possibly desire. See the store for details.

Ampersand/R&F 44" Encaustic Painting Center

We did manage to explore some of the sites in Phoenix, there was plenty of wonderful art in public places and museums just waiting for us to find.

Ampersand's own Dana Brown and friend

500 Hopi Katsina dolls at the Heard Museum

And, of course we got to see some good friends.

Patti Brady from Golden® modeling our swag.

Our friends at R&F were right across from us.

Stella Alesi Exhibition Feb. 27 - March 13, 2011

2011-02-28T18:05:00.000-06:00

We had the pleasure yesterday of visiting artist Stella Alesi's opening at the Ladybird Wildflower Center in Austin, TX. Stella has been a longtime user and supporter of our Ampersand Gessobord over the years. All of her paintings in the show are painted on Gessobord™. We took a few pictures of the installation to share with you. If you are in the area, you should make it a point to visit both the Wildflower Center and the show. The paintings are located inside the Carriage House and are showing in conjunction with Richard Reynolds who does large scale photographic prints on canvas. None of the photographs were enhanced or color corrected, the paintings are just that good! Enjoy!

Top five reasons to use the new Encausticbord™ by guest blogger Lisa Pressman

2011-01-05T12:57:00.000-06:00

In the past, I painted on stretched canvas, gessoed Masonite boards, and other wood panels for a very long time. Then, I discovered Ampersand panels about ten years ago when I was first introduced to encaustic. I purchased some small 5”x7” Claybords to use for experiments and ended up doing a series on them using vintage postcards and encaustic.

“Arrived Alright”, 5”x7” postcards
and encaustic on Claybord, 2003

Around the same time, I began using the cradled Claybords for my oil paintings. I loved drawing with charcoal on the clay surface and also rubbing thin layers of oil paint to achieve a luminous light.

Lisa Pressman, “At the Moment”,
24”x24”, oil on Claybord™, 2005.

Lisa Pressman, “Walking the Line”,
36”x36”, oil on Claybord™, 2010.

Today, in the studio, I have 4 – 36”x36” cradled Claybords up and working for my upcoming show at The Rosenfeld Gallery in Philadelphia, January 2011.

Recently, I was asked by Ampersand to try out their new product specifically made for encaustics called, Encausticbord. They wanted to see what I thought of their new product in comparison to the Claybord I have been using over the years. Happily, I created a list of my top five favorite things about this new surface to share with you.

Top five reasons to use Encausticbord

1. Convenience

I love when I bring home my nicely packaged and ready to paint Encausticbords. I am so busy with the multitasking of a studio practice, my art business, teaching, and family responsibilities, the faster I get going in my studio, the better. No building, no sanding, no gesso, no drying…just get working. They are gallery ready. Paint, wire, deliver, done!

2. The Surface

The surface of the new Encausticbord™ is very smooth, easy to draw on and whiter than white. It is as great as the Claybord to draw on, but more absorbent with more tooth, so the inks, charcoals and pastels really soak in as opposed to on the Claybord where their tendency is to "slide" across the surface. When you apply wax to the Encausticbord™, the light showing through the layers is bright white vs. the soft eggshell or cream color of the Claybord.

3. Multimedia Compatible

In my work, I combine wax, ink, charcoal, collage, soft pastels, R and F pigment sticks and oils. I have found that all of these materials respond beautifully to the Encausticbord™ surface.

4. Absorbent, Durable and Tested

I like to know that I am using a product that is tested for absorbency, durability and archival quality. The ground was tested by both R&F Handmade Paints and Ampersand, so I am confident that there will not be any cracking. It is also resistant to extreme heat from not only heat guns, but also torches. The larger panels are structurally braced, so I haven’t experienced any warping.

5. Great for teaching, demos, workshops

I have found that by using Encausticbord with beginning students, it eases the learning curve because it is already the right surface for encaustic and needs no preparation. There is no second-guessing as to whether or not the ground will perform.

R and F's new Circle Cold Tool

For more information about the new Encausticbord, visit the Ampersand website or check with your local dealer.

About Lisa Pressman

She began her studies in ceramics, sculpture and painting at Douglass College, NJ and finished with a Bachelor of Art. Next, she received her MFA in painting from Bard College. For more information about the artist and her exhibition schedule, visit her website and her blog.

Mounting flexible supports to panel, an archival practice by Andrea Pramuk

2010-11-16T11:02:00.000-06:00

Supplies:

• Claybord™, Hardbord™ or Gessobord™ 1/8˝ flat, 3/4˝ cradled or 2˝ deep cradle

• Primed or un-primed canvas or linen

• 2˝ paint brush or trowel

• Golden® Soft Gel Gloss Medium or Lineco Neutral pH Adhesive

• Golden® GAC100 to size Hardbord™

• X-acto™ Knife

• Damp cloth or paper towels

• Rubber brayer or plastic squeegee

• Large heavy board

• Water jugs or heavy weights

Many artists today choose to mount their flexible canvas or paper to rigid supports for a number of reasons. One is to preserve the painting qualities of canvas or paper while gaining the advantages of painting on a panel. The other is that flexible supports are more susceptible to changes in temperature and humidity that can contribute to deterioration of the paint film over time. You can counteract the instability of fabrics and paper and make your paintings more archival by mounting flexible supports on an Ampersand™ panel.

There are many ways to mount a flexible support to a panel. I chose the archival practice that was easiest to do and worked the best. The materials suggested can be mixed and matched in order to suit your purposes. For example, you may substitute paper for the canvas or the Lineco adhesive for the Golden® soft gel medium. After a few attempts, you will develop your own personal preferences.

Ampersand Claybord™ and Gessobord™ are the easiest, least labor-intensive choices in archival substrates for mounting. Because both panels are sealed with the Archiva-Seal™ barrier and then primed with acid-free grounds, it is only necessary to apply adhesive since no sealing is required. Hardbord™ and other types of un-primed woods like plywood, on the other hand, do require sealing—see the extra step. Another time saver is to choose a pre-primed canvas or linen so you don’t have to gesso or prime after mounting the fabric to the panel.

1. Begin by trimming the fabric to size. Allow for a 2˝ overlap around the panel (not shown). Note: if you plan to wrap the canvas around the panel, you will need to seal the edges and back of the panel with GAC100 (see Extra Step at bottom). Otherwise, go straight to step 2.

2. To maximize adhesion, thin the Golden soft gel medium with a little water and apply it over the front of the panel (Lineco, not necessary). Be sure to coat the sides of the panel so that the fabric adheres properly all the way to the edge. I usually apply extra gel medium or glue at the four corners because they are the most vulnerable to lifting. Keep applying medium or glue until you have a fairly thick evenly wet coat. Quickly move to the next step.

3. With the fabric ground side face down, position the panel wet glue-side down in the center and press down firmly. Clean any extra glue off the back with a damp towel to prevent your panel from sticking underneath while drying (3a). Flip over the canvas together with the panel and go over the surface from the center out using a rubber brayer or squeegee to remove any wrinkles, lumps or air pockets (3b).

4. Cover the face of the fabric with either wax paper or butcher paper (something that will not stick to the glue) and place a heavy larger board over the top. I used a larger shrink-wrapped panel. Weight the board down with jugs of water or something heavy and allow it to dry overnight (not shown). If you’re doing multiple panels at once, place wax paper or butcher paper in between the panels. Use the larger board with weights at the very top of the stack.

5. The next day, take out your panels and place them one at a time face down on a clean surface for cutting. Using a fresh X-acto™ knife, cut flush around the edges for a perfect and clean look (5a). If you would rather wrap your corners (1/8˝ panels only), apply gel medium or glue to the back where the fabric will overlap and quickly pull the corners in to fold (5b). Brayer or squeegee over the folds to smooth. Clean up excess glue with a wet towel. No weight is necessary in this step, but do allow the panel to dry thoroughly. The panels will be safe to paint on or gesso in 1-3 days. Extra Step: When using Hardbord™ or any other un-primed wood panels as your substrate, follow the same instructions above, but add this important step first. It is important to correctly seal all un-primed wood substrates to prevent support-induced discoloration that can cause your paint film to yellow over time.

Extra Step: When using Hardbord™ or any other un-primed wood panels as your substrate, follow the same instructions above, but add this important step first. It is important to correctly seal all un-primed wood substrates to prevent support-induced discoloration that can cause your paint film to yellow over time.

Apply Golden GAC100 directly to the Hardbord with the 2˝ paint brush or trowel. Allow the GAC100 to dry completely and follow with an additional coat. Do not sand between layers.

Before applying the adhesive in Step 2, allow the GAC100 to dry for 1-3 days so that the sealer can coalesce into a uniform film for maximum protection.

Click here for a downloadable PDF version of this article.

A discussion with Ampersand about using Egg Tempera on Claybord

2010-10-19T18:11:00.000-05:00

First, we always recommend Claybord for Egg Tempera. Here’s why:

1) It has a very absorbent ground that is made with kaolin clay. Claybord provides a very smooth and absorbent surface similar, in behavior only, to a “traditional” non-acrylic gesso ground or the chalk grounds used during the Renaissance. Over the years, we have continued to increase the absorbency of the Claybord.

2) We have never used rabbit skin glue in the Claybord formula. Our tests showed that Claybord’s clay ground, when made with a minimal amount of polymer binder instead of rabbit skin glue, holds to the substrate much more effectively. Note the added plus of Ampersand’s “Archiva Seal” barrier technology. Prior to applying the absorbent clay ground to the substrate, we seal the rigid hardboard with our panel sealers to ensure that over time, you do not experience support induced discoloration that can come from a poorly prepared wood panel.

3) We have strong relationships with many professional egg tempera artists that use Claybord successfully for their work. We have received only a couple of calls over the years about lifting, but in talking further to the concerned artists and other egg tempera painters, we have found that individual technique is most likely the cause, not the painting surface.

Examples of exquisite artwork by artists using egg tempera on Claybord: Ampersand Online Gallery (egg tempera only).

Listed below are a few good practices to follow when working with egg tempera on Claybord and most other surfaces. These practices are provided by artists who use Claybord exclusively for their work as well as from Robert Massey’s book, Formulas for Painters
The important keys to working with egg tempera on Claybord are:
a) How you apply the first layers of paint and
b) Ensuring that you allow each layer to dry before beginning any fine detail work

When using egg tempera, begin by using three to four thin washes of paint over the entire panel, allowing them to dry thoroughly in between. The first four layers should dry overnight to allow good adhesion for subsequent layers. Use a very large brush and stay away from detail work in the beginning stages. After the preparatory layers are finished, alternate to smaller brushes. Continue painting in thin layers, allowing adequate drying time in between. Gradually increase the paint thickness as the layers develop. Repeat the previous step many times, gradually narrowing the size of the brush as the painting progresses. The paint consistency in the final stages should be relatively thick so that the vibrancy and character of egg tempera is thoroughly enhanced. After adequate drying time is complete, buff the finished painting with a soft cloth and frame as desired.

Much of the information about Claybord located on the Society of Tempera Painter’s Website is incorrect. We are working with them to resolve the problem.

With regard to using hardboard as a substrate, a thorough discussion is provided here on the Ampersand Website.

Also, with regard to rabbit skin glue, here is an article we found interesting written by Virgil Elliott.

We welcome your questions and comments. Feel free to post them here or contact us directly.

The Power of Nature’s Inspirations

2010-09-27T12:23:00.000-05:00

Artist Joseph Mancuso explores California with Pastelbord™ from Ampersand

Autumn in California is a colorful time of transition that provided the inspiration for “An Owens Valley Autumn”. If I see something like this that sparks an idea for a painting, I prefer to quickly record the idea and completely work out the composition in a pencil drawing on paper before I begin. For this painting, I selected a large grey Pastelbord™ made by Ampersand Art Supply. I prefer this board because of its surface and durability. It can absorb wet applications and many layers of pastel. I use a grey board because it is neutral in value and it helps me to judge color and values more accurately.

Step 1

(Step 1) My first step was to draw a rough sketch on the board using my finished drawing as a guide. I use a light valued pastel pencil or hard pastel in this step because I want the sketch to disappear as I lay down my subsequent pastel layers. Once my line drawing was complete and all the large shapes were placed, I began my second step.

Step 2

(Step 2) I began blocking in color using a hard pastel, working from background to foreground. I was equally concerned with putting down color and establishing values at this point, so I tried to keep the colors fairly neutral in preparation for the subsequent steps.

Step 3

(Step 3) The next step involved a combination of blocking in color and applying alcohol washes. The Pastelbord is ideal for this stage because it accepts pastels perfectly, allowing me to use dry and wet layering techniques simultaneously. I used an alcohol wash to develop the larger shapes. I prefer rubbing alcohol because it dries fast and I can paint quickly without waiting. This is a wonderful part of the process because some interesting transparent and opaque effects can occur depending upon how much I load the brush with alcohol. I normally use a #6 or #8 flat watercolor brush for this process. During this stage, I can be looser and more spontaneous with my strokes while maintaining control to achieve the results I want.

(Step 4) My fourth step began once I was satisfied with the under-painting and when most of the larger shapes were covered. I then layered soft pastels on top of the alcohol washes from Step 3. I added the finishing details by alternating between the dry soft pastels and alcohol washes to complete the painting.

Step 5

(Step 5) The fifth and final step was the slowest part of the process. I stepped back from the painting to view it from a distance. I also used a mirror to look at the painting to see if it worked in reverse. This technique helped me to check the composition, color, edges and value with a fresh perspective. After close inspection, I added in any final highlights and smoothed various edges using the softest of pastels. When I feel that I am nearly finished with a painting, I always ask myself, “Is this the visual representation of the feeling I want to convey?” If the answer is yes, then the painting is complete. Then, it is time to begin working on the next piece and the process begins again.

About the Artist: California-based artist Joseph Mancuso is widely published and exhibited. He is also a signature member of the Pastel Society of America. For more information about the artist and to see more of his artwork, please visit http://www.mancusofineart.com/.

How to Print Etchings on Claybord or Aquabord by Charles Ewing

2010-09-09T13:05:00.000-05:00

"Old Bones", etching printed on Claybord by Charles Ewing.

Printing a zinc or copper plate etching (or drypoint) onto the clay surface of Claybord or Aquabord has three distinct advantages over printing on paper:

• The permanence of the print: Claybord is an archival surface

• The ability to rework prints with mistakes or add finishing details and colors

• Glass free presentation

A matte acrylic varnish or spray fixative like Krylon® UV Resistant Clear Coating #1309 (Matte) or #1305 (Gloss) sprayed on the Claybord works well and seems to bring out the relief caused by the clay pressing into the etched lines of the plate. The following exercise is a great place to start.

Detail of "Old Bones", etching on Claybord by Charles Ewing

1. Etch a zinc or copper plate as you would for printing on paper except for: a. Avoid deep wide lines as the clay pressing into the line cannot "reach" the ink in the bottom of the etched lines. b. Use as thin a metal plate as will take your depth of etching and bevel the edges. The thicker plates seem to be pushed by the press, digging into the clay surface.

2. Choose an appropriate Claybord size and determine the placement of the image. Sand the edges to prevent damage to the press blankets. If Aquabord is used, the surface should be lightly sanded.

3. Using matboard or thick paper (should be same or slightly thinner than the metal plate), cut a template with outside dimensions the same as the Claybord, with an opening the size of the plate cut into it for consistent positioning of the image during the edition. This also keeps the plate from moving on the clay surface.

4. Ink and wipe the plate as you would for a paper print.
5. Thoroughly wet and sponge dry each piece of Claybord before printing, removing all excess water with the sponge.

6. Place the damp Claybord, clay side up, on the bed of the press. Position the template on top and carefully drop the metal plate into the opening image side down.

7. Print with moderately-heavy pressure to force the softened clay into the etched lines to pick up the ink. Allow to dry thoroughly.

8. Any ink smudges around the image can be cleaned off with fine oil-free steel wool (0000). The image itself can be redefined or manipulated with scratching tools.

9. Varnish with spray fixative like Krylon® UV Resistant Clear Coating #1309 (Matte) or #1305 (Gloss) and frame without glass and matting if desired.

About Charles Ewing, inventor of ClaybordCharles, a versatile artist with diverse interests in media as well as subject matter, is known for his figurative paintings of people, wildlife and nature. Along with his extensive use of oils, he works in a unique medium of his invention known as Claybord. He has also been instrumental in developing new printmaking techniques and enjoys the third dimension of bronze sculpture.

Charles was born and raised in Albuquerque, New Mexico and now resides near the south San Juan mountains of Southern Colorado. An avid outdoorsman, Charles' paintings of nature and wildlife come largely from personal observation, each year spending many weeks on horseback in the nearby wilderness areas. Travels in Latin America and Europe have also offered much inspiration for his work. He is collected widely and shows in several Southwest galleries. http://www.charlesewing.com
This etching process is fully illustrated along with a number of other printing and painting techniques on Claybord in Charles Ewing’s book, The New Scratchboard available at Amazon. http://www.amazon.com/New-Scratchboard-Charles-Ewing/dp/08230465833

Charles Ewing discusses the invention of Claybord"The invention of Claybord, as with most new products, was developed out of necessity. I loved the scratchboard drawing technique, being able to create highlights by scratching off the black ink to expose the white clay underneath, however the traditional scratchboard left much to be desired as a fine art surface. It was much too fragile both in the versatility of technique as well as in framed presentation requiring one to glue the thin cardboard to a flat stiff hardboard to keep it flat and to protect the soft surface with glass.

I was able to eliminate these problems by developing a clay coated panel which, unlike scratchboard, would readily accept very wet applications of water media, such as India ink washes, without hurting the clay layer and which could simply be varnished and framed without glass like an oil painting. I made these panels for my own use one or two at a time for ten years before my wife and I decided to bring them to market, first making them on a very limited scale in an old adobe shed behind the house. Later, we helped Ampersand Art Supply in Austin, Texas create and manufacture Claybord for the national and international art materials market.”

Tips For Screen Printing on Claybord™ by Franz Spohn

2010-08-12T12:06:00.000-05:00

Ampersand’s Claybord™ is a wonderful surface for screen printing. This ultra smooth rigid panel will not stretch or change during the printing process ensuring perfect registration every time. Warping, tearing, and shrinking are virtually eliminated from the printing process. Claybord holds up to heavy saturations of transparent color and very wet applications. The smoothness of the board allows you achieve incredible detail and allows you to reduce the dot size when using a finer mesh screen. Claybord's unique clay coating also allows the artist to handwork each print and scratch back into the surface for unique prints or details not achievable on paper. Claybord accepts all types of printer’s inks and is so much easier to handle than paper in terms of drying and storing. When finished, your prints are ready to frame without any additional work. If this is your first time trying out Claybord for screen printing, the following tips will help you achieve successful results.

Prepping the Claybord

Claybord is a very absorbent surface. The kaolin clay will dull out your first layers of color whether working in oil-based or water-based inks, so I recommend sealing the surface first. However, please note that if you decide not to seal the Claybord, you can achieve a variety of interesting and layered effects without sealing. I primarily work with waterbased inks. I first seal the Claybord surface by screen printing a thin, even flat layer of Speedball Overprint Varnish. This seals the surface and prepares it to accept the inks so that they don’t soak into the surface.

Creating a Registration Jig

Claybord is a 1/8" thick rigid panel. In order to facilitate printing and to ensure perfect registration, I create a jig that will hold the Claybord in place while I’m screen printing. If I’m working with an 8x10 image, I cut down another 8x10 Claybord resulting in four 1" strips. I then place the 8x10 Claybord that I’m going to print, on a sturdy piece of mylar(.01 thickness). Your piece of mylar has to be large enough to stick out from under the screen because you will use it to align the board with the stencil on the screen. Place the cut strips around the 8x10 on the mylar and mark their position. Glue them down to the mylar with epoxy glue making sure that when you’re done, the 8x10 fits snugly into the jig as illustrated. You’ll want to leave a side of the jig without stripping so that you can easily lift the board from the jig (as illustrated). To register, simply insert a panel in the jig, place under the screen, and use the edges of the mylar sticking out from under the screen to align the board with your stencil. Tape the mylar securely to the printing surface and use to register for subsequent panels. The registration jig also provides a transitional support on which to start and end the squeegee during the printing process. Without this, the squeegee will move the panels or stress the screen fabric and stencil when the blade of the squeegee comes in contact with the edge of the panel resulting in mis-registration and distortion of the image.

Helpful Printing Tips

Print off contact.
Elevate the front of the screen with a 1/4" piece of foam board so that the fabric of the screen is not touching the surface of the Claybord. This enables the snap back of the fabric when I’m printing and keeps the Claybord
from sticking to the screen.

Don’t use excessive pressure or speed to print.
Claybord’s surface is so smooth and if sealed as recommended, the inks do not absorb into the surface. Therefore the inks will bleed into the non-image areas if too much pressure is applied with the squeegee. If you are concerned that your details will dry up, then use adequate amounts of ink retarder rather than relying on hard pressure to keep your inks open. Also, make sure to use a squeegee with a nice, sharp blade.

Create your own easy to handle drying rack (as shown).
Claybord is really easy to handle and dry since it is rigid unlike paper. You can create a simple drying rack with a board and upright supporting dowel rods. An edition of 20 can dry on a constructed board that is about 15" and can be placed right next to the printing area within arm's reach - much more convenient than a drying rack or line. Also, it is much more expedient than trying to find enough table surface to lay out the prints.

Other Exciting Possibilities

Ampersand also has Black Scratchbord™ that is great to print on with Speedball’s opaque fabric inks. You can use this surface one of two ways.
1. Scratch and Then Print: You can use etching tools to scratch in the image on the Scratchbord as you would for traditional scratchboard, revealing the white. Then, use transparent inks to screen colors onto the white image.
2. Print and Then Scratch: Speedball’s opaque fabric inks work splendidly on the board. I like to use the black of the surface to create the linear element so that the stencils print the “fill-in” shapes with color. The opaque fabric inks are dense enough to cover the black of the Scratchbord and have a shimmering or opalescent effect. Then, an additional scratched texture can be applied to enhance the overall effect.
3. Cut outs and Printing: Another advantage of printing on the boards is that the printed shapes can be cut out with a scroll saw and incorporated in constructions. The boards or other pieces can be screwed, glued or otherwise attached to create box-less shadow boxes, tableaux or very hardy "pop-up" books. Consider the construction elements in Red Groom’s or Frank Stella’s dimensional prints.

Biography Franz Spohn

Franz Spohn earned his M.F.A. from the Ohio State University in screen printing and drawing in 1975. Franz is currently among the tenured art faculty at the Edinboro University of Pennsylvania where he teaches screen printing. Franz has exhibited widely in solo and group exhibitions nationally and internationally in both museum and commercial gallery venues including The Museum of Arts and Design in NYC, The Philadelphia Museum of Art, The Glenbow Museum in Calgary, Alberta, Pacifico Gallery in NYC and The Marian Lockes Gallery in Philadelphia. Among Franz’s illustration credits are children’s books and book covers for Bantam, Doubleday and Dell publishers. Commissioned projects include works for The National Science Museum in London and the Department of Parks and Recreation in NYC. Franz is the host and co-producer of the instructional video series Eureka! The Creative Art Series, seen on many PBS stations nationally and in Canada and he is the recipient of an NEA grant. Franz regularly presents workshops and lectures throughout the United States and Canada.

Contemporary Artists Series: Henry Cardenas

2010-07-27T10:36:00.000-05:00

UTSA Institute of Texan Cultures in Association with the Smithsonian Institution's Texas Contemporary Artists Series continues with the work of Henry Cardenas, July 3 - October 15, 2010. Curated by Arturo Almeida. All of the paintings in the exhibition were created on Ampersand Gessobord.

Henry Cardenas is the resident artist at the Little Studio Gallery at La Villita. He has won awards in juried shows, including the Hill Country Arts Foundation, New Braunfels Art League and the State Fair of Texas Arts Exhibit. His paintings and sculptures have been collected regionally, nationally and internationally.

Visit the Institute of Texan Cultures website for more information: www.texancultures.com/museum/cardenas.html

The artwork of Henry Cardenas is featured at the UTSA Institute of Texan Cultures in Association with the Smithsonian Institution

2010-07-08T11:54:00.000-05:00

UTSA Institute of Texan Culture

The Texas Contemporary Artists Series continues with the work of Henry Cardenas, July 3 - October 15, 2010.

UTSA Institute of Texan Cultures in Association with the Smithsonian Institution's Texas Contemporary Artists Series presents an exhibition with artist Henry Cardenas, curated by Arturo Almeida. Opening reception: July 15, 5:30P - 7:30P. Please RSVP by Monday July 12 to 210-458-2127 or itcevents@utsa.edu

Henry Cardenas is the resident artist at the Little Studio Gallery at La Villita. He has won awards in juried shows, including the Hill Country Arts Foundation, New Braunfels Art League and the State Fair of Texas Arts Exhibit. His paintings and sculptures have been collected regionally, nationally and internationally.

From the artist’s statement: “I enjoy this process of art creation because it provides me complete freedom of movement, colors, shapes, and textures. My visual expressions on canvas reflect feelings of emotion – sometimes hot, cold, hard, dark, or bright, and certainly alive. My art is creative, allows me to express myself freely, to be original and experiment from my own inspiration.”

The Texas Contemporary Artists Series is curated by Arturo Almeida.
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Ampersand is pleased to share that all of Henry Cardenas' paintings in this exhibition were created exclusively on Ampersand's Gessobord™ panels.

Poetic Spaces - Watercolors on Aquabord™ by Ali Cavanaugh

2010-06-14T12:06:00.000-05:00

I discovered Ampersand’s Aquabord™ with the 2˝ Deep Cradle about a year ago and it has been such a wonderful surface for my watercolors. Previously, I worked on paper, but always struggled with its limitations in presentation. The flawless pebbly surface of Aquabord takes layers and layers of pigment without wearing down. The paint is amazingly workable and removable on this surface. Also, it is so nice that I am able to display my watercolors without glass and that they are already framed when done.

My process starts with a very light pencil sketch to map out my composition. I use a variety of flat brushes sizes #2 to #8 to lay in basic values. Then, I use synthetic round brushes ranging from sizes as small as #.2 to as large as #2 to build up my surface.

My palette consists of ceramic tiles set up with clusters of color; one for skin, one for hair and one for fabric. I prefer the Daniel Smith watercolors because of their absolute purity and intensity. I begin by lightly spraying my palette with water to keep it wet. I mix lots of water with the pigment and apply diluted, wet layers of color to achieve depth. All of the colors are mixed first on the palette before applying them to the surface. Working with thinner washes and allowing each layer to dry prevents the paint from lifting when applying subsequent layers.

My paint application process is very labor intensive and can sometimes consist of close to 50 layers of pigment. I would say that the process most closely resembles that of egg tempera because of how I build up the paint layers by using tiny overlapping brush strokes.

For skin tones, I pull from Yellow Ochre, Cadmium Red Light, Cadmium Red Medium, various Purples, Sap Green, Burnt Umber, Burnt Sienna, and Van Dyck Brown. I don’t have a set formula for skin tones, because skin color is so relative. I have to be somewhat flexible with the flesh colors in order to capture harmony and balance within the fabrics for each individual painting.

When painting fabrics, I use minimal color in order to draw attention to the colors in the subject. I layer complementary colors to build up depth; orange over blue or red over green for example. For fabrics in grayscale, I use a combination of Lamp Black, Payne’s Gray, Indigo, and Cerulean Blue.

I seal my paintings in groups by lining them up and applying about 3 or 4 good coats of an acrylic matte spray. Once the surface is sealed, I use about three coats of Minwax Polycrylic® on the plywood sides. The smaller pieces are hung with simple hardware; a saw tooth hanger on the back of the cradle and rubber bumpers at the bottom so that the painting hangs perfectly flat against the wall. Larger pieces, I attach D rings to the back of the cradle and add wire for hanging.

My daughter is my muse and my source of inspiration, but my paintings are not necessarily portraits of her. In short, they are more accurately self-portraits of me as a child. Patterned fabrics, textures and color are essential elements that breathe life into my portraits. The white negative space serves a multipurpose. It not only emphasizes the composition of the figure, but also creates silence, and this silence gives room for contemplation.

About the Artist
Ali Cavanaugh is a Santa Fe based artist who is represented in the US and Portugal. She earned her BFA from Kendall College of Art and Design, in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Ali currently has an exhibition in Austin Texas at the Wally Workman Gallery. For a complete list of galleries or to see more of Ali’s work please visit http://www.alicavanaugh.com/.

Materials List
Ampersand Aquabord™ with 2˝ Deep Cradle

Daniel Smith Platinum Series
40 White Taklon brushes (Brights)

Daniel Smith Extra Fine™ Watercolors

Daniel Smith Autograph Series Sable mix Watermedia Brushes (Rounds)

Stella Alesi discusses using oils on Gessobord

2010-01-07T11:54:00.000-06:00

I paint exclusively with oils on Ampersand’s 2" Deep Cradled Gessobord™. I used to have my painting panels made for me by a friend, and although they were good quality, I could never get the smooth quality gesso surface I wanted without hours of sanding. Ampersand’s gesso surface is flawless and perfect for the precise work I do. These paintings, “#147 Oranges” and “#136 Pyracantha” clearly show the level of detail I am able to achieve on the smooth Gessobord surface.

On a table in my studio, lay at least 100 tubes of paint, arranged like a rainbow in 4 rows. On the opposite wall, color charts hang with paints that I use. I find those charts to be incredibly helpful when trying to match a color from a photograph or my imagination. I am the type of painter that shifts my color palette often. I enjoy paying close attention to the subtle differences in color and at times, how those colors are created by the layering or glazing of transparent or semi-transparent colors. When I first began to paint, I used the color charts often to tell me which paints were transparent and which were opaque.

Another artist’s product I find helpful is Daniel Smith’s oil painting medium that when added to my paints, helps with glazing and also speeds the drying time of the oils. Most often, the paints will dry overnight which allows me to paint day to day, in what I call “passes”, slowly building depth and color.

The first step for me to beginning any painting is to decide subject matter, but before I begin, I protect the edges of my Gessobord cradle with painter’s tape. From there, I cover the entire gesso surface with the paint I have chosen as a base color. This color sets the overall tone as well as serves as the first pass towards building depth and deeper colors. I always mix at least 1/3 Daniel Smith’s painting medium to this base color, so it will dry quickly. Once that is done and dry, I pick about 10-30 paints that will make up my palette. My palette is a large piece of glass that sits on a nearby table that is covered with white paper. I like the glass palette for the way it feels when I mix the paint and the ability to scrape away any old dry paint. I squeeze out a bit of each color in a big horseshoe shape on my palette and arrange the corresponding tubes around the wet paint. This saves me a great deal of time trying to locate those colors later on while I’m painting.

When painting from a photograph, I grid both the photograph and the Gessobord which helps me with the enlargement process. It is important to make sure the grid lines are very lightly applied to the panel, otherwise they can be difficult to cover. One of the nice things about drawing on the Gessobord, since it is a rigid panel and has such a smooth surface, it is much easier to get perfect lines when I do my initial “grid and sketch” and there is no bounce or stretch to contend with while drawing. I have found that these attributes allow me to achieve a higher level of detail for both the drawing and the painting process more so than on any other surface or substrate. When a painting is complete, I remove the tape from the birch plywood cradle and have a perfectly clean edge. This way, no additional framing is necessary.