Most oil painters have chosen Gessobord over Claybord Original (Smooth) for their work in oil because they prefer a less absorbent panel. Gessobord needs no preparation and may be used right out of the wrapper. However, some oil painters prefer the Claybord (Smooth) because they work in many layers with glazing techniques. The absorbency of the clay enhances their technique and adds unique style to their images. Read through the information on both panels and decide which one is suitable for your needs. Our "product selection guide" is also a good resource for choosing the right panel.

Completed paintings should be sealed with a Damar varnish for protection and to bring out the luster in your paints. The paint must be thoroughly dry before sealing. Although your oil paint will be dry to the touch in a few days, for complete drying to occur it must be exposed to oxygen. Allow your paintings to dry thoroughly before sealing. Our panels do not lessen the six month drying time required for oil paints before varnishing.

Oil painting on prepared panels is an art that dates back centuries. Traditionally, panels were prepared with a mixture of chalk and hide glue. Modern 'gesso' contains acrylic polymer binders which render the surface less absorbent than Claybord (Smooth). Claybord's absorbent coating will cause oil paints, when applied to the untreated surface, to dry very rapidly and to a matte finish. This characteristic is ideal when working with underpainting and oil glazes. However, if you do plan to try oils on Claybord, choose one of the following steps to prepare the panel first to lessen the absorbency if desired.

If you like the quick drying time of the Claybord panel, no additional preparation is necessary. If you want it to act more like an acrylic gessoed panel or a smooth sealed canvas, use the following tips to prepare your panel or try our Gessobord which is especially designed for oil and acrylic paints. Once sealed, subsequent layers of paint will dry more slowly and maintain their luster.

1. Seal the entire board by spraying a few coats of a retouch varnish on the surface before beginning your painting.

or

2. Apply an under painting of a neutral oil color, acrylic paint, or a commercially available oil medium.

or

3. Apply one or two coats of a traditional underpainting of 1/3 rectified turpentine, 1/3 linseed oil and 1/3 varnish and allow to dry between coats.

Try adding more medium to your paint to allow better flow and paint consistency when using Claybord (Smooth). Manipulation of oil paint on Claybord is somewhat more delicate than other media. Using brushes, paper towels, and scrapers, you can manipulate your paint to develop wonderful textures and details.

NOTE: Although you can completely remove the pigments from your Claybord panel with mineral spirits or sand paper, the oils and resins in your paint may stain the board. Also, a mixed media approach can be helpful when using Claybord (Smooth). Try beginning with an acrylic underpainting, scratch into the surface to create detail, then glaze over detail areas with oil washes. For best results, allow your composition to dry overnight before applying oil washes on top of a fresh underpainting and detail areas because the paint may appear to be dry when in reality, it's still wet underneath.