Comments about Ampersand Claybords:

Sometimes the clayboards can get chipped or dentedon sides even with protective packaging.

Comments about Ampersand Claybords:

I use claybord for acrylic ink applied with dip pens and watercolor brushes. Claybord seems to work better for ink than Aquabord (don't know why). Washes are tough to control...may get white areas even after prewetting the panel. Not really a problem for my work as I find a way to make use of any irregularities. Overall, I'm sold on these panels. They allow a slight amount of scratch work (not real deep) for extra texture/directional emphasis...which is great for ink because it runs into the lines. I use Golden archival matt spray varnish to seal. Works perfectly. Also want to say I LOVE Blick. They have a GREAT sense of customer service.

Comments about Ampersand Claybords:

I'm an acrylic artist and I favor flat smooth services. The panels are perfect. They are sturdy and I can hang them without framing so no parts of my work is covered. I'm a creature of habit and Ampersand has my number!

Comments about Ampersand Claybords:

These things are pretty horrible I must say. I tried it out at first and I was like okay, when i dealt with the slippery surface and i don't like applying gesso to something like this because of the texture so.. I thought maybe if i got new paint. It might seem decent for other people but to me that slippery surface renders them unusable. i haven't touched any since i first bought them.. I did manage to get a painting layered though after lots and lots of work.. Gesso did help but just too heavy and don't feel like spending hours... I tried the Gesso Boards and they're much preferred for my style.

Comments about Ampersand Claybords:

I was looking for base that would handle a little bit--or in some cases alot--of different products. I found it. It's great with ink, pastel, oil paint (though it does make the color very matte), polymer, acrylic, etc, with the added bonus of being able to scrap, or use steel wool, to get back to a plain surface. Just try it.

Comments about Ampersand Claybords:

I ordered 3 of the 2" deep, 16x16" claybord. I mount photos to these and I really like the quality. I only wish that Blick hadn't sent me two with damaged corners. When I buy 'new' I kind of expect it to be undamaged. It may have happened in shipping since they had no corner protection in their shipping box. The price is better than any other place I've found.

Comments about Ampersand Claybords:

I exclusively use Ampesand claybord for my pen and ink artwork, it readily absorbs the ink lines and smears become a thing of the past. One can also scrape back into the board or use artist grade steel wool on the board as well. While the corners tend to be a little fragile the product is perfect for ink lines. I have discovered that this version does not accept painting as well as it does line work. I have found Dick Blick's pricing to be the best on this product.

Comments about Ampersand Claybords:

Apart from the excellent product, I'd like to mention the packaging and shipping of this product. Since I live in northern British Columbia, Canada there is a lot of handling of this package and when it arrived it had a few gouges down into the second layer of packing material so I thought it might be damaged but when I opened it on the front deck, it was perfectly protected and in pristine condition! I was amazed at the professional job the packagers had done. Great job!

Comments about Ampersand Claybords:

As I said earlier, Claybord is a good product. Not only that, however, when some of my order arrived damaged, Blick quickly rectified the situation, replacing my damaged items quickly and cheerfully. Great products and great customer care.

Comments about Ampersand Claybords:

I love Ampersand's Claybord. I use it as a surface when I paint watercolors and egg tempera paintings. While the initial application of color to the surface is difficult, subsequent layering techniques are great. I love the ability to lift color from the surface as well. Filbert rake brushes are indispensable when painting with this surface.
My most recent shipment from Blick, however, was disappointing. Of the seven Claybords that were shipped, three arrived damaged. I hope that future shipments will be better.