Tel, are you skipping the liquid white on these boards? I'm finding it a bit much.

    Hi TLP, glad you are pleased with these bargain boards. I don't often recommend "stuff" just in case it doesn't live up to my enthusiasm.
    The only time i use liquid white is if there is a lot of sky, otherwise i don't find it necessary, boards have a tendency to soak up LW and therefore require a little more than a stretched canvas might.

      tel I'm finding they dont need much to get the slip I need. I've only done three so far but I've also noticed the brushes and tools perform differently on such a smooth surface. At this point I prefer stretched canvas but I'm sure I'll get used to them and happy to have a go.

          Both options have their own advantages, storage and the ability to frame being the biggest for boards i feel

          For most of my paintings I use canvasboards, small (30/24 cm) and cheap (0,50 EUR), needs very little paint, I paint flat so I can turn it around if necessary. The drying too fast and the soaking of the liq. white (Bob warns for that) can be solved by adding two or three layers of gesso before starting, I always do it now. Warping of the boards is sometimes a problem, then I try to bow it back before painting, but the problem is not solved, if framed later the warping is not visible anymore. I will not buy these, if already visible in the shop. When the board feels steady, it seems ok. Panels, based on a wooden (MDF) underground, doesn't warp, as far as I know. When finished and dry after two weeks I store them in a map, some also in a seperate plastic map to avoid sticking together. An other issue is that after some time (>1 year) the paint (especially thick parts, like snow on the mountain) seems to creep into the canvas and it doesn't look as good as it was, maybe the used cheap gesso is part of this problem. Another problem was with varnishing after a year: it seems to eat up some paint on some thinner painted parts, maybe also caused by the cheap white gesso layer (didn't have that with black gesso paintings). Sometimes the structure of the canvas of the board shows through the paint, gessoing the board will prevent this most of the times. If a smooth surface is needed, fine sandpaper can be used to get the gesso layer smooth (Dirk1968 is specialist for that, he also use canvasboards). So I hope this helps a bit, I write to Helen haha!

            joha59 thank you Jos, I appreciate your in depth reply. I keep calling them boards but I'm using panels. What is meant by map? I'm not familiar with that.

                Sorry Helen, 'map' means in Dutch a kind of folder; I store the boards in a plastic storage folder with several compartments. Two of the six stored boards are also in a plastic A4 document folder to avoid sticking together, because the compartment does not cover the board completely.

                Hi TLP, I don't frame my paintings as i don't sell them, i was just making the point that boards (panels) offer the option to be framed

                tel no problem, I should be able to find something suitable, it's getting the correct depth on the rebate isn't it. Thanks for getting back to me.

                    That's very kind TLP ...Thankyou. I have yet to pluck up the courage to ask for money for my paintings, guess you might say i'm my own worst critic

                      tel Thing is tel, unlike the millions of people painting flowers, Ross style scapes, and fluffy stuff, not many seem to be producing anything after lowry. It might be an unusual style that nobody wants to paint, perhaps coz they don't understand it or coz when they try they discover how difficult it actually is like I did, and they can't do it. Its not as if you can watch a tutorial is it. And look where you are, close to the Salford gallery where visitors are interested enough to turn up to see the real thing, there's got to be a market for your stuff locally. And I do think your paintings are good enough. Selling just one would give your confidence a boost.

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