Ampersand Gessobord
Ampersand Gessobord is a US-made panel for oils, acrylics, alkyds, and mixed media. Its distinctive characteristics that make it stand out against competition is the carefully adjusted absorbency levels, significantly higher thickness, and a bright white and fine tooth finish that gives good and delicate results when glazing, brushing, or practicing knife painting, collage, and masking. The panel is pre-primed with a professional-quality, acid-free Titanium White acrylic gesso ground for the truest clarity of the applied colors, so the artist needs to conduct no preparation at all. You simply take it out and start working on it.
Ampersand has developed some technologies that further enhance this product with unique benefits for the user. For example, there’s the “Archiva-Seal” technology that is basically the application of a protective barrier formula that prevents discoloration and yellowing. Moreover, the Gessobord is made out of true high-density Aspen wood fibers, without formaldehyde or any other volatile organic elements. This chemical stability ensures the longevity of every creation made on a Gessobord, and that’s of utmost importance for every artist.
Product Pros & Cons
Artist Likes
- Smooth and durable surface that allows details to be highlighted
- Comes already gessoed
- Good oil paint gliding
- Subtly toothed surface to hold just enough color
Artist Dislikes
- Thick acrylic paint dries too fast, leaving no time to blend colors
- Lousy packaging may result in damaged corners
- Some find the canvas texture not realistic
The main reasons that make this product a choice for many artists out there concern convenience and fitness. These boards are ready to be used right away without the need for any kind of preparation, and this works for the vast majority of artists that work with oil and acrylic paints. However, depending on the viscosity of the used paint, some may find the board not suitable as it won’t hold enough paint, or it will hold too much and dry it too fast. One more complaint focuses on the packaging that seems to be somewhat perfunctory, often leaving the corners of the board to get damaged during shipping.
Final Considerations
As is the case with every artist equipment and product, the Gessobord can’t cover every possible different need in the world. However, it succeeds in being an all-around solution for most artists who want to work on a high-quality board that resembles a canvas surface and texture. Using renewable wood materials and state of the art technologies, the Gessobord thrives in being a durable board that will keep your color tones unaffected for many years to come.