Jackson's : Aluminum Panel : Prepared for All Media

Aluminum panels make even, rigid, and lightweight painting surfaces. They offer a great value with a stable, conservation-quality support. Unlike canvases (with wooden stretcher bars) or wooden panels, aluminum panels are artwork supports that will not release gases over time and will barely react to changes in humidity and temperature. The conservation benefits and archival properties of the metal mean that aluminum art panels can easily be stored in damp studios where traditional painting surfaces would warp. They are also lightweight, which makes them ideal for large artworks that may need to be transported.

The Jackson's aluminum panel is an anodized aluminum surface, which is widely considered the best process for preparation of an aluminum surface for the application of paint. There is no residue from the process, as it is a change to the structure of the aluminum face, above and below the surface. The process modifies the surface by creating aluminum oxide, an extremely hard, porous surface that allows fantastic adhesion of paints. Unlike many other aluminum panels, Jackson's Aluminum Panels are unsealed, allowing primer and paint to adhere securely to the metal. It is also possible for artists to leave areas of the aluminum panels exposed, as the material won't tarnish due to its resistance to further oxidation.

The panels present a smooth, gray, satin finish; priming is not necessary, but they can easily be primed with any of Jackson's primers should a different color be preferred. The very fine, regular, porous surface suits fluid paint best, as it can get into the small pores. But the paint still needs plenty of binder so it will cure to a durable paint surface. After complete drying and curing, both acrylic and oil colors are permanently bonded to the surface. If you wish to use thicker paint, you can gesso the surface with a fluid gesso that penetrates the pores and then paint on top of that. The gesso will be permanently bonded to the surface.

Jackson's Aluminum Panels are the perfect solution for those who like to paint on ultra-smooth hard surfaces. The smooth panel means that paint can be spread easily and that brushes never need to be scrubbed into the surface. Suitable for use with all types of painting media, including oil, acrylic, watercolor, gouache and ink.

Please note, these aluminum panels have an industrial finish and as a result often have slight marks, light scratches or imperfections. Keep in mind that either side of the panel can be used and priming may be necessary for a perfectly smooth base to work on.

For more information on how to hang the panels as well as ways to use them, please read this article on the Jackson's Blog.