Gatorfoam Board is a lightweight and waterproof board made from an extruded polystyrene core bonded between two layers of resin-impregnated wood-fibre veneer. It makes a great support for dry and wet media and can also be used as a drawing board or a backing board during framing. It is stronger than standard foamboard but is a similar weight and can be cut to size at home using a standard snap or Stanley knife.

Many watercolourists also use Gatorfoam Boards to stretch watercolour paper. Use either gummed paper tape or staples to attach the paper. For more information about Gatorfoam Board, see the article about Gatorfoam on the Jackson's Blog. This article contains instructions on how to prepare the surface for various media, demonstrating

• how to use Gatorfoam to stretch watercolour paper;
• how to use adhesives to glue canvas to Gatorfoam to produce a rigid board with the surface of your choice;
• how to glue pastel paper to the surface of the Gatorboard to produce a rigid surface with enough tooth for soft pastels;
• how to prime the surface using watercolour grounds;
• how to prime the surface with acrylic gesso for oil or acrylic painting.

Gatorfoam comes in two thicknesses (5mm and 10mm) and a range of sizes. This is a 5mm board which measures 27.5 x 35cm.