I have been trying out a new painting surface lately, aluminum composite panels. ย Specifically, I have been using OmegaBond panels. ย They also come under the name of DiBond from another manufacturer. ย They are made for signs, constructed of two thin layers of aluminum sandwiched over a polyethylene core. ย They are made to withstand heat and cold without breaking down and with minimal expansion or contraction. ย I am starting to see them pop up more and more with artists.

Both the OmegaBond and the DiBond panels have a thin polyester layer on them that can be painted on directly (the DiBond is on one side, the OmegaBond is coated on both sides). ย When sign companies use them, they will screen on paint over the polyester and it must bond quite well since it has to withstand all kinds of weather conditions. ย You can also gesso them with oil or acrylic gesso, or adhere canvas or linen to them.

I brushed on some oil based gesso to add texture and test adhesion

I have been using them for my weekly portrait sittings for the last few months. ย They are quite slick if you paint directly on the polyester, but the paint seems to bond well. ย If painting directly on them, you want to use soft brushes, like Rosemary’s Masters Choice line or a sable brush, at least for the first pass.

The Natural Pigments site says the following about preparing the panels.

PREPARING THE PANEL FOR MOUNTING AND PAINTING
Note: Use only the coated side of the panel for painting and mounting.

  • Remove the protective film from the coated side slowly and carefully to avoid static build-up.
  • Pre-clean the panel surface with ethyl or isopropyl alcohol, using non-colored cloth for best results. It is important not to use solvents, soaps or liquid cleaning materials as they may leave a film residue that can affect adhesion. Additionally, cleaners containing silicone can interfere with adhesion and are not recommended. A 70% solution of isopropyl alcohol is recommended as the only cleaning material.
  • Scuff the surface with abrasive paper, preferably using a grain size of 360 grit. Do not grind through the coating to the aluminum metal.
  • Remove dust with a lint-free cloth moistened with ethyl or isopropyl alcohol.

I have done some tests with them. ย Not really all that scientific, or exhaustive, but my initial impression is that they work quite well as painting supports with no real preparation. ย If you are concerned with the archival nature of them, you will want to test them with your materials to make sure they suit your needs.

Very smooth surface. ย No preparation, just painting directly on to polyester surface.

I have scraped at a few paintings with a palette knife and the paint seems to grip the surface quite well. ย It can be scraped off, but no easier than on masonite. ย I have also taken packaging tape and duct tape to a couple dried paintings and ripped it off and no paint came off. ย Not all that scientific and not a large test base, but it is encouraging so far.

Rebeccaย – 8″x10″ oil on aluminum panel with oil based primer

ย If you are looking for a perfectly smooth surface to work on that is archival and rigid, this might interest you. ย If you can find a local sign supply company, you can get sheets up to 5′ x 10′. ย You can also find them at a few art supply stores online.

Stephanie – 11″x14″ oil on aluminum panel

*** Full disclosure, my 16 year old son and entrepreneur is selling them on eBay after seeing how much I liked them. ย I will include a link, but also include a link to Natural Pigments which sells plain panels as well as panels with linen.

Natural Pigments ACM panelsย 

Lyon Arts Supply

Lastly, here is a time lapse of the painting above for fun:

[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BWcZp42uoyI&w=600&h=400]

Thanks for giving this post a read!

Howard Lyon

Website
Instagram
Twitter