Illustration Board & Art Surfaces
Every drawing, painting, or framed piece needs the right surface underneath it and “the right surface” isn’t a single product, it’s a choice between several genuinely different boards depending on what you’re making. At AMS Papers, our Illustration Board range brings together the core surfaces artists, designers, and framers reach for: mount board, foamboard, painting boards, and watercolour board. We supply all four as retail packs for individual creative work, and as bulk wholesale orders for studios, framers, schools, and print shops working at volume.
Mount board is the framer’s essential a firm, smooth-surfaced board used for window mounts, backing boards, and presentation mats around artwork or photography. It gives finished pieces a clean, professional border and enough rigidity to protect what’s behind the glass.
Foamboard brings lightweight strength to the range a foam core sandwiched between paper-laminated surfaces, ideal for presentation boards, signage, mockups, and any project where you need something sturdy enough to stand on its own but light enough to handle and transport easily. It’s a favourite for design students and studios producing mounted presentations or display panels.
Painting boards give artists a stable, rigid surface as an alternative to canvas or loose paper well suited to acrylic and mixed media work where you want a surface that won’t flex, warp, or sag once the piece is framed or displayed.
Watercolour board combines genuine watercolour paper with a rigid backing, solving one of the most common frustrations in watercolour work: paper that buckles or cockles once it’s wet. The rigid support keeps the surface flat through washes and layers, making it a strong choice for finished pieces meant for framing without additional mounting.
Buy illustration board, mount board wholesale
Buying from AMS Papers: Each board type is available as a single retail sheet or small pack for individual artists and designers, or as a bulk wholesale order for studios, schools, framers, and creative businesses with ongoing supply needs. Per-sheet pricing improves with order size so if you’re sourcing for a studio, classroom, or framing business, it’s worth checking our wholesale rates before buying smaller quantities repeatedly.
Key Features & Specifications
| Board Type | Best Suited For |
|---|---|
| Mount Board | Picture framing, window mounts, presentation mats |
| Foamboard | Presentation panels, signage, mockups, display work |
| Painting Boards | Acrylic and mixed media painting, rigid framed surfaces |
| Watercolour Board | Watercolour painting with a warp-resistant rigid backing |
| General Specification | Detail |
|---|---|
| Surface Range | Mount board, foamboard, painting board, watercolour board |
| Buying Options | Single sheet/pack (retail) or bulk wholesale — competitive pricing on both |
| Suited For | Artists, designers, framers, schools, print and display businesses |
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What’s the difference between mount board and foamboard?
Mount board is a solid, dense board typically used for framing and presentation mats around artwork, while foamboard has a lightweight foam core between paper-laminated faces, making it better suited to freestanding presentations, signage, and display panels where weight matters more than density.
2. Is watercolour board better than regular watercolour paper?
For finished, framed pieces, yes in many cases watercolour board’s rigid backing prevents the buckling and cockling that loose watercolour paper can develop once it’s wet, so the surface stays flat through multiple washes and layers.
3. Can I use painting board instead of canvas?
Yes painting boards offer a stable, rigid alternative to canvas, particularly well suited to acrylic and mixed media work where artists want a surface that won’t flex or sag over time.
4. What’s foamboard typically used for outside of art projects?
Beyond illustration and design work, foamboard is commonly used for presentation displays, signage, classroom projects, and lightweight mockups where a sturdy but easy-to-handle surface is needed.
5. Can I buy these boards in bulk for a school, studio, or framing business?
Yes AMS Papers supplies mount board, foamboard, painting boards, and watercolour board for both individual retail purchases and wholesale bulk orders, with pricing that improves the more you order.
