What type of board is this?

Quick question. The darker brown board - what is it?

It looks like the back side of hardboard, a fiberboard. Is the other side smooth and shiny?

Unfortunately I can’t see the other side, as it’s under several layers of gesso. It was made to be a surface for painting with egg tempera, if that helps…

It is masonite

5 Likes

Yep, hardboard for painting is definitely a thing

https://www.utrechtart.com/categories/canvases/hardboard-panels/

(edit: looks like Utrecht lists both Masonite and plywood under “hardboard”. Agree with Joe yours is Masonite)

1 Like

Yup, masonite! In some of my college painting classes we used this and did layers of gesso to get it paint ready.

1 Like