Abstract: An artist's cradle includes a sheet of rigid plastic having a paintable surface on at least one planar surface thereof and a rigid base frame mounted to the underside of the sheet. The sheet is substantially neutral or neutral alkali ph and treated with a heat treatment around at least a periphery of the underside of the sheet. The heat treatment includes heat oxidizing the periphery using a heat source. The rigid frame is bonded by an adhesive to the periphery of the sheet following the heat treatment.

Abstract: This invention relates to a novel process and composition for treating the surface of an ABS or other polymer sheet so that it will accept watercolor paints. More particularly, this invention involves using a series of adhesive ground compounds to modify the surface of the ABS polymer or other sheet so that it becomes water absorbent to a certain degree. A method of treating the surface of a polymer so that it is acceptable for watercolor pigments comprising: (a) roughening the surface of the polymer; (b) applying a layer of a mixture of soft gel gloss and kaolin clay to the roughened surface and allowing it to dry; (c) applying a second layer of soft gel gloss and kaolin clay mixture to the first layer of soft gel gloss and kaolin clay mixture and allowing it to dry; and (d) applying a layer of absorbent watercolor ground to the kaolin clay layer.

Abstract: An artist's cradle includes a sheet of rigid plastic having a paintable surface on at least one planar surface thereof and a rigid base frame mounted to the underside of the sheet. The sheet is substantially neutral or neutral alkali ph and treated with a heat treatment around at least a periphery of the underside of the sheet. The heat treatment includes heat oxidizing the periphery using a heat source. The rigid frame is bonded by an adhesive to the periphery of the sheet following the heat treatment.