Gesso

[Kman.]

Is gesso necessary only for surfaces like wood, cardboard, etc. , or is it also for canvases? I'm sorry if this is a stupid question, but I'm really new :dead: Also, will gesso work as sort of a primer/undercoat? I have this Liquid clear stuff, (I got a bunch of Bob Ross gear from my grandma) is it necessary?

Any other tips about preparing the canvas and such would be very helpful :^^:

[caulisxcaput]

You definitely have to gesso canvas. The reason for that being that surfaces like canvas and cardboard and paper and whatnot tend to absorb your paint and rot after a while, destroying your hard work. So anything in that vein you should gesso. There's not much else I can think of tip-wise, it sort of depends on what you're doing. The directions given on your gesso should be pretty much all you need. And as for whether it acts as primer or undercoat, that's sort of what it does. It basically just acts as a barrier between the paint and the canvas, a second surface, if you will. As for your liquid clear, I personally don't use it. So it's not necessary, but being as I don't use it, I'm not one to advise you on that one.

[Prehistoric]

you only need to gesso canvas if you're painting in oils. if you're using acrylics and you want to see the raw canvas in the unpainted areas, it's no problem.

[Elwell]

All pre-stretched canvases, as well as many kinds of roll canvas, will be primed and ready to paint on, but you can always put on more coats to modify the texture.

I think the Bob Ross Liquid Clear is mostly linseed oil with some unknown additives. I've heard it yellows terribly. I wouldn't touch it (or any other "TV artist" supplies) with a ten foot pole.

[Gory]

If this liquid clear stuff is made out of linseed oil I would not apply it to raw canvas.

I do know of many artists that just size their canvas with Rabbit Skin Glue or PVA size and paint directly on the size. They say they like the tooth better, although I'm not all that keen on it. It just doesn't seem very permanent to me.

[Prehistoric]

rabbit skin glue has actually very good longevity. it's how the old masters did it, so it's good enough for me.

[jrr]

http://www.resistance.com/moronmail/Bob%20Ross%20.jpg

Haters.

gesso is also good because it's much easier to work on that surface rather than raw surface because the paint flows better.

[TheGhostOfGilgamesh]

That liquid stuff might also be liquin...it's what we use at CCAD, and i hate it, because it really does yellow stuff (like Elwell said). And if it's linseed oil...we use that as a stain substitute for wood sculpture in 3-D class...i really wouldn't put it near my paint...*smile*

[dbclemons]

you only need to gesso canvas if you're painting in oils. if you're using acrylics and you want to see the raw canvas in the unpainted areas, it's no problem.

While this is true, the acrylic medium in the paint will be absorbed into an unsized canvas and that can cause the paint to dull slightly when it dries and weaken the adhesion. Not a big deal but good to know.

You can size a surface for painting without using gesso, like hide glue or polymer emulsion. Essentially, it's just a process to add a substance to the surface that will prevent the paint from coming into contact with the surface itself (canvas, wood, etc.) but still allow the paint to stick. The oil medium in oil paints would damage the canvas fibers without sizing.

When I prepare with gesso I add 3 to 4 coats to get a smooth surface which I like. It only takes a few minutes to dry between coats, and I make the strokes in different directions for each coat to get it smooth. You can also add some color to it to tint the surface instead of having it be just white.

-David

[dbclemons]

Hmmm. Re-reading my reply I should possibly clarify that gesso is not a sizing medium, but a primer. Technically, a size like rabbit glue is a meduim that will allow for the surface to expand or shrink without hurting the paint. A primer like gesso is a ground that gives the paint something to stick to, but is still absorbent so should not really be used as a size substitute, especially for oils. Hope that's more clear.

-David

[el coro]

That liquid stuff might also be liquin...it's what we use at CCAD, and i hate it, because it really does yellow stuff (like Elwell said). And if it's linseed oil...we use that as a stain substitute for wood sculpture in 3-D class...i really wouldn't put it near my paint...*smile*

ummmm...hehe thats what oil paint is MADE of silly :)

gesso is awesome. i use it all the time. my recommendation would be to shell out for the good stuff tho, as the student grade shit is very absorbent, which sucks to paint on. i will also prime with an oil primer occaisionally. but before i oil prime, i always gesso first.-c36

[imglue]

Yeah ok.. in the vein of this thread, what is a good gesso brand?

I was told that you could use a matte latex house paint instead to save money (premixed rejected gallons at HD - $5). When I tried gessoing a bunch of masonite with it, the surface was still way too absorbent to deal with. I hate to let go of the idea that I could get off so cheaply (12x16 masonite boards + primer end up at only 35 cents each!!). If I have to go for real gesso, though, I don't want to waste money by trying to be cheap and end up with some junk again.

[jrr]

well, liquatex is a good brand for acry gesso. a cheaper brand is utrechts and it's ok. little slick but works.

[AthenaEowyn]

Oh no oh no! Liquin yellows??? You mean "yellows over time" or "it is tinted yellow and makes all paint you mix with it look yellower"? Oh god, if it yellows over time... I spent an entire two semesters painting with that stuff!

Please, please, tell me that it doesn't yellow... (I mean, tell me the truth).

[dbclemons]

Liquin does not yellow over time, at least none of mine have in some 20 years or so. I've used it to create smooth gradients. I prefer it to using linseed for that purpose since it's a bit stiffer. It does tend to make lighter shades a bit yellow-ISH, however. I recommend using it in small doses, and mixing it with your palette, not directly on the surface; that way you shouldn't notice any problems. There's also a liquin gel & impasto but I've not used those.

House paint... :nohope:

-David

Oh no oh no! Liquin yellows??? You mean "yellows over time" or "it is tinted yellow and makes all paint you mix with it look yellower"? Oh god, if it yellows over time... I spent an entire two semesters painting with that stuff!

Please, please, tell me that it doesn't yellow... (I mean, tell me the truth).

[Galkyd]

For a good acrylic gesso I second using Liquitex. Its not cheap but works well. You also might be able to find real gesso at an artstore but its a little more fussy as you have to mix it yourself.

Gesso is absorbant but that's not really a problem, only means your painting will come out more matte than if you used a non-absorbant oil ground. The nonabsorbant grounds use linseed oil and take a long long long time to dry before you can paint on them.

[AthenaEowyn]

Thank you, David! I was getting so worried there. I have tried linseed oil but used it for only one painting because it dries more slowly than Liquin and I don't want to hand in wet paintings to my professor. Thanks to this thread I'll be exploring different gessos and solvents.