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what
is gesso?
If
you are new to acrylics, you may be wondering - what is gesso
and why do I need to know about it? Step right up - this page will
tell you all about the glories of gesso and how to use it. We'll cover:
Gesso
is an important art supply to get your canvas ready for painting.
You can buy
gesso readymade from any art supply shop. Gesso is very
similar to white acrylic paint, only thinner. It dries hard, making
the surface more stiff. Gesso prepares (or "primes") the
surface for painting, making the surface slightly textured and ready
to accept acrylic paint. Without gesso, the paint would soak into
the weave of the canvas.
The word gesso
is a noun, but many artists also use it as a verb. For example: "You
need to gesso your canvas before you paint."
The beauty of
gesso is that you can apply it to nearly any surface, and then you
can paint on that surface with acrylic paint. For example, you can
apply a layer or two of gesso to vinyl records, rubber duckies, or
cigar boxes, and voila - you can now paint on that object with acrylics!
What fun. The possibilities are endless!
Different
types of gesso
Gesso is traditionally
white,
but nowadays you can also buy black
gesso, clear
gesso and colored
gesso readymade. You can also tint your gesso to make
any color you want. Just mix a little acrylic paint to the gesso,
and you've got some tinted gesso!
There are two
different grades of gesso: Artist grade and Student grade. The difference
between the two amounts to the different ratios of pigment vs. filler.
The Student grade is cheaper because it contains more filler than
the Artist grade. Artist grade has more pigment than Student grade,
making it thicker and more opaque. These differences are reflected
in the price, and also in the quality. Student grade is usually available
only in white, but as mentioned earlier, you can add acrylic paint
to the gesso to make it more pigmented.
The consistency
and texture of gesso will vary from brand to brand. Some are more
liquidy and others are more thick. Some apply more smoothly and others
leave a more textured, toothy surface. You'll have to experiment with
different brands to find the one you like best. Liquitex Super Heavy
Gesso is great for applying sculptural effects to the canvas with
a brush or palette knife.
Gesso comes in
both squeeze bottle form and in large tubs or jars. With the squeeze
bottles, you can squeeze the gesso right onto canvas and then smooth
it out with a brush. You can also pour some onto your palette first
if you want to mix the gesso with paint or water. If your gesso comes
in a jar, you can stick your paintbrush right into the jar and apply
it to the canvas.
Gesso is also
available as a spray. What is gesso spray? You shake the can and spray
the gesso directly onto your canvas, with no need for a brush.
Do
I need to gesso my canvas if it is pre-primed?
Most
prestretched canvases are preprimed these days, meaning you can start
painting them with acrylics as soon as you take them out of the packaging.
This is perfectly acceptable, but often times you may feel that the
canvas lacks tooth and absorbency. Therefore it is generally advisable
to give the canvas another coat or two of gesso.
How
can you tell if the canvas lacks tooth and absorbency? If you paint
acrylics onto it, and the paint either mottles on the surface, or
sinks into the weave of the canvas, then it's a good idea to give
the canvas a coat or two of gesso.
Ultimately,
it's really up to you. There is no one way that is the correct way.
It all depends on how you want your painting to look. Certain styles
of contemporary painting might actually benefit from painting directly
onto a raw canvas.
How
to prime canvas
Priming
a canvas is easy! To apply gesso, use a wide, flat brush. The bigger
your surface, the bigger brush you will need. Dip the paintbrush into
the gesso, and brush it onto the canvas. Make sure that you cover
the entire surface of the canvas evenly. That's it - that's really
all there is to it!
There is honestly
no right or wrong way to prime a canvas. It all depends on the type
of painting you want to create.
Depending on the
consistency of your gesso (whether it is thick and gloppy or thin
and drippy), you may or may not want to dilute it a bit with water.
Thinning gesso with water will make the layer more smooth.
To ensure a nice,
smooth coat, make sure you go over the surface enough times with the
brush to make the gesso sink evenly into the canvas. Sometimes as
you lay out each brushstroke, lumps or lines of built-up gesso will
gather at the edge of the brushstroke. Using a different brush that
is dry, go over these lines to smooth them out.
To make a really
smooth coat, use sandpaper to gently sand in between each layer. Make
sure the surface is completely dry before attempting this!
How many layers
of gesso will you need to properly prime your canvas? It depends on
your personal preference. Try a canvas with one coat of gesso, then
another one with two, and maybe even one with three. Note the difference
in how the canvas feels and in how it accepts the paint. It's generally
a good idea to coat the canvas at least twice, to ensure that you've
covered the entire surface.
You can also mix
the gesso with colored acrylic to get a tinted gesso. Another idea
is to mix the gesso with texture gel to create a textured surface.
Learn more about
the characteristics
and applications of acrylic paint.
Learn about all
the basic
art supplies
that are essential for painting with acrylics. This page explains
the necessary art supplies for getting started with acrylics, with
links to even more info!
Interested in
painting photorealistically? Check out my guide: How
to Paint Photorealism: A Step-by-Step Guide on How to Paint Your Own
Photorealistic Paintings.
Check out this
tutorial on how
to paint abstract art with acrylics.
