acrylic and oil primer

[Claire]

Hello,
Can some one recommend to me a good primer for acrylic and oil paints, can
you use a wood primer such as from a hardware shop? Also can you paint oils
on watercolour paper if you have primed it first?

Thankyou

[Niall Smyth]

Dear Claire

Acrylic Gesso Primer

Works for oil & Acrylics

Niall

"Claire" <ramo...@hotmail.com> wrote in message
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[hr]

"Grounding mediums" provide the "bite" that oils need to stay on the
surface of the "ground" be it canvas, linen, chapel walls or whatever. Some
of the new primers, e.g. Zinzer Bulls Eye could be used I suppose but if you
view the link you may see that the old recipes aren't like the modern ones.

I can't understand why someone would want to use oils on watercolor
paper anyway, as linseed turns rancid i.e., acidic, after a while and the
flexibility inherent with any paper, grounded or not, is not conducive to
longevity. Even if the paper is "primed" there is always the reverse side
left to take the abuse.

Using Acrylics on water color paper makes more sense as they are
water-based but then the flexibility of the ground may come into play as the
acrylics harden. I haven't priced Masonite lately, but they do sell some hot
pressed WC papers for about $15.00 a sheet. Even if Masonite (hardboard)
isn't cheaper than watercolor paper I know for sure it would last a lot
longer. There are some wooden panels (Giotto) from way back that still look
good. If one is insistant on using a grounding medium anywho, why wouldn't
they use the hardboard?

Don't we sometimes stick to the proven methods rather than try something
new because we're scared? Face it. If your work gets "appreciated" wouldn't
you want it to last 300+ years?

http://www.jcsparks.com/painted/recipes.html

"Claire" <ramo...@hotmail.com> wrote in message
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[Craig Luce]

Bull's Eye is for wood and is pigmented shellac--- yes, if you are
painting on wood its fine!

Shellac is great on wood, but, if unsealed, will oxidize to powder over
the years.... NOT good for paper!! As in all things art, go to the
source-- Ralph Mayer's Artists Handbook.

[Craig Luce]

Bull's Eye is for wood and is pigmented shellac--- yes, if you are
painting on wood its fine!

Shellac is great on wood, but, if unsealed, will oxidize to powder over
the years.... NOT good for paper!! As in all things art, go to the
source-- Ralph Mayer's Artists Handbook.

HAving tired to redefine media and painting supports mywelf, I find that
staying with the proven is best... and canvas is cheap these days.
Choose your battles and focus on the art content.

[Rob Howard]

> Can some one recommend to me a good primer for acrylic and oil paints, can
> you use a wood primer such as from a hardware shop? Also can you paint oils
> on watercolour paper if you have primed it first?

The classic method of isolating the paper from oil paint is to size it
with a hide glue of some sort. Rabbitskin will do admirably but my
preference is Technical Gelatine, which is somewhat harder. A dilution
of 22 parts water to 1 part gelatine, when warmed, will provide a bath
for the paper. You can either immerse the paper and rain it quickly or
simply sponge one side. Hang and allow to dry.

Such sizing of paper is often done for ink drawings (it prevents the
strokes from fethering out) and chalk drawings (it adds a subtle
tooth).

A weak solution of Alum can be either sprayed over the surface or
mixed into the bath. It hardens the proteins in the glue and makes
them resistant to mold and mildew.

For more info go to http://www.studioproducts.com/forum/forum.html

[hr]

Hey. The only thing I've used Bulls Eye for lately is priming my living room
walls. I had painted over what the previous owner left for us, which was a
big mistake. He had painted latex over oil based gloss and the minute I
started rolling my $25.00/can "designer" on, the underlying latex got
soaked, started bubbling and as it dried, fell off.

I picked the oil-based BE (there was three types) and started over. All is
well now as far as my walls are concerned.

I've thought about using some of the old recipes for gesso but I'm having
trouble getting past the ones with honey and sugar in them. I would rather
add Ca CO3 to the oil-based BE and give that a whirl. Ralph Mayer may not
like that but that wouldn't be my problem. If it was me and not "Claire"
thinking about "priming" WC paper, I wouldn't think twice about it -- I just
wouldn't do it.

I actually enjoy stretching my own canvasses but I'm still way short of the
first acre. Later, H.

"Craig Luce" <Crai...@Medical-Illustration.com> wrote in message
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