ABOUT GESSO VS. ACRYLIC PAINT AS A PRIMER
just....@gmail.com
and plan to paint over it with oils. i figure if gesso is acrylic why
wont acrylic paint act as a primer the same way.
in case your wondering or if this sounds weird i do this so i can sort
of preview the picture and decide about what works and what doesnt as
far as composition and color and so forth.
and just curious, ive resorted to stretching and putting gesso on a
spare bed sheet or pillow case when i cant afford canvas to paint on.
i figure its cotton like canvas, it seems to work, though a little
flimsy on the frame, and its held up so far, but will it have long term
problems? like the sheet deteriorating? or something else? excuse the
grammar please.
cheers
just....@gmail.com
Ten
No, it is not stupid. Don't knock yourself ! If you have a creative
drive, exploit it.
You can always experiment to find new effects, without initially
concerning yourself with deterioration . But I advise you to acquire
knowledge about the best way to preserve your work, if you find it
worthwhile to do. There are many books on the subject of permanency.
Many artists, and even several well known ones use perishable materials
such as newspapers as backgrounds, or in collages.
Enjoy Life and Love
Ten
http://tensart.com
NightMist
Well, there are sheets and there are sheets...
I am assuming you read the label and know the fiber content is indeed
100% cotton. Pure cotton sheets are much more common than they were
10 years ago. Even there, long staple cotton will hold up longer
than short (egyptian vs american cottons). Beyond that, it is pretty
much a matter of weight. A heavy sheet will be about 4-5 oz per
yard^2, canvas will run from 7-12. The coarser weave of canvas will
also grab and hold the primer and the paint more effectively than the
smoother weave of sheeting.
You are fine with your acrylic underpainting, lots of people do it
nowdays. Once upon a time I painted in oils, then I started doing
acrylic underpaintings to move along the drying time. I paint in
glazes so that was a real time saver. I ended up moving entirely to
acrylics after a short while. The process was indeed hurried along by
small children and a husband who is sensitive to many of the solvents,
but waiting forever for a layer to dry sufficently for the next and
having to have half a dozen paintings going at a time was driving me
nuts anyway.
Barbara
--
"To repeat what others have said, requires education; to challenge
it, requires brains." -Mary Pettibone Poole
the_...@yahoo.com
just....@gmail.com wrote:
> i paint in oils but i sort of pre-painted my picture with acrylic
paint
> and plan to paint over it with oils. i figure if gesso is acrylic why
> wont acrylic paint act as a primer the same way.
acrylic gesso has the same acrylic polymer in it that acrylic paint
does. but acrylic gesso has an additional ingredient in it, possibly
marble dust, that gives it more tooth than mere acrylic polymer
emulsion, so what you lay down over it will adhere.
>
> in case your wondering or if this sounds weird i do this so i can
sort
> of preview the picture and decide about what works and what doesnt as
> far as composition and color and so forth.
i usually do a smaller scale version of the painting on paper i have
primed with acrylic gesso, so i work out all the bugs.
the sarp
Paul Mesken
>You can also use oil primers for oil painting, but I'm not familiar enough
>with them to comment.
The only good oil primer is lead white oil primer (Titanium White is
too brittle and requires too much oil, a ground should be as lean as
possible, Zinc White has these flaws as well plus it is semi opaque).
But it takes half a year or more to cure so I wouldn't use it if
you're in a hurry :-)
.... oh, it's also poisonous so sanding is somewhat of a hazard. Of
course, you could apply it so smoothly that it shouldn't be sanded.
Perhaps a Lead/Titanium combination is the best since Lead White turns
somewhat transparent after a couple of years.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Paul Mesken, feared administrator of www.nellarteforum.com