What exactly is gesso?

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.

What is acrylic gesso?

Acrylic gesso is a mixture of white pigment and some kind of filler (chalk, silica, etc.) and acrylic resin dispersed in water. It produces a soft, flexible non-absorbent surface that is technically not gesso at all (although it is commonly called that by its manufacturers).

Are there different types of gesso?

There are two different grades of Gesso that are available. The two types are student grade and artist grade. Student grade Gesso uses more filler than pigment and is less expensive, while artist grade uses a larger amount of pigment than filler. The artist grade Gesso is thicker and more opaque (less see through).

What is transparent gesso used for?

Clear Gesso A very clear size and ground that keeps the working surface visible. Clear Gesso provides an ideal degree of tooth for pastel, oil pastel, graphite, and charcoal as well as an excellent ground for acrylic and oil paints. This gesso is ideal for painting over colored or patterned surfaces.

Should I get clear or white gesso?

We think higher proportions of pigment and calcium carbonate make original, heavy-bodied white gesso the ideal choice for thicker, fatter oil paint, but Clear Gesso works great for most applications.

What can I use instead of clear gesso?

In short, the best alternatives for gesso are either commercial acrylic primers or Clear Gesso. It is also possible to paint directly on the surface without any primer or, if a cheap alternative to gesso is needed, then gesso can be easily made at home with ingredients that can be bought almost anywhere.

Do you really need gesso?

Gesso Primer. A common question regarding acrylic painting is if you need to use a gesso primer. Technically, you don’t. It provides you with a nice, slightly more absorbent surface to work on, especially if your working on board or raw canvas, but for a pre-primed canvas it’s unnecessary.

Is gesso and Mod Podge the same?

Gesso does seal the canvas… Mod Podge can do either, it can be a glue or to seal the work on top. RE: Manda_K: Gesso does seal the canvas… Mod Podge can do either, it can be a glue or to seal the work on top.

What do you need to know about gesso 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.

How many layers of gesso to properly prime a canvas?

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.

Can you use gesso on a pre stretched canvas?

Most pre-stretched canvases are pre-primed 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.