What do you need to know about gesso paint?
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.
Can you use acrylic as a substitute for gesso?
This is a test sample of various acrylic mediums on canvas as a gesso substitute. You may want to use a higher quality canvas than this example which has a lot of dark specs in it. The acrylic mediums are: ultra matte gel, clear gesso, matte gel, and matte medium. Each section has two coats. Allow each layer to dry before applying the second coat.
What’s the difference between gesso and matte medium?
Matte medium has a similar consistency to gesso. It seems to be the most transparent of the matte gels and mediums that I tested. Similar to matte medium except thicker. Almost as transparent as the matte medium. Contains an aggregate that creates a rougher surface than the mediums and gels.
Why do you use gesso for art journaling?
When the gesso is dry, the pages become sturdier and the paper won’t soak liquids. Gesso is a great thing to use in mixed media projects and art journaling because if you do mixed media, you’ll definitely use a lot of paint and other liquid media.
How is gesso used as a modeling paste?
Because gesso has a “stiff” formula, it should be thinned down with water or paint thinner for an ideal, smooth application, according to Nordin. “Because of this, gesso acts as a modeling paste when it is applied in heavy amounts to a work surface and allowed to dry ,” she says.
What can you use to spread gesso on wood?
Considering gesso’s features, it is easy to understand why it was a popular choice for filling the grains of woods in previous times. It can be applied in either thin or heavy coats, with a trowel or a float to level it out. On smaller work, a spatula or putty knife can be used to spread it.
What does the word gesso mean in Italian?
The word gesso means chalk in Italian. Chalk is one of the ingredients of gesso. It is mostly and widely used in art journaling for preparing the pages before you put a lot of different media on them.
