It can be made from a variety of materials, but the most common type is made from plaster of Paris.
Gesso Your Canvas the Easy Way!
hen I first started painting, I had a hard time finding much info on gesso-ing your canvas, so I thought I’d share my tips and tricks to make your life a little easier! I’m all about shortcuts so I can spend more time painting – this method is quick and easy (albeit a bit messy).
Let’s start with the questions I had…
Do I need to gesso and why?
Darn good questions. When you’re starting out as an artist, you’re likely going to buy pre-stretched canvas (vs. making your own). All store bought canvases already have some amount of gesso already applied, which begs the question, why would I need to put on more? You can paint directly on a store bought canvas – but there’s a few advantages to adding your own gesso. First, paint will go on more smoothly and adhere better. I feel l like the factory-applied gesso has a waxy texture that doesn’t grab the paint as well and doesn’t have as nice a feel when applying paint. When I tried painting on store bought canvasstraight out of the package at my first workshop, I noticed that mine made a different sound when I applied paint with my knife than the instructors – I asked and he told me about the gesso. Second, it stiffens your canvas. This is especially important if you paint with a palette knife and put pressure on the canvas —it will have some give and feel mushy and your paint won’t be applied evenly. You’ll also notice that different brands of canvas have different tightness – you’ll have to experiment to find which one you like best. So far,I’ve found that Blick Studio are my favorite. I’ve tried some others that are more expensive, thinking they would be better, but they weren’t – Winsor and Newton was by far the loosest in fact.
How many coats?
Like everything else in painting, you’ll find many opinions on this. Most say 2-3. I go with 2, because 2 seems to work for meand why go to the effort of another coat if 2 is enough?
How smooth do I need to make it?
It depends. If you’re a palette knife painter, don’t be a perfectionist – you’re going to layer on so much paint, you won’t see the texture of the canvas anyway. If you use a brush, and apply your paint thickly, again, don’t be a perfectionist. If you use a brush but thin paint or are a portrait artist who needs a really smooth surface, then you need to work a little harder at getting the gesso smooth and my method may or may not work for you. I use very little pressure when I run the edge of the brush across the canvas to smooth it out after I roll on the gesso. I try to resist the urge to go back over the same spot again unless there happens to be a chunk of gesso I need to pick off with my finger nail, because going over it multiple times seems to make the texture worse.
What materials do you use?
1. 4-inch paint roller (hardware store)
2. 4-inch foam cover (hardware store)
3. 3-inch paintbrush (hardware store)
4. Utrecht Artist’ Acrylic Gesso
Can I re-use the roller?
Absolutely – if you rinse it really well right after you apply a coat, you’ll be able to re-use the same roller many times.
BONUS TIP: If your canvas still has too much give to it when you start to paint, use a water bottle to spritz the back of the canvas – as the water dries, it will tighten up a bit more.
How to gesso paper?
Gesso is a primer that is often used as a base on canvas or paper before drawing or painting. It helps to create a smooth surface that is easier to work on, and it also helps to protect the paper or canvas from damage. If you are using a mixed media sketchbook, it can be helpful to apply a layer of gesso to the pages before you start drawing.
Materials needed
- gesso
- drawing paper or a mixed media sketchbook
- a brush
- bowl or container to mix gesso in (sometimes I just apply gesso directly to the drawing)
Steps
- Mix the gesso in a bowl or container. You want to make it thin enough to easily apply with a brush, but not so thin that it’s watery.
- Place your paper on a flat surface and lightly brush the gesso over the entire surface. Make sure to cover the entire surface evenly.
- Allow the gesso to dry completely before drawing on it. This is important, as the gesso needs time to set and harden.
- If the gessoed paper is still not smooth, you can lightly sand it before drawing on it again. This will help to create an even smoother surface.
- Now that your paper is all gessoed up and ready to go, you can start drawing. Experiment with different mediums and see how the gesso affects the way they look and feel. You can also add additional layers of gesso for more texture; just make sure to allow each layer plenty of time to dry before adding another.
Recycling old drawings with gesso
When making larger drawings on thicker Canson or Strathmore paper, sometimes they just don’t turn out.
When I’m not happy with an old drawing, I pull out the gesso and go over it. This is a great way to recycle the drawing and give it new life. I apply a thin layer of gesso over the entire surface, letting it dry before I start again.
You can also add a watercolor wash to the dried gesso and lightly sand the paper before you draw on it again. This process can be repeated multiple times, creating increasingly more visually interesting surfaces as the old drawings bleed through the layers of gesso. Many viewers will think this is intentional on your part.
Gessoing over old drawings is not only a great way to reuse them, but it also takes the stress out of using expensive Canson and Strathmore papers for your drawings.
Here are a few additional points that you might want to consider when recycling old drawings with gesso:
- Gesso is typically white, but you can also find it in other colors such as black, grey, and clear. Choosing a different colored gesso can give your recycled drawing a different overall look and feel.
- You can also experiment with adding texture to your gesso by using different tools or techniques. For example, you might try using a palette knife to create a rough, textured surface, or you might use a roller to create a smoother finish.
- Gesso is not the only option for recycling old drawings. You can also consider using other types of primer or even just applying a new layer of paint directly over the old drawing. Experimenting with different techniques can help you find the approach that works best for you.
Sanding the gessoed paper
Once the gessoed paper is dry, I recommend lightly sanding the paper to create a smooth surface to draw on.
Otherwise, the gesso will create a rough uneven surface.
Lightly sanding the gesso will also help to bring out any interesting textures that you’ve created.
If you want a completely smooth surface, you can gesso the paper again and sand it once it’s dry.
Just make sure to let each layer of gesso dry completely before adding another.
When you’re finished sanding, your paper should be smooth and ready for drawing.
If it’s not, you can always add another layer of gesso and sand it again.
Now that you know how to gesso paper, you can get started on your next mixed media drawing.
