How to Gesso A Canvas (A Basic Painting Class Skill)

Here's how to gesso a stretched, unprimed canvas.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Gesso from an art store
• A large, 1 to 3 inch wide brush
• Unprimed canvas stretched on a frame
• Water to rinse your brush

1. Lay the stretched, unprimed canvas on a table or a floor, over newspapers.

2. Open the can of gesso. Dip your brush into the gesso and slowly brush a thin layer of gesso across the surface of the canvas. The gesso should be thick enough to cover the tan color of the unprimed canvas, but not so thick that it cakes or carries brush marks.

3. Be sure to prime the sides with gesso as well.

4. Let the canvas dry for a few hours. If the coat is evenly dried, it's ready to go. If the coat of gesso is patchy, add another thin coat of gesso to the surface of the canvas.

5. Your canvas is now ready to be painted with acrylic or oil paints without bleeding through to the other side.

Tips & Warnings

• You can use fine grade sandpaper between the coats of gesso to sand the surface smooth and create a smoother final surface.

[clematis2009]

on 10/24/2009 Excellent. Easy when you know how! Thanks