How to Tint the Ground for Painting
One challenge when you start a painting is dealing with the bright white of the gesso. You need gesso to prime your surface. It protects the painting support (whether canvas or panel) and provides a base for paints to adhere to. The white is also reflective, which add luminosity. Sometimes, though, especially if you're painting a dark subject, it's too bright. It's hard to assess dark colors painted right onto the bright white gesso. To make things easier, tint the ground, which is gesso in this case, before applying it. You tint it by adding some color. This takes the edge off the white, and makes it easier to evaluate darker colors. Apply the tinted ground right on your pre-stretched canvas, or on over your gesso-coated canvas, if you have prepared it yourself.
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Things You'll Need
- Canvas ready-to-paint
- Gesso
- Acrylic paint
- Mixing container
- Stirring stick
Instructions
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1
Pour your gesso into a mixing container. Gesso coverage is similar to house paint. Use about an ounce for every three square feet of surface.
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2
Add a tablespoon of acrylic paint. You can choose any color. Black will give you a gray neutral. Other colors will create pastels, if you prefer some hue in the ground. Red will make pink. Blue will make a baby blue.
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3
Mix the paint very well. Stir vigorously with the stir stick. Scoop from the bottom frequently. Mash unblended bits of the acrylic paint to break them up. Unblended color will cause streaking.
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4
Evaluate your color. If you want it darker, add more color and mix it well.
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5
Apply your ground. Use the 2-inch brush. Paint in one direction. Don't dilute the ground with water. Paint until your surface is covered uniformly.
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6
Allow the tinted gesso to dry. You are ready to begin your painting.
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