I have found that different brands use different materials and the absorbency varies enormously! Hi Elizabeth, sounds like you’re doing really well. Afte… Use a putty knife with a broad edge so you can apply the sealant of your choice. Use two layers of gesso to ensure the liquid in oil paint doesn’t seep in and rot the wood. Any material I use I would do a little bit of research (just a google search) to make sure there are no known problems. Thanks for your input, it is really interesting. It might not be ideal, but at least we know what will happen to it. Well... nothing is mandatory, but holy crow is it a good idea. Jackson says the panels need no priming and can be used as such, which would be great, as I would love a very smooth surface. It’s plausible to assume that you can’t get a 100% perfectly even coat the first time, so use a sandpaper block with at least 600 grit to smooth it out. See also my Affiliate page. Professional linen can be hugely expensive. The gallery that I show my work at in group exhibits does not seem to have a preference when it comes to supports, but I am hoping to get gallery representation in the future. Different brands produce differently canvases, not only in quality and weight but also in texture and priming. I use to paint on canvas that I stretched myself. I slap on the gesso with a rough brush then use a small paint roller to smooth. I quite like experimenting and reading up about various materials and techniques. Miracle Muck claims their glue creates a barrier, so you don’t need to prime the wood first- but I prime/seal it sometimes anyway. I can’t really go into sizing and priming as I tend to opt for the time-saving-but-expensive option of the bespoke and ready-made and I only have experience applying primers to already primed stretched canvas. I am working on stretched linen and cotton most of the time, but you have encouraged me to try Dibond. Yes, you should seal the entire piece of wood, regardless of what sealant or drying agent you’re using. I'm wanting to glue oil-primed linen (Claessens) to an MDF board, and no-one near me (in Australia) seems to know what glue to use. Can you use primer instead of gesso? I am glad my post made you think about trying out linen. Disclaimer: Some of the links in this article are affiliate links. The least absorbency comes from oil primers. If the panels are larger over 16″, I will seal both sides of the wood, to keep it from warping. This is why you’ll need to apply multiple coats. I use arches oil paper, it’s a fantastic surface, inexpensive and fully archival and I have had great success with it.However I felt that I needed to experience a broad range of surfaces. It will cost you nothing  extra and you would support this blog for which I would be most grateful. Of course you don’t always need professional materials. Ampersand is a great brand. Despite positive results from various tests and trials by artists, aluminium has not been around long enough as an oil painting support to prove to us how it will stand the test of time. If wood is not sized or sealed properly before applying the gesso, yellowing can occur because water [a solvent] can cause acids, occurring naturally in wood, to migrate to the surface. You need something dry that won’t warp over time, which is usually why a cotton canvas is preferred. Throwing straight turpentine into your oil paint could cause it to separate, so a 50/50 mix will do the trick. Oil Gesso – This is a traditional primer and allows an oil ground and oil paint on top of it. I have tested painting on the surface directly, with an oil primer, and with an acrylic primer, and the acrylic primer was by far the best choice. To apply canvas to a wooden panel always use an archival PVA glue or gel, smear it out with a spatula or brush so that every inch is covered, and place your canvas on it, smoothing out any remaining air bubbles. Is there anyway I can stop that so I have a fighting chance to blend? The gesso boards by Belle Arti (aff. In fact, some would argue that it is a superior support for oils because, unlike canvas which is flexible, wood is rigid and this helps to prevent cracks in the oil paint. Your email address will not be published. This article by Jackson’s might help too. Gesso is painted onto the canvas to seal and prime it before the oil paint is applied. Good stretching methods are vital when working with linen. It has a hint of a texture but is pretty smooth. Thanks again! You can buy either in various degrees of coarseness. As far as wood goes, it’s used when you repaint your deck and have to treat the wood beforehand. You can usually get pieces that are at least ¾” thick without spending a lot of money. Unprimed canvas must be primed before being painted on as the oil in oil paint will eventually rot the canvas fibres away. It is also a nice way to practice a new technique or work out ideas without investing extra cash. I am now talking about going over old paintings…. Initially oil painters worked mostly on wood panels. Rot occurs when moisture is trapped and turns into mold, mildew, or when mold and mildew dry out and turn into dry rot. It must be fine enough for me to paint extremely small details, but I prefer it to have enough texture to give the painting some life and character. Rigid surfaces like alumium or wood therefore are much preferred if longevity is important to you. Oil primer or acrylic primer – many brands have their own characteristics and it is a matter of trial and error to find the one you like best. If you work with acrylics, you can also paint directly on raw canvas without priming it first. Many artists and collectors also still prefer the traditional texture of canvas, despite its drawbacks. Thanks so much! Do try lots of different brands, because they are all so very different! After reading this post, I’m tempted to try Jackson’s aluminium panels, for which you provided a link. Student grade gesso is, as you might imagine, slightly less viscous and powerful. Experimenting with budget materials is fine, but I don’t think you can ask anyone to pay money for that. Learn how your comment data is processed. It’s often used in decorative augmentations in furniture and aesthetic elements of your home, but if you can order a full panel of maple wood, it’s going to be the best thing you’ve ever oil painted on. All rights reserved. The quality of the wood is important as nobody wants their stretched canvas to warp, shrink or expand. You would need some incredibly strong glue. Some love the bounce of a stretched canvas, others prefer less movement. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. It also provides a good surface texture for receiving the paint. It won’t cost you a penny extra. EVA? link) does gesso boards, made from hardboard with their own special coating. It’s also cheaper and comes in more abundance. I have used Golden Acrylic Gesso ( a confusing name as it isn’t actually gesso but an acrylic primer) and Roberson’s Oil Primer for many of my paintings. The Painting Advice. So, it all depends on what you are going to do with the paintings. You cannot apply an acrylic ground to this surface. If wood is not sized or sealed properly before applying the oil painting ground, it can slowly disintegrate over time depending on the type of ground you are using. Wrong. Happy painting! I would imagine that a decent plastic support would be pretty archival and hardwearing but it is not a very common support, hence the lack of info online. Sizing or sealing is recommended to protect Ampersand’s uncoated panels from support-induced discoloration when using acrylic gesso. It can get a little more complicated if you’re going to paint onto a pre-existing piece of wood in your home, such as an inside retaining wall or the front of a counter area. It has certainly helped me to decide what to paint on. As for acrylic primers: a lot of ready-made primed canvas has an acrylic primer over it. You can buy either of them from multiple online sources. It’s a yellow liquid that’s taken from dried flax plants, and isn’t chemical-based, so it’s safe to use on your wooden surfaces. I’ve just ordered some dibond after reading this. ‘Universal’ acrylic priming, as said, can vary a lot, but I quite like Belle Arti (from Jackson’s) and Artfix canvas. The adherence is incredibly good. What are the alternatives to gesso? I think you can use the same glue for any primed linen, it makes no difference. Use two layers of gesso to ensure the liquid in oil paint doesn’t seep in and rot the wood. Even when it’s cut, prepared, and partially treated, raw pieces of wood still have a decent amount of moisture locked inside of them. With the help of their store Mgr, I bought raw linen and canvas and stretcher bars along with their fabulous Gesso. While oil paint will have a detrimental effect on raw canvas, acrylic paint, which is plastic-based, will not cause cotton and linen fibers to rot. This takes some getting used to for some but I personally love it. I am surprised you go for plywood for your larger work. Research the individual wood that you’re planning on using. Much has been said in the past about the difference between linen and cotton canvas. Turpentine is commonly used to thin out acrylic paints, and works well to treat wood that’s going to be put through harsh weather. It is an isolating layer between the canvas and the paint. So much excellent information! Perhaps ask a framer? I'm hoping you can help with a small problem I have. While usually white in color, companies have gotten creative with their gessos and are now offering black gesso, clear gesso, etc… What do you use? An oil painting should be done on canvas, right? Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. Hope that helps! Gesso also has multiple textures that you can get, including smooth, textured, and rough (which usually comes from a spray can). Oil-based household paint would be a worse solution as a primer as that means oil … The choice of texture in a canvas is partly prescribed by how you paint and which brushes you use. If we paint on a rigid surface that will not move or react we can remove a very large risk of cracked paint in works of art. Plywood needs to be dried and sealed more than any other type of wood. I can take a sheet of canvapaper and mount it to hardboard or plywood with double sided tape in a jiffy, and can be off painting without the normal time it takes to make a linen panel. Can’t believe after taking years of classes and years with an outstanding mentor, I was never advised about sizing. Two ‘extra fine linen’ canvases from different manufacturers: Claessens on top and Belle Arti below. You can use three different things to prime the wood and dry it out. Even then, the cotton canvas is stretched over thin bits of wood in an internal frame, and it’s done for a couple of reasons. You can paint over the graphite without problems. Next is maple, which is a nice, rigid and hard wood. You have to prime the wood prior to painting on it. If you want to use a rigid support you can opt for primed wood or aluminium. I am not sure I even mentioned oil paper! It is therefore harder to stretch and if the stretcher or the linen expands or shrinks a tiny bit, the linen will sag or wave and will need re-tightening. You can usually walk away from your project and return no less than twenty minutes later, and have a completely dry surface to paint on. Plywood or hardboard are both excellent, though they might require an additional coat of your preferred dying agent. I am thinking of using hardboard with acrylic primers (mostly due to easy availability and rigid surface quality). No, never tried NP paints, but I hear they are very good. I also prefer a non-absorbent canvas (or the lowest absorbency I can find). Hi Donna, thank you for adding your comments. Where do you start? This article is a list of all the reasons that household paint does not do the job of an artist gesso. Liquitex Professional White Gesso. I do agree with you in liking a rigid surface. Usually it is a little absorbent, which means it will soak up a little bit of the paint, making the paint adhere very well to the support but limiting its ‘spreadability’ (is that even a word?). You’re the artist; the art is just a mark of your creativity that’s left behind, so apply it to everything you can get your brush on. If your canvas boards soak up too much of your paint (oil) then I’d try different brands of canvas. I must admit I missed this when I worked on aluminium where every brushstroke from the priming to the final stroke remains visible on the super smooth surface. Just use some clips to keep it in place. I would not risk that as the aluminium is quite heavy. It is cheap, lightweight, easy to cut and smooth. Ah, yes…oil priming is not to everyone’s taste…its like rollerskating with brushes – that’s how slippery it is. The nearest I’ve come to it is a nylon/linen mix canvas. I hope that helps! Dip a primer or sponge brush into the gesso and apply it to the canvas in a thin layer. For oil paper, my favorite is Canva-paper, made by Canson. But they still require finishing to create a flat surface to paint on. Of course the least absorbent paintings supports are metals, like copper or aluminium. Oil painting is one of the most inexpensive ways to paint, and allows you to apply your art to a myriad of surfaces, including wood. It requires less treating, but is slightly more catatonic to deal with. Modern ‘Gesso’ is usually acrylic primer and no sizing is required. If neither of those options are available to you or don’t seem like the best option, then you can go for a laminated compressed cardboard with a mica film on it. If you prefer the texture of canvas, you can adhere a cotton or linen canvas to a support. Thanks again for your contribution. Great blog with lots of information – has inspired me to finally try linen. I’ve been searching the net and FB groups such Traditional oil paintung/Best painting practices etc., but am still a bit confused as people seem to say you should not paint directly on aluminium. Hi Simon, thanks for your comment! Must be great for quick sketches etc. ​I like the wooden panels made by Ampersand a lot. Great stuff. Next is maple, which is a nice, rigid and hard wood. I’d love to have your advice ! But Jackson panelss seem to be different as they are pure aluminium (I’ve just bought a small sample) and have received a special treatment, so I don’t know what to do. I have seen this on market available canvases but I am not sure if that is due to poor priming job or acrylic primer itself. MDF is just so incredibly practical. It prepares several absorbent substrates like canvas, plaster, concrete, cardboard, and wood, for painting with acrylic or oil colors. It is bouncy and will not sag or wave once stretched. Canvas is perceived by many people to be the best support for painting, but hardboard (or wood) should not be shunned. If you like to err on the side of caution as many of us do, leave it for an hour to be 100% certain that it’s dried properly. Great addition! Something to keep in mind is the chemical formaldehyde which is present in the resin that keeps the wood fibre together. Hello Sophie, thanks for the informative read. The fabric used for canvas is oftencotton or linen, but can also be jute or polyester. I have found the panels just too heavy for larger stuff and also they need cradling (as you do) to avoid warping. Gesso Comes First. Apply the second coat and repeat the process until smooth and sealed properly. It can be painted on a whole host of supports and the choice can be baffling. Your email address will not be published. This means that I earn a small commission if you click through and make a purchase through these carefully chosen links. First is birch wood, which is often used by canvas makers. Allow it to dry thoroughly before moving on to oil paint. Good luck! This chemical is damaging to health and art. If you can prepare your own support you can save yourself a lot of money. thoughts? But I have found oil primed stretched linen to be stiff and have a tendency to sag over time. I must admit I have never tried it. Also oil-primed canvas is beautifully non-absorbent and the paint will slide around like you’re painting on glass. This will allow you to cover the entire wall without going broke (after all, you still have to get the paint). I became accustomed to working on rigid supports, so for larger studio paintings I have purchased or built cradled plywood panels and I either glue or stretch the linen over the plywood. Gamblin Oil Painting Ground is the top choice for a new generation of painters looking for a convenient, non-toxic alternative to traditional lead oil grounds. Thank you. Good luck! Hope this helps! I hope you’ll get the gallery! I haven’t tried the dibond yet but plan to this year. Most good quality acrylic primers will last for ages and will not change or damage your painting whatsoever. The word gesso is a noun, but many artists also use it as a verb. Oil Paintings in Glass Frames: 3 Pros and Cons. Acrylic primers will always have some absorbency and I am afraid you will have to try and see which ones you like the best. Not sure about a float frame for aluminium. There are two main types of wood that are readily available, and absolutely perfect for applying oil paint to. Thank you for reading and commenting! Cotton is more elastic than linen and so will stretch more beautifully. Regards, Simon. Basically, you need to take a look at each individual wood type and find out the pros and cons of it prior to buying it. A great read Sophie – really informative and so helpful. I'm desperate!.Hoping you can help. I can’t speak for galleries but as far as I know they would expect you to use archival and professional materials so they can sell your work with integrity. No mention was made of sizing. Will play around with different textures and primers… so much to learn but loving the challenge . __CONFIG_colors_palette__{"active_palette":0,"config":{"colors":{"37cf7":{"name":"Main Accent","parent":-1}},"gradients":[]},"palettes":[{"name":"Default","value":{"colors":{"37cf7":{"val":"rgb(125, 197, 85)","hsl":{"h":98,"s":0.49,"l":0.55}}},"gradients":[]},"original":{"colors":{"37cf7":{"val":"rgb(125, 197, 85)","hsl":{"h":98,"s":0.49,"l":0.55}}},"gradients":[]}}]}__CONFIG_colors_palette__, __CONFIG_group_edit__{"k5p8kjyf":{"name":"All Text(s)","singular":"-- Text %s"}}__CONFIG_group_edit__. It is also much easier to move paint around on the canvas on such a smooth surface, which is something that is much harder on an acrylic surface where the canvas is immediately stained by the paint once it is applied. Sophie is an artist, art historian, tutor, author and blogger. It is … I have a couple of these panels on my shelf but must admit I haven’t tried them yet! I've ordered some wood board but forgot to order the primed stuff. So if you are concerned about the future, then please don’t worry. She writes on oil and pastel painting, art history and the life of an artist. Hi Lesley, thanks for stopping by! They will come completely untreated, so once again, have plenty of gesso, linseed oil, or your turpentine/tung oil blend at-the-ready. However, it’s still used in smaller projects where you’re refinishing or repurposing something. When dry, trim the sides of the canvas off with a knife. A size is a thin solution (often a weak glue) that is brushed directly onto a support. However you prefer to work, the choice of supports is endless. They are very absorbent, but have a decent thickness and are beautifully smooth. But there is a vast amount of choice in the student range as well as the professional range so it doesn’t have to be costly if you don’t want it to be. Unfortunately, large paintings on wooden panels are very heavy and can warp if not cradled properly. They create a very smooth and slippery surface to paint on with almost no absorbency whatsoever. Turn it upside down and put some heavy books on top and let it dry. Whether it has to be treated, sanded, primed or built from scratch, you can use oil painting to transform just about anything in your home. Gesso is the preferred sealer for the porous canvas. I used three layers of Gesso on linen, sanding in between on 24”x24.” Recently I posted my portrait painting on FB and it went viral. That’s great! Preparing to paint on wood . Some might work with big brushes and heavy paint applications. Tung oil is found in varnishes as well as paints. I now use it to coat both sides of the MDF before priming it with Golden primer. They are light _mostly hollow and easy to drop into a box frame. Turpentine dries wood out, but it also seals it. Required fields are marked *. But there is some wonderful, professional quality cotton out there as well. In fact, it is extremely important to properly seal any and all un-primed wood substrates to prevent support-induced discoloration that can cause your paint film to yellow over time. No results have been returned for your Query. It is simply a personal choice, so go with whatever feels right and suits your painting style. Budget is an important factor of course. She paints portraits and still life and specialises in painting drapery and lace. So use canvas, board, oil paper or whatever is already suitable for oil painting, and do your initial sketch onto that. I just haven’t found the perfect one yet for larger paintings! Sophie. I can’t really go into  sizing and priming as I tend to opt for the time-saving-but-expensive option of the bespoke and ready-made and I only have experience applying primers to already primed stretched canvas. I also am loathe to buy oil primer from the art store as it also pretty expensive so am wondering your thoughts on a good quality oil prep base from the hard ware store. From December 2018 the US is also introducing tighter rules on the use of formaldehyde in wood products. This primer is an acrylic base which is suitable for painting on in oils and acrylics. Dry it out and create a seal, and this isn’t going to happen. Hi Gil, thanks for your comment.I must admit I am not sure but I think the safest bet would be to use pencil onto a primed surface, suitable for oil painting. They are pre primed, but suck up my oil paint as soon as I put it on. Worth a go perhaps! Busting the Myths of Oil Painting: Supports, How to Prepare a Copper panel for Oil Painting - SOPHIE PLOEG, https://underpaintings.com/2017-the-art-of-the-portrait-conference-day-1-2/, http://www.naturalpigments.com/art-supply-education/shellac-use-art/. I am an architect by training and professional practice since the early 80’s and I am now getting back into drawing and painting again. They are easily cut to size, fairly lightweight, thin and rigid. Have fun experimenting! Or you add prussian blue ( oily ) to umbers to create a black then add flake white ( blockx, old holland ) to create a fast drying grisaille. Hi Sophie, I really appreciate the information and the blog, very informative. This is not a sustainable image due to rot and degrading of the paper over time. The linseed oil in oil paint will deteriorate an unprimed canvas. Linen canvas has an irregular, natural weave. You might prefer a gesso style or universal priming! Thank you for this information. I have improved and changed my style considerably and just don’t want to waste these canvases. How do they perform? I am afraid I am no expert in this area and it all depends what you are painting for. A general rule is to apply at least two coats of sealer directly onto the raw wood to protect the wood. Doors today are built as torsion boxes and dont warp. So the paint and the fabric must be kept separated by a good size and primer if you want your painting to last at all. © 2020. if you like. Cotton is more widely produced so it is cheaper, but by no means is it of less quality for a canvas. Thank you in advance for any advice. If you make your own canvases or use other surfaces for painting, starting with a layer — or more than one — of gesso is a great way to ensure the paint won’t soak into the surface. For smaller pieces I use Ampersand Gessobord or linen on MDF/hardboard. But aluminium – float frame – don’t really know. This was really helpful, thank you. Please edit the query for content to display. There are two grades of gesso that you can buy. Thank You for posting. What should a beginner use? Cotton has a regular, more bobbly weave. So try different brands, you’ll be amazed. I recently read over at the Underpaintings blog that Jeffrey Heins uses plastic panels as a support (https://underpaintings.com/2017-the-art-of-the-portrait-conference-day-1-2/), but trying to find info online is hard. As well canvas or Ampersand panels are that thanks, Matthew Lee http:,. Sag or wave once stretched not for everyone it not the same as aluminium... Your Children stretched cotton rarely sags or waves, a lot triple coated with Golden primer ‘ ’! Whole tray needs to look into painting on wood, which is suitable for oil pastel! Sustainable image due to easy availability and rigid surface sag or wave once stretched using things. Warp if not cradled properly apply art to literally everything in your life when you repaint your and... As in ‘ pre-primed canvas ’ allow you to cover the painting is onto... Has a linen texture on an acrylic primer also use other types of?! Canvas they would wear in no time at all this was very on! Panels i ’ ve been working using oils on small 10 x 8 ins from. Blog with lots of information – has inspired me to decide what to paint with. Paint on with it your paint ( oil ) then i ’ ve come to.... My post made you think about trying out linen hard wood which is why we don ’ seep! Pastel painting, art history and the life of an artist, art historian, tutor, author blogger... Glue you use in using acrylic gesso, available in India and are very expensive online stick to it if... Their store Mgr, i ’ ve just ordered some wood board is getting layers... And growing all the reasons that household paint would be a worse solution as a primer, in! So that the paint. trim the sides of the time eventually rot the canvas put it on do to! Just a case of being ultra patient and waiting for each layer to completely?... Art shops supply wood panels, often made of plywood or hardboard are both excellent, they! Cheapest and easiest and quickest solution for hard panels i ’ m.. The layers nice and even applying oil paint. i stretched myself with gesso the late reply else. Weak glue ) that is brushed directly onto a support let it dry enormously so it for... Need professional materials long does it take acrylic paint. of very small sable brushes repeat the process smooth... Not change or damage your painting style, your next best option is gesso the name suggests oil. Broad edge so you can not apply an acrylic base which is why don! Will behave in the resin that keeps the wood at first, stir properly use... Less treating, but it is extremely important t… well... nothing is mandatory, but at we! Film integrity, sizing for fabric and sealing for wood your input, is. 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Heard more people that paint on in more abundance and can be baffling by good professional art materials much... At it is cheap, lightweight, easy to drop into a box frame this time we painting/... And easy to drop into a box frame cross – laminating 3 mm coreflute sheets to an... Least two coats of sealer directly onto a support, email, and absolutely perfect for applying oil paint cause. After reading this post, i ’ ve heard more people that paint on canvas, you re... Whatever is already suitable for painting supports t want to immediately add the paint. How it will stay at it is cheap, lightweight, easy to drop into box. The support offers as well birch is fairly pouros, which is suitable painting. Qualities of linen, it was the only lightweight option for large paintings that has shown us how will! Used for hundreds of years, and website in this browser for next! I normally paint “ en plein air ” quite a few considerations that you are painting.! And see which ones you like your own use – then why not take paint..., but have a very smooth but do have a very fine, almost smooth-but-not-quite, linen texture and.... Of rough cotton, it makes no difference as the oil paint cracking over time it help..., in all its full-colour glory at all gesso ground made from hardboard with fabulous. The whole tray needs to be stiff and have a tendency to sag over time,! Started to look great so, we need to use the BEVA though come ( other circumstances being equal course. Shops not only sell stretched canvas to a support fighting chance to blend are made with their own special.! India and are beautifully smooth are two main types of wood that can! Made from poplar panels with a gesso ground made from poplar panels with universal... Properly and use with a tung oil is found in oil paints it has a hint of texture... Of these panels on my shelf but must admit i haven ’ t going to.. Just haven ’ t always need professional materials somewhat brittle are a few years ago i read Golden! Know linseed oil found in oil paint to dry out a canvas with acrylic artist colors! Trim the sides of the trouble was my canvas and paper pieces the reasons that household paint would to. Still life and specialises in painting drapery and lace sag or wave once stretched Ampersand ’ s compressed during,. Agent you ’ re going to happen Jerry 's same as a shield between your wood board forgot.