How to Reuse Old Canvas | Acrylic Art Tips for Beginners
Vložit
- čas přidán 5. 07. 2024
- Reusing old canvas with gesso is a great way to save money and completely start over during the painting process.
⭐Best Gessoes To Fix Your Canvas: amzn.to/3oOQxNU
To reuse or recycle old canvas (or a botched painting), I simply sand down the entire surface with a sand block to ensure a smooth canvas surface. I then use GESSO to completely cover the entire canvas. I apply 3-4 coats of paint with a flat brush. This should ensure complete coverage.
⭐ WHY GESSO IS NECESSARY FOR PAINTING: www.thebuzzedartist.com/do-yo...
⭐ ACRYLIC PAINTING SUPPLIES I USE • Acrylic Painting Suppl...
This video is part of a playlist series titled "Acrylic Art Tips for Beginners" - for artists and creatives alike who want to unlock their creativity with acrylic paint.
I create fun and easy step-by-step acrylic painting tutorials for beginner artists or anyone looking to let loose and just have fun with acrylic paint! I believe painting is for everyone-and the more you practice, the more you grow your creativity!
Like and Subscribe for more step-by-step painting videos!
********************************************************************
ACRYLIC PAINTING SUPPLIES I USE • Acrylic Painting Suppl...
********************************************************************
If you have any ideas on future paintings and other scenes you would love tutorials on, drop me a comment! Or share on my Facebook Like Page: / the-buzzed-a. .
Like and Subscribe for more step-by-step painting videos! - Jak na to + styl
Did you learn something new? Comment and share below!
Amanda The Buzzed Artist WOW you liked your own comment....what a douch😐
Chris S mind your own business she likes her comment so what
yes never heard of Gesso. i made some some dit dart but now i wanna change it up
Wow, that'll be a great way to save money and reuse canvases as I'm learning
yay!!!! I'm so glad you found this helpful!
Yes just bought 5 large canvases for $6 at the thrift store
Thank you I’d thought if this was possible instead of spending a lot of brand new canvases, just bought 5 large canvases for $6 at the thrift store
that is also a great idea!!! Glad this helped you out! :)
omg thats a great idea-
So good for recycling or up cycling for our planet.
Thank you. This video answered all my questions.
I have so many used canvases from garage sales and donations that I was kind of lost on how to prepare them for new paintings :D Thank you so much for this excellent tip ! :)
No problem dude!!! Glad this helped!
Amanda, I really appreciate for showing this technic. Earlier I thought of disposing it in the garbage. Solution found. Thank you once again Amanda.
I’m so glad to hear this was helpful! :)
Thank you this was exactly what I was looking for! I’m just beginning to paint again after many years and this is so helpful
I’m happy this helped you! :)
this was extremely helpful and exactly what I was looking for!
Yay! I’m so happy to hear that!
I really love your videos, they help to relax me whenever I’m experiencing a block or anxiety.
Aw thank you for sharing that :) really made my day
I've started acrylic pour painting, using many canvases for practice. This is the best helpful video that I have found to save myself money and from wasting canvases. Many thanks!
I'm so glad this was helpful for you!
I don’t draw or paint but I do create upcycled collages from discarded components that I find. So far, I had only been using empty, card board, record jackets for the backing. Thanks to you and this video, now I will purchase old or used canvas painting from thrift stores and gesso them up as good as new.
That is a really cool way to upcycle too! Never thought to use empty record jackets! I am glad this was super helpful for you 😊
Amanda The Buzzed Artist : I call myself an artivist as most of my art so far has had an eco-sociopolitical slant to it, and I make a conscious effort to create art utilizing only discarded (trash) components. Thank you again for your tip of reusing canvas boards. Now I’d like to know if it’s possible to make homemade Gesso as I’ve already learned how to make homemade wheat paste to use as the adhesive on my collages? Keep rocking out.
Thank you Thank you Thank you I always wondered how this was done. You saved me some money.
hehe, no problem, my number one minion! I'm glad this helped :)
Thank you this will saved my old canvases
Hooray!
Looks really cool
had research what is "Gesso'(from then uk) , thanks great tip
lol! Is there a different name for it in the UK? I'd be interested to know!
Thank you for this 🥰
You're amazing, love from Florida
Aww thank you so much!!!
awesome!!!
Excellent idea❤️
Thanks!
Thanks for the tip. I have never sanded an old painting. Usually just knock the high peaks back with a small paint scraper or flat sides of a knife
Glad this was helpful for you :) sometimes a paint scraper can do the job -other times, a combination of sanding helps
Thank you!!
Thank you!!!
Amanda - Thank you for your video. I am thinking that if the canvas is larger than the one you show, then it might be a good idea to weigh down the corners as it dries. The reason I say this is from experience (50 years ago) making model planes - when you apply dope to the covering then if you don't keep it flat then as it dries unevenly it tightens differently and you end up with a warped wing. Now with dope you put it on with the purpose of shrinking the covering to make a good tight surface, but I think even with gesso it will dry unevenly and with a big canvas it might end up warped. I've just bought my 11 year old talented granddaughter a 4 x 3 foot canvas for £2 ($3) in a sale to reuse and we plan to keep it fixed flat whilst it dries (nothing to be lost by doing it). Following watching your excellent video I now know to use gesso and to apply several thin coats - Thank you.
You bring up a very good point! In my experience with repainting on old canvas, you’ll rarely paint on naked untreated canvas cloth which contributes to the fibers contracting and warping. But that is a great call and an added precaution to ensure you get a great clean planar surface! Let me know how that all works out! I’ll definitely keep this in mind the next time I repurpose old canvas!
Thanks it helped me alot 😊
Hooray! I’m so glad this was helpful for you!
This is helpful.. Just spent an afternoon at a paint your own store with my nephews.. loved the time with then, but my painting was totally incomplete and I have no desire to try to finish it.. would rather start over...already have gesso! :D'
I’m glad to hear this was helpful! Gesso away!
Thanks for this. I have two canvas paintings that I want to reuse
You are so welcome!
Thanks!
Just started a painting using acrylics on an old painting painted over with yellow ochre. Some colours not sticking. I was led to believe you can't gesso over oil or acrylic. Thanks for clearing that myth up. Back to the easel.
I’m glad this was helpful for you! Happy painting :)
Thank you 💖💖💖💖💖☮
❤️❤️❤️
Ty!
Thanks for the help, very useful. But what is the difference from using the gesso or just white acrylic paint to cover up?
Gesso is different than plain white acrylic paint. It’s comprised of plaster of Paris or whiting in glue and acts as a primer.
Can you cover an acrylic pour with silicone with gesso. Thank you
You probably can if you sand it down enough to make the surface smooth again.
Hello! Thank you for the video, it was very helpful! But can I use black acrylic instead of the white acrylic paint to paint over the old painting? It would be the same right or should I start with white then black?
If you are planning on a black background to work with, I would go with black all the way :)
@@TheBuzzedArtist Alright! Thank you very much!!
What if I would like the bumpy surface from old painting for painting trees or maybe mountains? Will the new paint stay on
Yup, it should stay :)
What if there are still ridges and forms in the bumpy paint left behind from the old painting? Will mod get podge do the same as gesso ?
Modge podge is a sealer while gesso is a type of primer, so no they’re not the same
Hi, this is perfect. Can I use white acrylic paint instead of gesso? (Just trying to save money)
Yes you can. Although in the long term, using acrylic paint in lieu of gesso can get more expensive :)
I put new sandpaper to the sander and of course it worked better....next time I will buy more rough sandpaper, mine is med, rough...
Hey can i use gesso intead of titanium white in paintings too??
I believe you can however you probably won’t have it last you as long on the canvas.
Do I have to wait 6-8 hours after I gesso before I can paint? That’s what I have been doing and I hate having to wait that long just to use my acrylic paints 😞
You want to wait until your gesso dries otherwise your acrylics will go to waste. If it takes that long, it’ll take that long. Although I don’t think I ever had to wait that long before. Just a little patience can go a long way with your painting journey! Best of luck! If you want to speed things up, after you paint a layer of gesso, use a blow dryer on the cool setting to speed up the drying process
Where did you get the sand block from and whats the grit? thanks in advance
It’s a fine grit sand block. I had it from when I did some wall painting - bought it at a paint store :)
Hi Amanda, can an oil painting also be coated with gesso to paint it later with acrylic paints? Thank you for your answer!
Hi Ellen, I would say it's not the best idea since gesso is water-based, which won't do very well when put on top of oil paint. More likely than not, the gesso won't stick as well. If you're looking to reuse an old oil painting, you'll want to cover it with more oil paint. This post talks more about how to do that: wastedtalentinc.com/can-you-gesso-over-an-oil-painting/
@@TheBuzzedArtist Thanks for your helpful comment Amanda... without you I would have made a big mistake. By the way, your videos are great and you explain everything very nice and funny. Big hug!!!
I'm a beginner, I don't have gesso yet and can't really buy it right now, could I cover my already sanded canvas with acrylic titanium white?
Sure that can work for now :)
Weird question: so, I don't use nail filers and I have a good quality one just lying around. can I use that instead of a sand block?
Hmm interesting. It might work actually but might take you longer to sand things down
The for the tip/replying!
Hi there, what grit of sanding block do you use? Course, medium or fine? Thanks 😊
Hi! If I recall correctly, this is a fine grit sanding block :)
👍👍
Amanda, but instead to paint it up with the white acrylic? What do you think?
That can work
Amanda The Buzzed Artist thank you Amanda
Can we use blck pour on canvas to cover previous paint??
I’m sure you can! Just be sure to sand beforehand to get any previous brush stokes out!
Will gesso cover a red flower canvas , you know one with a BIG red POPPY thing ??? . I recently purchased wall art that I hope to change somehow. The canvas is in excellent condition just that the flower is SOOOOO REEEDDD. Thanks for your advice.
Yup! I would do several layers of gesso to cover that red, but it should work just fine :)
Do i use a gesso primer or white gesso? Or are they the same thing.. Just wanna make sure I buy the right thing
They should be the same thing :)
What if I only have painting on a small section, can I just go over the part that has painting on it or will it be uneven
Hmm, it depends, but I would imagine it might be uneven, especially if you have a heavier paint texture on the surface. You can try sanding the surrounding edges of where you want to paint over and see how that works. Give it a shot :)
When I first started oil painting, I didn't prime the canvas. Are they still good to use if I just follow the video? Or did I ruin the canvas?
Hmm, I am not really sure tbh; I don’t really deal with oil paint but my best guess is that you should be fine- you may have ended up using more oil paint than was necessary if you gessoed the canvas first. I think you should be ok 👌🏻
I have transparent acrylic binder. Can I mix it with a bit of white acrylic paint and use it as primer instead of Gesso?
Hmm, you can but acrylic paint really isn’t that great of a primer since you’ll need ALOT of it (and thus throwing your money away). Primer is meant to create a surface for paint to adhere to- so for the short term, this might work but consider getting gesso for other projects
@@TheBuzzedArtist thanks for replying! What about just the binder? (I'm talking talking the transparent paste thing).
@@mari02492 no problem :) hmm, my guess from brief research is yes, depending on the binder you are using. I found this video which explains the use of acrylic binder pretty well: www.jerrysartarama.com/free-art-instruction-videos/using-binder-with-acrylics-jennifer-von-stein
How much Gesso is needed for average 8x10 and 11x17 canvas?
just wondering if worth the cost and effort.. but do hate throwing away old canvas only used once
Honestly I don’t think you need a lot of gesso to cover those sizes- it goes on super opaque- similar to white acrylic. I usually do 2-3 layers of gesso. IMO gesso is the better cheaper option for me, especially since buying new canvas can get expensive. I like the idea of thrifting canvas artwork and gessoing over it to get “new” canvas :)
do you have any substitute for sand block?
Sand paper works well too!
Do I scrape off the bumps and ridges ?
Scraping can work but be gentle. In the end, if you’re going to be painting something new and will be using thicker paint marks, it won’t really matter as much
should i do this to my 3m*2m canvas...
I don’t see why not!
@@TheBuzzedArtist it will take ages probably, but at least the canvas won't be wasted anymore because my current painting is bad XD. I loved your video btw, really explained clearly!!
Hi what if i need to use the same canvas for 100x? Wont the paint just get thicker and thicker and make it look horrible?
Lol good question. There always is a breaking point and 100 is definitely too much. If you have repainted canvas for the 3rd time, I would say to strip all the paint off and try to get it back to canvas. Otherwise, I would resort to investing in more canvas or canvas paper (cheaper option)
What grit sanding block did you use?
I used 120 and 220
Great vid, where can I find a sand block? Lol
Thanks! Any home improvement store usually will carry them.
So how long after painting can you do this?
Once the paint is dried, which is anywhere between 30min-1 hour
Sometimes i use pen on canvas. As i didn’t know about gesso, i used acrylic white color for reusing. But no matter how many layers I apply, the ink of pen keeps visible. How can i hide the ink? Is it possible using gesso?
Yup gesso can help with this; you will need to do a few layers of gesso (be sure to dry each layer as you do so) in order to make those lines disappear. :)
What grit of sandpaper is best?
Something like 120-220 grit would be good for most :)
Can I use titanium white instead of gesso?
Yes, but not for the long term if you plan on going more of these. Gesso is far cheaper than acrylic paint :)
Do you need to let each layer dry of the gesso?
Yes :) usually takes about 5-10 min
What we can use instead of sandblock
Sandpaper works too!
Hello! I'm new to painting and to your channel. The other day, I reused a canvas by just directly painting over it. It looks fine and I've applied a gloss varnish over it. Will my painting be OK even if I didn't use the the gesso? What is the purpose of using a primer? I just want to avoid buying more supplies than I need. Thanks.
Hi! Are you planning on reusing that canvas? If so, I would remove the gloss varnish as that will really interfere with your painting. Using gesso is like using a primer because it conditions your canvas to receive paint and not have it soak through the canvas fabric and it’s a cheap way to not use expensive acrylic paint. Does that make sense? You can use titanium white for now but your canvas will want a lot of it. So be sure to keep that in mind!
@@TheBuzzedArtist thanks
What if I don’t have that stuff you are using,? What can I use to paint over my painting on canvas with Acrylic paint??? I did a painting I don’t like the way it looks 😊🙄
Gesso really is the best bet, especially with paint. I found this tutorial on how to make a homemade version with common household materials: czcams.com/video/7xo8epSXt9g/video.htmlsi=EQV7v9x11wtBF3kn
Can I use white paint instead of gesso
Yup :)
What do u do if the pant is really thick on the canvas?
You can use sandpaper (80 grit to start and finished with 220 grit)
I read through the comments and found my answers. Yes the Gesso needs to be dry between coats and before painting (duh! -Does the gesso have to be dry between each layer?). Gesso is not just paint, but a combination of materials that makes a primer. ( What is gesso?) How do you tell if the painting was acrylic or oil (I have a used canvas that I did not paint)? I did not find the answer to this one. Not to say it isn't there but I didn't find it.
No worries. I found an article that explains how to tell the difference between an oil vs acrylic painting here: theartsuppliers.com/acrylics/acrylic-vs-oil-painting-how-to-tell-the-difference/
Although, I would imagine gesso can be applied over both paint types :)
What is clear gesso and when is it used?
Clear gesso has all the same properties of typical acrylic gesso, minus the titanium dioxide- aka, the thing that makes it white. From what I understand, You can use it on any surface or application, especially if you’re not concerned about covering the layers underneath.
Instead of gesso can I add white paint?
Yup :)
What kind of sandpaper did you use? What grit strength?
I used a 120-220grit block sander
@@TheBuzzedArtist Thank you for responding over 2 years later! I've got a couple canvases to ... fix
@@Rhodeygirl they responded after only a month...
can i use sand paper instead of sand block ?
Yep!
I don't know if you will se my comment but will white acrylic paint also work if u don't have gesso and u can't get any because of corantine
Yup that should work for now
How bout acrylic painting with varnish, Can i cover that?
Do you mean using a varnish on top of your completed painting? Or covering up a painting that already has varnish on it?
Yes. I want to reuse my canvas but i varnished that before.
@@geralynsilvestre8832 ok, I would suggest you strip the varnish and then add your paint. I have a bit more details about this on my blog here to help you out a bit more: www.thebuzzedartist.com/how-to-reuse-old-canvas/
instead of gesso can I us acrylic white paint
Yes indeed :)
What type of sand block did you use ?
120-220 grit sand block :)
I was wondering about this very thing.
This is a very nice tutorial but when you add it all up, isn't just cheaper to buy new canvas ?
They are only about $1 a piece if you find them on sale .
Well I suppose it depends on the size canvas you want. I doubt you can find 24”x36” canvas for $1; so here is where gesso/reusing an old canvas of that size is amazing. Smaller little canvases may be a toss up, but once you get to bigger sizes 11x14 onwards, gesso is a great option. Plus, if you want to recycle old canvas, old paintings, or fix something on your painting, this is where gesso would also help immensely.
Why have a canvas end up in a landfill when you can fix it? Great tips. Thanks!
I haveny used my gesso for over an year and its not liquidy anymore what should i do to make it liquidy?
Ah. Hmm well if it isn’t hard, perhaps add a bit of water to see how it reacts to it? Otherwise, you may need to get more gesso or just use white acrylic paint.
@@TheBuzzedArtist will white acrylic paint work like gesso?
@@Sashaa249 In some ways yes. I would do it temporarily and not make it a long term solution.
Can i use acrylic paint instead of gesso
You can, although it’s far more expensive in the long run. Plus gesso is the best primer to protect your canvas
Can we use chalk paint instead of gesso???
sure, that can work
Amm we are in quarantine all stores are closed and I don't have gesso👍
White acrylic paint works too; it’s a bit more expensive in the long run but if you have it on hand, you can use that.
Can I use clay sealer
Hmm, I am not familiar with clay sealers, but I would not seal your painting if you are trying to fix it. Acrylic will have a hard time adhering to it
@@TheBuzzedArtist oh ok thank you
@@TheBuzzedArtist ok thank you, tbh actually forgot I even commented this lol,
I would encourage "Sanding in 1 direction" to gain an even texture of old paint, before painting with Gesso, then apply, particularly the last coat of Gesso, in "1 direction"
Achieving a more even foundation on the canvas for next Painting.
Just my thoughts/recommendation.
Great tip!
How long do you wait after 3rd coat to actually start a new painting?
Michael Lowrey great question! I pretty much wait until the 3rd coat is dry- which is about 5-10 minutes.
Amanda The Buzzed Artist wow that short.
I thought it might take a 12-24 hr type thing.
Nice info
haha yeah! Acrylic paint is renowned for its fast drying time :) Big advantage in my opinion
How long should you wait to reuse an old painting?
As long as you wish!
@@TheBuzzedArtist I already did it, couldn't wait. Dried nicely!
'
What if I just want to add a new color to a store bought painting
It all depends, if you don’t care about the texture underneath showing through, you can skip gesso and go straight to painting :)
do you guys know that thing you put on your canvas when you’re done painting? I don’t know what it’s called and what brand exactly I get lol
Are you referring to varnish? That’s a great protectant to put on top of your painting to preserve the color and longevity. I wrote a pretty lengthy post talking about varnish and which ones to use: www.thebuzzedartist.com/do-you-need-to-varnish-acrylic-paintings/
Amanda The Buzzed Artist ahhh yes haha thank you! I’ve been looking at some finishes for acrylic bases and I couldn’t really put my finger on it lol
I just rinse mine off with Dawn n water let it dry and start a fresh
That works!
I washed mine with water, is that ok?
I’m a bit confused lol. Did you wash the paint off your canvas?
I used white paint and mixed it with other colors, and the white paint I was using was able to wash off with water. So I put canvas in water and it started washing off
Funny how you say you take your sand block but what if we don't have a sand block and still want to paint over our canvas then what should we do?
Well, if you don’t mind having textures from your previous painting show up underneath, then you don’t need a sand block. If the texture bothers you, you are going to need some material to be help “sand down” the ridges.
HOW ABOUT IF U DON'T HAVE GEESO?
White acrylic should work, but it’s a more expensive option
what will happen if i use white paint?
Titanium White paint should work out fine for this as well.
Amanda The Buzzed Artist
If I were to use white paint,
could I then go on later and
do a watercolor painting on
it? Or would it ruin it?
Airion hmm that is a good question. I haven’t ever tried watercolor on top of acrylic before; my gut tells me the acrylic and watercolor won’t play nicely with one another; I am guessing watercolor needs a more absorbent medium like paper texture. Maybe try it out on a small corner and see what happens?
Amanda The Buzzed Artist thank you so much, and I will test it out first♥️
Just sanded a painting I don't like, after leaving it out in the rain did nothing :P
Hmm, you might want to try a coarser sander, use an electric sander or get paint stripper to get it off
Thanks for the extra advice 😇
I... experimented with painting over it to transform what was already there into something else, but alas... it didn't turn it great.
Ooo, it just occurred to me that old canvases could be good for those silicone pours??
Why, oh why, did she cover that fabulous painting????
It was an old painting that I really didn’t like 👍🏼
this didn’t work for me at all. i’m newer to painting, and i’ve never ever had to use gesso before. now my big canvas is all covered in cracks. and i can’t fix it! no one said it COULD crack. much LESS how to stop it from cracking. this is infuriating! so i just wasted a big canvas. and i was super excited to paint on it 👎😤👎
oh dear. Sorry that happened! Ok, maybe you can try to sand off the gesso from your canvas with 80 grit sandpaper? If you have cracking, that might be an indication that you either put on too many layers or put on a lot at once without watering down the gesso. So perhaps try sanding it down first and trying again with the gesso but with lighter layers and making sure to dry the layers thoroughly. Plus, this video is intended for painting over previously painted canvas, so if you're using brand new canvas, you'll probably only need one layer of thinly applied gesso. Hope that helps!
is gesso white glue ??? i don't have gesso can i apply black acrylic paint again ???
That can work too; and gesso is a compound of plaster of Paris or the whiting in glue :)
Can I use something else instead sand block and gesso
Maybe you can try acetone? You can also try sanding with an orbital sander depending on how much you need to smooth down
@@TheBuzzedArtist Ok thx
After this, can i used water paint?
Hmm I’m not quite sure what you mean by water paint? Once you gesso your entire canvas, you can proceed to paint on it with acrylics, oils, mixed media, etc.
@@TheBuzzedArtist okay, thank you. I guess i will buy cotton canvas for water paint, i think water paint is Acrylic. I am still learning.