Make Your Own Canvas Pt. 4: Priming Canvas
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- čas přidán 3. 02. 2021
- This video has been a long time coming. Some of this footage dates all the way back to 2014. For some reason, I kept messing up the footage and only getting partial shots. Finally, it's all compiled together into something that makes more sense.
This video covers some concerns, pseudo-chemistry, and theory behind priming, differences in priming styles, and a quick overview of things to watch for as you layer up to 3 layers of primer.
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Hi Mead, thanks so much for sharing all this content with us! I have made a few canvases this week following your videos and they have all turned out great. I've moved on to priming and now I'm having some hiccups. I have painted the first and second layer of gesso starting in the center, and circling around as you instructed. Using this "scumbling" technique the layer of paint is even, without texture for the most part - but it looks sort of splotchy because of the irregular strokes and circle nature. Do you have any advice for how to prevent this? Also how many layers are you priming and do you change your brush stroke on the following layers? Thank you!
Priming tends to be splotchy by its nature. Don't worry too much about it. I usually do 3 layers of primer, but some brands are thinner and may require more. A good way to test is to hold the canvas up to the light and look through the back. If you see holes, you should prime more, if not, you're good to go. If you're painting in acrylic for initial layers, then you have no worries at all.
@@MeadMcLean Ok that makes sense - for what I am doing, I am ultimately wanting to create a fully flat, smooth off-white background which I will then paint symbols on top of. I was hoping the gesso process would get me there for the background, but perhaps not. In your experience, do you feel it just takes lots of layers of paint to achieve this look or is there a certain acrylic medium that could assist? Thanks again for any advice you may have. (and for reference, I am intending on only using acrylics)
If you need something smooth, I would use a foam paint roller with matte acrylic latex house paint or liquid acrylic. Then do your symbols, then run a clear acrylic varnish coat over top to seal it.
@@MeadMcLean so helpful, thanks for thanking the time to answer my questions!
Not a problem. I'm always here to help.
Do you need to glue (sizing) the canvas before priming? and why not? In general, I noticed that in the USA no one glues the canvas but immediately primes it ... why is that? is not gluing necessary or what?
Yeah that's a good question. The sizing is only necessary if you're using old-style traditional oil-based gesso. Most people now just use Acrylic Gesso, which is just a water-based primer. With old-style traditional oil-based gesso, you can't really paint in acrylic on top of it--just oil paint. With the newer Acrylic Gesso, you can paint on top with almost anything--oil and acrylic included. If you're an oil painter, sizing and oil-based gesso does create an amazing surface, but the smell of heated rabbit-skin glue and the extra steps involved aren't worth it to everyone.
I can't imagine companies which sell pre-primed stretched and canvases brushing on gesso in the manufacturing process. It just wouldn't be cost effective considering the time spent doing so and the inability to ensure an even coat. Obviously, these companies spray the gesso on to their stretched canvas products and allowed to air dry. So what is wrong with spraying gesso home if you have the right equipment?
Nothing is inherently wrong with spraying except for maybe the environmental damage from the propellant. Mostly though it's just that companies don't spray enough of it. You need another layer or two to really get a good barrier.
@@MeadMcLean Spray painting does not involve any pollutants if you use an oil free air compressor, which is traditionally what is used for large scale production projects. I wouldn't imagine manufacturers using canned gesoo, which may have pollutants, as it too would be very expensive to use on a high volume production line.