Comments on: Plain Paint or Gesso?

By: billy

billy — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 23:12:14 +0000

All gesso contains acrylic emulsion consisting of titanium white, calcium carbonate and liquid plastic. It’s important to use a gesso that does not contains vinyl as it will peel. The difference between gesso is the amount of ingredients a manufacturer puts into the gesso. An artist gesso would have more tooth and flexibility and better opacity than a house primer. Flexibility when dry is important. Check the canvas when dry and fold and see if the gesso cracks or shirrs at the end; can it be sanded or does it flake off? Are their air bubles? If so, this will lead to cracking. Gesso creates a barrier so the paint won’t soak through to the canvas so you don’t have to use as much paint. Also, if you use an oil paint the linseed oil can eat through the canvas, so it is not advisable to use a house primer as they aren’t archival.
House Paint gives a “false hide” which works great on walls but not a flexible surface such as canvas or paper.

By: linda

linda — Sun, 30 Oct 2011 11:54:25 +0000

thanks for the great tips on gesso vrs acrylic primer. I’ll be testing this out myself shortly, and I’ll post anything interesting I discover.

By: Des

Des — Wed, 06 Jul 2011 10:19:05 +0000

I have been following the discussion and would like to try some gesso. I have managed to get hold of some at a local art store, but there is no instructions on the jar. How do I apply it? Do I dilute it? I am planning to paint a carpet.

By: albatross

albatross — Tue, 24 May 2011 19:52:18 +0000

Just to add a little confusion. I use ‘Dulux Weathershield’ Smooth masonary paint instead of Gesso. I had a conversation with a VERY knowledgable professional in the field of ‘paint research’. He told me that Dulux spend millions of $ or £ on research developing coatings. He catagorically stated that the acrylic polymer in the ‘Weathershield’ product is the best acrylic polymer available. I’m in the UK. I don’t know what is available in your countries. It is half the price of a cheap gesso. If you want to see the spec’s go to the Dulux website.

By: the maximus

the maximus — Mon, 25 Apr 2011 19:13:42 +0000

i was at joann fabrics getting some gesso well the framing lady told me that its just flat paint and that any flat paint will do, well i have one up on most of the folks here i think and i hope it helps, I use to own/run a painting company for about 15 years infact and i can tell you that a real good flat satin key word there satin or eggshell id say egg shell because satin has a shine and no, for the wizards out there satin and eggshell are not the same i have painted them next to each other they are not the same but to answer the question in bold print all you have to do is write a letter to the maker of the gesso brand you use and they have to under the consumers rights law give you a free copy of the chemical breakdown of there product because it is so widely used and yes toxic then compare the notes and see what is different id say that the gesso is more stretchy i think it has a silicone in it as to where reg house paint does not but unless your leaving your paintings in the rain id say try a couple what ya got to loose besides 20 bucks for trying there is an old saying try caus in 20 yr’s you can look back and say i know what would have happend because i atleast tried it!