To Gesso or Not to Gesso

   I find when I order canvas online and settle for the cheap canvas, the factory sprays the gesso on the canvas.  After that application they spray a sealant which causes the paint not to adhere very well. Why do they apply a sealant?  The sealant is used by the factory for shipping purposes to keep the canvases from sticking together.

 How do I resolve this?  

        Well I gesso.  Why?  Because I want to give my canvas its tooth back.  I want it to grab the paint and hold on to it.

        Then why do I buy a pre-primed canvas?  Well if you ever primed a raw canvas you would know why.  It is a lot easier and faster to apply one thin coat of gesso to a pre-primed canvas then it is to pre-prime a raw canvas.

If you order canvas online, you can find the more expensive canvases at lower costs and you will not need to add gesso.

But let’s not forget you can apply gesso to just about any surface to prepare it for acrylic paints.

Another reason to gesso a pre-primed canvas is you can alter your surface at this stage.  Example:  Make it smoother by adding gesso and sanding with a fine grit sandpaper.  Or you can add textures to your gesso when applying to the canvas.  

Gesso is an inexpensive way to save on the amount of paint you use. 

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