Using Gesso To Make Your Canvas Smooth For Painting

The importance of using a smooth canvas for painting cannot be overemphasized. Gesso is the most commonly used primer for acrylic painting. Every painter knows how enjoyable it is to paint on primed canvas compared to using unprimed canvas. Gesso makes the surface more absorbent and gives the painting a fine finish, which is what every painter is after, unless you are looking to have a special kind of effect. Gesso can either be bought or prepared at home. Both options have their upsides and downsides. Buying gesso will cost you more but will save you valuable time which you can use to paint. Preparing gesso at home takes time but the good thing about it is that you can adjust it to suit your preferences.

Preparing your smooth canvas for painting: Steps to Follow

You will need gesso, a paintbrush, sandpaper and some water. Start by diluting the gesso with water; the amount of water you add depends on the effect you are looking to achieve. Use the paintbrush to apply the diluted gesso to the canvas in parallel strokes. You should then let the canvas sit for a couple of hours for the gesso to dry. The longer you let it sit, the better; so, if you can leave it to dry overnight, that would be the best option. Before applying the second layer of gesso, you need to check whether the first layer is dry. If the canvas feels cold to touch, the gesso is not completely dry. You need to give it a few more hours before doing anything to it.

Use sandpaper to sand the canvas after the first layer is dry and then apply the second layer of gesso in perpendicular strokes to the first layer. Again, you need to let it sit for a couple of hours before you do anything to it. You can apply as many layers of gesso as you want depending on the effect you want to achieve, but just remember to let the gesso dry and sand the canvas after every layer. The more the layers of gesso, the more absorbent the painting surface will be. The final coat should be applied using undiluted gesso. Only start painting after the gesso dry.

Bottom Line

Using gesso to prime your canvas is not a difficult task. Just follow the steps above and you will end up with a smooth canvas for painting. Gesso is also versatile as you can add some paint to it to tint it and end up with a wonderful effect on your smooth canvas for painting. Although you have the option of buying pre-primed canvas, preparing the canvas on your own is fun and you can play around with the gesso to create some special effects that you would not be able to achieve with a pre-primed canvas.

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