sketched, too late for gesso?

[gorie]

i am just starting with oil paints, i haven't gotten my paints yet. tonight i got a little anxious and sketched my picture onto the canvas (cheap preprimed panel) using a regular hb2 pencil.
since this will be my first painting and i expect it to be a total disaster, i am not too concerned... however as i was drawing my sketch onto the canvas, and after things i have read on here about extra coats i have a feeling more gesso or something could be helpful to not have to fight the texture of the canvas as much. - is it too late to put another coat or 2 of acrylic gesso on without losing my sketch? how opaque is gesso ? would this work as somewhat of a fixative ? or would i lose my sketch and have to start over?

[Bad Dobby]

Hi gorie ... you are sure to get various responses to your issue. Every Artist has their own process.

Gesso is highly opague. Typically people don't use gesso on stretched canvas, also some do in a thinned down version. There are some other products that you can prime your stretched canvas with, RSG/PV etc.

If you are concerned about drag along the tooth of the canvas ... many people start with a thinned paint/turp wash to both tone the canvas and to "prime" it for the laying of thicker oils. A thin enough wash will let your sketch show thru, if your sketch has enough strength to it.

Also, you can just take the sketch that you have and start blocking in larges shapes of wash (this will help with better "glide" for future layers).

In the future ... you can also start with a thin wash/underpainting/undertoning and then sketch (with drawing tools or paint) right on top of that. The mediums (turps/alkyds/oils/varnishes/etc.) that you use in your paints will also play in how your paint leaves the brush and adheres to the canvas.

There are many roads to get there.

BD

[gorie]

cool thanks for the tips.

[guillot]

Typically people don't use gesso on stretched canvas,
BD


:confused:

I would say, actually using gesso on stretched canvas is very typical. RSG (Rabbit Skin Glue) is sizing, not primer. Just next time, do your drawing on top of the Gesso ;) If your canvas is "pre-primed" as you say, it already has a coat of gesso on it (or 3-4) - so no worries there most likely. I always put 3 to 4 extra coats of gesso on my stretched canvas for a bit of a smoother tooth, or for a bit of texture. As BD has also suggested, you may also do your drawing with some turps thinned paint as well.

Tina

[G.L. Hoff]

Don't forget that acrylic primer isn't real gesso although they sell it as such. It's an acrylic vehicle with marble dust or other whiting and remains flexible (and is useable therefore on stretched canvas). Whereas "real gesso" is rsg and whiting and is very brittle and its use is reserved for rigid supports like wooden panels 'cause it'll crack on flexible supports. It's easy to confuse the two, since they're sold with the same name, but they ain't equivalent.

[Underdog]

So for a pre-stretched canvas, it would be better NOT to use gesso, but rather to use a (water-based) acrylic paint, which is more flexible. Is that right? I want to make sure I understand, because I was just wondering the other day about the possibility of a painting cracking, due to the "flexibility" of a canvas support. I haven't purchased or used gesso, yet.

[JamieWG]

So for a pre-stretched canvas, it would be better NOT to use gesso, but rather to use a (water-based) acrylic paint, which is more flexible. Is that right?

No, you want an acrylic-based "gesso". As Gary said, it's sold as "acrylic gesso" even though it's not traditional gesso. Acrylic paint alone does not have the added tooth for the oil paint to adhere to the canvas.

Jamie

[Underdog]

No, you want an acrylic-based "gesso". As Gary said, it's sold as "acrylic gesso" even though it's not traditional gesso. Acrylic paint alone does not have the added tooth for the oil paint to adhere to the canvas.
What if I have already covered the canvas with regular acrylic paint? Will the oil paint flake off or peel eventually? Right now I'm just playing with sheets of canvas paper taped to a board, so it's not a big deal. But for the future...?

[HRobinson]

What if I have already covered the canvas with regular acrylic paint?

Hopefully it won't be your best work. :) Relax. Blicks will send you a copy of "Last Year's" leftover catalog for free. Hog heaven for the beginner... or you can check out the multitude of online catalogs.

-Harry