Home › Forums › Explore Subjects › Plein Air › Step away from that Gesso!
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July 11, 2011 at 11:06 pm #989129
For anyone who paints in oil and still uses Gesso as their ground, you have no idea what you are missing. I didn’t until last week frankly. After much research and consultation I finally tried the Zinsser Cover Stain OIL BASED primer sealer. This is not the BIN primer sealer. It is oil – not shellack based. It covers very well and dries in about 2 hrs.
When I was using Gesso, my paints sunk as they dried. They lost the luster and the colours were off and dusty. I would compensate by varnishing, but that brought them back only half way to what they were supposed to be. The oil based sealer primer changed ALL that honestly you just have to try it that is all I can say. You can buy a small can for $8-$15 depending on where you live. It is well worth it believe me.
I know there are some who have concocted formulas with gesso adding stuff and making it a bit better, but this is a whole different level. Mind you I did gesso the panels a while back and these were the same panels I added the oil based primer sealer to but the gesso will only help in preservation now without sucking the life out of my work.
Try it. You will thank me.
July 12, 2011 at 7:37 am #1150950I’ve thought about using “Kilz” instead of gesso. I think it would work as well as what you have here. It is oil based and even comes in a spray can. Any thoughts?
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WynJuly 12, 2011 at 8:39 am #1150956Hi Wayn,
I am not sure about the composition of Kilz and I have not used it so I can’t comment on its value, but I would suggest that if it is a sealer/primer and is oil based, it should work. Try it! What have you got to lose except a few bucks? The benefits – if it performs like the Zinsser Cover Stain are enormous and well worth the experiment.
I will never go back to Gesso again.
July 12, 2011 at 9:42 am #1150973AnonymousWhen I was using Gesso, my paints sunk as they dried. They lost the luster and the colours were off and dusty.
I precondition an absorbent gesso surface with a oil paint toned layer and then apply medium with a rag, then paint. All it is is the gesso sucking up some oil from the intitial application. You can get Kilz original primer in oil or in a new acrylic base now. The oil base is not healthy to breath, I have used it plenty for house painting purposes for which it was designed. I mean it is wicked and off the hook harsh, I would not use that. They put some nasty penetrating solvents in that because it is designed to seal off nasty, rusty, moldy, even grease stained walls.
July 12, 2011 at 11:00 am #1150970For anyone who paints in oil and still uses Gesso as their ground, you have no idea what you are missing. I didn’t until last week frankly. After much research and consultation I finally tried the Zinsser Cover Stain OIL BASED primer sealer. This is not the BIN primer sealer. It is oil – not shellack based. It covers very well and dries in about 2 hrs.
When I was using Gesso, my paints sunk as they dried. They lost the luster and the colours were off and dusty. I would compensate by varnishing, but that brought them back only half way to what they were supposed to be. The oil based sealer primer changed ALL that honestly you just have to try it that is all I can say. You can buy a small can for $8-$15 depending on where you live. It is well worth it believe me.
[IMG]http://s3.amazonaws.com/wetcanvas-hdc/Community/images/11-Jul-2011/86381-6d694361-8067-4a88-a229-8be804fc2f0a_300.jpg[/IMG]
I know there are some who have concocted formulas with gesso adding stuff and making it a bit better, but this is a whole different level. Mind you I did gesso the panels a while back and these were the same panels I added the oil based primer sealer to but the gesso will only help in preservation now without sucking the life out of my work.
Try it. You will thank me.
Whow, I would love to try it out and thank you big time as I hate to paint on gesso. But do you know if there is a way for me in europe to get my hands on it?
cheers
E.Milz"C&C welcome", my blog: http://milzart.blogspot.com/ To paint a picture with some life in it, one has to be alive onesel[/COLOR]f! (Vincent)
July 12, 2011 at 11:06 am #1150957Sid,
I tried that and it is better than Gesso of course because you are building a layer between it and your paint, but it does not compare to what I am suggesting honestly. And for the record, you should never use any of these products in an enclosed area of course. Ventelation is very important. I think that is a given.
E,
I can’t suggest an equivalent ion Europe, but you can look at the specifications (Google the product) and get something comparable I am sure you have that in Europe given that most of your houses are older and would have oil paint on them/in them.Wyn,
I just checked Kilz out and yes it should do the same thing if you use the oil based one.July 12, 2011 at 1:59 pm #1150955Yep! Been usin’ that Zinnser primer these past 2-3yrs and a half-gal will last a long while, also, easily mixed with various tints to make for differing under-paint
shade/values. I must credit an outstanding painter friend, Stephen Mirich, of the Portuguese Bend Art Colony for his recommendation of same. He’s been using Zinnser for many years. :thumbsup:boomerbeach in SoCal:wave:
July 12, 2011 at 2:11 pm #1150947I was about to run out to Home ____, a chain store here that stocks this stuff. Then I saw a comment on the DTYChatRoom website in which an experienced person complained that this product goes on poorly; in such a way that heavy brush marks result. Can any of you comment on this?
Have fun, DaveJuly 12, 2011 at 2:24 pm #1150958If you like to have a bit of texture you can brush it on and yes it will give you a nice textured effect (bad for walls great for panels.) If you prefer a smooth surface, I would suggest that you use a roller.
See my works in my previous post here:
https://www.wetcanvas.com/forums/showthread.php?t=940153
You can see the texture that I intentionally created with the ground on the second and third artworks.PS: What is the DTY chatroom??:confused:
July 12, 2011 at 4:01 pm #1150954July 12, 2011 at 4:17 pm #1150959It is an outdoor primer/sealer Sarah. Once it is dry, it seals everything in the panel away from the paints and as a primer it is meant to hold on to the paint nicely. I don’t know what more we can ask for. I am not sure what you are saying though.
July 12, 2011 at 5:19 pm #1150971Sid,
I tried that and it is better than Gesso of course because you are building a layer between it and your paint, but it does not compare to what I am suggesting honestly. And for the record, you should never use any of these products in an enclosed area of course. Ventelation is very important. I think that is a given.
E,
I can’t suggest an equivalent ion Europe, but you can look at the specifications (Google the product) and get something comparable I am sure you have that in Europe given that most of your houses are older and would have oil paint on them/in them.Wyn,
I just checked Kilz out and yes it should do the same thing if you use the oil based one.I will check it out, thanks for the pointer mate. Sometimes one needs a kick in the butt for a change. I too hate the drying out of the paint with the use of gesso but didnt do anything about it.
cheers
E.Milz"C&C welcome", my blog: http://milzart.blogspot.com/ To paint a picture with some life in it, one has to be alive onesel[/COLOR]f! (Vincent)
July 12, 2011 at 6:27 pm #1150951I am sure that Zinsser oil primer will work just fine. My only caveat is that fast drying oil-based house primers use large quantities of cheap dryer in the formulation. This tends to cause the paint to become yellowed or brownish over time (a few months). So make sure that you don’t leave any of the primer uncovered. Of course, If you tone the support with a strong color, yellowing is not a problem–even if some of the toning shows through.
[FONT=Book Antiqua]Ian , the [FONT=Arial]hopeful aspirer.
Any C&C I may make is based on the theory that even the act of disagreeing with one of my lousy suggestions may still spark an inspired idea.July 12, 2011 at 7:07 pm #1150960E,
The product is sold in the UK so I think you should find it in the EU as well.
July 12, 2011 at 7:07 pm #1150961Ian,
I will test a strip and leave it outdoors and see what happens.
PS: OK I just painted a strip of plywood. Once it dries I will cover half and place it in the full sun. We should have an idea if it starts yellowing in a few weeks.
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