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  • December 8, 2019 at 8:58 pm #481116
    BHS
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        I’ve read a few different ways to make archival hardboard for paintings. I want to make them as close to Ampersand Gessobord as I can. Can somebody verify I’m making these right? I start by cutting 1/8 inch thick tempered hardboard down to the preferred size. I’m using the kind of tempered hardboard that’s smooth on both sides. Then I sand the face with 100 grit sandpaper, just enough to rough it up a little. After I clean the dust off, I use a brush to apply a layer of GAC100 to the front, back and sides and let it dry. Then I apply a second layer of GAC100 to all the sides again. After that dries for 24 hours, I use a foam brush or roller to apply a layer Gesso. after that dries a few minutes I sand with 400 grit sandpaper. I clean off the dust and repeat that step for a total of 3 or 5 layers of gesso sanded smooth after each layer. Let that dry for at least 24 hours then start my painting.
        Does this look like I’m making these right? I just don’t want my paintings yellowing after a year or two. I made a few boards before, but didn’t use the GAC100, so I’m sure they won’t last as long.

        December 9, 2019 at 4:42 am #916548
        tiago.dagostini
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            You do not even need to do all that. The yellowing is because while acrylic is DRY but not cured, the molecules still move and drag impurities from the bottom layers up. There is acrylic base in acrylic Gesso and it carries particles from the wood. That stops when the acrylic is cured .

            You can just use acrylic Gesso, as long as you leave it to cure for 45 days or so before you paint on it. Yes it is a lot of time, but if you intend to make a large batch it saves some money and effort.

            "no no! You are doing it all wrong, in the internet we are supposed to be stubborn, inflexible and arrogant. One cannot simply be suddenly reasonable and reflexive in the internet, that breaks years of internet tradition as a medium of anger, arrogance, bigotry and self entitlement. Damm these internet newcomers being nice to to others!!!"

            "If brute force does not solve your problem, then you are not using enough!"

            December 9, 2019 at 9:01 am #916550
            DMSS
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                :cool: This, from Golden’s website, might help you: https://www.goldenpaints.com/technicalinfo/technicalinfo_prepsupp.

                --David

                December 9, 2019 at 9:27 am #916551
                DMSS
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                    This article, also from Golden, also has good information: https://www.justpaint.org/blocking-support-induced-discoloration/%5B/URL%5D.
                    They are now recommending gloss medium instead of GAC 100 to prevent support induced discoloration.

                    --David

                    December 9, 2019 at 10:19 am #916546
                    LavenderFrost Moderator, Acrylics
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                        So now what do I do with my GAC 100? lol

                        C&C always welcome. Michelle

                        mkmcreations.com
                        Every painting is a new adventure.

                        December 9, 2019 at 11:23 am #916547
                        tiago.dagostini
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                            So now what do I do with my GAC 100? lol

                            Fact remains, they advise you to buy stuff because they want to sell stuff.

                            Neither product is specially good for that purpose. Both are just putting more distance between the paint and the substrate. You can use GAC or whatever other form of acrylic emulsion. Golden just happens to find a way to optimize their own production (produce just one product instead of 2 so they save money) that is why they change the recommendation.

                            Also I forgot to say in my answer. You said you sand down the panel before gessoing. If you do that, WASH IT and scrub it with a sponge and let it dry before you put ANY product on it.

                            Why? Because the tiny particles of the wood are the stuff that travels trough the acrylic, if you leave them there after sanding it there will be a lot more material to contaminate it. That is far more important then the specific material you happen to use.

                            "no no! You are doing it all wrong, in the internet we are supposed to be stubborn, inflexible and arrogant. One cannot simply be suddenly reasonable and reflexive in the internet, that breaks years of internet tradition as a medium of anger, arrogance, bigotry and self entitlement. Damm these internet newcomers being nice to to others!!!"

                            "If brute force does not solve your problem, then you are not using enough!"

                            December 16, 2019 at 7:40 pm #916549
                            members
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                                I use GAC 100 as a sealer quite often, and haven’t had any problems with it. Even when I was doing mural and trade show work, we often just base coated wood panels that were hardly archival, with water based, exterior, gray house paint. I actually have found solvent based sealers and primers tend to bring up oils from wood even more than water based, but experimentation is the best teacher. Doing samples to see what happens is a good way to figure out what works best.

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