Gesso question - WetCanvas: Online Living for Artists

Gesso question

This topic has 3 replies, 4 voices, and was last updated 4 years, 9 months ago by Perry.

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July 3, 2019 at 9:50 am #475245
LarryMacG
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Maybe a silly question but…
What is the difference between gesso and acrylic paint?
July 3, 2019 at 12:11 pm #849889
RogueRipple
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Gesso contains calcium carbonate to provide some “tooth” for mechanical adhesion.

- Kelvin

"Things fall apart, it's scientific." - David Byrne
July 3, 2019 at 2:32 pm #849891
DaveCrow
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Traditional gesso is a mixture of a glue, usually rabbit skin glue, chalk, and white pigment.

Acrylic “gesso” is more properly termed acrylic ground. It is composed of acrylic polymer medium, calcium carbonate (chalk), white pigment (although you can get it in a rainbow of colors), and additives for flexibility and archival qualities. It is much like a thin paint.

Basically a binder plus calcium carbonate for tooth and absorbency.

"Let the paint be paint" --John Marin
July 4, 2019 at 5:20 am #849890
Gigalot
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Be careful, many of comercially available acrylic gesso can be brittle and too much absorbent. Therefore, you can’t use such kind of gesso on canvases. Acrylic paint is already flexible and have no issues when used on canvas.
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