think tank forum

so i have some canvas that i stretched, and i need to prime it. i could buy gesso to prime it, but it's crazy expensive. or i could buy a gallon of white interior latex paint at lowe's for $8.

i'd like to go the cheap route, but i'm worried about quality. i don't want to use the interior latex paint if it will peel or chip or degrade over time. i also don't want to use it if the gesso has archival qualities that the interior latex paint does not.

thoughts?

how much is the gesso?

probably around $55/gallon for golden acrylic gesso at my school's book store.

http://www.fineartstore.com/Catalog/tabid/365 … fault.aspx

see, it's shit like this that makes me want to use the gesso:

TECHNICAL INFORMATION
Resin: Methylmethacrylate/butylacrylate copolymer dispersion polymer
Vehicle: Water
Pigment Identification: PW6 (White Gesso); PBk7 & PBk11 (Black Gesso)
Lightfastness: Lightfastness rated I (per ASTM D 5098)
Permanency: Excellent
Opacity: 1 (1=most opaque and 8=most transparent)
Viscosity: 3,000 - 4,000 cPs (as measured on a Brookfield RV viscometer)
pH: 8.4-9.0 (slightly alkaline)
Gloss: White: 5.0-10.0; Black: 1.5-5.0 (using a 75° Glossmeter)
Flexibility: ASTM D522, Test Method B-Cylindrical Mandrel Test at 70°F, 6 mil thick film passes at 1/4" diameter mandrel. Adequate flexibility to withstand loose rolling and re-stretching at room temperature. Paint films become more brittle below 50°F, and should not be bent, stretched or flexed under such conditions. Withstands expansion and contraction caused by changes in temperature and humidity.
Drying/Curing Time: A 10 mil wet film will dry to touch within 2 hours when temperature is above 65°F and humidity is below 70%. Thicker films cure much more slowly. Lower temperatures and/or higher humidity slow the drying process considerably.

http://www.goldenpaints.com/technicaldata/gesso.php

just the fact that they have that information is heartening. this is also interesting:

5. Do you prime? The vast majority of painters responding to the survey report priming with acrylic. About 7% use lead based primer for some applications and 2-3% use housepaint. The prevalence of using acrylic gesso, particularly in combination with oil paint, underscores the desire within ASTM to be able to provide more definitive answers to questions regarding the best attributes for an acrylic gesso and how the materials will stand the test of time compared to traditional oil grounds.

...

9. Have you noticed delamination? This question was asked in order to help determine the extent and type of failure related to primers and sizes. While there were numerous responses indicating that some form of delamination was observed, most either between the support and primer or the primer and paint, insufficient information was received regarding the types of materials used to allow us to identify key problem areas.

http://www.goldenpaints.com/justpaint/jp5article3.php

:(

Q: How about using Latex house paint as a ground instead of gesso?

A: This is acceptable for any painting that you don't want to last. Artist's materials are made with artists purposes in mind and for permanence. Industrial or commercial materials are made for other purposes and will have unpredictable results. Most house paint is specifically engineered to deteriorate within a few years so that is can be replaced.

http://www.artists.ca/FCA-7c-09.html

Latex house paint, as mentioned above (any light color really), can be used but is not recommended simply because, relative to a good quality gesso, it will break down with age. Of course by "age" here, we're talking over fifty years.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/ … s=282x1507

more:
http://www.wetcanvas.com/forums/archive/index … 17231.html
http://www.wetcanvas.com/forums/archive/index.php/t-861.html
http://tribes.tribe.net/goobliegook/thread/5c … ada516d4bb
http://www.aisling.net/journaling/gesso.htm

Go for it!

for which?

the gesso

sigh. yeah.

i bought a gallon of golden white gesso for $50 at the bookstore. a gallon of pro art was like $30, but i'd rather pay more for the golden.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/lucasreddinger/2234300270/

:D

Nice. I always found building canvas's, stretching them and gesso'ing them rather enjoyable. I've seriously painted two large (~4x3, ~5x4) last year for my 200-lvl illustration/painting class. But haven't had time to really do more with school :(

i am sticking an undercoat or two of the cheap white stuff underneath the canvas, because it is the first thing that will be sucked up by the porous material. then i am going over the top with golden, which gives it a smoother, tougher finish. as for time, i am not too worried. if my stuff that i am producing right now is valued in fifty years then i will be very surprised. of course if i were to start selling then i would probably upgrade the qualities of my materials...