Black Gesso Question

[Glen Blanchard]

Does black gesso (or any gesso for that matter) need a finish? I presume it does.

[Dan Forman]

Black gesso has is very matt appearance when dry, and has a slightly gritty feel, but is quite durable. It's main use in art is to cover canvas or board surfaces prior to painting on it, to provide a barrier to protect the canvas from the oils in oil paint and provide a mechanical bond (the grit or tooth) for the oil to bond with - oils can't form a chemical bond to acrylic.

Whether it needs a finish will depend on what the desired result is, and whether you want a contrasting (matt vs. glossy) surface.

Dan

[Glen Blanchard]

Thanks Dan. Actually I rather like the very matte finish and was wanting to prevent glossing it up with a finish.

[Jamie Donaldson]

The black gesso makes a very nice interior surface for objects like hollow forms, and it levels with enough thickness to hide a somewhat rough surface where sanding to 400 is not an option!

[Chip Sutherland]

Gesso will take just about any finish. I have used WOP satin with good effect. I have also just burnished it with shavings to soften the surface grit. The appeal gesso to me is the matte finish. Like Jaime says it is great on insides of HFs too.

[Greg Just]

Black gesso is great stuff, but have you ever tried clear gesso and tinting it with acrylic paint? You can make a really nice durable finish in almost any color you want.

[Bernie Weishapl]

Like Chip I have used WOP on top of gesso with good luck. I like it best on the inside of HF's also.

[Chip Sutherland]

Clear Gesso???? Never heard of it...Intriguing opportunities. I know about white, black & the shades between. I have thought about tinting white gesso but never executed on it. Oh this just got more fun.

[robert baccus]

Sounds interesting--black gesso in the hollowform. I assume you mix it thin and pour in??

[Kathy Marshall]

Sounds interesting--black gesso in the hollowform. I assume you mix it thin and pour in??
When I use it on the inside, I don't thin it, I just pour a little bit in and use a small foam brush to spread it around.

[robert baccus]

Thanks Kathy!

[Matt Owen]

When I've used black gesso on the outside of a piece I apply the first coat, sand, then apply a light second coat. Then I spray on 2 coats of clear flat acrylic. It seems to be a very durable finish that looks really nice. The photo shows my poor attempt at duplicating a piece Carol Valentine did a couple years ago. While not a great piece, I think the finish turned out nicley. 260049

[Greg Just]

Clear Gesso???? Never heard of it...Intriguing opportunities. I know about white, black & the shades between. I have thought about tinting white gesso but never executed on it. Oh this just got more fun.

Chip:

Liquitex makes a clear gesso and I got it at Michaels.