Aug 27, 2025 · Learn what gesso is and how to make it at home. The primer is essential to ensuring your paint goes on smooth. It also promotes a strong, healthy canvas.

Gesso is used in painting as a preparation for any number of substrates such as wood panels, canvas and sculpture as a base for paint and other materials that are applied over it. The colour of gesso is …

Gesso is very similar to white acrylic paint, only thinner. It dries hard, making the surface more stiff. Gesso prepares (or "primes") the surface for painting, making the surface slightly textured and ready …

Browse gessoes & primers. Shop online for same-day delivery, curbside pickup, or at a Michaels near you.

May 22, 2023 · Traditional gesso, or genuine gesso, is a mixture of hot animal glue (usually rabbit skin glue) and gypsum applied to a stiff surface in several layers while it’s still warm.

Jun 17, 2025 · Gesso (Italian for “chalk”) is a thick, white, paint-like substance that provides a uniformly smooth surface over wood moldings onto which gold and silver leaf is applied. Throughout history, …

May 8, 2025 · Gesso is a primer used to prepare surfaces like canvas, wood, or paper for painting. It creates a slightly textured, absorbent layer that improves paint adhesion and prevents paint from …

This guide covers gesso basics: types, application techniques with brushes, recommended coats for acrylic and oil paintings, drying times, canvas priming importance, and tips for reusing canvases …

Gesso is a white, plaster-based substance used to prepare or “prime” surfaces for painting. The purpose of modern gesso is the same as traditional gesso: to provide a smooth, primed surface for painting.

Gesso and its use can stump beginner artists. This article explains the ins and outs of gesso and its role in acrylic painting.