Gesso is a flexible liquid ground that seals, protects, and gives "tooth" to substrates, which promotes paint adhesion. It is formulated to accept a wide variety of media on many commonly used painting surfaces. It can be used on various substrates, including canvas, wood, paper, and metal. It comes ready-to-use, but can be mixed with water for thinner applications. When applied in thin layers, GOLDEN Gesso will conform to a variety of textured surfaces.
Although one coat of Gesso will provide good adhesion, it may sometimes leave pinholes or uncovered areas. It is recommended to apply at least two coats of Gesso to any surface, but especially when painting on canvas or linen. The first coat will penetrate the support and reduce the likelihood of paint de-lamination. The second coat bonds with the first layer and begins to even out the surface. Subsequent layers of Gesso will produce an even smoother surface. For spray-application, you may have to apply more than 2 coats to achieve a film similar to a brush application.
Golden Gesso can be tinted with GOLDEN Heavy Body Acrylics, Fluid Acrylics, Matte Fluid Acrylics, or High Load Acrylics. The High Loads most closely resemble the Gesso since they both possess a high pigment load, a velvety, low-gloss sheen and a similar viscosity. Matte Fluid Acrylics are the best option after the High Loads. Tinting with High Loads is recommended since they will alter the attributes of the Gesso the least. Due to the high pigment/solid concentration, High Load Acrylics and Gesso should only be applied in thin layers. Thick, single-applications of these products may crack.
For oil painting, we recommended that at least three layers of gesso.