Description
A Ground or Gesso is the foundation of an oil painting. The choice we make determines in large part how painting will feel, mark-making possibilities, and how our colours will look when our painting is dry.
An acrylic gesso made from synthetic polymer imparts a plasticky texture. An absorbent, thirsty clay-board can cause sunken, desaturated colour. A ground with tooth helps grab paint off the brush, meanwhile a smooth surface lends to fine detail linework.
Gamblin PVA Size seals the porous fibres of fabric or paper and isolates those fibres from your Gesso, Ground and oil colours. This protects the fibres from acid, making the surface archival. Only fabric and paper supports need sizing.
Panels can withstand the acid in oil and may be prepared with just Gamblin Ground. If one wanted to prepare a panel substrate more and reduce absorbency before painting or priming, we suggest using a diluted alkyd medium or Gamblin 3-in-1.
