PRIME like a PRO - How to gesso a canvas the correct way so you can PAINT like a PRO! 2020 

Many people seem to have trouble when making alteration to their work when the previous coats of paint underneath come off too! Another problem is that vibrant work can sink in and after a few days look dull and boring. This happens because they did not prime properly. This is particularly so with budget canvases because even though their structure may be good enough to use, their basic primings are often weak and of low quality - that's why the canvas was cheap after all. Begin by removing as much of the factory priming as is possible by a good sanding of the surface before you do anything else. Then you have to use decent quality 'gesso' - the whole structure of your painting depends on that, and economising here by buying budget gesso is a big mistake. Two coats laid on with a big brush swept out in star shapes so that every part of the canvas is brushed in all directions - don't paint it on in lines. As shown in the video is good, but better still is to develop a quick 'figure of eight' motion moving across the surface, with the tip of the brush never leaving the canvas. A tiny bit of colour added to alternate coats helps you see what you're doing. Sand lightly between coats and wipe with a slightly damp cloth after every coat. ETA -Fennel- Ferrule.

Thank you so much for your thorough explanation. You’re a good teacher 😊

Thanks for this beautiful class

Thank you for the lesson, very pleasant video

Thank you so much for this information! I bought some of those level 3 canvases from Michaels and just assumed they were ready to go. I used your video and primed it with some liquidtex gesso. It really helped! Thank you again!

Complex and professional

Very helpful, thanks

I think you did it perfect 😃

Wow. I have not ever seen any of the artist I follow do this. This was great. Thank you

Thank you for this helpful video! And from now on, this English teacher’s daughter is calling “that” part of my brush a fennel, LOL, in honor of the classy response you gave!! ❤ Thank you again!

Thank you. Useful info

Love this Video 📹 ❤

Thank u for that video

Thank you. The next art class asks for gessoed canvases and black underpainting and I have never done this before. The use of the mask is important for us painters to practice safe habits.

Thanks for sharing...

Gorgeous Lady !!

Thanks for sharing 👍 please stay safe 🙏

I got two sets of advice when I was starting out with acrylic on canvas... 1: add at least 5 to 7 coats of gesso to the canvas (which is always shop-bought and pre-primed) then sand it as smooth as possible, leave for 24 hours and you're ready to go. Or 2: put at least 2coats of gesso on your canvas. But then add several coats (5 or more) of student-grade white paint. The white paint seems to work far better at giving a smooth ground to paint on. Am I doing the right thing? I'm new to this, any advice much appreciated!

One coat if fine or two?

Super👍👏

How soon can you paint after prepping with gesso?

After my second coat of gesso I lose the texture of the canvas . I can no longer see the weaving of the canvas. It’s just a smooth surface of gesso after . Doesn’t look like a canvas anymore. Am I applying to much gesso or is that how it’s supposed to look?

Question..... Do you still think it's a good idea to gesso the canvas on top of the ones it comes with for spray paint art. I don't know if you meant just for oil or acrylic brush painting or spray paint art as well?

I am not sure if gesso is actually flexible. Mine was dry, chalky and cracked when I bent the canvas.

Do you sand in between each layer of gesso that you put down? Do you also sand after the last layer?

I am just beginning to paint with oil and I am confused, wanting to know the difference between priming prepping and undercoating and why to use one or the other.

A fennel?! No, that's a plant! That part of the brush is called a ferrule.

What brand is that respirator you use?

Is sand paper reusable or swtich to another canvas with another sand paper

Do you just rinse your brush off with water or with paint thinner

How long should I wait inbetween applying multiple coats/sanding of gesso?

Can I mixed another colour with gesso ?

Can you make a bunch more new videos on prepping canvasses and how to put the wedges in an when to use them, an all the things a new to painting on canvas person would need to know!!!!!!!! PLEASE💛

Do we mixt gesso with water ..????

This expert says the fennel is the metal part of a brush but it's actually a vegetable used to flavor sausage. You're supposed to be careful the paint doesn't get on the ferrule.

How long should you let it dry before painting on it?

I think you meant to say ferrule instead of fennel,,, Do they still teach paintbrush anatomy in College?

I have a question… I used gesso on a canvas, let it dry, but when i tried painting on it with oil paints, they dried up almost immediately… almost like the gesso absorbed it, this never happened on a canvas without gesso. What did i do wrong? Thanks for the video!

There is no latex is Liquitex products.

👍🌹❤️🌹🍀🇩🇪

😅🌹🌹😁

Helllllllo

You mean “ferrule” not “fennel.” The metal part of the brush is the ferrule.

I like this video a lot, and you're presentation is awesome! But........ you do NOT need to prime pre-primed canvases! It's a preference for artists and NOT something you should be telling people you must do. Also cheap/homemade gesso is the opposite of gessoing like a pro. A lot of what you're worried about in terms of the "tightness" of a canvas can be done with stretcher keys for a lot less money.