Thanks so much for sharing this. Lovely closing statement about the lack of technical instruction in art school and that without craftsmanship in our practice it is almost impossible to make something worthwhile. I really do agree with this and its good to hear a professional saying this out loud. In art school now, preparation and process are almost frowned upon, certainly given much less importance over concept and "play". However, they don't care when things fall apart within days (hours even!).. they just say oh thats my process. Bullshit prevails.
What a treat to watch. I had a question about the brushes you used to apply the size and then the gesso, but I see that you answered that already, so I'll leave it with: I'm married already, but I think I'm developing a crush on you.
Thank you,this what I am doing now,learning these techniques,the detailed description of the process is so rare,you are such a lovely person to so generously share your knowledge. I will be following you.
You're very welcome. I agree about art schools. It's been that way since the sixties. Most art school tutors seem to consider technical matters beneath them. They've set themselves up as philosophers as opposed to artisans, when art history tells us that in fact a successful artist needs to be BOTH. By the way, as this gesso process is very simple in its ingredients and ratios, I would emphasisze that the tint is in the final thin oil/varnish layer, not in the gesso itself which I like to leave pure white so that it retains its capacity to reflect light. I imagine you understood this, so forgive me if this sounds pedantic!
I was a commercial gilder for a few years and went through between 2 and 5 gallons of gesso each day. there were 2 mixes that I used, gesso grosso and gesso sottile. What is the difference? Hard gesso had 2 layers and was a stronger glue to chalk mix (3 glue : 5 chalk) and gesso sottile was a weak mix (3 glue :10 chalk) with 4 layers. I used to make around 30 metres of callico panels each day around 5' wide and 12' long. These were cut down and put under water for a minute or so before being nailed onto stretchers. Once in place and trimmed off, would be sanded wet for a glass finish and left to dry. The soft gesso was easily rubbed into any imperfections in the hard gesso and was the perfect surface. Finally, I am taking up art for the first time so the tip that I received in this was the application of mastic. Sanding between coats with gesso grosso/sottile is not necessary.
Thanks for this contribution, Angus. I'm familiar with those terms. You're right, of course. On reflection, I think the word 'sanding' is no longer appropriate for the last layer or two, when the abrasive paper is extremely fine. In any case, I'll always rub the final surface of my gesso, if only to be fully acquainted with its precise quality before applying the turps/mastic and then painting on it. It is a pleasure only comparable to stroking a cat!
This is a text book method going back to Cennini, and in sharp contrast to the DIY videos available elsewhere. If you want to know how to do it properly, look no further.
Thank you so much! Yes, you are helping soooo much! I am living in Italy now absorbing all I can from what i see in this wonderful overwhelming land of art!
Hi James thanks for this informative video and the last one I watched on how to create the traditional gesso. I am at the beginning of my first year BA (Hons) in art and this is a thrill to see the secrets of the old masters being explained. thank you
Thanks for the video! I do this method when painting on panel. Same process but I use different materials. It really is a night and day difference compare to acrylic gesso. This ground is like painting on glass!
Thank you so much James for your video! I completely agree with you, about the lack of technical skills and knowledge that is regularly missing from art colleges! Although, my fellow students & I were lucky enough to have been taught by a real craftsman/artist at college. The late Mr. Paul Davies. He made sure that we ALL had a copy of the bible 'Formulas for Painters' And we had to make all types of paints, glazes, mediums, varnishes, grounds, fixative, sizes. Along with adhesives for tempra, oil, acrylic, gouache (body colour) pastel, encaustic, fresco and many more!! His classes were ALWAYS my favourite!
Sounds like you got lucky there Gwyn. I like to compare the Paul Davies of this world to those monks of old, keeping the flame of civilisation burning through the dark ages!
James King He certainly was! Although he looked like Friar Tuck! Unfortunately many students were bored by him. & thought that it was wasted time having to learn about such techniques. Paul also didn't suffer fools gladly! But if you showed real interest in his subjects, you were well in with him. He took me under his wing, and I ended up being his assistant. Unfortunately, Paul died very suddenly at the start of my last year. I felt his loss terribly! His funeral was held at Bangor Cathedral. And it was full to overflowing. A few days after his funeral, I was called to the vice-chancellor's office, where I found Paul's widow. She said that Paul had mentioned that he wanted me to be given all his papers, and 'recipes' After the shock, the vice-chancellor asked me to consider taking up Paul's classes!! I ended up teaching these techniques to students for ten years. I also went on to study fine art conservation & restoration. I ended up working for the National Trust as a conservator/restorer. I'd spend most of my evenings giving talks to groups on the renaissance studio system, and demonstrate the making of different formulas for paints.
Gwyn.. I enjoyed your conversation with James,,,.please ,if you have time ,and the means ,consider posting your knowledge ,re: painting . I'm am old ,self taught painter ;out in the wilds of American west . I spent 40 yrs. trying to learn to paint ,having only Mayer's book as my bible,and found even that to contain questionable info....Now we have a tool to research the "secrets" that allows for DEMONSTRATION of these techniques/tools/materials.; which is invaluable. I've found more info in a couple months than in past 40 yrs.,tho', of course ,much garbage in between...........I am particularly interested in "temperas" ..egg/oil ,casein/oil,etc.( was at one site a guy was mixing powdered milk into his oils !) ,but I mistrust pure oil paint,and suspect a protein element in most/all EARLY oil paints. I have been painting with watercolors on RSG panels (,thought I'd invented a new technique ha,ha) and was looking for a non varnish to "seal" the work w/o losing the matte (dilute casein?)..also love oil paint ,but use it less.............It's too late for me ,I've only a few yrs. left to work ,but I still dream of a clearing house of some kind for FREE/open source education . Of course we must despair at times that there is any future "culture".....but we must carry on ,no ? I thought I had invented "the whore to culture" bit...sychronicity.... I went to your site in hopes of more,.but no....mince pie music...seems we share some musical tastes
I've been using traditional gesso for a long time now, but I'm curious to see the damar/turp coat at the end. I don't want my surfaces very absorbent at all. The solution I arrived at is to put a final coat of glue sizing before painting. I've had no problems with this but I may try your damar/turp solution on a future panel.
I love watching the gesso video, as well as this one, very much. I've been in art and other trades without schooling. Through working,I've. come to appreciate details of craftsmanship. I seek tutorials such as this to better my abilities and be able to experiment successfully. i do wish id learned the importance of preparation. technique and work flow sooner. Further i think everyone should learn the manual techniques before relying on new technology in art /simpler techniques. thanks for your videos
You're very welcome! New technology is great, but it should complement the older techniques, not replace them. Technique is essential, but it is worthless without poetic vision.
This is true. I went to a good art school but was not encouraged to stretch my own canvas. It was easier to buy it. I learned the stretching process from Pearl Paint in NYC which is no longer there.
Thanks so much for all the great tips and advice... have now applied the damar varnish mix and look forward to getting painting. These videos have been great. More of the same please... or start a studio practice course???!
Hideyoshe Coryne you're very welcome! Efficient technique liberates creativity. If we're anxious about the practicalities we can't concentrate on the content.
I wouldn't use this recipe on stretched canvas, unless it is stretched over a RIGID board. The canvas weave, in this case, would provide a certain texture, which you could control according to the number of layers you apply. I'd use at least three layers, but you'll find what's good for you by experimentation on small panels. My gesso recipe is developed from sources stretching back to the middle ages, when all artists were painting on wooden supports, when they weren't painting in fresco, directly on the walls. I almost always work on MDF, fixed to bracing struts to enhance rigidity.
Hi James, I really enjoyed your video and the calm manner in which you present the technique. I am actually considering using this technique to cover the surface of a plinth. I found the smooth surface of the gesso very appealing. If the Gesso is not painted, should I be wary of any particular thing ? Thank you for sharing your knowledge
Hi Mildred. I think I'd be wary of using any material for something other than the purpose for which it was designed. On a plinth? I suppose it might work, but why gesso?
Excellent. I really appreciate the thoughtful production, editing and valuable information you've provided in this video. I'm very grateful. One question, as an egg tempera painter I'm curious to try a larger panel such as you are using in this video. As a traditional egg tempera painter, we always apply RSG and traditional gesso on ALL sides of the panel. I presume and have been told this is to prevent warping when the RSG/gesso drys and constricts. How do you join the MDF board to the wood supports strongly enough? Just a wood glue? Do you use any screws or hardware? I didn't see any in the video. Very grateful for the information.
Hi Tamara, high quality wood glue is enough - no need for nails, but I do use clamps while the glue is drying. The mdf is 1cm thick. The wooden struts are a bit thicker than a regular canvas stretcher, and cross struts complete the reinforcement, as you can see at 2:00. I agree that priming both sides of a small board is essential to prevent warping, but it isn't necessary for my method, as long as you routinely wet the back of the board with each fresh coat.
I would like to ask if it is possible to paint directly on a board that has been painted with Gesso without applying a coating of Damar varnish and pure gem turpentine?
Yes, that would be possible, but I would find that much too absorbent for the kind of fluid, gestural brushwork I like to use. Experiment with small panels to find the degree of absorbency that suits your technique.
Hi James, I am looking for a gesso recipe that is also easily carvable as to create a bas relief effect before painting. It's sometimes used in icons to create an extra dimension. Does this type of gesso lend itself to that? Thanks for the videos, they're really informative.
Ràmhaille: Maybe, I couldn't say. I only use this gesso as described in the video. If you experiment with the proportions, you might get some interesting results. I wonder if it would work to use my gesso over a bas relief made from the kind of modelling plaster that some sculptors use. Make sure to use a good, rigid ground. Good luck!
Hi James, thank you for taking the time and effort to share your experiences in making traditional gesso and showing how to apply it to a wood panel. I have not tried this yet myself - but am inspired to try from watching your calm and logical instructions. However, I still have two questions 1) Could you please provide a little more information on the type of brush to use when applying the gesso...other than "broad". Is it a soft synthetic brush ?... a special "gesso" brush ? Any extra advice would be greatly appreciated. 2) Do you seal the sides and back of the panel...and if so, what do you recommend to do this ...and how best to apply it to prevent warping ?
Rodger O'Brien: The brush I use in the video is about 8 inches wide. The bristles are about 3 inches long and only about half an inch thick. Natural or synthetic bristles are both good. My brush is made from pig bristles, I think. I do seal the sides, but not the back of the panel. I prevent warping by wetting the back of the panel during the priming, but that detail is covered in the video.
Hello, it looks you know your stuff👏👏 I hope you can help with my dilemma. I am looking for a peeling effect after applying RSG (following a couple of German artists) however can’t find an answer I painted the canvas with acrylic paint, then applied RSG, dried 24 hours and don’t know what to do next in order to get cracks/peeling results. Would be really grateful for your feedback/suggestions
Vera, I can understand why one might want the effect but, for my own painting, I do everything in my power to prevent cracks and peeling! So I'm afraid your technical question lies outside of my field of expertise. Good luck!
How would you size a very large stretched canvas for oil painting? I'm not especially happy with my acrylic gesso ground even though I buy the best and apply 4-5 coats.
dangervich Apologies for the tardy reply. While my video is about traditional gesso for rigid panels, I can give some hints about canvases: 1. DO NOT USE COTTON CANVAS. Only linen will do. 2. Don't overstretch dry canvas, as the canvas must have some room to shrink a little when you apply the size. Make sure to use stretchers with those triangular wedges in the corners so that you can finely adjust the tension once the size has dried. 3. I dampen the canvas before applying the first coat of size, but it's not necessary to do so for the next layer. Two layers suffice. However, it is ALWAYS necessary to dampen a layer of dry gesso before applying the next coat of gesso (see video). 4. Make sure your stretcher is solid enough to take the strain. A large canvas stretched over a flimsy stretcher will inevitably warp. 5. If you are using acrylic gesso there is no need to size the canvas first, and probably no need for so many coats. You'd be better off using canvas which is already primed with acrylic gesso, although these tend to be cotton or cotton/linen mix.
Hello James. Thanks for sharing. I have a question though. Could this method be used on hardboard as well? I am especially concerned about the porous nature of the back of the hardboard. Do you think it should be filled first with a wood filler, sealed and then follow your method???
No need to worry about the porous back of hardboard, as long as it is rigid enough, and you remember to wet both sides during the application. If you think the hardboard is too flimsy you can add more cross - struts to the support structure.
Thank you very much, but before I paint (egg tempera) much better to stick very fine linen on plywood, and make gesso on the canvas when stuck on the plywood? Which linen is the best I need by weight or thickness?
Any raw, unbleached linen will do. The weight and thickness depends on the texture of surface you prefer. I use gesso directly on board, because I like an extremely smooth surface.
Awesome video, thanks a lot! Reading Cennini right now, and he talks about scraping the gesso in between coats - is this something you ever do or have experimented with? Or just sand it, no scraping required? Also, is there any use for gesso grosso, or is gesso sottile sufficient, as you’ve shown it?
Hi nocitizen. It's been a while since I read Cennini, but I'm guessing that 'scraping' is the renaissance equivalent of 'sanding', given that they didn't have sandpaper back then! The most important thing is to get it nice and smooth - at least, that's important to me for the kind of painting I'm doing. Each painter works out the support that is best for their own work, but I shared my recipe and technique as I believe it will be useful to many other painters. Gesso grosso or sottile? Well, if you try it my way you'll have a beautiful surface to paint on, but it might not suit your painting style perfectly, in which case you should try all kinds of variations until you reach your own customised solution. Good luck!
One question. The last step of varnish/turps is if you intend to paint in oil, am I right? Not good for egg tempera I believe (please correct me if I am wrong). Thank you so much, very clear!
Yes, you're right. Even for oil painting this isn't an obligatory step. Some painters like the extreme absorbancy of 'raw' gesso, but I like a more slippery surface, so I apply the varnish/turps layer. I haven't used egg tempera since art school, but I imagine there must be a way to regulate the absorbancy of gesso for that mediem if that's what you require. As I recall, the high absorbancy works very well for egg tempera, so it's probably fine to work on the gesso directly.
Four will be just fine Konstantina. I hope you're still able to paint with your wounded hand. I don't know what kind of painting you do, but if your hand prevents you working in the usual way, it might be an opportunity to use broader strokes and explore a different approach. Good luck!
@@LostSpringBand thank you very much for your advice,now i'm fine i am painting with egg tempera, i see you are a very talented person, congratulations and thank you again
I'm curious i continue adding my layers all in one sitting,letting them slightly dry between.Such brings a lot of sanding in the end,are there drawbacks to this,I've been happy
It sounds like we're doing the same amount of sanding, but you're doing it all in one go at the end, which must be hard work! The only drawback I can think of is that any bits of grit that get dislodged by the sanding will leave holes. If you are sanding between layers, as I recommend, such holes are filled in by the next layer of gesso. But if your method works for you, that's great. The good thing about gesso on a rigid ground is that any cracking is immediately visible after it has dried. As soon as you paint on it, any cracks start to show, because they absorb the paint differently. That used to happen to me a lot, but since I perfected this method, my gesso always remains smooth and solid. The most important thing is to experiment until you find the surface you need. Good luck!
Really? Thanks! I'll have to watch it again with this comment in mind! Perhaps I could make a sequel video where we watch the gesso dry for a couple of hours with a Barry White sound track.
Excellent video. A few questions about drying times -- yesterday I sized a birch board with RSG. I waited a few hours, sanded it lightly, then added a second coat. Later today I'll leave town and won't be able to apply gesso for another week. When I return, do I go straight to the gesso, or is another coat of RSG necessary? After the board has been gessoed -- all ten coats -- how long before I can draw on it? How long before I can apply the imprimatura? And how long before I can begin the grisaille? In other words, what is the ideal approach re: drying times? I'm getting wildly differing opinions elsewhere. Thanks.
I draw on gesso as soon as the last coat is dry, which means pretty much right away. Same goes for applying the imprimatura, and the grisaille. No need to wait around, in my experience. Ten coats sounds like a lot. Are you sure you need that many? What is RSG? I'm a Brit, so we might have different vocab!
Hello, can I coat with rabbit skin glue and gypsum directly on birch plywood and paint with egg tempera without linen, cloth, or other else? I am waiting for answering, thank you very much.
I wouldn't use this recipe on stretched canvas, unless it is stretched over a RIGID board. The canvas weave, in this case, would provide a certain texture, which you could control according to the number of layers you apply. I'd use at least three layers, but you'll find what's good for you by experimentation on small panels. My gesso recipe is developed from sources stretching back to the middle ages, when all artists were painting on wooden supports, when they weren't painting in fresco, directly on the walls. I almost always work on MDF, fixed to bracing struts to enhance rigidity.
Emmanuel Mendez: I always use this gesso for oil painting, so I can't vouch for it 100% for other techniques. Do you want it to be soluble? Probably not. In any case, before the imprimatura, it is a good ground for water based processes like egg tempera or even acrylics, although for the latter I would just go with simple acrylic gesso.
@@JamesKingsilentlife Thank you for responding. I don't want it to be water soluble. Long ago I prepared gesso this way and when it dried, I added a few drops of water and rubbed with my finger. The layers of gesso dissolved and the wood appeared. I didn't know if I made the glue wrong or if it's just the gesso soluble in water.
Hello James - excellent video - thanks much for sharing your technique. Just getting started myself with traditional gesso. I am making panels for water gilding, so I'm using a bit stronger RSG ratio of 10-1 by weight. My question is about your drying time between coats. Since you are sanding each coat, can I assume you are waiting until the gesso is fully dry (powder white)? There are some schools of thought that the coats should be applied all at once, when the previous coat is only partially dry, to ensure good adhesion between all coats. But perhaps the light sponge of water you are applying subsequent to adding a new coat serves the same purpose by activating the RSG in the previous coat. If so, do you find you can wait an indefinite period between coats, or is there a maximum time you don't want to exceed before applying a subsequent coat?
+Craig Syverson Yes I wait foreach coat of gesso to dry. I can see the reasoning behind applying coats in quick succession, but I'm guessing that artists who advocate this still wait for each coat to be 'touch dry' just as I do. They probably mean that one shouldn't allow a coat to dry to the core before applying the next coat, and I can imagine that this is true. So in answer to your last question, an 'indefinite period' is probably not good practice. I generally give it about an hour. In any case, the best way to achieve a smooth surface is by sanding between coats. Do the sanding outside if possible. You don't want that quantity of dust near your paintings! You're right to think that the sponging facilitates the application of each fresh coat. Try it on a small test board without sponging and you'll see what I mean. I always set aside a full day for the job and prepare several panels at once.
Excellent video, very informative. I plan to paint oils (quite watered down, like watercolours) on paper. So far i have mounted thick watercolour paper to ply panels with PVA glue, then primed with two coasts of acrylic gesso. Would you advise using an alternative prime, such as rabbit glue or another substance?
Rob Padley: if you've started with acrylic, I'd recommend continuing with it. The only surface I currently paint on is my gesso on panel. The last time I painted on paper I used acrylic glue and acrylic gesso as you have done, and enjoyed the results. If I were to try it again, I would use the rabbit skin glue to fix the paper to the board, but would give the board a layer of the glue in advance, so as to facilitate the process. Otherwise the board would just soak up the glue, and the paper wouldn't stick. Make sure to wet the back of the board to prevent warping. I would then proceed with the gesso process as described in the video, but with only one or two layers, to make good use of the paper surface. Come to think of it, one might just apply a single glue layer to the paper without any 'blanc de Meudon' (whiting). The danger here is that the paper might rot over time, through contact with the oils and turps. So much of this game is simply trial and error, using a few intelligently chosen methods. Fortunately, if something wants to go wrong, like cracking or excessive absorbency, it usually does so quite quickly.
Hello! I am doing a replica of an Italian icon and I need to gesso the surface. It is a very details surface though! There are embellishments along the border. Should I know anything special about this gesso on non-flat surfaces? Thank you so much!
The only problem I could imagine would be a gradual loss of definition in the details, particularly if you are using several layers. But these details could always be resharpened with sculpting tools, once the gesso was dry, as if you were sculpting a plaster model.
@@JamesKingsilentlife Thank you! How many layers would you recommend doing on such a detailed surface? In the end it will be mostly covered by gold leaf so I need the gesso to hold the bole.
@@emzelasko1546 Never having made an icon, I'd guess at just a couple of coats, but I always advise experimenting on something you don't mind messing up! Another rule of thumb is that if the gesso is going to crack, or fall off the surface, it will probably do so almost immediately, or within a week, so if it looks ok after that time you can then proceed to the real work.
In my long experience, no, it isn't necessary. The light sanding of the board before application of the gesso will provide enough 'tooth' for the gesso. That said, I have ocasionally used this gesso on boards prepared with canvas of various grades. I was experimenting with the texture of the canvas, while retaining the rigidity of the board. Some interesting results, but I always go back to my preferred surface of smooth gesso, as described here. The most important thing is to try out a bunch of surfaces until you find the best for your style of painting. I'm glad to have contributed to your journey!
Yes John, in principle, as long as the gesso/primer is able to prevent the turps/varnish mix from reaching the canvas fibres. The purpose of gesso is to create the desired painting surface, but also to protect the panel or canvas support. Canvas will rot if the turps/varnish seeps through.
Hi, could one make the glue sizing (and gesso) in larger quantities and store it? If so, the procedure would be to reheat it since they would both harden with time or they would not harden if stored in seal containers? Thank you.
I'm afraid it rots very quickly if it's not used within a day or so. The odour is awful, so you'll know if it's gone bad. Sealed containers won't do it. I suppose it might be possible to freeze it, but my instinct tells me that this is not a good idea.
Next time you buy a piece of chicken with the skin on, see how long you can store that skin for. : ) For stock cubes and glue, freezing appears to do no harm. For spreading thin over board... who knows? You could make up a small batch and keep moving it between the freezer and a bath of warm water, and see how many repetitions it takes for it to break down.
Thanks for the great video! I'm actually interested of using traditional panel painting surfaces, but to paint on it with ink, or water-based paint. Something like painting directly on a wall that will absorb the pigments, but will be strong and not crack with time, plus will be sealed, in the end, using some kind of varnish. would you have any recommendations for something like that? Many thanks :)
liat grayver Yes, I do have a recommendation for you: FRESCO! It is exactly what you are looking for. It is usually done on walls, of course, but can also be made on solidly made panels. But if you can do the real thing on a good wall you'll have the time of your life! Otherwise, my gesso without the final varnish/turps layer will be a perfect surface for you.
Glad you can use it. It's good to know that this info is helpful. Don't hesitate to tweak the proprtions so that the gesso works for your individual requirements.
Thanks, very helpful. I have heard about polishing the surface after a find sanding, but can't find any direction or reason to do this. are you familiar with this technique?
I'm sure you'll be able to find directions for polishing gesso if you really need them. Try googling icon painting or egg tempera painting, both of which require absolutely smooth gesso. Personally I like to leave a certain amount of visible brushstrokes as a 'living' surface. A fine sanding with very smooth sandpaper acheives the results I need. If I want an extremely smooth finish I take care to apply at least six coats of gesso, sanding between each one and then getting a fully smooth surface on the last. The final coats of damar/turps or mastic/turps will control the degree of absorbency and this is also the moment to add some transparent base colour if you so desire. This last step is a matter of trial and error to find the absorbency and colour you need for your own work.
Hello James. Lovely video! I commented on your other video about using canvas glued to a panel. I would also like to know if it is advisable to use plywood to make your panels, like door skin. and if so do I need to wet the back as you did with the fiberboard? Thanks James!
+ploopie flooper Yes, plywood is fine as long as it's not too thin. At least 6mm, or one third of an inch is good. The grain will be covered by the coats of gesso. As with the canvas on board option, you'll decide how much of the grain you want to leave apparent, if any. Whatever option you choose, always wet the back of the panel to counteract the wetness of the front and so avoid warping. And leave it to dry laying flat. Glad to be of use to you, dear colleague! This was the first question for my first technical videos. Hope you have a moment to view my other films where I discuss my own painting and motivations.
+James King Thanks for the technical information. It's really the most inexpensive, non-toxic, and permanent way to prepare a canvas. I so far watched Xenia 6. I love your philosophy about subtilely charming the viewer instead of grabbing them by the throat. so true! Thank you for sharing your philosophy on RUclips. I will watch all of your videos and I really enjoy looking at your art. I would love to see it in person! next time my family and I come to Europe I'll seek it out. Thanks again, James! -Dominic
Ciao James, trovo molto interessanti i tuoi video sulla preparazione delle tavole. Volevo chiederti se nella preparazione di gesso e colla è possibile aggiungere dell'olio di lino, oppure una miscela di olio di noci e vernice mastice (medium fiammingo) per rendere più elastico la preparazione. E aggiungere all'impasto una manciata di bianco di zinco per aumentare il bianco del gesso. Altra domanda, questa tua preparazione va bene anche per le tele?
+ritasup Per le tele, no. La mia preparazione non suffisamente elastico. Solo per legno. Forse con olio di lino, come dici, pero non ho tentato mai. Bianco di zinco per un gesso piu blanco, OK.
Dear Mr. King, thank you for these wonderful and extremely instructive videos, I will try this recipe and follow your instructions for my next panels. However I would like to ask you some questions if I may. I prepared a few panels a while ago, with a different recipe but similar to yours (the application process was a bit different) and just one of them cracked on the whole surface (very thin little cracks in the same direction as the wood grain). I sealed them with 2 coats of 10 parts water and one part rabbit skin glue in (by volume) in powder form and then for the gesso, I added to a similar mixture one part chalk and one part titanium white. So I had one part rabbit skin glue, one part titanium white and one part chalk. I then applied around 10 coats of this gesso mixture. Do you know what could be the reason for the crackling? Also, do you usually seal the back of your panels with rabbit skin glue or a few coats of gesso or you just leave it untreated? Thank you very much
I leave the back untreated, but always damp it down for each fresh coat that I apply to the front, as shown in the video. Make sure to let each coat dry with the board lying flat to avoid warping. I don't know exactly what's responsible for the cracking on your boards. As you said, you weren't using my method for them. Nevertheless, I'd hazard a guess that it is something to do with the nature of the wood panel. Plywood made from several thin sheets glued together sometimes has a long grain which can affect the gesso as it dries. I don't have this problem with MDF. My method works if you follow it precisely, and it's perfect for my needs, but you will have your own special requirements and every artist ends up improvising their own solutions over time. My intention is to give artists something to base their own experiments upon. If you end up finding my method is suitable for you with no tweeking then so much the better.
Mostly 'Old Holland'. It's expensive, but is worth the investment, if you value your posthumous reputation! It will last for centuries when applied to a well prepared board, primed with this gesso.
Each coat of gesso dries quite quickly. About half an hour in the summer, but longer in the cooler seasons, when each fresh coat should be left for at least an hour before sanding. I'm usually able to make several panels in the space of a day. I'm glad you asked this question, and I'm quite surprised I didn't address this in the video. I'll put a note in the description to rectify this omission.
Never having used the materials you refer to, and not wishing to waste your time with an inaccurate reply, I'll have to pass on this one. My method at such times is to experiment on a small scale 'test' piece before using the experimental technique on a full scale painting. The results are always useful, even if they are sometimes disappointing.Good luck!
Amen Hush Forgive me if I sound pedantic, but linseed oil isn't a solvent. As a solvent I use turpentine, and as a medium/binder I use linseed oil, or sometimes nut oil.
wildboy789789 Thanks! I've got some ideas in the pipeline for a more developed channel. As far as I understand the way it works on RUclips, I can't monetize with ads until I reach the 1000 subs mark. I have opened a Patreon page, however, for any generous souls who care to support me.
James King, 1000 subscribers is the requierment for live streaming from your mobile device... the requierments for monetization is 10,000 views on your entire channel, so your already there with your "how to make gesso" video... I have a small video gaming youtube channel, I paint miniatures which is how I found you
I find many tiny cracks (all go in one direction) on the surface when applying layers of gesso, some appear after the very first layer, some come later. Though when some are dried, the cracks would disappear, until wetted with a new layer of whatever that they will reemerge.. But some other would have the cracks still visible even when they are dried. Do you know what is the cause of this and if the cracks would lead to the crack of paints on top? Thank you.
Also is it good to start applying with the underpaint with the very first layer of the turp+varnish mix since I want the tone heavier, or does it not matter?
+ Shunda Wan The cracks all in one direction suggest to me that you might be using wood with a grain, in which case the cracks will be following the direction of the grain. I generally use MDF, ('masonite' or 'hardboard in the USA or UK) but even when I use real wood panels I don't have this problem, probably because I make sure to apply a couple of coats of glue before applying the gesso. Another reason might be the quality of your glue. Make sure it is rabbit skin, and not some other kind of animal glue.
+ Shunda Wan: That's fair enough, but be warned that if you apply colour with the very first layer of the turps + varnish mix you will compromise the reflective properties of the gesso. AT 5:20 in my video you see me applying a clear layer of turps + varnish before applying a layer which is only tinted with colour, not too heavily loaded. My purpose is to allow light to pass through the final painted surface and be reflected back from the white gesso. This creates an effect of 'inner glow' which gives life to the image. I'm lucky enough to have frequent access to the paintings of Rubens in the Louvre, and I can tell you that outside the heavy impastos of white lead for effects of light, the rest of the paint surface is quite thinly applied and semi-transparent, allowing a lot of light reflection from the gesso. Rubens perfected this technique, after picking it up from the Venetians (especially Titian) during his early years in Italy.
Thank you, for sure try to paint thinly while the surface is so nice, and I will have few more layers of rabbit skin glue for my next round. I also admire the great rubens, and venetians titian tintorreto, along with rembrandt, they painted with rather thick strokes but transparent at the same time, I don't see any other way but to paint flat on the ground or table so the oil don't drip, but when the size goes up it don't make more sense, or the secret is in their oil, do you know?
Rubens was using a gel medium, made by heating linseed or nut oil with lead oxide powder (litharge) and then adding mastic varnish. This creates a 'thixotropic' gel which means that it has a stable form when applied to a surface, so won't drip when painting vertically, no matter how thickly it is applied, but it becomes relatively fluid when agitated by brushwork. This allows a painter like Rubens or Titian to work fast with successive layers. I have made my own medium of this kind, using a variety of sources, but it is very time consuming and quite dangerous if done imprudently, given the toxicity of lead. There are several good ready-made products on the market which come close to the Rubens medium. Some painters find 'Liquin' by Winsor and Newton to be useful, although I prefer 'Flemish Medium' by Lefranc & Bourgeois if I'm not using my own. You shouldn't have to be painting on the floor!
Quite so! I've noticed that this video receives fewer views than the one about how to make the gesso. I'm very glad you took the trouble to watch it. One can get some nasty surprises if one tries to apply gesso like regular paint! It sounds like you did what's required to get that distinctive smooth surface with just the right power of absorption.
So was I, but paintings I made on MDF almost 40 years ago are holding up just fine. If I could afford the huge chunks of carefully seasoned timber used for the great altarpieces, then I'd probably favour it, but in the meantime I'll happily use, and vouch for MDF.
@@JamesKingsilentlife haha fair enough! I'm just surprised that after all this time, and given that wood panels are still popular to paint on, that there isn't a reliable type of wood panel one can use...
I would imagine so, Dariusz, but I've never tried it myself. When I want to experiment with a new material, I will try it on a small board, with a half hour still life painting, or some abstract design. If the dried painting still looks good a month later, one can assume it will age well over many years. In my experience, if any cracking or blemishes are going to result from faulty methods and materials, they will do so within one month of the painting's completion. It's like hanging a painting on a wall: if it hasn't fallen down after 5 minutes, it probably doesn't want to!
Whiting ,marble dust,calcium carbonate ,powdered limestone,chalk...(not quicklime !) all the same...I get whiting at a pottery supply ,MUCH less expensive than ANY art supply store...also source of pigments for making paint ,IF you know your pigments ,potters are less pretentious ( more down to earth ,ha,ha) than "artists" ,and thus more realistic prices....
Thanks so much for sharing this. Lovely closing statement about the lack of technical instruction in art school and that without craftsmanship in our practice it is almost impossible to make something worthwhile. I really do agree with this and its good to hear a professional saying this out loud.
In art school now, preparation and process are almost frowned upon, certainly given much less importance over concept and "play". However, they don't care when things fall apart within days (hours even!).. they just say oh thats my process. Bullshit prevails.
Thank you so much! I have been struggling with making traditional panels for egg tempera.Your video pointed out areas where I was making mistakes.
You're very welcome Eileen! I'm glad to see these vids still playing their part in perpetuating the craft!
Nice one James that was so helpful and kind to share your techniques!
You're welcome. I hope it proves useful.
Love the last shot of your studio space. Very Old World.
What a treat to watch. I had a question about the brushes you used to apply the size and then the gesso, but I see that you answered that already, so I'll leave it with: I'm married already, but I think I'm developing a crush on you.
That's very sweet of you! I'm happily married too, but I can safely say that I'm gratified to know that you got so much from my video!
Thank you,this what I am doing now,learning these techniques,the detailed description of the process is so rare,you are such a lovely person to so generously share your knowledge. I will be following you.
You're very welcome Judith. I'd recommend starting with a few small panels until you get the hang of the process.
Exceptional video. Thank you for making and posting it. You are correct regarding the omission on technical skills in art schools.
Thank you for sharing your technical education with us.It is a huge oversight in art schooling these days.The tint in the gesso is very helpful.
You're very welcome. I agree about art schools. It's been that way since the sixties. Most art school tutors seem to consider technical matters beneath them. They've set themselves up as philosophers as opposed to artisans, when art history tells us that in fact a successful artist needs to be BOTH.
By the way, as this gesso process is very simple in its ingredients and ratios, I would emphasisze that the tint is in the final thin oil/varnish layer, not in the gesso itself which I like to leave pure white so that it retains its capacity to reflect light. I imagine you understood this, so forgive me if this sounds pedantic!
Wonderful to see such traditional methods being show...
I was a commercial gilder for a few years and went through between 2 and 5 gallons of gesso each day. there were 2 mixes that I used, gesso grosso and gesso sottile. What is the difference? Hard gesso had 2 layers and was a stronger glue to chalk mix (3 glue : 5 chalk) and gesso sottile was a weak mix (3 glue :10 chalk) with 4 layers. I used to make around 30 metres of callico panels each day around 5' wide and 12' long. These were cut down and put under water for a minute or so before being nailed onto stretchers. Once in place and trimmed off, would be sanded wet for a glass finish and left to dry. The soft gesso was easily rubbed into any imperfections in the hard gesso and was the perfect surface.
Finally, I am taking up art for the first time so the tip that I received in this was the application of mastic.
Sanding between coats with gesso grosso/sottile is not necessary.
Thanks for this contribution, Angus. I'm familiar with those terms. You're right, of course. On reflection, I think the word 'sanding' is no longer appropriate for the last layer or two, when the abrasive paper is extremely fine. In any case, I'll always rub the final surface of my gesso, if only to be fully acquainted with its precise quality before applying the turps/mastic and then painting on it. It is a pleasure only comparable to stroking a cat!
This is a text book method going back to Cennini, and in sharp contrast to the DIY videos available elsewhere. If you want to know how to do it properly, look no further.
Thanks! I've been through several copies of that wild man's autobiography!
Thank you so much! Yes, you are helping soooo much! I am living in Italy now absorbing all I can from what i see in this wonderful overwhelming land of art!
@@josephtermeer4595 I rather envy you, although I've been doing likewise in France these last thirty years.
HUGE thanks for your generosity in posting this.
Hi James thanks for this informative video and the last one I watched on how to create the traditional gesso. I am at the beginning of my first year BA (Hons) in art and this is a thrill to see the secrets of the old masters being explained. thank you
Recapitulate! Great video! Your studio is amazing and so is your art.
An excellent video. Pairs well with your other video on how to make Traditional Chalk Gesso. Many thanks.
Thank you very much for this video. Very useful
You're welcome! So glad you saw both videos!
Thanks for the video! I do this method when painting on panel. Same process but I use different materials. It really is a night and day difference compare to acrylic gesso. This ground is like painting on glass!
+Nat Regalado Night and day, indeed. More than repays the time required to prep the panels.
Thank you so much James for your video! I completely agree with you, about the lack of technical skills and knowledge that is regularly missing from art colleges!
Although, my fellow students & I were lucky enough to have been taught by a real craftsman/artist at college. The late Mr. Paul Davies.
He made sure that we ALL had a copy of the bible 'Formulas for Painters' And we had to make all types of paints, glazes, mediums, varnishes, grounds, fixative, sizes. Along with adhesives for tempra, oil, acrylic, gouache (body colour) pastel, encaustic, fresco and many more!!
His classes were ALWAYS my favourite!
Sounds like you got lucky there Gwyn. I like to compare the Paul Davies of this world to those monks of old, keeping the flame of civilisation burning through the dark ages!
James King He certainly was! Although he looked like Friar Tuck! Unfortunately many students were bored by him. & thought that it was wasted time having to learn about such techniques. Paul also didn't suffer fools gladly! But if you showed real interest in his subjects, you were well in with him. He took me under his wing, and I ended up being his assistant.
Unfortunately, Paul died very suddenly at the start of my last year. I felt his loss terribly! His funeral was held at Bangor Cathedral. And it was full to overflowing. A few days after his funeral, I was called to the vice-chancellor's office, where I found Paul's widow. She said that Paul had mentioned that he wanted me to be given all his papers, and 'recipes' After the shock, the vice-chancellor asked me to consider taking up Paul's classes!!
I ended up teaching these techniques to students for ten years. I also went on to study fine art conservation & restoration. I ended up working for the National Trust as a conservator/restorer. I'd spend most of my evenings giving talks to groups on the renaissance studio system, and demonstrate the making of different formulas for paints.
Clearly Paul Davies's confidence in you was justified. As for the others, well, you can take students to water, but you can't make them drink!
Not bad, but I'm afraid I have the wrong set of chromosomes to get away with that version!
Gwyn.. I enjoyed your conversation with James,,,.please ,if you have time ,and the means ,consider posting your knowledge ,re: painting . I'm am old ,self taught painter ;out in the wilds of American west . I spent 40 yrs. trying to learn to paint ,having only Mayer's book as my bible,and found even that to contain questionable info....Now we have a tool to research the "secrets" that allows for DEMONSTRATION of these techniques/tools/materials.; which is invaluable. I've found more info in a couple months than in past 40 yrs.,tho', of course ,much garbage in between...........I am particularly interested in "temperas" ..egg/oil ,casein/oil,etc.( was at one site a guy was mixing powdered milk into his oils !) ,but I mistrust pure oil paint,and suspect a protein element in most/all EARLY oil paints. I have been painting with watercolors on RSG panels (,thought I'd invented a new technique ha,ha) and was looking for a non varnish to "seal" the work w/o losing the matte (dilute casein?)..also love oil paint ,but use it less.............It's too late for me ,I've only a few yrs. left to work ,but I still dream of a clearing house of some kind for FREE/open source education . Of course we must despair at times that there is any future "culture".....but we must carry on ,no ? I thought I had invented "the whore to culture" bit...sychronicity.... I went to your site in hopes of more,.but no....mince pie music...seems we share some musical tastes
Thanks for this great video. I've been looking everywhere to find out how to make traditional oil gesso.
Liked and subscribed
As a learning beginner artist and oil painter i really appreciate this.
Interesting....I've never seen dammar varnish used to seal gesso. I've just use a coat or two of clear size on top of the gesso.
Thanks, James King. Very educative.
Thank you so much for this James, this was amazingly helpful, really appreciate you doing this!
You're welcome. I made this video some years ago, and it's pleasant to still be getting pats on the back for it!
Excellent James . . .starting my first one today
Great! If you have the time let me know how it goes.
Hi. You are indeed the King of art. Ty for such great share Mr James. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year 2019.
Asha from Mauritius
Thanks Asha. Happy holidays!
I've been using traditional gesso for a long time now, but I'm curious to see the damar/turp coat at the end. I don't want my surfaces very absorbent at all. The solution I arrived at is to put a final coat of glue sizing before painting. I've had no problems with this but I may try your damar/turp solution on a future panel.
Yes, I can see how the extra glue coat would work, but I find the final, transparent earth coloured layer works better with damar/turps.
I love watching the gesso video, as well as this one, very much. I've been in art and other trades without schooling. Through working,I've. come to appreciate details of craftsmanship. I seek tutorials such as this to better my abilities and be able to experiment successfully. i do wish id learned the importance of preparation. technique and work flow sooner. Further i think everyone should learn the manual techniques before relying on new technology in art /simpler techniques. thanks for your videos
You're very welcome! New technology is great, but it should complement the older techniques, not replace them. Technique is essential, but it is worthless without poetic vision.
This is true. I went to a good art school but was not encouraged to stretch my own canvas. It was easier to buy it. I learned the stretching process from Pearl Paint in NYC which is no longer there.
Thanks so much for all the great tips and advice... have now applied the damar varnish mix and look forward to getting painting. These videos have been great. More of the same please... or start a studio practice course???!
There's so much conjecture and filler out there, this video is awesome - thanks for calming my nerves James!
Hideyoshe Coryne you're very welcome! Efficient technique liberates creativity. If we're anxious about the practicalities we can't concentrate on the content.
great video
Brilliant video, thank you for sharing🙏🙏
Thank you for sharing your experience, and I have a question, if I want to apply this way on the fabric canvas how much layers should I apply?
I wouldn't use this recipe on stretched canvas, unless it is stretched over a RIGID board. The canvas weave, in this case, would provide a certain texture, which you could control according to the number of layers you apply. I'd use at least three layers, but you'll find what's good for you by experimentation on small panels. My gesso recipe is developed from sources stretching back to the middle ages, when all artists were painting on wooden supports, when they weren't painting in fresco, directly on the walls. I almost always work on MDF, fixed to bracing struts to enhance rigidity.
Hi James, I really enjoyed your video and the calm manner in which you present the technique.
I am actually considering using this technique to cover the surface of a plinth.
I found the smooth surface of the gesso very appealing. If the Gesso is not painted, should I be wary of any particular thing ?
Thank you for sharing your knowledge
Hi Mildred. I think I'd be wary of using any material for something other than the purpose for which it was designed. On a plinth? I suppose it might work, but why gesso?
Thank you for sharing your hard-won experience.
thank you for sharing
Excellent video
Thanks!
merci James :)
James, do you ever glue linen on your board to create a textured surface to paint on? Process still the same pretty much?
Yes, I have done that a few times, and yes, the process stays pretty much the same.
Excellent. I really appreciate the thoughtful production, editing and valuable information you've provided in this video. I'm very grateful.
One question, as an egg tempera painter I'm curious to try a larger panel such as you are using in this video. As a traditional egg tempera painter, we always apply RSG and traditional gesso on ALL sides of the panel. I presume and have been told this is to prevent warping when the RSG/gesso drys and constricts.
How do you join the MDF board to the wood supports strongly enough? Just a wood glue? Do you use any screws or hardware? I didn't see any in the video.
Very grateful for the information.
Hi Tamara, high quality wood glue is enough - no need for nails, but I do use clamps while the glue is drying. The mdf is 1cm thick. The wooden struts are a bit thicker than a regular canvas stretcher, and cross struts complete the reinforcement, as you can see at 2:00. I agree that priming both sides of a small board is essential to prevent warping, but it isn't necessary for my method, as long as you routinely wet the back of the board with each fresh coat.
I would like to ask if it is possible to paint directly on a board that has been painted with Gesso without applying a coating of Damar varnish and pure gem turpentine?
Yes, that would be possible, but I would find that much too absorbent for the kind of fluid, gestural brushwork I like to use. Experiment with small panels to find the degree of absorbency that suits your technique.
Hi James, I am looking for a gesso recipe that is also easily carvable as to create a bas relief effect before painting. It's sometimes used in icons to create an extra dimension. Does this type of gesso lend itself to that? Thanks for the videos, they're really informative.
Ràmhaille: Maybe, I couldn't say. I only use this gesso as described in the video. If you experiment with the proportions, you might get some interesting results. I wonder if it would work to use my gesso over a bas relief made from the kind of modelling plaster that some sculptors use. Make sure to use a good, rigid ground. Good luck!
@@LostSpringBand Thanks I'll give it a go!
Hi James, thank you for taking the time and effort to share your experiences in making traditional gesso and showing how to apply it to a wood panel. I have not tried this yet myself - but am inspired to try from watching your calm and logical instructions. However, I still have two questions 1) Could you please provide a little more information on the type of brush to use when applying the gesso...other than "broad". Is it a soft synthetic brush ?... a special "gesso" brush ? Any extra advice would be greatly appreciated. 2) Do you seal the sides and back of the panel...and if so, what do you recommend to do this ...and how best to apply it to prevent warping ?
Rodger O'Brien: The brush I use in the video is about 8 inches wide. The bristles are about 3 inches long and only about half an inch thick. Natural or synthetic bristles are both good. My brush is made from pig bristles, I think.
I do seal the sides, but not the back of the panel. I prevent warping by wetting the back of the panel during the priming, but that detail is covered in the video.
Hello,
it looks you know your stuff👏👏 I hope you can help with my dilemma. I am looking for a peeling effect after applying RSG (following a couple of German artists) however can’t find an answer
I painted the canvas with acrylic paint, then applied RSG, dried 24 hours and don’t know what to do next in order to get cracks/peeling results. Would be really grateful for your feedback/suggestions
Vera, I can understand why one might want the effect but, for my own painting, I do everything in my power to prevent cracks and peeling! So I'm afraid your technical question lies outside of my field of expertise. Good luck!
Thank you James very much for your reply. Will have to practice hopefully will get my results. Wishing the best!
Will painting Dmar varnish on a wood board that has been primed cause the color of gesso to turn yellow or darker?
Slightly, but not such that it makes any difference in my experience.
Thank you for this video, much appreciated!
I read after the gesso one had to lay a layer of lead white. I never heard of applying varnish like this.
How would you size a very large stretched canvas for oil painting? I'm not especially happy with my acrylic gesso ground even though I buy the best and apply 4-5 coats.
dangervich Apologies for the tardy reply. While my video is about traditional gesso for rigid panels, I can give some hints about canvases:
1. DO NOT USE COTTON CANVAS. Only linen will do.
2. Don't overstretch dry canvas, as the canvas must have some room to shrink a little when you apply the size. Make sure to use stretchers with those triangular wedges in the corners so that you can finely adjust the tension once the size has dried.
3. I dampen the canvas before applying the first coat of size, but it's not necessary to do so for the next layer. Two layers suffice. However, it is ALWAYS necessary to dampen a layer of dry gesso before applying the next coat of gesso (see video).
4. Make sure your stretcher is solid enough to take the strain. A large canvas stretched over a flimsy stretcher will inevitably warp.
5. If you are using acrylic gesso there is no need to size the canvas first, and probably no need for so many coats. You'd be better off using canvas which is already primed with acrylic gesso, although these tend to be cotton or cotton/linen mix.
absolutely wonderful. thank you.
Hello James. Thanks for sharing. I have a question though. Could this method be used on hardboard as well? I am especially concerned about the porous nature of the back of the hardboard. Do you think it should be filled first with a wood filler, sealed and then follow your method???
No need to worry about the porous back of hardboard, as long as it is rigid enough, and you remember to wet both sides during the application. If you think the hardboard is too flimsy you can add more cross - struts to the support structure.
thank you , Jim that was great!
Thank you very much, but before I paint (egg tempera) much better to stick very fine linen on plywood, and make gesso on the canvas when stuck on the plywood? Which linen is the best I need by weight or thickness?
Any raw, unbleached linen will do. The weight and thickness depends on the texture of surface you prefer. I use gesso directly on board, because I like an extremely smooth surface.
Awesome video, thanks a lot! Reading Cennini right now, and he talks about scraping the gesso in between coats - is this something you ever do or have experimented with? Or just sand it, no scraping required? Also, is there any use for gesso grosso, or is gesso sottile sufficient, as you’ve shown it?
Hi nocitizen. It's been a while since I read Cennini, but I'm guessing that 'scraping' is the renaissance equivalent of 'sanding', given that they didn't have sandpaper back then! The most important thing is to get it nice and smooth - at least, that's important to me for the kind of painting I'm doing. Each painter works out the support that is best for their own work, but I shared my recipe and technique as I believe it will be useful to many other painters. Gesso grosso or sottile? Well, if you try it my way you'll have a beautiful surface to paint on, but it might not suit your painting style perfectly, in which case you should try all kinds of variations until you reach your own customised solution. Good luck!
@@JamesKingsilentlife makes perfect sense, thanks for the response, and again thanks for sharing, it’s nearly impossible to find this info, amazingly.
One question. The last step of varnish/turps is if you intend to paint in oil, am I right?
Not good for egg tempera I believe (please correct me if I am wrong).
Thank you so much, very clear!
Yes, you're right. Even for oil painting this isn't an obligatory step. Some painters like the extreme absorbancy of 'raw' gesso, but I like a more slippery surface, so I apply the varnish/turps layer. I haven't used egg tempera since art school, but I imagine there must be a way to regulate the absorbancy of gesso for that mediem if that's what you require. As I recall, the high absorbancy works very well for egg tempera, so it's probably fine to work on the gesso directly.
I had an accident in my hand and I did not have time to go through all the coats, I did 4, can I continue now? Please tell me how!thank you very much!
Four will be just fine Konstantina. I hope you're still able to paint with your wounded hand. I don't know what kind of painting you do, but if your hand prevents you working in the usual way, it might be an opportunity to use broader strokes and explore a different approach. Good luck!
@@LostSpringBand thank you very much for your advice,now i'm fine i am painting with egg tempera, i see you are a very talented person, congratulations and thank you again
Oops! I replied while using my other channel. The Lost Spring Band is me and my two sons making the most of lock-down!
I'm curious i continue adding my layers all in one sitting,letting them slightly dry between.Such brings a lot of sanding in the end,are there drawbacks to this,I've been happy
It sounds like we're doing the same amount of sanding, but you're doing it all in one go at the end, which must be hard work! The only drawback I can think of is that any bits of grit that get dislodged by the sanding will leave holes. If you are sanding between layers, as I recommend, such holes are filled in by the next layer of gesso. But if your method works for you, that's great. The good thing about gesso on a rigid ground is that any cracking is immediately visible after it has dried. As soon as you paint on it, any cracks start to show, because they absorb the paint differently. That used to happen to me a lot, but since I perfected this method, my gesso always remains smooth and solid. The most important thing is to experiment until you find the surface you need. Good luck!
@@LostSpringBand Thanks, I should mention I'm also using slaked plaster Paris which is a slightly different kind of feel to it
this video is so lovely
Really? Thanks! I'll have to watch it again with this comment in mind! Perhaps I could make a sequel video where we watch the gesso dry for a couple of hours with a Barry White sound track.
Excellent video. A few questions about drying times -- yesterday I sized a birch board with RSG. I waited a few hours, sanded it lightly, then added a second coat. Later today I'll leave town and won't be able to apply gesso for another week. When I return, do I go straight to the gesso, or is another coat of RSG necessary? After the board has been gessoed -- all ten coats -- how long before I can draw on it? How long before I can apply the imprimatura? And how long before I can begin the grisaille? In other words, what is the ideal approach re: drying times? I'm getting wildly differing opinions elsewhere. Thanks.
I draw on gesso as soon as the last coat is dry, which means pretty much right away. Same goes for applying the imprimatura, and the grisaille. No need to wait around, in my experience. Ten coats sounds like a lot. Are you sure you need that many? What is RSG? I'm a Brit, so we might have different vocab!
Hello, can I coat with rabbit skin glue and gypsum directly on birch plywood and paint with egg tempera without linen, cloth, or other else? I am waiting for answering, thank you very much.
Sorry for late reply. In a word: yes!
Love it, what can i use for an stretched canvas?
I wouldn't use this recipe on stretched canvas, unless it is stretched over a RIGID board. The canvas weave, in this case, would provide a certain texture, which you could control according to the number of layers you apply. I'd use at least three layers, but you'll find what's good for you by experimentation on small panels. My gesso recipe is developed from sources stretching back to the middle ages, when all artists were painting on wooden supports, when they weren't painting in fresco, directly on the walls. I almost always work on MDF, fixed to bracing struts to enhance rigidity.
Is the gesso ground soluble in water? Without the 'imprimatura'...
Thanks for sharing your process
Emmanuel Mendez: I always use this gesso for oil painting, so I can't vouch for it 100% for other techniques. Do you want it to be soluble? Probably not. In any case, before the imprimatura, it is a good ground for water based processes like egg tempera or even acrylics, although for the latter I would just go with simple acrylic gesso.
@@JamesKingsilentlife Thank you for responding. I don't want it to be water soluble. Long ago I prepared gesso this way and when it dried, I added a few drops of water and rubbed with my finger. The layers of gesso dissolved and the wood appeared. I didn't know if I made the glue wrong or if it's just the gesso soluble in water.
Great video. Do you know how to make the gesso crack or crackle ?
Yes. Get the proportions wrong and apply it badly!
Hello James - excellent video - thanks much for sharing your technique. Just getting started myself with traditional gesso. I am making panels for water gilding, so I'm using a bit stronger RSG ratio of 10-1 by weight. My question is about your drying time between coats. Since you are sanding each coat, can I assume you are waiting until the gesso is fully dry (powder white)? There are some schools of thought that the coats should be applied all at once, when the previous coat is only partially dry, to ensure good adhesion between all coats. But perhaps the light sponge of water you are applying subsequent to adding a new coat serves the same purpose by activating the RSG in the previous coat. If so, do you find you can wait an indefinite period between coats, or is there a maximum time you don't want to exceed before applying a subsequent coat?
+Craig Syverson
Yes I wait foreach coat of gesso to dry. I can see the reasoning behind applying coats in
quick succession, but I'm guessing that artists who advocate this still wait
for each coat to be 'touch dry' just as I do. They probably mean that one
shouldn't allow a coat to dry to the core before applying the next coat, and I
can imagine that this is true. So in answer to your last question, an
'indefinite period' is probably not good practice. I generally give it about an
hour. In any case, the best way to achieve a smooth surface is by sanding
between coats. Do the sanding outside if possible. You don't want that quantity
of dust near your paintings! You're right to think that the sponging facilitates the application of each fresh coat. Try it on a small test board without sponging and you'll see what I mean. I always set aside a full day for the job and
prepare several panels at once.
Excellent video, very informative. I plan to paint oils (quite watered down, like watercolours) on paper. So far i have mounted thick watercolour paper to ply panels with PVA glue, then primed with two coasts of acrylic gesso. Would you advise using an alternative prime, such as rabbit glue or another substance?
Rob Padley: if you've started with acrylic, I'd recommend continuing with it. The only surface I currently paint on is my gesso on panel. The last time I painted on paper I used acrylic glue and acrylic gesso as you have done, and enjoyed the results. If I were to try it again, I would use the rabbit skin glue to fix the paper to the board, but would give the board a layer of the glue in advance, so as to facilitate the process. Otherwise the board would just soak up the glue, and the paper wouldn't stick. Make sure to wet the back of the board to prevent warping. I would then proceed with the gesso process as described in the video, but with only one or two layers, to make good use of the paper surface. Come to think of it, one might just apply a single glue layer to the paper without any 'blanc de Meudon' (whiting). The danger here is that the paper might rot over time, through contact with the oils and turps. So much of this game is simply trial and error, using a few intelligently chosen methods. Fortunately, if something wants to go wrong, like cracking or excessive absorbency, it usually does so quite quickly.
Hello! I am doing a replica of an Italian icon and I need to gesso the surface. It is a very details surface though! There are embellishments along the border. Should I know anything special about this gesso on non-flat surfaces? Thank you so much!
The only problem I could imagine would be a gradual loss of definition in the details, particularly if you are using several layers. But these details could always be resharpened with sculpting tools, once the gesso was dry, as if you were sculpting a plaster model.
@@JamesKingsilentlife Thank you! How many layers would you recommend doing on such a detailed surface? In the end it will be mostly covered by gold leaf so I need the gesso to hold the bole.
@@emzelasko1546 Never having made an icon, I'd guess at just a couple of coats, but I always advise experimenting on something you don't mind messing up! Another rule of thumb is that if the gesso is going to crack, or fall off the surface, it will probably do so almost immediately, or within a week, so if it looks ok after that time you can then proceed to the real work.
@@JamesKingsilentlife Very helpful! Thank you!
thank you so much for your video! It realy helped me!
Glad to hear it!
I had always heard that applying a thin cloth or linen to the panel before the gesso was required to prevent cracking, is this not necessary?
In my long experience, no, it isn't necessary. The light sanding of the board before application of the gesso will provide enough 'tooth' for the gesso. That said, I have ocasionally used this gesso on boards prepared with canvas of various grades. I was experimenting with the texture of the canvas, while retaining the rigidity of the board. Some interesting results, but I always go back to my preferred surface of smooth gesso, as described here. The most important thing is to try out a bunch of surfaces until you find the best for your style of painting. I'm glad to have contributed to your journey!
Hi James, Would it be possible to use the varnish/turps on a canvas to reduce the paint absorption. John
Yes John, in principle, as long as the gesso/primer is able to prevent the turps/varnish mix from reaching the canvas fibres. The purpose of gesso is to create the desired painting surface, but also to protect the panel or canvas support. Canvas will rot if the turps/varnish seeps through.
Hi, could one make the glue sizing (and gesso) in larger quantities and store it? If so, the procedure would be to reheat it since they would both harden with time or they would not harden if stored in seal containers? Thank you.
I'm afraid it rots very quickly if it's not used within a day or so. The odour is awful, so you'll know if it's gone bad. Sealed containers won't do it. I suppose it might be possible to freeze it, but my instinct tells me that this is not a good idea.
Next time you buy a piece of chicken with the skin on, see how long you can store that skin for. : )
For stock cubes and glue, freezing appears to do no harm. For spreading thin over board... who knows? You could make up a small batch and keep moving it between the freezer and a bath of warm water, and see how many repetitions it takes for it to break down.
Thanks for the great video! I'm actually interested of using traditional panel painting surfaces, but to paint on it with ink, or water-based paint. Something like painting directly on a wall that will absorb the pigments, but will be strong and not crack with time, plus will be sealed, in the end, using some kind of varnish. would you have any recommendations for something like that? Many thanks :)
liat grayver Yes, I do have a recommendation for you: FRESCO! It is exactly what you are looking for. It is usually done on walls, of course, but can also be made on solidly made panels. But if you can do the real thing on a good wall you'll have the time of your life! Otherwise, my gesso without the final varnish/turps layer will be a perfect surface for you.
thank you. wonderful info.
Glad you can use it. It's good to know that this info is helpful. Don't hesitate to tweak the proprtions so that the gesso works for your individual requirements.
Thank you.
You're welcome!
Thanks, very helpful. I have heard about polishing the surface after a find sanding, but can't find any direction or reason to do this. are you familiar with this technique?
I'm sure you'll be able to find directions for polishing gesso if you really need them. Try googling icon painting or egg tempera painting, both of which require absolutely smooth gesso. Personally I like to leave a certain amount of visible brushstrokes as a 'living' surface. A fine sanding with very smooth sandpaper acheives the results I need. If I want an extremely smooth finish I take care to apply at least six coats of gesso, sanding between each one and then getting a fully smooth surface on the last. The final coats of damar/turps or mastic/turps will control the degree of absorbency and this is also the moment to add some transparent base colour if you so desire. This last step is a matter of trial and error to find the absorbency and colour you need for your own work.
I would have thought that whiting used dry against dry gesso would polish. Talcum is used for plaster of Paris to render a marble-like finish.
Thanks Nicholas! I've never felt the need for this degree of high polish, but dry whiting sounds right.
Hello James. Lovely video! I commented on your other video about using canvas glued to a panel. I would also like to know if it is advisable to use plywood to make your panels, like door skin. and if so do I need to wet the back as you did with the fiberboard? Thanks James!
+ploopie flooper
Yes, plywood is fine as long as it's not too thin. At least 6mm, or one third of an inch is good. The grain will be covered by the coats of gesso. As
with the canvas on board option, you'll decide how much of the grain you want
to leave apparent, if any. Whatever option you choose, always wet the back of
the panel to counteract the wetness of the front and so avoid warping. And
leave it to dry laying flat. Glad to be of use to you, dear colleague! This was
the first question for my first technical videos. Hope you have a moment to
view my other films where I discuss my own painting and motivations.
+James King Thanks for the technical information. It's really the most inexpensive, non-toxic, and permanent way to prepare a canvas. I so far watched Xenia 6. I love your philosophy about subtilely charming the viewer instead of grabbing them by the throat. so true! Thank you for sharing your philosophy on RUclips. I will watch all of your videos and I really enjoy looking at your art. I would love to see it in person! next time my family and I come to Europe I'll seek it out. Thanks again, James! -Dominic
Ciao James, trovo molto interessanti i tuoi video sulla preparazione delle tavole. Volevo chiederti se nella preparazione di gesso e colla è possibile aggiungere dell'olio di lino, oppure una miscela di olio di noci e vernice mastice (medium fiammingo) per rendere più elastico la preparazione. E aggiungere all'impasto una manciata di bianco di zinco per aumentare il bianco del gesso. Altra domanda, questa tua preparazione va bene anche per le tele?
+ritasup Per le tele, no. La mia preparazione non suffisamente elastico. Solo per legno. Forse con olio di lino, come dici,
pero non ho tentato mai. Bianco di zinco per un gesso piu blanco, OK.
Dear Mr. King, thank you for these wonderful and extremely instructive videos, I will try this recipe and follow your instructions for my next panels. However I would like to ask you some questions if I may.
I prepared a few panels a while ago, with a different recipe but similar to yours (the application process was a bit different) and just one of them cracked on the whole surface (very thin little cracks in the same direction as the wood grain). I sealed them with 2 coats of 10 parts water and one part rabbit skin glue in (by volume) in powder form and then for the gesso, I added to a similar mixture one part chalk and one part titanium white.
So I had one part rabbit skin glue, one part titanium white and one part chalk. I then applied around 10 coats of this gesso mixture. Do you know what could be the reason for the crackling? Also, do you usually seal the back of your panels with rabbit skin glue or a few coats of gesso or you just leave it untreated?
Thank you very much
I leave the back untreated, but always damp it down for each fresh coat that I apply to the front, as shown in the video. Make sure to let each coat dry with the board lying flat to avoid warping. I don't know exactly what's responsible for the cracking on your boards. As you said, you weren't using my method for them. Nevertheless, I'd hazard a guess that it is something to do with the nature of the wood panel. Plywood made from several thin sheets glued together sometimes has a long grain which can affect the gesso as it dries. I don't have this problem with MDF. My method works if you follow it precisely, and it's perfect for my needs, but you will have your own special requirements and every artist ends up improvising their own solutions over time. My intention is to give artists something to base their own experiments upon. If you end up finding my method is suitable for you with no tweeking then so much the better.
Thank you very much! I look forward to try your method as soon as possible.
VERY VERY Much thanks !!!!!
Glad to help!
Thank you
Well done Rebecca for watching both videos! The gesso is excellent when it's applied properly.
What brand of oil paint do you used?
Mostly 'Old Holland'. It's expensive, but is worth the investment, if you value your posthumous reputation! It will last for centuries when applied to a well prepared board, primed with this gesso.
How long does each coat of gesso usually take to dry?
Each coat of gesso dries quite quickly. About half an hour in the summer, but longer in the cooler seasons, when each fresh coat should be left for at least an hour before sanding. I'm usually able to make several panels in the space of a day. I'm glad you asked this question, and I'm quite surprised I didn't address this in the video. I'll put a note in the description to rectify this omission.
@@JamesKingsilentlife thanks again for this, finally getting around to doing this myself🤞
Sir, will the use of dammar varnish inversely effect the use of alkyd or turpenoids later in the painting?
Never having used the materials you refer to, and not wishing to waste your time with an inaccurate reply, I'll have to pass on this one. My method at such times is to experiment on a small scale 'test' piece before using the experimental technique on a full scale painting. The results are always useful, even if they are sometimes disappointing.Good luck!
James King in such case please let us know what oil paint solven you use? Only linseed oil?
Amen Hush Forgive me if I sound pedantic, but linseed oil isn't a solvent. As a solvent I use turpentine, and as a medium/binder I use linseed oil, or sometimes nut oil.
I rather enjoy your videos, if you get time to do another one I'd watch it, you should also consider monitizing your videos it's worth an ad watch
wildboy789789 Thanks! I've got some ideas in the pipeline for a more developed channel. As far as I understand the way it works on RUclips, I can't monetize with ads until I reach the 1000 subs mark. I have opened a Patreon page, however, for any generous souls who care to support me.
James King, 1000 subscribers is the requierment for live streaming from your mobile device... the requierments for monetization is 10,000 views on your entire channel, so your already there with your "how to make gesso" video... I have a small video gaming youtube channel, I paint miniatures which is how I found you
Hey, thanks for the tip! I'll look into it. Just visited your channel and subscribed. Looking forward to the cooking vids!
James King, thanks
I find many tiny cracks (all go in one direction) on the surface when applying layers of gesso, some appear after the very first layer, some come later. Though when some are dried, the cracks would disappear, until wetted with a new layer of whatever that they will reemerge.. But some other would have the cracks still visible even when they are dried.
Do you know what is the cause of this and if the cracks would lead to the crack of paints on top?
Thank you.
Also is it good to start applying with the underpaint with the very first layer of the turp+varnish mix since I want the tone heavier, or does it not matter?
+ Shunda Wan The cracks all in one direction suggest to me that you might be using wood with a grain, in which case the cracks will be following the direction of the grain. I generally use MDF, ('masonite' or 'hardboard in the USA or UK) but even when I use real wood panels I don't have this problem, probably because I make sure to apply a couple of coats of glue before applying the gesso. Another reason might be the quality of your glue. Make sure it is rabbit skin, and not some other kind of animal glue.
+ Shunda Wan: That's fair enough, but be warned that if you apply colour with the very first layer of the turps + varnish mix you will compromise the reflective properties of the gesso. AT 5:20 in my video you see me applying a clear layer of turps + varnish before applying a layer which is only tinted with colour, not too heavily loaded. My purpose is to allow light to pass through the final painted surface and be reflected back from the white gesso. This creates an effect of 'inner glow' which gives life to the image. I'm lucky enough to have frequent access to the paintings of Rubens in the Louvre, and I can tell you that outside the heavy impastos of white lead for effects of light, the rest of the paint surface is quite thinly applied and semi-transparent, allowing a lot of light reflection from the gesso. Rubens perfected this technique, after picking it up from the Venetians (especially Titian) during his early years in Italy.
Thank you, for sure try to paint thinly while the surface is so nice, and I will have few more layers of rabbit skin glue for my next round. I also admire the great rubens, and venetians titian tintorreto, along with rembrandt, they painted with rather thick strokes but transparent at the same time, I don't see any other way but to paint flat on the ground or table so the oil don't drip, but when the size goes up it don't make more sense, or the secret is in their oil, do you know?
Rubens was using a gel medium, made by heating linseed or nut oil with lead oxide powder (litharge) and then adding mastic varnish. This creates a 'thixotropic' gel which means that it has a stable form when applied to a surface, so won't drip when painting vertically, no matter how thickly it is applied, but it becomes relatively fluid when agitated by brushwork. This allows a painter like Rubens or Titian to work fast with successive layers. I have made my own medium of this kind, using a variety of sources, but it is very time consuming and quite dangerous if done imprudently, given the toxicity of lead. There are several good ready-made products on the market which come close to the Rubens medium. Some painters find 'Liquin' by Winsor and Newton to be useful, although I prefer 'Flemish Medium' by Lefranc & Bourgeois if I'm not using my own. You shouldn't have to be painting on the floor!
Thank you!
You're welcome!
Bravo!
do you have a traditional recipe ?
Yes, it's on my video entitled 'How to make traditional gesso', but I think you've found it already.
can rabbit glue be applied on plastic tarp?
Yes indeed! You can also apply it to bubble wrap or brushed velvet, for all the good it will do! ; )
Why plastic tarp?
i stretch plastic tarp and then paint on it
NO NO NO NO NO......he was kidding....quit plastics....but RSG will NOT stick...he couldn't take you seriously...but WHY PLASTIC...you're nutz....
I think the juxtaposition will be gorgeous
time consuming yes! but worth the surface.
Quite so! I've noticed that this video receives fewer views than the one about how to make the gesso. I'm very glad you took the trouble to watch it. One can get some nasty surprises if one tries to apply gesso like regular paint! It sounds like you did what's required to get that distinctive smooth surface with just the right power of absorption.
three coats of skimmed milk will make the panel completely non-absorbent. Apply with a plastic spray gun.
Inwas consistently told MDF was simply not archival and should be avoided!
So was I, but paintings I made on MDF almost 40 years ago are holding up just fine. If I could afford the huge chunks of carefully seasoned timber used for the great altarpieces, then I'd probably favour it, but in the meantime I'll happily use, and vouch for MDF.
@@JamesKingsilentlife haha fair enough! I'm just surprised that after all this time, and given that wood panels are still popular to paint on, that there isn't a reliable type of wood panel one can use...
traditional gesso ? You had to glue a linen cloth on the wood and then to uplay the gesso. that is traditional gesso .
OK dude!😀
Thank you for excellent, no nonsense video. Can I use marble dust instead of chalk?
I would imagine so, Dariusz, but I've never tried it myself. When I want to experiment with a new material, I will try it on a small board, with a half hour still life painting, or some abstract design. If the dried painting still looks good a month later, one can assume it will age well over many years. In my experience, if any cracking or blemishes are going to result from faulty methods and materials, they will do so within one month of the painting's completion. It's like hanging a painting on a wall: if it hasn't fallen down after 5 minutes, it probably doesn't want to!
Thanks:)
Whiting ,marble dust,calcium carbonate ,powdered limestone,chalk...(not quicklime !) all the same...I get whiting at a pottery supply ,MUCH less expensive than ANY art supply store...also source of pigments for making paint ,IF you know your pigments ,potters are less pretentious ( more down to earth ,ha,ha) than "artists" ,and thus more realistic prices....