Artists' Gesso - Acrylic "Mr. Surfacer" doppelgang

Lt. Z0mBe · Post by **Lt. Z0mBe** » Sun Feb 05, 2012 2:27 am

It occurred to me as I was priming a wooden display base with some Artists' Gesso that the stuff fills remarkably well, being really thick artists acrylic paints.

I wet sanded it a bit and the stuff was just as water resistant as any other acrylics. It filled the grain in the $1.00 pine base ridiculously well. Two coats and a sanding session later, I had a nice, uber-smooth wood base ready for paint.

Anyone try using it as a Mr. Surfacer-ish filler on builds? I'd say it's probably about the same viscosity as hypothetical Mr. Surfacer 10.

Kenny

Kylwell · Post by **Kylwell** » Sun Feb 05, 2012 3:03 am

My guess would be it won't scribe well nor hold up to more aggressive paints. Classically gesso is chalk or gypsum (sometimes marble) in a animal glue binder. Modern acrylic gesso isn't really gesso but calcium carbonate in an acrylic binder (along with other stuff). While it's great for prepping canvas (wood in your case) it also can suck up paint @ incredible rates which is why some painters will varnish after the gesso.

Lt. Z0mBe · Post by **Lt. Z0mBe** » Sun Feb 05, 2012 3:08 am

Kylwell wrote:My guess would be it won't scribe well nor hold up to more aggressive paints. Classically gesso is chalk or gypsum (sometimes marble) in a animal glue binder. Modern acrylic gesso isn't really gesso but calcium carbonate in an acrylic binder (along with other stuff). While it's great for prepping canvas (wood in your case) it also can suck up paint @ incredible rates which is why some painters will varnish after the gesso.

Ahhh. I wonder if it could be used like gel medium for groundwork and stuff as a fixative on bases, perhaps tinted and/or with some dirt liberally applied to it while wet. It could almost be scale adobe/plaster/fresco if I understand you correctly.

Thoughts?

Kenny

Lt. Z0mBe · Post by **Lt. Z0mBe** » Sun Feb 05, 2012 3:08 am

Aaaaargh! Double post strikes again.

Kylwell · Post by **Kylwell** » Sun Feb 05, 2012 11:54 am

There's a thought. I use a heavy body acrylic medium with punic stone in it for ground work so I see no reason why gesso wouldn't work.

Rogviler · Post by **Rogviler** » Sun Feb 05, 2012 2:59 pm

I thought there was a thread recently where someone was having issues with gesso on a resin kit, but it must have dropped off the board. I think it wasn't sticking to the particular resin in the kit, despite being washed and scrubbed.

I did find this ancient thread though:

http://www.starshipmodeler.net/talk/vie ... hp?t=25522

And this one with talk of "shrinkage" (could explain incompatibility with some materials):

http://www.starshipmodeler.net/talk/vie ... hp?t=69877

It sounds like there are different types (difference between brands maybe?), some being thicker and holding texture and some being thinner like paint.

Sounds like not a bad idea though, as long as the gesso in question agrees with the surface and the subsequent paint layer.

-Rog