| Farmers and gardeners know that the
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| | just want to get painting!
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| ground they work determines the success
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| | TIP. Usually, the ground is smoothed with
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| of the crops they plant. No matter the
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| | fine sandpaper when perfectly dry but
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| quality of the seed they sow, no matter
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| | some artists dislike this finish. A
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| their skill and dedication in raising
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| | fellow student once gave me an attractive
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| those plants, the crop will not reach its
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| | alternative: Prime two panels at the same
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| full potential unless the ground is
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| | time, stick the wet faces together and
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| properly prepared. So, it is a great pity
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| | immediately pull them apart. You're left
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| that many artists neglect the preparation
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| | with a nicely random textured surface,
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| of the ground for their paintings. That
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| | which seems to have your painting started
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| is the subject I ask you to think about
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| | before you even pick up a brush.
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| today. First, some definitions:
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| | NOTE. The above tip applies only to
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| 1. Ground refers to the primer (size,
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| | experimental studies. When you've found
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| white lead or acrylic) that is laid on a
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| | your own style and are down to serious
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| Support (stretched canvas or panel) for
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| | work, you won't want any such distracting
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| an oil or acrylic painting. This article
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| | gimmicks.
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| will, I'm sorry, apply only to those who
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| | Standard Masonite sheets are 1/4 inch
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| paint with oils or acrylics. Yet, those
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| | thick. Cut sizes larger than 24 inches
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| who paint with watercolours, gouache or
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| | will bend or warp of their own weight and
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| pastels will also be aware of the need to
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| | should be braced at the back. Do this by
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| choose and prepare their papers with
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| | using a resin or vinyl glue to attach a
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| care.
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| | frame of well-seasoned wooden strips to
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| If you're just starting out on your own
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| | the outer edge. Large panels should also
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| as an artist, not yet ready to exhibit
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| | include crossbars to help prevent
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| your work, you won't want to outlay the
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| | warping. Use strong clamps - not just
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| kind of money needed for expertly
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| | weights - to keep the strips under
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| prepared canvases. A popular alternative
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| | pressure until the glue dries. A good
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| at this stage is to use panels of
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| | coat of primer on the back will also help
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| compacted wallboard. Most beginners
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| | prevent warping.
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| choose the one called Masonite. It is
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| | TIP. Please don't be tempted to use the
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| important to buy the Standard type rather
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| | back side of the panel as your painting
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| than the Tempered, which is impregnated
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| | surface. Its texture is unpleasantly
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| with an oil that interferes badly with
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| | mechanical and does not compare with the
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| the adhesion of your ground.These panels
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| | 'living' weave of a good canvas. It gives
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| need very careful preparation for even
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| | your work an amateur look. There is
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| student works. They should never be used
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| | something even worse, which I'll
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| for paintings you intend to outlast you.
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| | illustrate with a true story.
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| To my mind, they're more trouble than
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| | Many years ago, I bought a painting by a
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| they're worth. But many beginners will be
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| | very successful artist who used Masonite
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| more concerned with cost-savings, as I
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| | panels. He later became a friend and
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| was myself at the early stages. So,
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| | invited me to his studio. There, I
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| here's how to make them as safe as
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| | learned that he primed only one side -
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| possible.
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| | the back - and that this primer was
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| After cutting the board to your desired
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| | household undercoat. So I understood
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| size, rub the smooth surface with fine
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| | immediately when, just a few years later,
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| sandpaper, which will give it a 'tooth'
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| | his lovely work became distorted by a
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| so your primer and paint layers will
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| | change of colour in all its white areas,
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| adhere properly. You might also bevel the
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| | to a brownish pink. He'd left the
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| edges and round off the corners with
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| | then-white undercoat unpainted in those
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| coarse sandpaper to help prevent
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| | areas, exposing them to the inevitable
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| splitting and chipping of the ground.
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| | attack by acid in the untreated board.
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| Then clean down with a cloth dipped in
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| | A surprising number of artists persist
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| white spirits. When this had dried off,
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| | with these panels even after their
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| you can apply your ground in a layer not
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| | careers are established. The reason often
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| less than 1/16 inch thick This can be
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| | given is that they dislike the 'bounce'
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| either true gesso (a glue-chalk mixture)
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| | of stretched canvas. But what a price to
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| or an acrylic polymer primer (often
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| | pay for the lack of a little patience:
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| labelled as 'Gesso' although it is
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| | the destruction, sooner or later, of your
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| nothing of the kind.) I recommend using
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| | work, and of the trust of your
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| it on Masonite, however, as cooking up
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| | collectors.
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| your own gesso can lead to uneven results
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| | In my next article, I will be writing
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| even in experienced hands. It also
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| | about the benefits of painting on canvas
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| demands a high degree of workmanship and
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| | or linen.
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| attention to detail. All this when you
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