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