Gesso Recipe

Making Gesso is a time consuming & messy process - but other than buying a ready made acrylic gesso it is the only way to get that lovely toothy, chalky, matt surface.

Gesso is traditionally used as a ground or primer for Oil painting, tempera, or encaustic. Not suitable for use on canvas unless the canvas is stretched over a board.

I have included a recipe (below) for making it up. The recipe makes a fair bit so make sure you have plenty of boards to prime.

Recipe:


70-85g (2.5-3oz)Rabbit skin glue this can vary depending on the strength of glue. to test make a batch up and allow it to set. If it breaks up like porridge whe you put yoiur finger in it it is perfect but if it splits like jelly It is too strong for gesso but ideal as a Sizing mix.
1.137 litres (2 pints) of water

450 g (1 lb) of whiting
50 g titanium white pigment (swap this 50g of pigment with equal amount of whiting)

You will also need:
A stirrer – A priming brush – Metholated Spirits – fine sandpaper/wet’n’dry – A Double boiler – boards (MDF is best but small bits of hardboard will do as well)


Using the top of the double boiler add the R.S.G. to two pints of water and leave to soak for at least two hours

While the glue is soaking clean up boards with metholated spirits

After 2 hours gently heat the R.S.G. mixture In the double boiler until all the granules have disappeared

Then add some water to a small amount of R.S.G. to make a weaker solution to ‘size’ your boards - this will help the gesso to stick and not soak into the board

Transfer most of the R.S.G. mix to another container and mix the rest to a paste using the white pigment and whiting

Slowly begin to add the rest of the R.S.G. stirring all the time to ensure no lumps occur (this part of the process is a bit like making white sauce)

The gesso should be kept warm throughout the process if it cools and sets it is useless

Apply the Gesso in very thin coats and stir continuously otherwise you will risk a lumpy inconsistent surface

Make sure each coat is dry before adding the next and if necessary sand with fine sandpaper between each coat

Allow the boards to dry overnight before painting on them.