MATERIALS - How to Prepare Painting Panels
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Description - Step by step demonstration of a simple technique for making panels to paint on. Suitable for oil or acrylic paints.
This is a tutorial for the preparation of small panels on which you can paint directly with oil or acrylic paint. The surface is smoother than canvas or even linen, they are very economical, and easily cut to any size (very appropriate for when you have an odd-size frame reclaimed from another painting or estate). Additionally, they are much easier to transport and for that reason make great plein aire panels.
WHAT YOU’LL NEED: 1/4″ thick masonite cut to sizes no greater than 12-14″ on any one side, acrylic “gesso”*, wide brush (or foam brush, or foam roller for an even smoother surface), 100 grit sandpaper (optional), dropcloth.
* Materials disclaimer: acrylic gesso isn’t really gesso. It’s acrylic paint with titanium for pigment and some marble dust. It should really be called “primer” and not “gesso” because gesso is something different. If you get it in a big jug at Dick Blick, it’s not really gesso. But it is a great priming material for hard panels.
Clean the panels so they are dust free. You can use a lightly dampened paper towel.
The first strokes are going to soak in pretty quickly, so this needs to be done without too much dilly dallying. First smoosh on a thin mish mosh of primer. It doesn’t go to the edges, which is good.
Next, brush out the paint to the edges. I usually do a few panels at a time (this day it was 11.) Each panel is done longways first, so I know where I am at in the process. Brush the paint in long strokes, repeating until the surface is smooth, all in one direction.
By starting in the middle and working out, you’ll avoid a buildup of paint along the edges, which looks bad and makes the frame fit funny later.
After the first coat, this is more or less what it should look like (below). If you used a foam brush or roller, it would be a little smoother. If you use a roller, don’t use a regular roller like for painting your bedroom - the texture will be very pronounced. (Or, go ahead, I don’t care. Just know the texture will be pronounced.) If you use a foam roller you’ll still need to brush off the edges with a foam brush.
This is what it looks like when the paint rolls up on the edges. This is bad. Don’t let it dry.
This is what it looks like when there is dust, brush hairs, or random schmutz on the surface. Remove it while the paint is wet and brush off to smooth the texture. Inspect the surface for dust and tiny clumps of marble dust before you let it dry and get rid of them. Don’t think they can be eliminated later, because that will only lead to heartbreak.
The first coat will dry super fast, like 15 minutes. By the time you’re done with the last one, the first one will be dry.
Optionally, sand between coats for a smoother surface.
The second coat is done crossways to the first. Same process at the first one, including the Search for Schmutz. The third coat is done in the same direction as the first. The optional 4th coat is done in the same direction as the second. What you’ll end up with is a subtle basket pattern texture. If you used a foam brush or roller/brush technique and sanded in between, you’ll have almost no texture at all.
It takes a few hours - up to a day - for the 3-4 coats to dry. Touch them - if they’re cool, they’re still damp.
After drying, the surface will be very “open.” This is an OK surface for acrylic painters, but not for oil painters. It will suck up oil paint like crazy and make it very difficult to apply a first layer of paint.
To “close” the surface you can do one of a few things.
- You can prime it with a layer of lead white. This is the best option, and produces a wonderful surface but the lead should be allowed to sure for at least 4-6 months.
- You can coat it with clear acrylic gel. This makes a slippery surface but dries pretty fast, a few hours.
- You can prime or tone it with a lean layer of oil paint. This will be ready to paint on in 1-2 days. I mist the dry panel lightly with Odorless Mineral Spirits, then apply a few dabs of burnt umber or raw umber paint (often leftover paint from a day of painting), then wipe/spread it out with a paper towel. The results of this method of closing the panel’s surface are shown below. There’s no medium in this layer, but the umbers dry really fast, so it’s ready to paint usually the next day.
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Good one. This is exactly how I make panels, but I use 1/8″ board.
I thinks some of your facts are wrong in describing primer vs gesso. Of course I could be wrong, but I know one of us is wrong…
You said “gesso is…used for the preparation of canvas and linen. [Acrylic primer] is a great priming material for hard panels and despite what the label says, probably NOT suitable for preparing canvas and linen that isn’t on panel. Panels do not flex, and acrylic gesso doesn’t flex either. ”
I think you have it backwards. Real gesso is for panels, because it’s inflexible and cracks. RSG and lead ground are for canvas or linen. I use the acrylic primer (”gesso”) on both canvas and masonite. Acrylic IS flexible, traditional gesso is not.
You’re right. I need to do some more looking because honestly, I’ve heard it both ways and I’m not really sure what’s true. So best not to stick my neck out on the subject.
I modified the page to take out the questionable statement. Thanks Todd!
Real gesso is made with rabbit skin glue and whiting or calcium chloride (chalk)
Some people add titanium white and marble dust.
Acrylic primer or gesso is not true gesso. I think whne this product first the name gesso stuck. It’s not anything like real gesso.
I use it if I’m in a hurry, but I like making the traditional gesso.
Sometimes I add a little Walnut oil to the gesso and this good for plywood panels.
I also use oil primer on panels as well.
My brother, who specializes in home improvement, suggested to me once that I use a foam paint roller, used for smothing wall spackle, to apply gesso. It creates a very clean way of priming panels without any complications. The lighter that you roll it the smoother it gets.
Rollers are around five dollars and easily cleaned.
The only drawback is how much the foam drinks up the gesso but, if you prepare say five to ten at once then the loss is minimal.
The application process is very clean and I set out about ten on old cereal boxes and the work is done in no time, especially if you have a hair dryer.
If it is too textured then just sand it to desired texture.
If it is too smooth then use more presure when applying the gesso.
Just my 2 cents.
Greg
Thanks for the information, Roger Bansemer has “How to” Painting videos on the web and he suggested to use masonite, used as shower backboards, they are painted glossy white on one side, I picked on up at Home Depot $14.00 for a 4′ by 8′ sheet, after cutting them down to size, a light sanding will remove the gloss.
Horst
A little misinformation, I believe. And an important missing step.
First, the missing step, often overlooked: sand the panel lightly before the first coat. While you may not ever have peeling or flaking problems gessoing without sanding, some masonite panels (like the darker vs lighter ones) have oils on the surface from manufacturing, sitting around, or handling — plus other possible contaminants — and you will improve adhesion to otherwise very slick surfaces by sanding the whole surface lightly first to create a “tooth” and to break through any perfectly smooth surface. I always buzz my panels quickly with a palm sander (30 seconds on an 11 x 14 panel with 100-grit is sufficient) and then I wipe it with a damp rag to get the dust off, before gessoing. A damp, sanded panel will assist adhesion of the water-based gesso, too, over a dry one.
“Old school” gesso was made with glue (rabbit skin or gelatin made from hooves) and “slaked plaster of Paris” but is traditionally made, now, with acrylic polymer and chalk (like that found in gypsum wallboard), and even though it comes in varying qualities and opacities, seems to be preferred for both panel and canvas applications due to its flexibility and permanence.
Marble dust may have been used in some gessoes, but was traditionally used along with lime as part of the fresco ground preparation. Marble dust is very gritty by comparison.
My reference: Ralph Mayer’s The Artist’s Handbook (5th addition).
If you weren’t so popular and influential, Lisa, I would have left this alone.
So, you see, it’s out of respect that I comment.
Hm…. after dozens of these, I’ve never had a problem with adhesion. I left that step out because I’ve heard it before, but don’t think it’s necessary. But it certainly can’t hurt!
So you don’t think there’s marble dust in acrylic primer labelled “gesso”? OK. Titanium dioxide + acrylic paint. There ya go.
I say this only out of respect, Dave.
This is also the way I prepare panels except I add Mr. Darrow’s step and one more before that one (it could be done after the sanding as well): Wipe down the panels with a cloth soaked with denatured alcohol. This removes any oils that may be present from the hardboard-making process. While this might not be important for some brands of hardboard, it doesn’t hurt to spend a few pennies to protect your work for future generations. Of course you’ll have to let it dry completely before applying the “gesso.”
I usually paint panels at 30″ x 40″ so I have to cradle them. It might be of some use to add a demo on how to cradle for those who work larger than 14″.