Preparing the Wood Panel w/Gesso
The Process:
- Before applying gesso wipe off any excess dust with a
towel and remove residual oils by gently cleaning all sides of the panel
with a clean towel and rubbing alcohol. You are now ready to start
applying the gesso.
- With a soft square brush, my favorite being a 1”
Loew-Cornell 1177 Brown Nylon (also great for varnishing), brush on a thin
coat of regular acrylic gesso in a horizontal direction to the face. Work
the gesso in to the surface and sides and lightly level out the brush
strokes. Let it dry for approximately 2 hours.
- Recent research into archival methods has suggested that one should leave the back side raw as outgasing occurs with most manufactured woods, especially plywoods which have layers of synthetic glues. I agree with this finding and therefore leave the backs of my panels free of any agents.
- Once the face is completely dry. Lightly sand all sides
with 200 grit sand paper focusing on sanding down high spots and very
slightly rounding the edges.
- Wipe away dust with a dry towel and apply gesso
perpendicular to the first coat. Sand let dry for about 6 hours and repeat
this step always apply perpendicular to the previous layer until you have
completed 5 coats.
- Sand the final regular gesso coat and apply Golden
(brand) Sandable Hard Gesso is the same fashion, sanding between coats
until you’ve applied at least 3 coats. The Sandable Hard Gesso is
excellent for achieving an ivory finish in about half the sanding time.
Let completely dry for at least 8 hours.
- After the final coat is dry sand with 200 grit sand
paper until you have reach your desired surface texture. Personally I like
a perfectly smooth ivory-like finish so that the tooth of the panel
doesn’t detract from the realism effect. Wipe away dust and you are ready
for the sealing layer
- I usually draw a pencil outline of my composition directly on the panel, this step helps to seal the pencil so that the graphite doesn’t lift while painting. Sealing will also help reduce the gesso’s absorbency and keep the paints oils from “sinking in” leaving you with dead/flat spots.
