Selecting a Clear Primer for Oil Portray

A transparent primer lets the color and texture of the canvas or wooden present in your portray. We take a look at 11 manufacturers to see how clear they’re, what they really feel like to color on, and extra.


 

Most oil work on canvas or panel are ready with white gesso after which the entire floor is roofed with paint so that you just not see the white floor. In the event you don’t wish to cowl the entire floor of your canvas or wooden panel with paint, however as an alternative wish to go away small or massive areas of canvas or wooden displaying as a part of the portray, then chances are you’ll wish to prime your floor with a transparent primer as an alternative of a white one. This can enable the color and texture of your floor to be seen in order that the grey-brown of the linen or the color and grain of the wooden can turn into a part of your portray.

 

choosing a clear primer - linen grid

 

Making use of a primer onto your canvas seals the floor and prevents oil paint from coming into contact with the linen or cotton fibres which might slowly be broken by the oil, changing into darkish and brittle over time. Some clear primers can even act as a stiffener for stretched canvas, so it’s going to wobble much less. Wooden panels don’t must be sealed from oil for longevity however priming will give a greater floor to color on, by making it much less absorbent and night out the absorbency of the wooden which might in any other case have completely different quantities of absorbance between the grain traces and the wooden between them.

At Jackson’s we’ve an awesome collection of white primers however we even have a fairly good collection of clear ones. I’ve performed some testing to search out out the traits of every one. The three most important issues most artists shall be considering are: how clear it’s, if it’s a slick or absorbent floor as a result of that impacts the way it feels to maneuver the paint round, and the way good a worth it’s. I reply these questions and in addition check out different traits together with ease of software, drying time, and the way effectively it blocks oil penetration, in addition to many others.

 

choosing a clear primer - Holbein

 

Matt mediums or rabbit pores and skin glue are generally used as sizes beneath a white gesso/primer, however if you happen to do one or two extra coats, they will then be the bottom as effectively, which many artists do. So along with merchandise offered as clear primers, I added a collection of matt mediums in addition to rabbit pores and skin glue, for a complete of 11 merchandise to check. You possibly can learn in regards to the phrases ‘dimension’, ‘floor’, ‘gesso’ and ‘primer’ in Measurement, Primer, Gesso and Floor Defined.

I didn’t take a look at PVA as a result of most artists select to make use of it to save cash, so they’d be utilizing a budget stuff. Artist grade PVA shouldn’t be a less expensive various to clear primer. There are over 50 several types of formulations of PVA (Polyvinyl Acetate) and just a few are of a ok high quality to make everlasting work as a result of they’ve low acidity, retain flexibility, and have low color change. PVA not made particularly for artists will deteriorate – yellowing, clouding, shrinking and peeling – and is to be prevented if you need your work to stay in good situation.

 

choosing clear primers - wet tests

Testing completely different software strategies, thicknesses, and layers. And making swatches to check paint on when cured.

 

Issues I Wished to Know In regards to the Software of Every Primer

  • Color when making use of – is it clear or milky so you possibly can see the place you’ve performed.
  • Viscosity – is it the thickness of cream, honey, or yoghurt. And a.) does thicker imply that it’s going to fill within the open weave of linen higher, b.) will extra fluid be smoother with much less noticeable brush marks, c.) will extra fluid cowl extra floor space.
  • Circulation – how far does the identical quantity of primer go on wooden and on canvas.
  • Thinning with water – do they must be thinned and the way a lot.
  • Self levelling – do brushmarks easy out when left.
  • Sanding – can or not it’s sanded for optimum smoothness.
  • Shrinkage – does it crack because it dries if you happen to put it on thickly.
  • Contact-dry drying time – time to be touch-dry for making use of a second or third coat. All acrylic primers must remedy for 48 hours earlier than being painted on.
  • Odour – some folks complain of robust smells of some primers.
  • Ease of use of container- bag, bucket, bottle – and what retains the gesso from drying across the rim so the following time you employ it, it isn’t stuffed with crumbs you need to select.
  • Worth- evaluating value per 100 ml for good protection – how far does it go, what number of coats are wanted.

 

Issues I Wished to Know In regards to the Bodily Traits of Every Primer

  • Transparency – how clear is it over brown linen and a picket panel. Is it extra clear if utilized in 3 skinny layers somewhat than one thick one.
  • Color change of floor – does it darken or lighten the wooden or linen.
  • Flexibility – does it crack whenever you roll the canvas for storage or whenever you re-stretch it, so it ought to solely be used on a inflexible floor.
  • Texture – chalky, gritty, easy, silky, plasticky, slick. And one is out there in a collection of textures: easy, medium, coarse, very coarse.
  • Sheen – is it matt, satin, or gloss when dried.
  • Absorbency – a.) are you able to wipe off oil paint or does it stain. b.) does the comb drag or slide easily. c.) does oil paint dry matt as a result of the oil has been sucked up. d.) does non-absorbent imply worse paint adhesion of the paint to the primer.
  • Adhesion – 2 sorts a.) does the primer stick effectively to the substrate – on wooden and on canvas. b.) does dried paint stick effectively to the primer.
  • Oil paint penetration – does the primer seal the canvas or does oil paint penetrate via to the again, each thick oil and a fluid oil wash.
  • Yellowing – does the polymer yellow over time – typically acrylic gels do, numerous PVAs do, I let it age for 5 months in the dead of night as a result of I’m judging the color from the rolled up linen I used to check flexibility.

 

choosing clear primers for oil painting

 

The 11 Clear Primers

I’ve given them every a quantity and when speaking about completely different attributes, I take advantage of the quantity for effectivity. On the backside of the article, every primer is listed individually with all of all its attributes.

1. Jackson’s Acrylic Fluid Gloss Medium

2. Jackson’s Acrylic Fluid Matt Medium

3. Schmincke Clear Primer

4. Golden Matte Medium

5. Golden Fluid Matte Medium

6. Liquitex Skilled Clear Gesso

7. Winsor & Newton Artists Acrylic Clear Gesso

8. Holbein Clear Acrylic Gesso – L (Coarse texture), additionally obtainable in M (Medium texture)

9. Lascaux Sirius Acrylic Medium Matt

10. Michael Harding Non-Absorbent Acrylic Primer, Clear

11. Handover Rabbit Pores and skin Glue – 12:1 dilution

 

Absorbency

Until you might have particular necessities, you often wish to select a primer that’s someplace in the course of the spectrum between fully non-absorbent (feels such as you’re portray on moist glass, so slick that it gained’t seize the paint off of the comb) and the opposite excessive of too absorbent (looks like portray on masonry, so absorbent that it gained’t unfold simply and that the oil is sucked out of the paint and it’s left with out sufficient binder). You need it slick sufficient that it has some wipeability and absorbent sufficient for good adhesion. Some folks choose a much less absorbent floor (smoother and extra sealed) due to the convenience of brush motion or as a result of they wipe again, utilizing subtraction so much as a part of their course of, and a few like a really absorbent floor as a result of they like their brush to really feel like it’s sticking and dragging the floor extra and is much less slick, the place the floor grabs the paint from the comb. Of the absorbent surfaces, texture can fluctuate from feeling a bit chalky, to feeling like sandpaper. Typically not absorbent can imply poor adhesion, however none of those 11 primers had that downside. Some artists like a cheesy floor like primer 1 & 2 or one like RSG the place the paint sinks into the bottom and feels prefer it merges with it. None really feel chalky. And even once they seem to be they’re tremendous absorbent, none really feel like they’re wicking oil away as can occur with some common gessoes.

 

choosing clear primers

Wiping away oil paint with a rag to check for absorbency and marking of the primer.

 

choose a clear primer

I reduce an X via the dried oil paint on the glossiest primer to check if the paint was adhering to the primer.

 

adhesion of oil paint to clear primer.

I then rubbed a bit of tape down firmly and pulled it away. The paint was not affected.

 

Sanding

I used to be stunned by how helpful a bit little bit of sanding was:

  • It provides a a lot smoother floor with simply 20 gentle strokes with a sanding sponge
  • Not a lot mud comes off to fly round, the mud fills within the holes within the linen weave, aside from the rabbit pores and skin glue whose holes are large.
  • It will get whiter / extra opaque on a few of them, and never on others
  • Some primers profit from two coats on linen, then a lightweight sanding to take away the sticking up tough fibres of the linen after which a 3rd coat is utilized. Those that benefited most had been numbers 3, 6, 7, 9, 10. The others don’t profit, and a few worsen.

I used a sanding sponge with a medium high-quality grit and did the 20 strokes in all instructions. The unprimed linen subsequent to the take a look at patch, when sanded, turned very white. I believe it is perhaps the linen fibres that poke above the primer that’s what is being sanded white. The linen is perhaps coated in starch or one thing comparable, I didn’t wash/rinse/moist the linen (I’ve heard of some artists that do). Some artists sand their linen canvases between all of the layers of white gesso, as a result of it’s bushy and the hairs poke up in a extra apparent manner after they’ve been wetted. Even a lightweight sanding can actually enhance the floor.

 

choosing clear primers

Demonstrating a fast sand of an space of primer.

 

choosing clear primers

The sanded space is now whiter.

 

How Many Coats of Primer You Want

The advantages of a second coat of primer on stretched linen:

  • No oil penetration
  • An excellent color of floor, not streaky
  • Even absorbency
  • A much less absorbent floor than one coat
  • If utilized thinly, the color / transparency is often not a lot completely different, so it’s value doing a second coat
  • The identical quantity of primer utilized as 3 skinny layers shall be clear, but when utilized as one thick layer shall be cloudy and opaque.

There was a giant distinction between the quantity of primer want for the picket panel and the stretched linen. 1 ml of primer gave a thick coat in a 7.5 cm sq. on the picket panel. However it took 2.5 ml to offer even a skinny coat to the identical dimension sq. of linen. It’s because as you’re employed the primer into the fibres to coat them, tons will get pushed to the again, and it additionally tries to replenish the areas within the weave, so it takes greater than twice as a lot primer for linen as for wooden.

 

Odour

I checked the odour as a result of some folks complain of the robust smells of some primers. These had been all delicate or had a medium-mild odour. None have a powerful or noticeable odour. This contains the rabbit pores and skin glue. See Rabbit Pores and skin Glue: Preparation, Makes use of And Alternate options to learn extra in regards to the fable of the odour of RSG.

Delicate = 1, 2, 6, 8, 10 and 11.
Medium = 3, 4, 5, 7, 9.

 

Drying Time

All acrylic primers must remedy for 48 hours, but when they turn into touch-dry rapidly, you are able to do a second coat sooner after which go away it for the 48 hours. In the event that they dry too quick chances are you’ll not be capable to unfold it effectively or get it into the weave by brushing in all instructions. None of those dried too quick. I utilized a skinny layer to stretched linen canvas and timed them till they had been touch-dry.

The 4 with numerous thick creamy texture poking via to the again had been the slowest to dry, besides Golden Matt Medium which shaped sufficient of a pores and skin to not be moist on prime so you may do a second coat sooner. Even with a great deal of brushing in all instructions, the primary layer wasn’t very even on among the primers so chances are you’ll want a second coat to be sure to don’t have streaky protection.

That is the contact drying time of the primary coat to permit making use of of a second coat, if you wish to.

1h = 1, 2, 3, 11
2h = 5, 8
2.5h = 4, 10
3+ = 6, 7, 9

 

Flexibility

I painted out lengthy stripes of every on a sheet of linen after which rolled it up tightly and left it for five months. Once I unrolled it none of them cracked with the flattening out. #1 caught to itself a bit, as a result of it’s cheesy, and quantity 2 caught to itself simply barely.

 

choosing clear primers - flexibility 1

 

choosing clear primers - flexibility

 

Codecs Out there

The primers are available a wide range of codecs and sizes: bottles, pots, a pouch and dry granules that it’s essential combine with water and heat up. Like white gesso, any container the place the primer can dry out on the higher partitions inside or within the threads of the container, can create dried chunks that must be picked out of the floor. The codecs which might be least more likely to have this downside are the squeeze bottles and the pouch – these are those with small openings and fewer drying out that happens. And the squeeze bottles are simply actually tidy and handy.

 

Yellowing

It in all probability wants an extended time to check for yellowing as a result of it occurs slowly in acrylic. However trying on the colors over 5 months, none modified noticeably.

 

Moist Primers on Linen

Some colors of primer are simpler to see as you apply them, to get a very good protection.

 

wet primers on linen

 

Color Change and Transparency

 

Dried Color on Linen

 

choosing a clear primer - linen grid

The 11 clear primers on stretched linen. 1 coat. RSG has a second sq. with the liquid allowed to chill extra and be utilized thicker.

 

Color and Transparency of Primer on Linen

One coat on linen-
Most invisible: 3, 6, 7, 8.
Subsequent most invisible: 5 & 10.
Subsequent most invisible: 2 & 4.
Subsequent most invisible is 1.
Darkest is 11.
9 is way lighter, like a clear white wash
 

Colors of dried clear primers on linen.

 

Two Coats on Linen-

1 – One coat = semi gloss, 2 coats = gloss and barely darker
2, 4, 5, 10 & 11 – Second coat is identical as the primary coat
3, 6, 7, 8 & 9 – Second coat is whiter
11 – 4-6 coats received darker on each linen and panel like the fabric had been wetted.

 

Dried Color of Clear Primers on Mild-coloured Wood Panel

  • Some in a second coat are darker whereas some are whiter.
  • Once I say gritty, I imply – if you happen to run your finger tip over it, it’s like superfine sandpaper. Whereas easy looks like a varnished desk prime.
  • All however 1 & 2 had been amazingly matt, no shine, like they had been invisible.

1. One coat: semi gloss, some darkening. Two coats: very shiny, reveals brush marks, not darker than one coat, however is then a cheesy floor texture.

2. One coat: matt, some darkening. Two coats: semi gloss, no brush marks, similar darkness as one coat, very easy.

3. One coat: very clear, invisible. No change with second coat.

4. One coat: clear and darkening. Two coat: barely smoother, barely extra absorbent.

5. One coat: clear almost invisible. Two coats: sightly smoother, extra absorbent. Pretty end.

6. One coat: clear, almost invisible. Two coats: similar as one coat, very gritty and absorbent.

7. One coat: clear, almost invisible. Two coats: similar as one coat, very gritty and absorbent.

8. One coat: clear, almost invisible. Two coats: rougher and cloudier.

9. One coat: whiter. Two coats: rougher and even whiter.

10. One coat: clear, almost invisible, slight darkening. Two coats: no completely different from one coat.

11. One coat: clear, barely darkening. Two coats: semi-gloss, rougher

 

 

 

Displaying the distinction in glossiness that 1 & 2 get from 1 coat to 2 coats. Left is primer 1, backside 1 coat and whiter-looking space is the picture attempting to point out the gloss of two coats. Subsequent to it’s primer 2. 1 coat is the world up from the underside and two coats within the last sq..

 

Stiffness

Testing utilizing clear primer as dimension to stiffen the canvas for much less wobbling:

In no way, the least stiff, very mushy: 10.
Some stiffness: 1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 8.
A bit stiffer than most: 4 & 5.
Second most stiffest, fairly stiff but nonetheless foldable: 9.
Essentially the most stiff, very stiff. Although least in a position to be creased and folded and bounce again, misplaced its stiffness on the creased fold: 11.

 

clear primers stiffness

Rabbit Pores and skin Glue is great for stiffening the linen. The sharp fold proven is on the fringe of the place an space of RSG begins on the canvas.

 

clear primers stiffness

Michael Harding Clear Primer is the least stiffening. The realm with the primer folds over simply as softly as the world of linen with out primer.

 

Observing the Absorbency of the Primers by How Matt the Paint Grew to become

All primers on panels in a single and two coats, had been absorbent sufficient for the thicker oil combination to dry matt or semi-matt, besides 4, 5, 11. On linen, the oil remained the shiniest on 11, regardless that it’s the least wipeable so most absorbent. The remainder all dried semi-gloss. Quantity 5 was the following most shiny.

 

Brushing onto Stretched Linen

The primers for the oil penetration exams on the stretched linen have one coat of two.5 ml of primer in a 7cm sq. of linen, brushed effectively in each instructions so it pushes some to the reverse facet of the linen. All have a second coat of 1 ml on the decrease half of the sq.. The second coat didn’t push via to the again as a result of it was already fairly sealed. It was left to remedy for 48hrs earlier than testing oil paint.

These pictures present the again of the canvas whereas the primer is moist. Every one pushed via to the again a distinct quantity. That is simply to offer you an thought of the way it handles if you end up making use of it, and to point out they’re completely different.

 

Left: primer 10. Proper primer 9.

 

Clockwise from prime left: primers 2, 1, 5, 6.

 

Clockwise from prime left: primers 4, 3, 7, 8.

 

Rabbit pores and skin glue sealing throughout the fibres.

 

Brushing Onto Wood Panel

They had been all pourable. The extra fluid primers (1, 2, 3, 5, 11) had been quick to brush out, as was the thickest (quantity 10), the remainder took much more brushing to coax out to cowl the identical quantity of panel. Utilizing a moist brush helped with quantity 7. Quantity 10 says to ‘Shake Nicely’, which produces numerous bubbles, however they brush out. It’s the just one that lightens the wooden, somewhat than darkens it. Would in all probability be invisible on cotton canvas. Additionally it is sticky like honey.

 

clear primer testing

 

Testing Oil Paint in Two Thicknesses (a Wash and Thick Physique) on Linen and on Wood Panel

For each linen and panel, I brushed on two thickness of oil paint – an oil wash and a thicker oil combination. The oil paint combination I used for testing is Jackson’s Artist Oil Phthalo Blue with Jackson’s Quick-drying Medium Gloss and a bit Gamsol to create a medium-heavy consistency. The skinny wash combination has much more Gamsol.

 

Oil Paint on Primed Wooden

All primers add a gritty really feel to the easily polished wooden floor, besides 1, 2 and 5. The outcomes of testing oil paint on a picket panel with two coats of primer are listed below every primer. All bled no less than a bit into the wooden grain, besides quantity 6, so if you happen to don’t need that then you have to no less than three coats for the remainder of them. I additionally did the identical take a look at on an space of unprimed wooden – as anticipated, the paint bled/feathered and left an oil halo, and each thicknesses of paint stained and couldn’t be wiped away in any respect. Quantity 6 and seven had been so absorbent that they had been nearly as onerous to wipe away because the unprimed space.

 

 

 

 

Oil Paint on Primed Linen

1. Paint was easy and slick on only one coat of primer, good wiping.

2. Paint was easy and slick on two coats of primer, even higher with three. Good wiping. No brush drag or grittiness.

3. Advantages from three coats. Good wiping. No brush drag or grittiness.

4. I may distinctly really feel the weave of the canvas. Advantages from three coats. Good wiping. No brush drag or grittiness.

5. One coat was staining. Sealed effectively at two coats. Third not an enchancment. Not gritty. Wiped away effectively.

6. One and two coats are staining and with third coat nonetheless unable to wipe away a lot. Very absorbent, has brush drag.

7. Left little white balls that needed to be picked and disregarded the floor earlier than testing the paint. There was some wipe away potential with three coats. Gritty and really absorbent, just like quantity 6.

8. Every layer turns into extra sealed. 3 coats could be very absorbent however with some wipe away. Gritty, not slick.

9. Heavy oil paint skips over the weave. Very absorbent at three coats and turns into a bit extra sealed feeling, however by no means wipes away. Gritty.

10. Sealed at two coats, not nice wipe off however higher wipe-off at three. Not gritty, not too slick.

11. Very absorbent and marking till greater than 4 coats. After that it turns into smoother however nonetheless fairly absorbent. Uniquely, it has tiny sparkles on the floor.

 

Oil Paint Penetration to the Again of Clear Primed Stretched Linen Canvas

4 of the primers sealed the canvas sufficient with one coat that there was no oil penetration via the canvas (primers 2, 3, 4, and 10). The opposite seven ranged from very slight penetration to a reasonable quantity. All of them had been sealed completely after a second coat. I additionally present an instance of the oil halo you get on unprimed linen.

 


 

The Attributes of the 11 Clear Primers

 

choosing a clear primer - poured on glass palette

Clear primers poured onto a glass palette. From the highest left:
1. Jackson’s Acrylic Fluid Gloss Medium
2. Jackson’s Acrylic Fluid Matt Medium
3. Schmincke Clear Primer
4. Golden Matte Medium
5. Golden Fluid Matte Medium
6. Liquitex Skilled Clear Gesso
7. Winsor & Newton Artists Acrylic Clear Gesso
8. Holbein Clear Acrylic Gesso – L (Coarse texture)
9. Lascaux Sirius Acrylic Medium Matt
10. Michael Harding Non-Absorbent Acrylic Primer, Clear
11. Handover Rabbit Pores and skin Glue – 12:1 dilution

 

1. Jackson’s Acrylic Fluid Gloss Medium

choosing a clear primer - Jackson's Gloss Medium

 

choosing a clear primer - Jackson's Gloss Medium

  • Out there format: Squeeze bottle, 500 ml
  • Very fluid so spreads very simply and self ranges. Clear liquid. Crazes in a really thick puddle. The one gloss floor.
  • Brushed out simply and quick on wooden.
  • Testing oil paint on a picket panel with two coats of primer: Skinny paint bled a bit. Each thickness of paint when wiped, felt slick. Primer feels barely cheesy.
  • Ease of sanding: Was already easy however shiny and cheesy. Just a little tougher to sand. After sanding even smoother not whiter, now matt. Much less cheesy.
  • Impact of two coats on stretched linen, then sanding, then a 3rd coat: Sanding shouldn’t be mandatory. Identical smoothness however now feels extra plasticky.
  • Impact of oil on primer on linen: After only one coat the paint went on smoothy and the floor was slick.
  • Worth: £2.44 per 100 ml.

 

2. Jackson’s Acrylic Fluid Matt Medium

choosing a clear primer - Jackson's matt Medium

 

choosing a clear primer - Jacksons Matt Medium

  • Out there format: Squeeze bottle, 500 ml
  • Very fluid so spreads simply and brushmarks degree out. Very clear if utilized in skinny layers. Doesn’t craze in a thick puddle however dries cloudy and opaque when too thick.
  • Brushed out simply and quick on wooden.
  • Testing oil paint on a picket panel with two coats of primer: Skinny paint, no bleed. Each wiped completely, felt slick. Feels essentially the most just like the unprimed wooden, prefer it has been buffed easy.
  • Ease of sanding: A bit tougher to sand, not whiter, easy.
  • Impact of two coats on stretched linen, then sanding, then a 3rd coat: Sanding shouldn’t be mandatory. Identical smoothness however now feels extra plasticky, barely darker, nonetheless excellent wipe.
  • Worth: £2.44 per 100 ml.

 

3. Schmincke Clear Primer

choosing a clear primer - Schmincke Transparent Primer

 

choosing a clear primer - Schmincke

  • Out there format: Plastic flip prime squeeze bottle, 500 ml
  • Almost invisible if utilized in skinny layers. Creamy somewhat than liquidy.
  • Brushed out simply and quick on wooden.
  • Testing oil paint on a picket panel with two coats of primer: Skinny paint bled a bit, feels dry, Wiped medium-well with heavy physique and good with skinny paint.
  • Ease of sanding: Straightforward to sand. Not whiter. Grew to become easy.
  • Impact of two coats on stretched linen, then sanding, then a 3rd coat: Benefited. Smoother, very barely darker, much less wipeable.
  • Worth: £5.00 per 100 ml.

 

4. Golden Matte Medium

choosing a clear primer - Golden Matte Medium

 

choosing a clear primer - Golden Matte Medium

  • Out there format: Plastic pot, 236 ml, 473 ml, 946 ml, 3780 ml.
  • Creamy. Milky color.
  • Took time to get it to brush out to cowl the identical quantity because the others on the wooden.
  • Testing oil paint on a picket panel with two coats of primer: Easy however dry-feeling, each wiped effectively.
  • Ease of sanding: Straightforward to sand, whiter, turned easy.
  • Impact of two coats on stretched linen, then sanding, then a 3rd coat: Smoother than two coats, medium staining with thick paint
  • Worth: £2.83 per 100 ml, if you happen to purchase the biggest dimension.

 

5. Golden Fluid Matte Medium

choosing a clear primer - Golden Fluid Matte Medium

 

choosing a clear primer - Golden Fluid Matte Medium

  • Out there format: Plastic pot, 236 ml, 473ml, 946 ml, 3780 ml.
  • Very fluid. Clear when moist. Brushed out simply and quick on wooden.
  • Testing oil paint on a picket panel with two coats of primer: Felt easy and sealed, slick. Each fluid and thicker oil paint wiped away effectively, fluid very effectively.
  • Ease of sanding: Straightforward to sand. Not whiter. Grew to become easy.
  • Impact of two coats on stretched linen, then sanding, then a 3rd coat: Barely rougher, no seen change, extra staining
  • Worth: £2.83 per 100 ml, if you happen to purchase the biggest dimension.

 

6. Liquitex Skilled Clear Gesso

choosing a clear primer - Liquitex Clear Gesso

 

choosing a clear primer - Liquitex

  • Out there format: Plastic flip prime squeeze bottle, 118 ml, 237 ml, 473 ml, 946 ml.
  • Creamy, foamy, didn’t unfold so far as anticipated. Took time to get it to brush out to cowl the identical quantity because the others on the wooden.
  • Testing oil paint on a picket panel with two coats of primer:Skinny wash of paint bled, feathered so much. Wiped okay. Thick paint, wiped medium, felt dry and gritty.
  • Ease of sanding: Straightforward to sand, whiter, turned easy.
  • Impact of two coats on stretched linen, then sanding, then a 3rd coat: Benefited. A lot smoother, barely darker = invisible. Higher wipe, now medium
  • Worth: £3.27 per 100 ml, if you happen to purchase the biggest dimension.

 

7. Winsor & Newton Artists Acrylic Clear Gesso

choosing a clear primer - Winsor & Newton Clear Gesso

 

choosing a clear primer - Winsor & Newton

  • Out there format: Plastic pot, 225 ml, 450 ml, 946 ml.
  • Creamy. Unfold farther than Liquitex. Took time to get it to brush out to cowl the identical quantity because the others on the wooden, utilizing a moist brush helped.
  • Testing oil paint on a picket panel with two coats of primer: Skinny wash of paint bled. Feather so much. Wiped okay. Thick paint, wiped medium, felt dry and gritty.
  • Ease of sanding: Straightforward to sand, whiter, turned easy.
  • Impact of two coats on stretched linen, then sanding, then a 3rd coat: Benefited. Glorious. Holes in weave crammed in. Barely smoother however nonetheless gritty, no color change, nonetheless very absorbent, very barely higher wiping
  • Worth: £3.01 per 100 ml, if you happen to purchase the biggest dimension.

 

8. Holbein Clear Acrylic Gesso – L (Coarse texture), additionally obtainable in M (Medium texture)

choosing a clear primer - Holbein

 

choosing a clear primer - Holbein

  • Out there format: Pouch with screw lid nozzle, 300 ml, 900 ml. In coarse or medium texture.
  • Thickly creamy. Milky color when moist.
  • Testing oil paint on a picket panel with two coats of primer: Fluid paint bled. Dangerous wipe heavy physique, good wipe fluid. Feels very gritty.
  • Ease of sanding: Straightforward to sand, whiter, turned easy.
  • Impact of two coats on stretched linen, then sanding, then a 3rd coat: Grittier, however surprisingly darker. Extra clear as an alternative of extra white/opaque. Barely extra absorbent and fewer wipeable.
  • Worth: £3.22 per 100 ml, if you happen to purchase the biggest dimension.

 

9. Lascaux Sirius Acrylic Medium Matt

choosing a clear primer - Lascaux Sirius Acryl Medium

 

choosing a clear primer - Lascaux Sirius.

  • Out there format: Squeeze bottle, 85 ml, 250 ml, 1 litre.
  • Thickly creamy. Says to ‘Shake Nicely’, which produces numerous bubbles, however they brush out. It’s the just one that lightens the wooden, somewhat than darkens it. Would in all probability be invisible on cotton canvas. It’s sticky like honey.
  • Testing oil paint on a picket panel with two coats of primer: Very absorbent. Seems to be like whitewash stain on furnishings. The fluid oil paint bled. Good wipe with fluid. Poor wipe with thicker physique. Medium grit floor.
  • Ease of sanding: Straightforward, even whiter, easy
  • Impact of two coats on stretched linen, then sanding, then a 3rd coat: Benefited. Crammed in holes. Extra even whitewash, barely smoother, barely higher wipe.
  • Worth: £5.30 per 100 ml, if you happen to purchase the biggest dimension.

 

10. Michael Harding Non-Absorbent Acrylic Primer – Clear

choosing a clear primer - Michael Harding

 

choosing a clear primer - Michael Harding

  • Out there format: Plastic pot, 500 ml & 1000 ml.
  • Thickest physique, like yoghurt. Brushes out quick and simply on wooden.
  • Testing oil paint on a picket panel with two coats of primer: Fluid oil paint bleeds/feathers round edge. thicker physique wipes away medium-well. Fluid wipe is nice. Floor feels medium gritty.
  • Ease of sanding: Straightforward, tiny bit whiter, making it extra the identical shade because the linen. Easy.
  • Impact of two coats on stretched linen, then sanding, then a 3rd coat: Benefited. Not a lot change in texture or color. Thick oil paint wipe off is barely improved.
  • Worth: £2.65 per 100 ml, if you happen to purchase the biggest dimension..

 

11. Handover Rabbit Pores and skin Glue – 12:1 dilution of water to connect by quantity, melted in a bucket over sizzling water, utilized barely heat.

choosing a clear primer - Handover RSG

 

choosing a clear primer - RSG

  • Out there format: Bucket of granules, 1 kg.
  • Thinnest physique. Doesn’t fill the areas within the weave, however as a result of it’s so skinny it permeates entrance to again and seals the fibres very effectively. Took one hour drying between every coat, letting the glue cool so it will get thicker every time. Utilizing it cooled a bit and making use of additional coats, can assist to fill within the weave if you need that. The one non-acrylic one I examined. Learn all about RSG on this complete publish Rabbit Pores and skin Glue: Preparation, Makes use of and Alternate options
  • Testing oil paint on a picket panel with two coats of primer: Heavy physique wipes away medium-well. Fluid paint wipes good. Plenty of bleed with fluid. Tiny bleed with thicker physique oil paint. May want extra layers utilized as a result of it’s the thinnest primer.
  • Ease of sanding: Tougher to sand than the acrylic ones, as if the fibres are absolutely coated on all sides and sealed.
  • Impact of two coats on stretched linen, then sanding, then a 3rd coat: It didn’t change a lot with sanding, it went barely softer just like the fibres had been made fuzzy and there was solely a little bit of the glint left. Barely smoother, barely darker, higher wiping.
  • Worth: 10p per 100 ml however wants additional coats if you’re attempting to fill the weave of linen.

 


 

Supplies Used

Linen – Belle Arte Medium Wonderful Linen Unprimed (CL548) – Stretched by our bespoke canvas division on 20mm Museum Stretcher Bars (CMSB20)

Wood Panel – Jackson’s 5mm Wood MDF Panel (CJUW)

Brush – ProArte Prolene ¾ inch

Oil paint – Jackson’s Artist Oil Phthalo Blue

Medium – Jackson’s Quick-Drying Oil Medium

Solvent – Gamsol

 


 

Additional Studying

Selecting The Proper Canvas For Your Portray

Rabbit Pores and skin Glue: Preparation, Makes use of And Alternate options

Creating Oil Work That Stand The Check Of Time

How To Stretch Canvas: A Visible Information

Measurement, Primer, Gesso And Floor Defined

 

Store Mediums and Primers on jacksonsart.com