Why would you want to use gesso on a board? Gesso gives a board a different texture once it dries. Instead of painting on just a plain surface, gesso will add texture to the surface, such as bumps or ridges. Painting a board with gesso is easy. All you need is gesso, a board, a paint brush and a flat surface. You are able to make a surface with a texture to your liking when using gesso on your board. After following these simple five steps you will be using this technique for many of your paintings in the future.
Instructions
1. Decide what size you want your painting to be. Buy a piece of either Bristol Board or Canvas Board at a local art store. Bristol Board is thinner than a Canvas Board and is better used with water color paint because the ends of the board will start to curl slightly when a heavier paint is applied. Canvas Board is better with the heavier paints such as oil and arcylic.
2. Place newspaper under the board so that you do not get any gesso on anything else but the paper. It is best to put the board or canvas on a flat surface so that it is easier to apply the gesso.
3. Use a large paint brush to apply the gesso on the board or canvas. Apply the gesso all over the surface, making sure that you cover the entire board.
4. Let the gesso dry for approximately 24 hours. Then apply one to two more coats of the gesso onto the surface. You want the surface to be fairly thick, so one coat will not work. The gesso will take 24 hours to dry after each application.
5. Dry the gesso and look it over to make sure that the entire surface is covered. You can also go over the surface with more gesso and actually blot it on to create a textured surface or sandpaper it to make it smooth.
