Types of Gesso

Gesso prepares (or "primes") the surface for painting, making the surface slightly textured and ready to accept acrylic paint. Without gesso, the paint would soak into the weave of the canvas. The word gesso is a noun, but many artists also use it as a verb.

Gesso and Priming Materials are traditionally supposed to have some tooth or texture in order to provide better adherence for the paint. This is particularly important when using oil paints on an acrylic base.

Golden Pastel Ground is used for preparing supports for pastels, graphite, pencil, charcoal or chalk. It provides a tooth similar to pastel paper.

Rabbit-skin glue is a sizing that also acts as an adhesive. It is essentially refined rabbit collagen, and was originally used as an ingredient in traditional gesso.

Specialty Gessos Gesso and Priming Materials are traditionally supposed to have some tooth or texture in order to provide better adherence for the paint. This is particularly important when using oil paints on an acrylic base.