Professional Mediums
Professional Black Gesso
Key Features
- Contains a blend of pigments to give a matte black, opaque base which instantly eliminates your surface color and allows you to build depth
- Primes surfaces and adds a high level of tooth for maximum color adhesion and stability
- Stiffens your canvases and creates the optimum absorbency for paint application, providing a professional standard, archival base to help maintain the longevity of your work
- Establishes a suitable surface for preliminary charcoal or pencil drawings
- Always use a quality artist's gesso if you want a lasting, archival base - a low-cost ground will flake and separate from your support, taking your work with it. Under the right conditions, a professional gesso like this will last generations
How to Use
- Use undiluted or thin with up to 25% water - when thinning more than 25%, use an equal mixture of water and Liquitex Matte Medium
- Sand hard or shiny surfaces first, apply a thin coat to support with a wide, flat brush and leave to dry for at least 24 hours before starting to paint
- Add acrylic color for a custom tint - Soft Body Acrylic is the optimum consistency
- To create a smoother base, sand the surface and reapply gesso
- If using as a base for oils, apply 2-4 coats and sand between applications
MEET LIQUTEX PROFESSIONAL GESSOES
FOR MORE STRUCTURE. STRENGTH. CHARACTER.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Other creatives have asked us...
If acrylic goes onto most surfaces why do I need a gesso?
While acrylics adhere to most surfaces, gesso prepares surfaces for a long-term bond, improving absorbency and tooth for paint.
How do I make a colored gesso?
We would recommend you selecting your green Soft Body or Heavy Body color and mixing a little into our Professional Gesso until you achieve the desired tint.
What's the point of your Black and Gray Gessoes?
These gessoes offer ready-mixed, pigmented bases for your artwork, allowing for instant color coverage and texture.
I'm applying your Black Gesso to shiny metal - do I need to prep it first?
Yes we would recommend you always sand shiny non-absorbent surfaces before you apply any of our gessoes.
What's the best way to prime a canvas for painting?
Size with one layer of Matte Medium and coat with Liquitex gesso (white, gray, black, clear, or super heavy gesso) for priming.