principal cause of cracking
in older oil paintings.
It is also important to consider
essential grounds for acrylics and
oils. Grounds are products used
to prepare a surface painting.
Effective grounds should have
good adhesion to the painting
surface, particularly for canvas or
boards. They should be flexible,
have suitable ‘tooth’ for overpainting
and create a good sealing barrier
between the painting surface and
subsequent layers of paint.
Prepared surfaces such as
‘canvas boards’ may be too
absorbent to be pleasant to work
on; and can be vastly improved by
applying a coat of Atelier Gesso.
Acrylic grounds offer the best
possible support for subsequent
application of oil paint. They also
prevent penetration of oil into
cotton or linen canvas; which may
rot, due to acid attack. Acrylic
grounds offer a layer of ‘shock
absorption’ between the substrate
and successive layers of oil paint.
Although acrylics can be applied
directly to a surface without first
applying a ground, the acrylic binder
from the paint is absorbed too quickly
into the surface being worked on. The
result is a drab and disappointing
painting, with a disagreeably fast
drying speed. Acrylic grounds are
recommended before painting.
Often used in art schools as
grounds, house paints are usually too
brittle and too absorbent – causing
drab paintings and speedy drying.
Atelier Gesso is a flexible acrylic
ground with a high grit content which
provides ‘tooth’ on which to paint. It
is not water absorbent and does not
suck the moisture out of your paint
when you start to work on it. Gesso
can be found in varying colours such
as White, Grey, Black and Brown.
Atelier Modelling Compound is
a heavy, opaque impasto paste
made from calcite grit. It is flexible
and can be applied to canvas
supports. Coloured grounds can be
achieved by using Atelier Modelling
Compound tinted with the Atelier
colour of your choice. Over a white
background, Modelling Compound
produces a creamy white surface.
Atelier Binder Medium is
recommended to prepare and seal
surfaces for painting with acrylics.
This binder promotes good adhesion
of the paint and prevents loss of
moisture into the substrate. Binder
Medium can be used to: Increase
gloss and create translucent glazes
when added directly to paint; isolate
coats between paint layers; provide
‘tooth’ when Interactive Acrylic Gesso
is applied over the top; and create
adhesion for collage techniques.
Adding Binder Medium directly
to acrylic paints shortens drying
time. To increase working time,
it is recommended to add up to
10 per cent Atelier Slow Medium
which dries clear and glossy.
A cross-sectional diagram of a
painting will show you the importance
of proper preparation of your work. A
painting in cross-section is a laminate
composed of successive layers of
paint. The ground may in many cases
be thicker than the paint used in the
painting and therefore may have a
strong influence on the stability and
lifespan of the work. The diagram
consists of: 1. The canvas itself. 2.
The layer of ground which fills the
weave of the canvas and forms a
continuous layer of prepared surface
with ‘tooth’ on top of the canvas (a
possible acrylic binder seal at the
back of natural fibres, like cotton
or linen, helps reduce the effects
of humidity changes and reduces
expansion and contraction of the
canvas). 3. Underpainting layers of
acrylic or oil paint. 4. Layers of oil
paint (or further acrylic layers).- Islands of impasto in oil (or acrylic).
- Possible acrylic seal at the back. n
“Effective grounds
should have good
adhesion to the
painting surface,
particularly for
canvas or boards.
They should be
flexible, have
suitable ‘tooth’
for overpainting
and create a good
sealing barrier
between the
painting surface
and subsequent
layers of paint.”