what is the best way to seal plaster of paris before painting?

Question

i have a sculpture that i carved in plaster and i want to paint it. another artist told me i needed to seal it some way before i did because they ruined a sculpture of theirs when they tried painting it - and the places where it didnt mess up the paint would flake off of it

Answer 1

Acrylic matte medium will do the trick, especially if you're going to paint on top with acrylics. You won't be able to paint acrylic on top of shellac or anything else oil- or solvent-based. You need something that will dry quickly before the plaster absorbs it.

You must be sure the plaster is completely dry first - this could be why paint would flake off others' work - moisture trapped under the paint/sealer will cause it to bubble and peel. If the plaster feels cold, it's not dry.

Please test anything you use on the bottom first, that will reduce the heartache factor.

Answer 2

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Plaster of paris is very porous. You may want to seal it first. A good sealer is watered down pva glue, 3 to 1. After that you can use either acrylic or spray paint. For silver or bronze metallic color spray paint would be easier. Then use an acrylic sealer over the top. Make sure that each coat dries really well before applying the next. I'm not sure how fine the texture is that you're speaking of, but keep the coatings very light. Maybe test a spot on the bottom or somewhere out of sight to make sure it's what you want first. Good Luck!

Answer 3

Painting Plaster Sculpture

Answer 4

Well..I wouldn't call myself an artist but couple of years ago I sculpted with plaster of paris one time. I didn't seal it before I painted on it. But I suppose it depends what type of paint your using and what kind of effect your trying to achieve. From what I remember the plaster was absorbent so keep that in mind, say for instance you were going to paint with water color. I sealed my work after I painted it. I sealed it in laquer; i just sprayed it on. I would imagine that if you sealed it first that the paint (depending on what paint or effect) wouldn't catch as well, but that's totally up to you. I guess the best way to find out is if you had extra plaster to test on them see what works best. But anyways I sealed after I painted it was fine until I dropped my sculpture months later. So I couldn't tell you how well it lasted.

Answer 5

do you have to seal plaster of paris

Answer 6

A paint sealer or base coats, find it a Homedepot

Answer 7

go to a good art supply store and ask for suggestions

Answer 8

here are some links:

http://www.hirstarts.com/painting/painting3.html

some suggest shellac

Answer 9

egg whites, lots of egg whites.