Is it necessary to prime a canvas before painting.?

Question

Should I prime my canvas Before I paint? And if so, what with? I use acrylics.

Answer 1

It is not neccesary to prime canvas when painting with acrylics, most primers that are used today like gesso are made from cheap acrylic paint anyway. Also acrylic paint is neutral ph so it will not damage canvas over time.
The only paint that you really need to use primers with is oil paints and the things you use is gesso,rabit skin glue which is very difficult to make and apply or just buy the canvas already primed.
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Answer 2

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Don't worry about rabbits. You'd have a hard time finding some real rabbit glue. And is is only neede if you are a proffesional finepainting artist who would want his/her painting to last for aeons. Gesso it a all-round primer that's 100% chemical from a real life factory. No rabbit came near that. It is the only thing I ever use to prime any surface. In other words, I never size, just ground. Assume it to be prestreched and gesso-ed. If it is hard and white you are correct. Just start painting. If it is not tight enough you can use the wedges(should be ther on the backside) to tighten it a little more. Tap gently 2 wedges in all 4 corners untill it is tight like a drum. The gentle taps are to prevent the frame going crooked, not to prevent the canvas from tearing. That will not happen. If your canvas is NOT primed. Get some gesso and put it on there....almost as easy as that. A few tips towards a good result: 1) Use a tough brush, a cheap one as gesso is a real brush killer. 2) It also does not come out of any fabric once it has dried so clean immedeately if you spill. 3) It dries pretty fast so to get a smooth result you should 'dampen' your canvas. I use hot water so the canvas stretches even more. Give it a shower, really. 4) Really work it in the canvas with your brush. Don't be afraid to 'hurt' your canvas you will not. 5) Check the back for drips. You don't want any hard pieces on the back. they will show as bumps on the front. Remove with a sponge and warm water. 6) Apply a second layer after the first is dry. Depending on your style you may want to sand the gesso to get a very smooth layer. 7) To clean your brush use soap (Available in your artstore) It seems a bit excessive to buy special soap but replacing brushes is more expensive.

Answer 3

Primed Canvas

Answer 4

Simple answer:

If you bought the canvas from a shop or dealer and it is already stretched on a wooden frame, it will probably already be primed. Check the packaging, it will say primed, stretched canvas. If that is the case you do not HAVE to prime.

If you have stretched raw canvas onto a frame yourself, then yes, it must be primed.

To prime for oils or acrylics, Gesso is best but most expensive, emulsion paint is fine as is emulsion paint mixed with PVA glue (70/30 mix). Use 2 or 3 coats.

Answer 5

priming does 3 things: first-it gives you a smoother surface to paint on, letting the paintbrush flow better .
Secondly, it keeps the canvas from soaking up so much of the paint; otherwise your painting will lose the brillance of its colours and the clairty of the subject matter. Paints can be very expensive and it's senseless to waste them unnecessarily
And third, you can change the effect of your colours by the color of primer you use beneath them. A canvas first primed with black gesso as a surreal brillaint quality to the colors of horizons, really the entire painting.

Answer 6

Well, if you really want to paint like Rembrandt, then prime the canvas may give you a easier time and better result. If you want some funky abstat art, then it really depends on the effect you want. Not priming the canvas will give you the canvas texture.

Answer 7

It just depends on the style you're trying to achieve. I always find it very helpful because it allows the paint to go on more smoothly, and you never get a strange undertone of a yellowed canvas if you gesso it or prime it white.
I most often paint with oils and I always gesso them. It becomes part of your system- plus you can play with the texture of the primer and make your painting dimensional with it.

Answer 8

actually you should always prime you canvas. because the paint will, over time eat up the canvas or other surface and cause it to deteriorate. but then if you dont care whether its going to last more than, say 100 years, then no, no primer is necessary.
Gesso is expensive, I use outdoor exterior latex flat paint. works just as well for a fraction of the price of gesso.

Answer 9

yes, but then what sort of an effect do you want to make? Do you want the colors to look drab or do you want to make the picture look vibrant and alive? I'm telling you that if you want to try it paint one corner of the painting with white primer and then paint you painting. If you can't spot the difference your canvas must come pre- primed. Even stage sets in theatrical productions have to be primed first. Don't take my word for it, try the corner test for yourself!

Answer 10

no, it is not necessary to prime a canvas before painting. Some interesting effects are achieved by NOT priming.