# Canvas



## maniannam (Aug 2, 2020)

Hello All, good day... Am new to oil painting... Just want to know before use canvas whether we want to apply gesso or white liquid? Or both need to apply?... Can anyone pls guide me

Thanks
Karu


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## Hunter1 (Jun 7, 2020)

Welcome to the forum from Maryland. I usually put at least one coat of gesso on a canvas panle or a stretched canvas . I like to fill in the tooth of the canvas a little. I tried 3 coats and sanding in between each coat and found it was to much, it made the panel to smooth for my likes. I like to see the grain of the canvas a little. Try to see what you like. I like a canvas tooth that lets me spread the paint with little drag on the brush. I hope I explained this right. Good luck.


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## maniannam (Aug 2, 2020)

Thanks a lot the wonderful explaination... Let me try


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## Steve Neul (Jul 28, 2020)

Gesso is a primer. If the canvas you purchase is already primed you may not need anything unless you don't like the texture of the canvas. A lot of people add gesso to the canvas sanding it between coats to make a smoother surface to paint on. It's a personal choice thing. I've had canvases get old and develop brown spots like old paper foxing. I think if you paint a very light colored or thinly painted picture the foxing could bleed through the paint. Adding another coat of gesso should eliminate that. The liquid white is mainly used to allow you to mix the paint colors on the canvas as you are working. I tend to do that anyway without using the liquid white without any trouble.


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