Acrylic Painting, on paper, have applied gesso, how long do I wait to paint
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Original Post
The bottle recommends 24 hours, but I am impatient and was wondering if anyone has first hand knowledge of what happens if you start painting early? Perhaps this is a silly question, in which just say so. Thanks,
justin
Posted at 8:51pm Mar 2, 2009 EST
Responses
As long as the gesso is completely dry you should be able to paint on it. I have actually used a hair dryer to speed up the drying time. If you want try it on a small scrap of paper and see what happens.
Posted at 8:55pm Mar 2, 2009 EST
As soon as it's dry.
If it starts to curl you may have to weigh down the edges for a few hours.
Posted at 9:03pm Mar 2, 2009 EST
I like to use a hairdryer because I am quite impatient. :)
Posted at 9:03pm Mar 2, 2009 EST
If it's acrylic based gesso and you use a hairdryer it can be deceptive. Acrylics dry from the outside inward and will form a film making you think it is dry when underneath it may not be. But- if it is a thin layer on paper you may be safe. Cracking can occur way later if the substrate is not throughly dry hence the recommendation to wait 24 hours. I like to do a big batch all at once then I have several to work on when I'm ready.
Posted at 9:13pm Mar 2, 2009 EST
Does gesso stiffen paper?
I want to paint on thin cardboard and wonder if gesso would make it a bit stronger.
Posted at 2:14pm Feb 6, 2010 EST
oh this is old.
Frankly, I wouldn't paint acrylic on paper. Too curly, flexible. Yes it will stiffen a bit, and also crack if you bend it after it's dry. Canvas, or at least canvas board is better. Or plain panel. Or, glue the paper to panel if it's the paper texture your after.
But.... if your little heart is set for paper, how long you have to wait depends on the paint. Assuming the painting part is with acrylics, (title of this thread) then you really don't have to wait the full 24 hours. It will all eventually dry.
BUT! If you plan to gesso paper, then use oils, by all means give it the full 24 hours. Or more just to be sure. (remember the paper itself will soak up water and have to dry.)
You won't want ANY water trapped under a skin of dry acrylic.
Posted at 3:02pm Feb 6, 2010 EST