Can I use white acrylic paint instead of gesso? No, you cannot substitute acrylic paint for gesso. Cheers, Olga Can you use white acrylic paint instead of gesso to prime a surface? Without gesso, the paint would soak into the weave of the canvas. I don't even think I own any gesso. Question. Acrylic paint is probably the most widely used paint for crafts and art projects. For homemade gesso you can use either a ninja blender or a mortar and grind up white tums (store brand is cheapest, or a big bottle of mint flavored from Sams Club, you could use colored ones if wanted) which IS calcium carbonate, mix with a small amount of white acrylic craft paint, water and for more smoothness a bit of white cosmetic clay mix to the consistency of a crepe batter which … Acrylic gesso is expensive? I like to use board rather than canvas. save. When I want to make a tint (white added to a color), I add white gesso to it rather than adding white acrylic paint. And for good reason, it is easy to use, you can get acrylic paint pretty much everywhere, most acrylic paint is non-toxic, and it is quite cheap too. It would not be stable. This can be really handy if you like to paint on the dark background. If you’re using acrylic paint, apply a thin layer of gesso first, which primes the cardboard and makes the colors bolder. That's all it's used for. Most of the stretched canvases you purchase today are already prepared with gesso and so are ready for painting. Acrylic gessos come in a variety of colors, but by slowly adding small amounts of watercolor or acrylic paint to white gesso, you can control the color. So have fun experimenting and gaining new skill! Using Gesso for Acrylic Paint may not be the same as the actual gesso used by medieval oil painters. To paint on cardboard, use either acrylic or spray paint. However, I don't have any of this, and was wondering if I could avoid having to buy any by simply using white acrylic paint instead? I can't imagine a tube would be enough to cover even a small canvas adequately. Even with a paint primer, if you try painting with a thick layer of acrylic, you could risk letting the water seep in. If two hours seems like a lot, use a paint primer (called gesso) instead. Gesso is very similar to white acrylic paint, only thinner. share. But I do have a few cans of white universal household undercoat paint (This is oil based). Default. A: It is normal, the texture will show through when the paint layer isn’t too thick. But most newcomers to the world of arts and crafts don´t know how … What Materials Can You Use Acrylic Paint on – A Full List Read More » May 21, 2020 at 12:58 pm . It will also be very difficult to get the paint to stick, which is why we use gesso in the first place. I would like to tell you a little bit about what Liquid White is, how it’s used, and a liquid white alternative that can save you money.. Today, more people paint with acrylic paint and use acrylic gesso. You can also use gesso to cover an old painting ready to pour again if you didn’t like your first attempt. I use gesso instead of the white tube paint because the gesso is cheaper and the tubes of white can then be used strictly for highlights. Acrylic gesso contains an acrylic polymer medium that serves as a binder (rather than glue) along with chalk, a pigment (usually Titanium white), and chemicals used to keep the surface flexible and avoid fading. Not sure why Jerry uses it…will check that out. I haven't got a chance to get a ride down to the Art store to check. I used white enamel paint on y canvas, Instead of gesso, I waited one day, and bingo it works well with another paint mix on my Landscape painting, Reply. Thanks a lot for your help! The word gesso is a noun, but many artists also use it as a verb. I don't gesso anything. And you only have to use gesso to prime an untreated canvas. Gesso primer can be relatively expensive. Can I use white acrylic paint instead of gesso for the base of my oil painting? 3. this will probably make a few laugh— but I use latex wall paint. Can I use white acrylic paint as a primer (for oils) on a linen panel? How large is the canvas? hide. I personally don't care for the texture of canvas in my finished work. If you ever paint in an abstract or semi-abstract style, consider keeping the texture of the previous painting and go straight to the next stage of preparation. 4 comments. Close. Acrylic gesso, although not the real gesso used by our oil painting ancestors, is a great ground to paint on top of with any painting medium. I researched techniques online, and most people seemed to advise using acrylic gesso as a base before painting the design. I want to paint (using acrylic colours) on plain white canvas shoes. You can also tint your gesso to make it almost any color you want: just mix in a little bit of acrylic paint! Acrylic Gesso is traditionally White, but you can buy premixed Black, Colored, and Clear Gesso. Is this normal? Acrylic gessos are water-based, and therefore can be painted over with other water-based mediums. What can I use as a Subtitute for Gesso. share. Can Liquid White Be Used With Acrylics? Slow Drying Blending Gel Medium, looks like white paint. Can I use white acrylic paint instead of gesso for the base of my oil painting? http://montmarte.net/products?product_id=373 Can I use White Acrylic instead of Gesso? Hi Damla! While most acrylic paint dries to a glossy finish, gesso dries to a matte finish. Gesso comes in both student and artist grade.