Do any of you use stuff called "gesso" to prepare your canvas before painting? If you don't, do you have to apply acrylic paint thicker? I have read that acrylics dry so fast. Is this true? Does anyone use oils for Fusionart?

Not having attempted anything yet, I am still trying to sort this all out. Thanks in advance.

Hi Steve,

Nice to see you here again!!

Alot of pre stretched canvas comes already coated with gesso.

Blick is having a great canvas sale this month here in CA, maybe your store is having one as well. They have something like 70% off if you buy 20 or more canvases.

If you do not pre treat your canvas with gesso the canvas will absorb more paint, sort of like an unprimed wall.

Acrylic does dry quickly. You can do some things to slow it down. You can add mediums called retarders to slow the drying time. Dampening your canvas before you start painting helps. You can also wet the back periodically as you paint to prolong drying time a bit. I use a spray bottle.

As for keeping the paint on you palate from drying there are a few tricks..... you can spray them with a little water occasionally. You can also use what is called a wet palate. Art stores sell them but you can make your own. It's really easy. I use a large flat plastic food container, one that comes with a lid. Line it with about 6 sheets of damp paper towel. I put the paper towel in dry and spray it my water bottle. Lay a single sheet of parchment paper.....which you can get in the baking area of your local grocery store over the paper towel.
Place your paints on top of that and they will stay nice and moist for quite awhile, days if you place the cover on top when you are done painting. The parchment paper allows just enough of the dampness from the paper towel below to keep the paint from drying.

Yes some folks do use oils. Rassouli uses acrylic as well as oils. There is one gal who uses oil pastels. Fusionart is more about the "style" and feeling of the painting than what medium one uses.

Hope this helps.

L&L,

Leslie

Hey Les. That information helps tremendously! Thanks!!!

I drove by the Blick store last evening on my way to dinner. There appeared to be an art class going on inside in one section of the store. There were lots of people at "work stations" with all of their supplies, oe so it appeared.

I am working up the courage to go in. I guess I just need to begin. It's like any other endeavor in life I guess... you keep learning as you go.

Buck, in my opinion Blick is the best place to get supplies. Periodically they do awesome canvas sales, and they have all kinds of different paints at discount prices. Start by buying their least expensive canvases. They will be stapled on the back rather than neatly finished. If you spend less you'll have less anxiety about what might happen once the paint starts flying. Most of all, just have FUN!!

As far as taking a class, you do what you feel most comfortable with. We are in the process of setting up an e-classroom for Fusionart, so within a month we will begin classes online. So you will have the opportunity to learn from your home. How convenient is that? We'll post an announcement on the site, but I do know that the Painting with Spirit online class will begin the second week in November. I hope you'll join us!

Blessings,
Bonnie

Runescape Gold do you like playing online games? Runescape Money if you like it, I recommend you to play a very interesting little game. A seemingly simple but highly strategic TD class little game RS Gold.

a class, you do what you feel most comfortable with. We are in the process of setting up an e-classroom for Fusionart, so within a month we will begin classes online. So you will have the opportunity to learn from your home. How convenient is that? We'll post an announcement on the site, but I do know that the Painting with Spirit online class will begin the second week in November. I hope you'll join us!you make millions of wow gold decisions that mean nothing wow po then one