A First Look at Jackson’s Gesso Primer – A New Formula

Jackson’s Gesso Primer has an exciting new formula which provides a versatile and reliable ground that can be used under both oil and acrylic paints. It ensures the longevity of your work on a stable surface, at a very affordable price considering the 1 litre volume of the product. Here, we test the primer on a variety of Jackson’s surfaces, since the enjoyment in using a ground comes from the enhancement of the surface below.

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Gesso and its Modern Properties

Historically “gesso” referred to the traditional mixture of animal glue, chalk or gypsum, and white pigment. It would be applied in ten or more thin layers, and was only suitable for rigid surfaces, like wooden board, due to its tendency to be brittle and crack. In its contemporary usage, “gesso” is still named in products which are chemically different to the historic recipe, because they were created to imitate its properties and come as a pre-mixed thick white paint. Acrylic gesso was invented in the 1950s to be a more versatile ground for artists, and can be used with a variety of surfaces and materials. It has a much quicker drying time and a less time consuming application with far less layering necessary. It is, however, less absorbent than traditional gesso and therefore unsuitable for use with egg tempera.

 

 

The new Jackson’s Gesso Primer is an acrylic dispersion ground, meaning it is a universal primer for use with both oil and acrylic paint. This is the same type of primer used on pre-primed canvases, and is a simple one step solution to preparing your surfaces that doesn’t require any size below.

 

 

Gesso primers are necessary to seal the surface below when using oil based media, so that no oil leaks through and rots or damages it and your work has ensured longevity. This isn’t their only function though, as gesso primer can also be used to supplement surfaces for use that don’t necessarily need preparation, but can add an extra texture or absorbency that may be desired by the artist. For example, watercolour pencils used on cartridge paper don’t require any primer to ensure the longevity of the surface, but adding it changes the experience of working on the paper. I find that when working on smoother papers, adding a couple of layers of gesso enhances the tooth which catches more pigment from the pencils and makes for a more vibrant drawing. It can be especially helpful when working with mixed media, as it can add an extra bite to the surface. The same can be applied to all kinds of wet and dry media that don’t have an oil component. It’s about experimenting to find a combination that works for your practice, and this gesso primer is a very affordable way to do so.

 

 

The Practicalities of Priming

When applying gesso I most often used a generously sized flat bristle brush if I want some texture on the ground, or a flat synthetic brush if I want it to be smooth. You could also use a roller. When applying gesso to a surface you have to apply it in layers, (at least 3 for oil-based media) and you should apply it in differing directions to create a weave pattern and ensure an even surface with texture. For example, on a sheet of paper you may apply your first layer in horizontal lines, your next vertically, and the third horizontal again. Depending on how absorbent your surface is, the more primer you may want to apply. For example if I was oil painting on paper, I would apply about 5 or 6 thin layers, whereas for plywood board I might only apply 3 or 4.

 

 

When priming it is important to note that you should leave your surfaces to dry on a horizontal surface, and not to prop them up on their side. This is because the wet gesso can slide and gather in a greater concentration on the side that’s at the bottom. Even if the difference isn’t obvious to the eye, it can make one side of the surface more weakly primed than the other, so the materials applied on top will be affected by the surface differently when you really want a completely even ground. You should also try to elevate your drying gesso surfaces off floor level onto a table, or propped up beneath it on a board to avoid studio dust from getting stuck in it.

 

 

After applying the Jackson’s Gesso Primer it’s best to let it dry for at least two hours before applying a second coat, and at least 24 hours before it’s fully dry and ready to use. If you oil paint on gesso that isn’t fully dried the stability of your ground will be compromised and dry in a way that will allow damage to happen. A tip for checking when gesso is fully dried is to check if it feels cold to the touch. It may not transfer to your hands and feel dry, but if it still has a colder than room temperature feeling, it definitely still needs some more drying time.

 

Characteristics of the Jackson’s Gesso Primer

The size of this primer is generous at 1L, with the tall shape and squeezy bottle top being fairly unusual for primers. Most gesso’s come with a twist off lid that you dip your brush into, but the squeezy top allows for easy application to the surface. For smaller surfaces I would squeeze out an even amount and spread it out to cover. Being able to squeeze it out also leads to less wasted product, as you aren’t losing lots of product on the brush you would’ve used for scooping. For larger surfaces (I’d say bigger than A3) it’s definitely better to twist off the cap and put some out into a tray or tub and apply it from there. The neck of the bottle will be too narrow to dip a priming brush into. If you put out too much on the surface before you can disperse it evenly, some areas may settle and sink in before others. This will give you an unevenly primed surface to work on that will dry faster in some areas than others, making an unstable ground.

 

 

All primers have a smell, and the Jackson’s Gesso Primer is quite potent and similar to glue when wet, though this disperses once it dries down a bit. Like all painting chemicals, I’d recommend using it in a ventilated space.

This primer can also be readily watered down and dispersed in thinner layers. I like to do this when I want a surface to have a smoother quality, or I’m applying it to a surface that doesn’t necessitate priming, like on a piece of paper for a drawing with extra tooth. I’ve tested watering down the Gesso Primer on Jackson’s Wooden Panel which gave the material tests on top a lovely buttery quality.

 

 

 

 

It can also be sanded down to create a smoother surface which I’ve done on Jackson’s Handmade Board Clear Glue Sized Rough Linen on MDF Board.

You can either do this in between dried layers of application, or on the finished surface, and this product produces a smooth velvety ground when treated in this way.

 

 

Surface Tests and Applying Different Materials on the Jackson’s Gesso Primer

Aside from the previously mentioned boards, I also tested the Jackson’s Gesso Primer on paper, linen and canvas.

 

 

Jackson’s Eco Paper Medium Rough

 

I found that the existing roughness of the Jackson’s Eco Paper Medium Rough was only enhanced by the Jackson’s Gesso Primer layers, and although this paper probably took the most product to fully coat due to its absorbency, it gave it an even greater tooth which would be ideal for drawing with oil pastels. I found that using oil paint on the intense texture made it difficult to spread the pigment, but with patience this could be a desirable effect.

 

 

Jackson’s Two Rivers Watercolour Paper

 

The Jackson’s Two Rivers Watercolour Paper was personally the most exciting of all my samples due to the ease of application and beautiful velveteen finish when dry. Usually when priming paper I would recommend taping down all the sides to a board or stretching it with gum tape to prevent wrinkling, but this paper required no tape whatsoever due to the paper’s weight, and stayed perfectly flat. I would happily make a drawing on this surface after one or two coats, or layer it up five or six times to do an oil painting on. In my material tests my favourite was oil pastel on top of an acrylic wash, since I could feel the tooth of the gesso catching the pastel despite the barrier of paint below it.

 

 

 

Jackson’s Medium Cotton Duck Canvas

 

The Jackson’s Medium Cotton Duck Canvas absorbed the gesso seamlessly and has created a classic primed surface ready for oil paint. I’m most used to using gessos with this kind of surface, and the Jackson’s Gesso Primer performs perfectly. With paint applied on top I could feel the surface allowing me to manipulate the paint as I wished. Sometimes gesso can dry to a brittle texture on canvas, but this product made it fairly slick.

 

 

Belle Arti Medium Fine Linen

 

The Belle Arti Medium Fine Linen was slightly harder to prime due to its fairly open weave, I found that some of the primer was leaking through to the back quite quickly. On the second and third layers this problem ceased and it has dried to a fine finish. In my test I was relieved that the product leaking through was completely prevented by the gesso, with the characteristic weave of the linen still subtly showing through my layering. Although this product creates a thick, reliable base to work on, it still allows the material below to shine.

 

 

 

Final Thoughts on Jackson’s Gesso Primer

In comparison to other gesso’s of the same volume, the Jackson’s Gesso Primer is exceptionally affordable. Most other popular brands which carry primers such as Daler Rowney, Liquitex, Golden and Holbein, are generally more than double the price point.

From my painting experience I personally found the Jackson’s Gesso Primer to be a lovely surface to work with which certainly performs as well as these other gesso’s in terms of drying time, evenness of surface, and security from oil damage. As someone who tends to make as a way of figuring out new ideas, sometimes a more expensive primer can be daunting since it feels you have to use it for something final. I find that the Jackson’s Gesso Primer removes that worry.

 

 

If you’re looking for a very affordable artists primer which can be used to lovely effect when paired with a variety of materials and surfaces, then the new Jackson’s Gesso Primer is ideal. I would especially recommend this product to students or those beginning to explore painting because of this, since it allows for a great range of experimentation whilst protecting your work for years to come. From my tests I found it to be most effective with to be workable with all the combinations of surface and material.

 

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Further Reading

Size, Primer, Gesso and Ground Explained

Ways to Use the New Michael Harding Coloured Primers

Acrylic Painting for Beginners – What You Need to Get Started

Everything You Need to Know About Acrylic Painting Paper

 

Shop Jackson’s Gesso Primer at jacksonsart.com