Oil Painting Prep

Cleaning walls before painting as seen in our how to prep walls for painting video clean walls are key in preparing a room for painting. Gesso brush 1 inch or larger depending on the overall size of your panel. Many important elements have been left out completely.
preparing canvas for oil painting oil painting prep oil painting preparation

If not its oil based.

Oil painting prep. Always remove wallpaper before painting. You can choose whatever painting technique you like whether that be painting entire sections to completion or putting layers of paint over the entire canvas. Canvas is perceived by many people to be the best support for painting but hardboard or wood should not be shunned. In fact some would argue that it is a superior support for oils because unlike canvas which is flexible wood is rigid and this helps to prevent cracks in the oil paint.

Check the surface for oil based paint. Tammy schlosser demonstrates how to properly prepare your canvas for oil painting using gesso to ensure its longevity for your artwork. Cold pressed linseed oil alkali refined linseed oil or walnut oil depending on the kind of pigment you are using. Sandpaper 220 and 400 grit sandpapers are appropriate for sanding the brush strokes out of gesso.

First join your stretcher bars at the corners forming a rectangle. Use the right angle to make sure that all corners are 90 degree angles. Use a chemical wallpaper remover or rent a steamer if necessary. You may have to push them by hand to tighten them.

Gesso gesso is a thick nonporous acrylic primer used to prepare any surface for acrylic or oil paintings. What follows is mainly about the materials needed to prepare a canvas for oil painting. Wax medium optional. Once the stretchers are securely connected and straight roll your canvas out on a clean surface.

Rinse with water and allow the wall to dry before priming. Once the paper is removed wash off old adhesive. Rags or paper towel to clean up. If the paint comes off its latex.

Wet a cotton swab with alcohol and rub the surface. When oil painting though use the thin to thick method in which you paint with thin paint before using thick paint. While there is no best way to clean walls before painting most walls can be washed using a sponge and warm water. Try painting basic subjects.

Stretcher bars cross bracing how to stretch a canvas or mount it to panel instructions on applying the products use of backer boards pre washing etc.