Preparing Art Painting Surfaces
Wooden and Processed Board Surfaces - Panels
Important Panel preparing trick - in case you don't know this:Prime BOTH SIDES of the panel with the same number of coats of gesso, or white paint, or whatever you are using. This will prevent the problem of the panel curling up like a potato chip.
Primers
For most artists, using gesso or rabbit skin glue just makes sense. Oil paints attack raw canvas, so you probably want to use something if you are an oil painter. And for most artists, using gesso is much easier than rabbit skin glue. But there are oil painters who want to keep with the traditions.I must tell you about Bullseye Primer. I have used it on my wooden art for close to 20 years now. Occasionally I use gesso, if I happen to have gesso, but I have used many gallons of Bullseye primer by Zinsser. It is not really an artist's primer, but it is a water-based primer that comes in gallons, is cheaper than gesso, dries quickly, is quite tough, and has worked very well for me. Plus, you have the benefit of 20 years of testing by yours truly, the webmaster - artist - primer tester. I buy it at Home Depot or Lowe's. I would guess that many home improvement stores carry it.
