a review on Matisse colored gesso

I used to watch Bob Ross videos on YouTube and used to always say that you can paint an entire painting using just acrylic gesso. Bob of course used white and black in his day for his backgrounds. Since then, there are many other colors to use. In finding some of Matisse gesso in my studio from my earlier experiences in painting, I decided to take a visit back to the Matisse colored gesso and do a couple of paintings.

Matisse colored gesso

I found that the lids were difficult to open as the gesso had dried them shut since the lids are a screw on. Once I opened the plastic container, the color had separated from the gesso and I needed to stir them for several minutes to get the consistency back. As I recall the same was true when I first acquired the gesso.

Matisse says to use the gesso right out of the container which isn't always such a great idea for obvious reasons. If you pour the gesso out from the container, you will have it all over the tip where there are screw ridges for the lid. They aren't the easiest to clean and when dried up especially after you have screwed the lid back on, you are going to have some difficulty getting the lids off.

The second thing I noticed after getting the lid off was that there was a definite odor in the gesso. It was the same strong odor as when I first got them. For me it was strong enough to bother me as I am sensitive to strong odors, hence oil painting is no longer in the cards for me. I suppose that was one of the reasons I stopped using Matisse colored gesso. But for my experiment, I decided to use them regardless, turning on my 2 exhaust fans in my art studio, which cut down some of the odor.

The gesso goes on very smooth and is lot thicker than the cheap white gesso (Daler-Rowney) you get these days from big box stores like Walmart. I hardly ever use gesso anymore as many of the pre-stretch canvases and boards already come ready for painting. I mainly use the gesso for mixing and lightening my acrylic paints.

The Matisse colors are very vibrant and do not darken as do many of the acrylic paints. I can mix them with other acrylic paints or the gesso for different colors. I can also add a little water to thin it out. The gesso dries just as quick as any other acrylic paint or gesso. I like using the gesso but using it right out of the container especially if I want to mix it with different color or water just will not work. My problem is with the screw on caps that dry shut after pouring. Let's face it, how many of you are willing to take the time out to really clean the caps and the edges of the container before putting them away. Not me, I'm way too lazy for that! You will need to find an alternate way to move the gesso from the container to your palate. My other problem is with the smell. If it wasn't for it, I would probably use it more.

Below are the two paintings using Matisse colored gesso. Both have been sealed with an acrylic sealer.

painting using colored gesso

painting using colored gesso

this is cool,ya gotta try this

I had purchased some paint from my local home improvement store. It was Rustoleum Multicolor Textured paint. It has sand embedded in the paint. I had an idea to try and use it for some texture on my next painting. It was going to be something in a beach scene with sand. I've used other Rustoleum non oil paints in the past for a sealer for my home made art panels and never had any issues so I thought I would try the textured paint (for rust control).

Rustoleum paints

I had a specific painting in mind which included Lake Michigan and a lighthouse with some sand dunes. I sprayed some targeted areas with sand colored textured paint after sealing the panel with a matte grey colored 2X paint following directions on the can. I had also drawn a preliminary sketch and taped a few areas I didn't want the paint to go on using masking tape. I had also painted my sky adding clouds in appropriate areas. No need to mask off the sky as the spray paint can cover some of it.

areas painted with textured paint

If you take a close look at the above pix, you can actually see the sandy texture on my panel. It even creates it's own shadows. Yes, you can paint over this paint without issues and you can paint over acrylics as I've done it often, but make sure you give it a full dry of 48 hours before painting over it, same goes for the acrylic paint, if spraying over it with the Rustoleum.

There is a lot of pressure in these spray paints with texture so control might be an issue for you. I solved my problem using this (below).

a handy spray can handle with trigger

This handy spray can handle w/trigger will fit just about any spray can giving me the perfect control I need for using sprays. It only cost me a few bucks.

So here's my painting a 24"x30" on a home made hardboard gallery panel.

painting using textured paint

Here's another one I did using the same textured paints.

a beach area from the sand dunes painted using textured paint.

Is it worth making your own hard board paint panels?

In the beginning, I used to buy pre-stretched canvas and or canvas panels. Today I make my own paint panels from hard board. I like to make my own gallery paint panels which are 1 5/8" thick and either 18"x24" or 24"x30". I can buy a 2'x4' hard board panel for just a few bucks and the wood for a little over that each. I find that the darker panels work better for me than the light colored ones as the light colored panels have a lot more dust flying around which is a health hazard.

I use 1"x2"x96" clear pine for the backing and edges and cut them to size and then glue them in place with a good wood glue.  It doesn't matter whether you use a butt joint or a miter. I use miters because I've been a carpenter and a wood worker for decades and am used to cutting miters with my power miter saw. To seal everything I'll buy a can of Rustoleum gray matte 2X Painters Touch all purpose spray paint. All in all the entire panel will cost me a fraction of what I would pay otherwise. I can get 2-18"x24" and one 12"x24" panels or 1-18"x24" and 24"x30" panel off one 2'x4' hardboard panel all for under $15.

The spray paint will adhere to just about anything and as long as it's not an oil base paint, I can use acrylic paints over it without having to gesso the entire panel. Acrylic paints also will adhere to just about anything so gesso isn't always necessary. One thing I might advise you on is to follow directions on the spray paint can. For a second coat do it within an hour otherwise you will need to wait 48 hours before applying a second coat. For that matter, I will wait 48 hours before beginning to start my painting to make sure that the paint had dried fully. I have not had issues doing this yet!

gallery art panel from hardboard

back side of gallery art board

front side of gallery panel with face sealed

paints I use to seal my paint panels along with a paint can trigger

I use the paint can trigger mechanism for better control. Some of the paints have so much pressure that getting good control and accuracy is a bit difficult. I don't need to be fighting with spray paint. I have enough problems just using the spray cans so the trigger handle works like a charm and with any other spray paint and sealers. It cost me only a couple of bucks. Using a painters respirator with any spray paint or sealer is a must regardless where you spray. I spray in a well ventilated garage and keep the door wide open. Even then there is always spray mist flying around not to forget about the strong odors. The mask keeps my lungs free and clear of any deadly mist from spray paints.

Here are a few paintings I did on my home made gallery hardboard paint panels using acrylic paints over Rustoleum Painters Touch all purpose 2X paints with no gesso.

painting I did on a home made paint panel

a painting on a 18"x24" gallery home made panel

another painting on a home made panel

an acrylic painting on a gallery home made art panel