Acrylic Gesso Primer prepares cotton & linen canvas and other surfaces for painting and other applications. It provides a toothy surface for paint to adhere to, reflects or absorbs light, and seals the painting surface to reduce the amount of paint absorbed into it. It also protects the painting surface, which is especially important when using oil paint on cotton canvas as the oils can start to eat away at the cotton over time.

Our current stock includes:

GOLDEN brand gesso primer - 1 gallon (3.78L) or 1 litre (32 oz)

Golden Gesso is formulated to be flexible and is highly pigmented for greater opacity. This bright white, ready-to-use formulation is designed for painting on most surfaces. It is flexible and can be applied in thin layers to conform to a variety of textures without cracking. For oil painting, at least three layers of gesso is recommended. Gesso can be mixed with acrylic colours to produce a range of coloured grounds.

TRI-ART brand gesso primer - 1 litre (33.8 oz)

Tri-Art’s Finest Quality Gesso Primer is made with a high concentration of 100% acrylic emulsion and contains calcium carbonate for good strength, adhesion, coverage and flexibility. It is pH-neutral and suitable as a base for both acrylic and oil paints. This gesso dries to a matte, opaque and extremely white finish that is water-permanent and sandable and will not crack, rub, flake or lift from the substrate. It will seal all semi-absorbent surfaces while creating a very reflective painting surface that enhances colour vibrancy.

To create a more textured base, mix with Tri-Art Modeling Paste until the desired effect is achieved.

Here are instructions on how to apply gesso primer to a stretched canvas.

In-stock items typically ship in 5-7 business days but please notify us if you have a specific deadline.