CHAPTER 6:

Selecting & Preparing Your Surface

The surface, or support, that you choose for your drawing or painting helps determine the quality of your work—from texture, brightness, and color to longevity. Before you select a support, the following are helpful questions to ask:

• Is the support compatible with your medium?

• How will the brightness and color of your support affect the medium?

• How will the texture relate to your subject?

• How will the support help you communicate your artistic message?

• Is the support durable enough for the work’s purpose?

• Will the support help your work stand the test of time?

CHOOSING YOUR SUPPORT

Paper, canvas, and wood panels are the most common drawing and painting supports, but don’t feel pressured into a traditional approach. Artists throughout the centuries have explored (and found success with) a variety of surfaces, including animal skins and sheet metal. The more you understand why and how artists work with particular surfaces, the more likely you are to find success with your own artistic experiments and decisions.

When selecting paper for a finished drawing, note the following:

• Test your paper while working on your chosen surface. This will help you assess how the medium, paper, and surface work together.

• Beware of working on uncoated or soft wood, which scores easily beneath harder mediums such as graphite.

• To reduce the risk of creasing the sheet or damaging its edges, work on a surface that is larger than your paper.

• Don’t work on a textured or seamed surface, as it will affect the flow of your strokes.

• You may prefer to draw on a small stack of papers for a soft, cushioned feel.

• Before laying down your paper on a drawing surface, use a soft drafting brush to wipe away any dirt or old eraser crumbs. Make sure the surface is free of oil and moisture.

A simple wood-based composite board (such as MDF) and drawing paper secured with artist tape make a great portable drawing surface.

Graphite over rough, brown kraft paper creates a dark, dramatic feel. I added extra dimension by applying white crayon over the highlight.

Smooth drawing paper offers plenty of control over graphite and allows you to build up subtle layers of crosshatching. Because the paper has little to no tooth, it is not easy to achieve dark values.

Medium drawing paper is often considered the most versatile surface for graphite. It has enough tooth to hold darker strokes, but it also allows for smooth blends.

Cold-pressed paper is a rougher, more inconsistent surface for graphite. It’s best to work on this textured paper at larger scales, as it is difficult to control the quality of smaller strokes.

8B

4B

HB

4H

Artwork by Jim Dowdalls

Smooth drawing surfaces are ideal for pen and ink, especially for illustrations that call for precise rendering.

Artwork by Chelsea Ward

A) Charcoal produces bold, expressive strokes and is easy to blend, making it ideal for quick life-drawing sketches and gesture drawings.

B) Many artists opt to draw on toned paper. The value of the paper acts as a middle value to which you can add shadows and highlights. Because a middle value is already in place, you can develop forms quickly and boldly. In the above piece, I used charcoal and white pencil on gray toned paper, emphasizing the dramatic portrait lighting.

Artists often pair Conté crayons with toned paper, such as gray, cream, or light brown. If using a gray support, artists work with black and white Conté; if using a cream or light brown support, artists generally work with sanguine and white Conté.

Artwork by Jim Dowdalls

Sanded pastel paper, although costlier, is ideal for working with pastels. The more texture the paper has, the better, due to the soft nature of pastels.

Note: You can manipulate the consistency of oil pastel with linseed oil and solvents used in oil painting. However, be sure to work on primed canvas, board, or sized paper.

Rough Paper

Vellum-Finish Bristol Board

Laid Paper

Toned Pastel Paper

DRAWING MEDIA COMPARISON

Graphite on medium drawing paper

Charcoal on gray toned paper

Conté crayon on textured cream paper

Colored pencil on medium drawing paper

Soft pastel on textured blue paper

Ballpoint pen on medium drawing paper

STEP 1

Prepare a sheet of watercolor paper, a board for securing it, a large tray of water, a sponge, and masking tape. Immerse the paper in the water briefly, turning it over to wet both sides evenly.

STEP 2

Place the wet paper on your board, leaving enough room to add tape along the edges. Use a damp sponge to smooth over the paper, removing creases and air bubbles.

STEP 3

Cut four pieces of tape that are slightly longer than the paper’s edges and press them in place, smoothing them with your fingers. If using gummed tape, use the damp sponge to moisten the adhesive side before placing the strips. Allow to dry.

Thick paper is a great choice for working with gouache, because it will hold up to several layers of paint without warping. Textured paper will give your finished work a beautiful, natural feel.

Artwork by Joy Laforme

Many artists prefer to work with acrylic on toned surfaces. Toning refers to applying a layer of thin, transparent paint over the white of your surface. You might choose to do this for one or more of the following reasons:

• To establish a hue or hues that influence subsequent layers of paint, providing unity to the scene

• To establish a middle value that allows you to better judge the values of subsequent applications of paint

• To prevent distracting bits of white from showing through your final work

• To create interest in a background with subtle variations and textures

• To jump-start creativity and get past the blank white of your surface

Shown above is a canvas toned with pink, purple, and gold, along with its final painting (right). Notice how the original tone influences the finished work, creating a warm pink cast in the afternoon scene.

TONING THE CANVAS It’s often best to tone the canvas with a transparent pigment. This will produce a luminous foundation that will help you create a sense of depth in the rest of the painting.

Artwork by Tom Swimm

Artwork by James Sulkowski

The slow-drying properties of oil paints allow you to create smooth blends and rework paintings over multiple sessions, allowing for an impressive degree of realism.

ADDITIONAL PAINTS

Egg Tempera Egg tempera paint pairs best with a rigid support, such as wood panel or claybord. This lovely semi-translucent paint dries almost instantly. Egg tempera is highly susceptible to cracking with age and requires a rigid surface.

Encaustic Encaustic painting involves hot, liquid wax and is best for use on rigid surfaces that are absorbent and heat resistant. Wood panels are a good choice, and you can also purchase Encausticbord™, a ready-to-use surface specifically designed for the unique demands of encaustic painting. If you’re working with light layers or mixed-media techniques, flexible surfaces may also work. The key to working with encaustics is to test your wax on a new support type before beginning.

SURFACE PREPARATION

Most painting surfaces, such as wood, metal, and fabric, require preparation before you can paint on them. Without this step, paint may do one of the following: 1) fail to adhere, 2) peel away over time, 3) rot the underlying surface, 4) react with the surface to create discolorations, or 5) absorb into the surface too much and appear dull. A good primer can also provide a bright white base that yields true and luminous colors.

Two basic substances you might use to prepare a surface are sizing and primer (or ground). The world of surface preparation is vast, and you’ll find that product names and ingredients vary between manufacturers. The following pages offer an overview of the basics to help you better determine what category of product will work best for you.

Animal Glues Rabbit-skin glue and gelatin are considered traditional sizing for panels, canvas, and paper. If you choose one of these granulated options to create sizing, dissolve the powder overnight in a ratio of 1 part powder to 15 parts water. Then heat the mixture in a double boiler, brush the mixture thinly over the surface, and allow it to dry.

Synthetic Sealants Many artists choose to seal their surfaces with newer synthetic materials, such as acrylic matte or gel mediums, which are flexible, effective, and generally nontoxic. PVA (polyvinyl acetate) dispersion also works well for panel, canvas, and paper, but be sure to use a PVA that is labeled acid-free (or neutral pH). Some artists use polyurethane to seal rigid panel surfaces.

Traditional Gesso The term “gesso” is often used loosely to describe any opaque white primer for painting. However, true gesso is made from gypsum, chalk, or marble dust mixed with rabbit-skin glue and white pigment. It is a luminous primer for rigid surfaces such as wood panels. Because it is not flexible when dry, don’t use it to prime canvas or paper. Traditional gesso is not as readily available as newer primers, but you can find gesso mixing kits online and at some art-supply stores.

To apply gesso to a panel, heat it according to the manufacturer’s instructions, and then follow “Applying Acrylic Dispersion Ground” (shown here). Keep these points in mind:

• Precede the gesso with a layer of sizing to seal the panel.

• Use a large bristle brush (or a house paintbrush) to apply the gesso in thin coats to reduce the risk of cracking.

• Four to as many as ten thin coats of gesso will result in a wonderful, marblelike painting surface.

Oil & Alkyd Grounds Oil ground is an oil-based primer for canvas and panel that is designed to accept oil (but not acrylic) paints. It consists of linseed oil, chalk or gypsum, and white pigment.

Alkyd ground is a resin-based primer with a faster drying time. If desired, you can thin oil and alkyd grounds with solvents such as turpentine or mineral spirits. Note: Due to the difference in drying time, do not use alkyd-based paints over an oil ground.

To use oil and alkyd grounds, precede application with a layer of sizing. Then use a palette knife or spatula to spread the ground evenly over your surface. Allow the primer to dry for a few days. (If using alkyd, the ground may dry within a few hours.) One to two coats are generally sufficient.

Acrylic Dispersion Grounds Sometimes called “acrylic gesso,” acrylic dispersion ground or primer is a popular, inexpensive, versatile, and easy way to prime a paper, canvas, or panel. Similar to traditional gesso, it is a paintlike substance that you can apply to your surface in layers. Acrylic dispersion grounds come in white (used most often), gray, black, and clear. If desired, you can tint the ground your color of choice, using acrylic paint. Note: You do not need to apply sizing to a substrate before applying acrylic dispersion ground. However, to avoid possible darkening over time, first seal the surface with a layer of acrylic matte or gel medium.

You can use oil or acrylic paints over acrylic dispersion ground, although some artists choose to use an oil or alkyd ground under oil paints instead. Oil paints and acrylic ground respond a bit differently to temperature fluctuations, which may cause problems over time. Also, oil does not chemically bond to an acrylic surface, so be sure to leave some tooth on the surface and avoid sanding down your final layer of ground before applying oil paint.

Applying Acrylic Dispersion Ground

STEP 1 If using a panel, such as this block of oak, sand the surface to remove any grooves, splinters, or textural irregularities. Wipe away the dust with a damp cloth.

STEP 2 Use a house paintbrush or roller brush to apply a layer of acrylic dispersion ground, starting at one end of the panel and working to the other end. Use parallel strokes that overlap slightly.

STEP 3 Wait for the gesso to dry and lightly sand the surface to smooth out any clumps or brushstrokes, if desired. Remove the dust with a damp cloth.

STEP 4 At a 90-degree angle to your first layer of strokes, apply another layer of parallel strokes. When dry, lightly sand the surface and remove the dust with a damp cloth. After you have applied two to four layers, lightly sanding after each layer, your painting surface is ready!

TIP: Using a house paintbrush to apply ground can create thick strokes with striations. Some artists like working on this texture, but others prefer to remove any remaining stroke textures once dry using fine-grit sandpaper. If the acrylic dispersion ground feels too thick for your liking, simply thin it with water.