Master in Masterpiece!
Master - that implies work. You dont become a master at anything overnight.
Where does one start?
Master – that implies work. You don’t become a master at anything overnight.
Unless you are a dreamer, that is achievable.
But why not combine the two – Dreamer and Master?
If you were able to do that you can achieve a Masterpiece as well.
Break it into steps, easy peasy right?
Master in Masterpiece – I will break it down over the next few blogs to get you on your way!
First – Surface Preparation
Masterpieces have to start somewhere, so the best place is your surface. What do you intend to use for the base of your artwork? This is an important decision as a lot of things hinge on it. Care must be taken to choose correctly, for example, if you paint on untreated wood, over time the oils or sap will rise to the surface ruining your artwork.
- Be sure your surface is clean of any contaminants.
- Lightly sand your chosen surface to smooth any bumps or indentations. This also allows painting a place to grab onto if it is a very smooth surface.
- Lightly wipe away any dust left from the sanding.
- Before going further consider any elemental environments that may affect your Masterpiece over time; once you evaluate you will need to compensate for them. For example, if moisture or dampness will be an issue a form of water barrier is required to assist in the preservation of the Masterpiece. You may wish to use a form of water-borne acrylic to stiffen the fabric and reduce water absorption. The Paint manufacturer Golden has various forms of GAC to meet most needs. Please see the link at bottom of the page.
- Masters of the past primed their chosen surfaces using a form of rabbit glue, a type of adhesive. Modern-day Masters and painters use a form of Gesso in its place. Gesso can be applied to the now-primed canvas in as few or as many layers as you desire for a smooth surface. Sanding lightly may be required between coats.
- Note: do not sand your painting too smoothly or your paint will have nothing to hold onto. Light sanding is all that is required.
Masterpiece has to start somewhere, so choose wisely.
Until next time!
Happy Painting 🙂
