# Question about Gesso



## kauldron (Oct 17, 2011)

I was at the craft store yesterday and I was looking for Mod Podge but couldn't seem to find any. I did find a bunch of stuff called Gesso in the paint and canvas area. I guess artists use it on canvas as a prep but what I am wondering is can it be used like Mod Podge? I am wanting to make a set of old, spooky books for my mantle. This stuff goes for $35 a gallon and I didn't want to buy it then find out it doesn't work right. Has anyone ever used it before?


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## Headless (Sep 4, 2011)

I think you will find that not all gesso dries clear. So that would be something I would check first.


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## kauldron (Oct 17, 2011)

Hmmm....maybe I am confused. I haven't tried a book project yet but what I have seen on tutorials is people covering their projects in a type of white coating, which I thought was Mod Podge, before they began painting. It was some type of texture that kind of evened out the lines and cracks.


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## DreadKnightswife (Oct 16, 2011)

Modpodge can be used to stick items to something then painted over the top to protect it. There is indoor ans outdoor modpodge, something I discovered the hard way. I don't know what gesso is but I don't believe it was modpodge they were using to fill cracksn unless they were using it to fill cracks to preserve them.


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## Pumpkin5 (Aug 8, 2010)

:jol: Gesso is used as a primer for canvas so that you can use acrylic or oil paints on the canvas. I have used Gesso to prepare fabric for acrylic paints, when I made some Steampunk crows. You will still need to follow up with a sealer of some kind, but it does kind of "fill in" imperfections in what you are painting on top of. I used the typical white gesso, and it worked fine, but there are "clear" gessos according to the "interweb" that you can use to thin acrylic paint with.  Hope that helps.


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## kauldron (Oct 17, 2011)

Thanks DKW and thanks P5, I think I am going to give it a shot, when I get around to it. I'll let everyone know how it turns out. The other product I was trying to come up with was Jaxsan, thanks Bascombe, but the gesso may work the same way. I'm gonna pick up a small bottle to try out first.


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