Zinsser 123 instead of artist's gesso?

[Stephen Duppe]

Hi,

I am preparing some acrylic-painted artist's canvases for overpainting, beginning by putting on some layers of gesso. The brand of gesso I'm using is Winsor & Newton's "Professional", which is supposed to have the best covering power of all the gessos they make. Nonetheless on some of the canvases I have already put on three coats and may well need more.

Would something like Zinsser's "123" primer do the job better? I've always found it a good product, although partly this is because my mind is still blown by a paint that you can put on top of oil-based gloss or varnished wood and then, if you want, put emulsion on top of; and which manages to be water-based and dry in half an hour. I can't recall ever needing more than two coats of it on anything. I've also found it knocks Hammerite out of the park for painting ex-rusty metal, even if you don't sand off ever last scrap of rust. As I understand it, it's basically an acrylic primer and sealant. Well so is gesso. Zinsser 123 and the W&N gesso smell similar too. Could the 123 be described as "great when used as gesso"?

I'll test it to find out, but wondered whether anyone else had already done this.

Cheers,

Stephen

[Chris Bacon]

No idea, but I would observe that if it's already been acrylic'd then thats the way to go instead of rissing about with "real" gesso or making your own with hide glue and chunks of the cretaceous Downs.

[Stephen Duppe]

Chris Bacon [e-mail] wrote in news:rje4c0$1f41$ [e-mail]:

Thanks for this. I think the 123 contains chalk. Could be that they wouldn't be in breach of the Trades Descriptions Act if they marketed it as "gesso"?

Stephen

[Chris Bacon]

Sorry, don't know. I would talk to them.

"To contact the Technical Support Team, call 0191 411 3166 or email [e-mail]. Data sheets for each of the Zinsser products can be found in the products section of this site"

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[alan_m]

[Chris Bacon]

Some people are very willing to talk about their product and interested in things in general.

It costs nothing to talk. "FFS".

[Chris Bacon]

I assume there's something the matter with you and/or your comprehension.

1) You're using the juvenile and silly "us" construct, when you mean "me". 2) It's quite clear that I was advising the OPer to phone them, yet for some reason, almost certainly connected to my first sentence in this post, you want me to 'phone them.

Pffft. Pathetic.

[Chris Bacon]

FWIW I was at Aldi this afternoon, they have "chalk paint" in litres at a fiver. No idea what it's like, can't remember who makes it, you could have a look (or not!). Colour: "Clotted Cream".

[Stephen Duppe]

Chris Bacon [e-mail] wrote in news:rjgo9k$6gd$ [e-mail]:

Ah yes, "chalk paint". I've heard of people using this ultra-matt stuff on furniture and then "distressing" or waxing it. I haven't heard of it used as a ground on art paintings before, or as an undercoat of any description, but since some may contain chalk I will investigate. Thanks for this.

I am in the process of "reclaiming" four canvases, using both Winsor and Newton "professional" gesso and Zinsser 123 and can report as follows.

The 123 has been better at blanking out the underlying colours that have been worst at showing through - worse than black - namely blue and purple.

The gesso dries matt; the 123, satin.

Neither has been great at hiding brush strokes. I will investigate using washes with both and also sanding.

123 as a satin ground with gloss colours applied on top might be right up my street, with no need to varnish the canvas later.

Stephen

[F Murtz]

Ordinary acrylic undercoat,even works under oils.

[Jimk]

Like they'll say yes or no ;-)

Just try it FFS?

[Jimk]

Tell us what they say......dare you

[Jimk]

Silent call?

[Jimk]

Not at all... You advocate some (imo dubious) course of action, I suggest *you* do it & prove me wrong...

You bluster & squirm out of it. Simples. Prick.

[Joc]

Awesome thanks!! I have been wondering g about the 123 🤔