Gamblin Ground

BarryC

This is the first time I’ve made my own canvas covered panels.

I sealed the back and sides with  varnish. I then attached the canvas with hide glue and covered the canvas with hide glue as well. Next I primed the canvas with Gamblin Ground. It has now been over two weeks and each panel canvas still reeks of the Gamblin ground. Is this normal and will continue to smell until I put my blockin down?

Abstraction

It's the alkyd resin oil that creates the smell I expect - so you can get the same smell from liquin or galkyd. I wish I could tell you but my sense of smell is terrible and I don't recall noticing. The advantage of the alkyd resin is that it's quicker drying than a linseed oil ground if you're after an oil ground. (Gamblin Ground. Gamsol is their solvent.)

broker12

Is there a reason why you went through this process?  Or am I wrong . . . I've been painting on ready-made canvases for years.  The only "treatment" I give then is to tone the canvas to a light middle value.

BarryC

broker12 said:

Is there a reason why you went through this process?  Or am I wrong . . . I've been painting on ready-made canvases for years.  The only "treatment" I give then is to tone the canvas to a light middle value.

For a number of reasons. 

First, for the experience and because I can - I’m a woodworker and have the tools. 

Second, gives me a higher quality product that I’m not willing to pay for at the stores at my current level. 

Thirdly, painting on an oil based canvas/panel is better than gesso(modern gesso), also see YouTube demo comparing gesso vs oil based surfaces. 

Lastly, what I have been hearing is that gesso will absorb some of your paint while the oil based will not. This makes your paint show as you intended. This is related to the third point.

in regards to the cost, I was able to make 20 medium weave canvas panels for less than $2 a piece. Adding the oil ground increases the price significantly, say to $5. But I’m making $25 - $45 panels, depending on size. Mine are 12x12, 14 x 16, 16 x 16. Hope this helps.

broker12

Barry . . . one thing you missed in your reply (above) is cross linking . . . when you paint on an oil ground, it chemically links up with the paint you apply on top.  Many artists think this adds to the life of their painting.  Most of them use an lead based oil ground, which provided strong cross linking.  Until I went through a surge of pneumonia, covid, and pertussis (whooping cough), I used to cut panels from Masonite and prepare them much the way you do.  But I did not do the oil ground.  I paint in layers, so I figured yesterday's work presented an oil ground for today's effort.  As you mentioned, making your own panels is certainly much less expensive than buying them.

BarryC

broker12 said:

Barry . . . one thing you missed in your reply (above) is cross linking . . . when you paint on an oil ground, it chemically links up with the paint you apply on top.  Many artists think this adds to the life of their painting.  Most of them use an lead based oil ground, which provided strong cross linking.  Until I went through a surge of pneumonia, covid, and pertussis (whooping cough), I used to cut panels from Masonite and prepare them much the way you do.  But I did not do the oil ground.  I paint in layers, so I figured yesterday's work presented an oil ground for today's effort.  As you mentioned, making your own panels is certainly much less expensive than buying them.

I originally  thought of using lead based, but that is even more expensive. I wanted to get the technique down before I started using lead and Belgium linen, which I think would give the highest quality one could achieve.

I used a 6m plywood for my panels, which look great, especially when one looks at the back - nice varnished wood grain, but some of the panels curved just slightly, which the Masonite would not have an issue with. Using Masonite panels is my standard, and I  just gessoed them. Will try again with the oil ground. 

Does the lead based leave a residual order, and if so, for how long? I contacted Gamsol and they verified the residual order is normal and will go away, especially once the block-in is complete. I can vouch for this as I finished a block-in yesterday.

Abstraction

I can see you've done your homework. I use tempered masonite (I can only get S1S in Australia, not tempered both sides), which I seal on all sides and edges with Gamblin PVA before applying Gamblin Ground. Then I cradle them for stability. Gamblin PVA and acrylics for sealing are both water dispersed so either can cause some lipping on the masonite edges - but as a fellow-woodworker I'm sure you're aware and can manage that. You just don't overly soak the absorbent edges. I don't use linen or canvas because I find the texture can interfere with the finest details. Maybe the very fine linens fix that, I don't know. Many people prefer it but the reason they began to use canvas rather than panels (or painting directly on walls) originally was because large panels were difficult to move around. So were the plaster walls, apparently. I personally don't use ply because I don't trust the quality of timbers and glues for the long haul. Some leach formaldehyde too. The downside of hardboard/ masonite is, don't dent the corners. And bigger paintings can get a little heavy.

The lead paint doesn't have a residual odour but if it's lead ground you need to check what the oil is. If it's linseed, it will have a linseed odour but if it uses alkyd it will reek. Rublev offer both of these. Goodness it isn't cheap.

Richard_P

Have you considered Dibond which is much more stable?

Abstraction

@Richard_P You're correct. I haven't because for some subconscious reason it doesn't appeal to me. And I don't know why. Something about aluminium composite feels... something modern and commercial/ industrial like a refrigerator. I know hardboard is really no different in that sense, but painting on wood still has more romance, perhaps? There is nothing rational about what I have written here - just wondering why I have this reaction. On a practical note I don't like the idea of a knock on an aluminium panel as normally they are less stable in that way than hardboard. Maybe Dibond panels are thicker and resistant to dents?

Richard_P

I can understand that. Feel is important to artists.

I wasn't sure either when I first tried them, but they've grown on me and being so archival is a big plus for me.

kaustavM

I have loads of dibond in my apartment. All I have to do is pull them out from the fire security doors.  I don't use oil or alkyd ground as they are imported and gets very expensive. But would love to work on lead one day. Make sure that any of these oil grounds do not have zinc. 

Abstraction

There will be a new generation of graffiti artists who paint fine art over the top of dibond commercial signs and other boring uses everywhere to make the world a more beautiful place.