Prepping wood panels

LovesArt

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Hi! I haven't painted anything yet but while I wait for my supplies I want to prepare my wooden panels for airbrushing. (You know, to have them ready for that day when I feel confident enough to move beyond less permanent supports.)

The panels are: "crafted from 100% artist grade Tung wood and accept all acrylic gessos and oil priming. These wooden panels are cradled with a solid wood frame which eliminates warping and stretching."(http://www.cheapjoes.com/joe-s-prime-3-4-profile-cradled-painting-panels.html)

My current plan is to apply several coats of acrylic gesso. But is there anything else I should do to make sure the paint adheres well, like apply some kind of base over the gesso? Or should I use something entirely different to prime them instead? I'll be using Createx Illustration Colors. Thanks!
 
I mix some acrylic varnish with gesso and give it a few coats to make it a bit harder. It helps if you're going to use scratching techniques or something like that :)


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I mix some acrylic varnish with gesso and give it a few coats to make it a bit harder. It helps if you're going to use scratching techniques or something like that :)


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What a great idea! Which acrylic varnish? What ratio varnish to gesso for best surface? Thanks!
 
What a great idea! Which acrylic varnish? What ratio varnish to gesso for best surface? Thanks!

The one I use says it's water based with polyurethane :) As for the ratio, the more varnish, the harder it gets, so it depends on your taste... I'm usually comfortable with 1 part varnish, 3 parts gesso, more or less, applied in several coats :)


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I just use MDF as thick as I desire or can afford LOL, prime it with a good rolling of any white acrylic as a base, sand with 1000 grit or higher if you want smoother and then paint..Thicker MDF can be easily hung as it, thinner sheets I build a frame first if its a piece I plan to want to hang later..If its mainly for practice, try getting a couple old washing machine panels or similar white goods, and then just lightly sand and paint..Metal assists in teaching you to be light handed...and if you stuff up you can just wipe it off with thinners and start again :)
 
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