RE:GESSO

[Rutlands@aol.com]

Poster: Rutlands@aol.com

Saying that the acrylic glop that comes in jars is gesso is like saying that
Knight's Inns are true chivalry.  No logic.  None.  Ouch.

Gesso is a mixture of plaster, whether calcium carbonate or calcium sulfate,
and an animal glue or gelatin to bind it and give it strength.  Read Cennini
for good recipes, or Daniel V. Thompson's redactions of Cennini.  Animal glue
and calcium carbonate create the stronger stuff, generally known as gesso
grosso.  Slaked calcium sulfate and gelatin make the softer, finer stuff know
as gesso sottile, used for finish coats (7 or 8 for good measure) and raised
detail work.  Plaster of Paris can be used for the gesso grosso, plus glue.
Thompson and Cennini give more details on the glue versus gelatin business,
including what part of the goat to boil down for what type of glue.  Rabbit
skin glue, available at Utrechts and Pearl, is a good strong glue for gesso
grosso.  I get gelatin from Kremer's Pigments in New York.

Email me privately for more details.

Daniel of Rutland

Gesso in a bottle indeed.  Harumph.
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