What is Black Gesso used for?

​Use black gesso for both oil and acrylic paintings.

​"Black gesso is a type of primer or base coat used in painting. It is a water-based acrylic paint that contains pigment and a binder, typically made from a combination of acrylic polymer, calcium carbonate, and water.  It can be used to uncoat and prepare canvas and surfaces for both  for Acrylic and Oils Paints.

​In 1955, Henry Levison developed a contemporary variant of gesso using calcium carbonate, pigment, and acrylic polymer, which he named Liquitex. He coined the phrase "a perfect blend of liquid and texture" to describe it. Liquitex has a thinner consistency than white acrylic paint and hardens as it dries.

Why use a Black Gesso?

Artists use Black Gesso to achieve a high contrast effect with a dark background, as well as to cover up imperfections that might not be visible on a lighter surface. The Black Gesso makes a strong visual impact on the surface it covers, making it a popular choice for creating moody and dark paintings.

​Moreover, Black Gesso is excellent for toning the canvas, providing a darker base for painting. This can produce stunning visual effects, offering artists a versatile tool for their creative expression.

Does the FAS Black Gesso offer the same protective properties?
​
The FAS Gesso formulation is the same for the Black and White, only the colour is different.  The Black Gesso still seals, undercoats and primes to protect your final artwork, just like the White Gesso. 

Learn More about Painting with Gesso >>

Paint in Black, use less paint and Save Money:

One significant point is when you are planning to paint a darker moody painting over a white Gesso primed canvas.  You will end up using a lot more paint. Because you are starting on a stark white background, you will need to layer the canvas with coat after coat of paint to get the same effect. 
Save Money, Paint it Black.

Tint your White Gesso to the colour mood of your painting:
​
Also, remember, you can also tint the White Gesso with an acrylic colour like red or blue,  so you already have the mood on the canvas before you even apply any paint.  

Happy Painting:
I hope this helps you. 
Feel free to let me know in the comments if you have helpful tips and hints we can pass on to others.
Thanks
Tony Parker
​

[ FAS Gesso ]

LEVEL: Primary to Artist.
There are two popular ways to paint fabrics. One is ready-made fabric printing ink, and the other is to use a medium with acrylic paint.  

Textile fabric painting ink.
This is a paint or ink that can be heat-set to a fabric to make it permanent, completely washable and dry cleanable. FAS Fastex is made exclusively for fabric material and offers real, lasting quality once heat-set correctly. See our video on heat setting. Other brands may differ.

Paints with a Textile Medium added.
You can mix a textile medium with acrylic paint to make it suitable for fabric. This can work reasonably well, but it is still a paint that has been redirected with medium to be applied to fabric. This method often does not layer well, so when it dries, you can feel rigid surface that will only get worse with more layers you paint. Often is not as durable as real fabric paints.

The Good from the Bad.
Once applied, a good fabric painting ink should not only look good with solid colours, but you should not be able to feel it on the fabric no matter how many layers you have printed. FAS Fastex Painting Ink layers well, and your artwork remains extremely durable when heat set correctly.

Application:
There are three main ways to use textile fabric ink. We are just looking at one today.
1. By brush
2. Simple stencil.
3. Screen print to a high definition.   
The golden rule is to paint thinly. Two thin coats are better than one thick coat. Heat-set by ironing the fabric once it is completely dry
 
Mesh Screen Printing 
Screen Printing with Textile Ink
Screen Printing gives strong, sharp and clean colours. It allows the artist to have complete control of the finished artwork.

1. Place the fabric under the screen. Making sure it is flat with no wrinkles.
2. Put a small amount of Fastex Textile Ink above the design inside the screen.
3. Use a squeegee to evenly drag the ink evenly across the design inside the screen.
4. Gently lift the screen off your fabric and allow the to dry.
Finished design in high definition. NB: note the TM 
5. Once dry, iron the fabric at a good hot setting. See our video below.

TIPS:  
- Less is more. Try not to paint too thick.
- You may need to clean between colours but more often than you can do a run of fabric prints this way.
- Make sure your artwork is completely dry before you iron.  

​Paper mache is a lot of creative fun.  These right pink pigs are easy to make and, once painted with bright colours, look fabulous in kids’ rooms or around the classroom.  It is so much fun and everyone seems creates something different and unique.