Gesso and Priming Materials

"The Tools of Contemporary Masters" Since 1980, Gamblin has handcrafted luscious oil colors and contemporary painting mediums that are true to historic working properties, yet safer and more permanent. All of Gamblin's oil painting materials are handcrafted at the company's wind-powered factory in Portland, Oregon. This is a paint you can trust for permanence and studio safety — from the industry leader. Traditionally, gesso (Italian for "gypsum") was applied only to panels. Gamblin's Traditional Gesso is a classic absorbent ground for oil panels which, when mixed with water, forms a luminous painting surface. Most "modern" gessos use an acrylic binder. This traditional gesso uses an oil binder. Use it to recreate the traditional supports and surfaces used by panel painters for hundreds of years. Gamblin Traditional Gesso is a dry mixture of rabbit skin glue, gypsum, marble dust, and titanium dioxide. Robert Gamblin recommends applying four coats of this traditional gesso to both sides of thin or poorly braced panels. Gamblin Traditional Gesso is too brittle to use with fabric supports.

This is a high-quality oil ground that contains no lead. Made from Titanium White, marble dust, and linseed oil for flexibility, this soft, fine white ground is so heavy, it can be cut in half with turpentine.

Use this flexible acrylic gesso directly from the container. The high grit content of Chroma Atelier Gesso provides a highly satisfying, stable white ground on which to paint.