Hello Everyone,
I recently posted this issue with the Painting Best Practices group and I recieved great information for how to prepare a large linen but not how to fix my specific issue. I’m preparing a linen canvas thats 13ft x 16ft and my doing it over board. I only placed 2 coats of gesso and the second coat has created pretty big bubbles. Can someone offer recommendations as how to remove them? I dont know if this is a lost cause or if something can be done.
Thanks and take care
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Hello Brain,
Thank you for your time and for helping me out. I will definitely do what your said, but a doubt came to mind when I read your answer. You mentioned the idea of there being a gap between the linen and the panel. My linen is simply resting on the panel and im assuming this doesnt count as a gap. Could this lack of space be creating the bubbles?
When you write “gessoed linen” I am assuming that you mean that there is a gap between the linen and the panel. Since this is an issue of “a lost cause” or a possible fix, I think that it is worth trying the following. With room temp water, slightly dampen the offending area and extend a little beyond the region of the bubble. Let it rest for bit but not until it has completely dried, nor while it is obviously wet. Cover the area with a piece of mylar (silicone coated mylar, silicone side faced towards the gesso, would be preferable but this is not generally in the possession of most artists.) Use an clothes iron set to medium at most and warm the surface applying little pressure at first. Move the iron in a circular motion never resting until the area sets down. Continue for a minute or so until the moisture is mostly gone. This will likely work. After drying I would probably sand the area a bit with some medium grit sandpaper before applying more layers if you intend to do so.
This may not work and you may have to start over but this is what I would try if it were my painting substrate.
So sorry. This is one of the reasons why I hate the term “gesso” for an acrylic dispersion ground. I had assumed an animal glue adhesive holding the fabric and an animal glue bound ground.
You could try what I wrote on your ground but I am less sure of the results.
Couple thoughts from the team at GOLDEN. We have seen Acrylic Dispersion Ground/ Acrylic Gesso strike through linen and adhere fabric to panel when it is backed in this way. When this happens, the acrylic can glue the fabric down in spots across the surface which causes irregular tension, forming bumps or sags in the fabric. We also wondered if the sags might be between the fasteners/staples, which could indicate the fabric could use more uniform tension along the tacking edge. At this point, you might try pulling the fabric off the panel. If its glued down, just pull it off, then restretch as tight as possible. It is likely the first two coats filled any holes in the weave and that additional coats will not strike through. Unfasten the fabric from the bottom and let it hang from the top. You may need to sand off any acrylic dispersion ground from the panel if it pushed through and made a texture if you think will bother you during the painting process.
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