So, a while back - the very beginning, actually - I created my first blog post about new projects with a focus on up-cycled canvases and home-made primer. (see "BEGINNING PROJECTS: HOW TO MAKE PRIMER") Since it's been a while since I created my primer recipe - and therefore, have gone through much tweaking and editing to perfect my recipe - I thought I would do a follow-up post on how EXACTLY to make it, and what materials are best to use.
The first thing you want to do is collect all your materials before beginning this process because, trust me, you do NOT want to get half-way through mixing before you realize you don't even have any canvases to prime. (This has, embarrassingly enough, happened to me in the past. Please don't judge me.)
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| Yes, that says Twilight. And Snapple. No, I don't know why. |
To the Right is a collection of canvases I confiscated from a local Goodwill. (This is a joke. I have always been a law-abiding citizen.) Their sizes range between traditional 14"x11" to 24"x20". Buying these from an actual art supply store would have sucked a solid $50 or more out of my wallet. Instead, I chugged out to a thrift store ten minutes down the road from me and snagged these beauties for a grand total of $12.97. Yard sales are also a good place to find used canvases. Stay thrifty.
[For the record, I plan to do a follow-up post on how to shop for thrift-store canvases, what's worth the price, and how to up-cycle them properly without damaging the frame or material.]
The next thing to do is assemble the Avengers of art project supplies: Elmer's Glue, Plaster of Paris, Flat White Paint, and Water. Also, you will need a disposable bucket, an old paint brush you're prepared to sacrifice for the greater good, and a few plastic forks and spoons. Since my goal is to be as cheap as possible, I prefer to use products I already own, or things I can get my hands on for pennies. In this case, I'm using Spackle Paste instead of Plaster of Paris. (Although dry spackle is the best option, spackle paste is an easy substitute.)
I also found a bucket of expired white paint in my garage. In any other situation, expired materials are a no-go, but since we aren't using any of them on their own, this is fine.
And, since my family was home-schooled, at no point in time has there ever NOT been a container of Elmer's glue lying around.
After that, water is a relatively easy substance to come across. If you need help finding water, you probably shouldn't be engaging in DIY projects.
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| It may be oily. Mix well. |
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| Use plastic fork to mash lumps. |
The first thing you want to do is mash up your spackling paste until it's smooth enough to work with, and then spoon (or spatula) it into your mixing bucket, adding water (equal parts)and mixing to break down the paste until it looks like milk. When the paste is broken down and no longer lumpy, stir your paint (it will probably be separated, whether it's expired or not) and pour it into your watered down paste.
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| Stir paint to prevent separation. |
At this point, your mix should be:
-1 part paste
-1 part water
-2 parts paint
[For clarification, the orange blob in the corner of the pictures is my toe.]
Now you want to stir the mix carefully, and keep adding respective ratios of paint, spackling, and water until the mix is thin and smooth. It should be runnier than regular paint, but thicker than water.
Now you want to stir the mix carefully, and keep adding respective ratios of paint, spackling, and water until the mix is thin and smooth. It should be runnier than regular paint, but thicker than water.
I strongly advise you make MORE primer than you think you'll need. The most miserable thing you can do is create the perfect primer and begin your project, and then run out of the stuff half-way through and have to MAKE MORE and hope it's the same consistency as your first batch. (Wet primers do not mix well if they are of differing consistencies.)
It's time for glue. I wait until the end for this because, firstly, you want to make sure your paste is thoroughly broken down early on in the mixing process, and second because glue begins to coagulate rather quickly and it will spoil your batch if you add it too early. Mix the glue thoroughly into your other ingredients until the consistency is smooth and thin and glossy. It should spread thin and even when you brush it onto your canvas.
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| Mix as you pour in the glue so that it doesn't clump. Use a fork to break up any coagulation. |
When you have finished mixing your primer and have just the right amount - and please, PLEASE be sure you do - it's time to take a coffee break. I suggest something strong. Preferably with a stupid amount of caffeine. Never underestimate the need for refueling. You will want to keep chugging on, but unless you take a break and step back for a breath and a sip, you'll burn out. Relax. Replenish. Breathe. Wash your hands, clear your space, and remind yourself that you are a magnificent and innovative artisan.
Back to priming.
Every artist has a preference for the consistency of their primer. I like to keep mine thing and strong. I want it to brush on watery and dry solid.
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| First Coat |
The white paint is meant to behave as a base ingredient to build on. The plaster of Paris (or, in this case, spackle paste) will insure that the primer dries with a chalky finish which will allow for enough texture for your paint to cling to when you begin your project. The water keeps it thin so that the primer isn't thick and clumpy (otherwise, you might as well just coat your entire canvas in plain white paint), and the glue is to bind all the ingredients together so that, even though it's thin, it isn't transparent. You can alter the ratio of these ingredients to achieve a consistency that best suits you.
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| Second Coat |
Above and to the right are the first and second coats of primer. Most used canvases require at least two coats, possibly more if the original painting utilized neon colors, or any lead-based paint - lead based paint will bleed through primer rather viciously, so you'll want to keep an eye on how each individual painting dries.
As you can see, the canvas on the far right has a patch of blue that is stubbornly bleeding through the second coat of primer. It maintained it's stubbornness, despite the THIRD and FOURTH coat of primer I slathered onto it, so I guess I'm just going to have to wait and hope that whatever project I dedicate that canvas to, the paint will cover it up. If this happens to you, you can either give up and not care too much - paint will probably cover it - or you can separate a small portion of your primer, add some extra spackle paste, and really go over the bleeding patch with determination. I prefer not to stress too much over it. It's up to you.
Now, if you're like me (...then I'm so sorry...) you are most likely covered in primer. This is okay. If you have to run errands while your first coat dries and don't feel like taking a shower in-between coats of primer, there is a good chance that people who see you will think that you have an extremely contagious skin disease. This is also okay. Van Gogh taught us that public approval is not necessary to create great works of art. Learn from the masters.
Before you begin any painting projects on your newly primed canvas, make sure your primer is COMPLETELY dry. Store any leftovers in a tightly sealed container with a label so that you don't mistake it for regular white paint. Or milk. (It's happened.)
From here, you're ready to paint! Good luck!
-Chimmy
