‘Gesso’ is a white, paint-like mixture traditionally made of plaster of Paris (gypsum), chalk, or whiting (calcium carbonate) ...

Gesso has an absorbent quality that prevents paint from bleeding or seeping when it's used as a primer on canvas, panel, paper, or other substrates. Before creating a painting of any kind—whether ...

When to Use Gesso While there are other types of primers out there, including latex, if you're painting with acrylic or oil, gesso is the best option. "This is because the calcium carbonate mixture ...