Can I use gesso to cover an old painting?

Author: Mathias Stehr  |  Last update: Friday, October 3, 2025

If you have paintings piling up and want to reuse your old canvas - you can! Adding a coat or two of gesso makes your surface as good as new. Gessoing is cost effective and saves old projects from ending up in the landfill.

Will gesso cover an old painting?

The most common solution is to cover the old painting with gesso as a method for starting over or perhaps changing a certain area of the composition. This is not a good idea for oil, or acrylic paintings. Gesso is a ground, it is not paint. It is meant to be applied to an absorbent surface that has 'tooth'.

How do you cover old paintings?

If it's an old acrylic painting, you can prime it over with multiple coats of white or black gesso, let dry, and then paint as you normally would. If it appears to have a glossy appearance, giving it a quick sand with sand paper just to rough it up helps the gesso stick.

Can gesso be applied over acrylic paint?

Yes, in fact, gesso over acrylic paint is a great way to re-use an old canvas. If there are any textural elements, you will need to sand the canvas back first, then apply white gesso such as our Premium Mont Marte Gesso, using a foam brush or a large paint brush to your canvas or painting board.

Can you seal a painting with gesso?

Gesso is primarily an acrylic primer (sorry, couldn't resist). It is a sensational product for sealing canvas, paper and boards such as masonite.

Reuse an Old Canvases with Gesso | Acrylic Painting

Is gesso a good sealer?

Gesso is a primer and not a sealer. Gesso, when applied, has a satin or matte finish, is absorbent in nature, and therefore will not adequately seal the wood unless multiple applications are used – and this still may not fully seal the wood.

What happens if you put gesso over oil paint?

Third, acrylic gesso grounds absorb oil from the paint layer, which can saturate the gesso and later darken.

Is mod podge the same as gesso?

Gesso does seal the canvas... Mod Podge can do either, it can be a glue or to seal the work on top. RE: Manda_K: Gesso does seal the canvas... Mod Podge can do either, it can be a glue or to seal the work on top.

How many times can you gesso over a painting?

Gesso as Many times as you like over watercolors or acrylics. But unless you don't mind spending, you don't want to gesso too much it gets a little expensive after a while. And how big is the canvas or board you're using. Gesso over large dimensions take a lot of coating and time.

What can I use to cover a painting?

There's more than one way to mask an area of a painting to protect it from overspray, washes or contact. You can use liquid masking fluid, shelving paper, templates, plain paper and different types of tape.

How do you cover up old paint?

How Do I Paint Over Painted Walls? Covering a dark paint color with a lighter paint color will require multiple coats of new paint. It may make more sense to cover the old color in a primer, which is less expensive than your paint. This way, you will only need 1 to 2 coats of your new paint.

What happens when you mix gesso with paint?

You can also tint your gesso to make any color you want. Just mix a little acrylic paint to the gesso, and you've got some tinted gesso! There are two different grades of gesso: Artist grade and Student grade. The difference between the two amounts to the different ratios of pigment vs.

Should you sand canvas after gesso?

First, I mix together gesso, a bit of water, and a liquid acrylic for a tone. I apply it to my canvas with a foam brush, then sand it down with a fine grit sandpaper (usually 320 grit). I repeat this process 2-3x for a silky smooth canvas that allows me to paint pieces in realism.

What is the best way to apply gesso?

Use a flat brush and apply the acrylic gesso neatly in one direction only, ensuring the gesso sits on the surface of the canvas and does not go through the canvas. This will prevent your paint seeping through the canvas and rotting the unprimed side later.

What is the point of using gesso?

Without gesso there would be nothing to prevent your wet paint seeping straight through the fibres of a canvas or any other absorbent surface. Gesso provides the protective barrier between the paint and the surface. Canvas, by its very nature, is not a smooth surface due to its weaves.

What does Bob Ross use white gesso for?

The Bob Ross Gesso is available in white, black and grey and is used as a primer and undercoat for the canvas before you begin painting.

How many layers of gesso are on canvas?

It is recommended to apply at least two coats of Gesso to any surface, but especially when painting on canvas or linen. The first coat will penetrate the support and reduce the likelihood of paint de-lamination. The second coat bonds with the first layer and begins to even out the surface.

Should I seal my painting with Mod Podge?

Yes, Mod Podge will seal acrylic paint. It creates a protective barrier over the paint, preventing it from peeling or chipping. Depending on the project, you can choose from different finishes like matte, gloss, or satin.

Can I decoupage over gesso?

A: Yes. However, clear gesso's have some grit to them.

How to paint over an old painting?

Make sure the surface is clean and free of dust (use a soft rag or something). And then paint right over the existing painting with your new painting, remembering that you shouldn't use too much solvent because you should try to stay on the “fatter” side of things.

How many coats of gesso do I need for oil painting?

Multiple Coats

It is recommended to apply at least two coats of Gesso to any surface, but especially when painting on canvas or linen. The first coat will penetrate the support and reduce the likelihood of paint de-lamination. The second coat bonds with the first layer and begins to even out the surface.

What is the best gesso for oil painting?

Browse our selection of the best oil primers below.
  1. Golden Gesso. The original manufacturer of commercially available acrylics, Golden is a classic go-to for quality painting materials. ...
  2. Grumbacher Gesso. ...
  3. Parrot Pro Art Premium Gesso. ...
  4. Liquitex Professional White Gesso. ...
  5. Gamblin Oil Painting Ground.

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