Gesso is primarily used as a primer on canvases for painting. The gesso gives the canvas tooth and helps the paint stick better. I use gesso to prime my puppet heads before I paint them. You can purchase a 16-oz bottle of gesso online for about $10. I honestly think the gesso I make is way better and it’s a lot cheaper per oz. I have made a list below of the items you will need.
- Distilled water
- Marble Dust
- Titanium Dioxide
- Elmer’s Glue-All Glue – The extra strong formula
The marble dust and titanium dioxide will cost you about $25 to $30. The glue costs around $22 a gallon, and the water is about $2 a gallon at Walmart. All together, you will pay about $54 for everything you need to make eight 16-oz bottles of gesso. Not only is the gesso I make way better (My Opinion), but you will also save about $30. The recipe to make the gesso is below.
- 4 ounces of water
- 2 ounces of glue
- 1 ounce of titanium dioxide
- 8 ounces of marble dust
Directions:
- Get a large-mouthed airtight bottle with a lid that can hold 16 to 20 ounces.
- Fill the bottle with 4 ounces of warm water and 2 ounces of glue.
- Shake the bottle until the water and glue are thoroughly mixed. (3 to 5 minutes)
- Take 1 ounce of titanium dioxide and add it to the bottle.
- Shake the bottle until the titanium dioxide is thoroughly mixed. (3 to 5 minutes)
- Take 8 ounces of marble dust and add it to the bottle.
- Shake the bottle until the marble dust is thoroughly mixed. (3 to five minutes)
If you find any lumps in your gesso, break them up with a fork. Then shake the container for a few more minutes. Make sure you add a few coats to your puppet heads before you start painting. Also, give the puppet heads a light sanding between coats with 600-grit sandpaper for a smooth finish. You can store the unused gesso in a cool, dry place, and it should last for a long time.