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Preparing hardboard for oil painting
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Message
Posted
Stephen - basically yes , you need to coat the back as well to " balance" it . I would recommend using the gesso on both sides so that the effect of sealing from atmospheric changes is the same . Out of interest though , how much is hardboard costing you ? , I am currently trying both 4mm MDF , and also 4mm plywood which seem quite cheap but I'm cutting them myself from 8 x 4 sheets as I still have my sheet-cutting machine ( panel saw ) left over from my joinery days . One advantage in using the MDF and ply is that I can use both sides to paint on whereas the " back" of hardboard would be difficult ( ?) although others may disagree .
Steve Weight
Posted
I use 3mm MDF and prepare just one side with several coats of gesso.
I much prefer it to hardboard, and incidentally, you should never paint on the back of hardboard as the rough surface it far to ‘mechanical’ and just not suitable.
I’ve never had any reason to seal the back, it seems like a waste of effort! I’ve never had any issues on that front!
I’ve been trying out the Belle Arti boards from Jackson’s Art, I really like them! 3mm MDF with a laminated canvas surface to one side - absolutely superb boards. I don’t believe these have any sealant on the reverse, it’s just not necessary!
Edited
by Alan Bickley
Posted
If the picture is framed, and has a backing board, there's no real need to seal the back: though if you choose to - and it's certainly not illogical to do so - you could use acrylic medium, shellac, acrylic paint, anything that creates a seal.
Ply is a less good idea, because it can do all sorts of annoying things over the years: split, delaminate, being the most obvious. I have a few paintings on birch plywood - but wouldn't use it again. I should add that I've never known it to fail, but others have - and the paint-maker George O'Hanlon, who makes Rublev oils, says ultimate failure is almost inevitable.
MDF really needs sealing all around the exposed edges - even a little bit of damp can cause it to expand and start to fall apart. The much reviled canvas boards are better. Even Daler boards, if they can still be got, are better if protected in a frame.
There are several archival alternatives - eg Ampersand boards - and they do get expensive. Hardboard may not be ideal, but - there are many worse surfaces, and yes, the reverse may tempt you to paint on it with its "canvas-like" texture, but you soon discover it's nothing like canvas: many years ago, there were oil-primed hardboard panels which DID use the reverse side - very thickly primed. I forget who made them, this must have been 40 years ago: I only used them once; never again....
Posted
You're right, I was thinking more of the thicker boards of MDF some people buy in B&Q and then paint on: more exposed surface on the edges, more need for care.
I've just had a look at a few of mine on MDF - I don't get it from B & Q, it is in the form of ready-made boards, and in nearly all of them the paint has seeped over the edges anyway: one I left in a fairly damp place (unfortunately, the whole of the Isle of Wight tends to damp!) has suffered more than slightly. Fortunately - it was one of my failures: had it not been, it wouldn't have been left in a damp place... that was a Belle Arti board: interesting thing is, once I rescued it, it dried out very well: if anyone were foolish enough to make me an offer for it - well, I'd rather they didn't, because I should have to admit to authorship. But I could sell it to them as being free of technical issues: a bit of light staining on the back, but otherwise as gloriously horrid as they day I painted it, having had a chance to dry out.
Posted
You can’t buy 3mm MDF from any of the hardware stores, I send away for it cut to size, with postage (it’s heavy stuff) it ain’t cheap!
Which is why, more recently I’ve gone over to the Belle Arti MDF boards, and you can get a variety of coverings.
I recently tried their ‘Rough Jute’ for some sunsets I’ve been working on for a feature in TA, a really top notch surface if you’re looking for a rough finish to your painting.
I don’t want that for every painting, but just occasionally a subject calls for it…
I still tend to add a coat of gesso to it, but it’s not necessary.
A few artists on here use readily available 6mm MDF, but that’s pretty damn heavy stuff if you’re working at any decent size. They claim 3mm warps and is too flexible… utter nonsense! I’ve never had a problem at say 20 x20in (508 x 508mm). I don’t paint any larger than that these days, I used to…
Posted
Stephen - basically yes , you need to coat the back as well to " balance" it . I would recommend using the gesso on both sides so that the effect of sealing from atmospheric changes is the same . Out of interest though , how much is hardboard costing you ? , I am currently trying both 4mm MDF , and also 4mm plywood which seem quite cheap but I'm cutting them myself from 8 x 4 sheets as I still have my sheet-cutting machine ( panel saw ) left over from my joinery days . One advantage in using the MDF and ply is that I can use both sides to paint on whereas the " back" of hardboard would be difficult ( ?) although others may disagree . Steve Weight
Posted
I have been using both 6mm MDF cut to size from B and Q from a 2400mmx1220mm sheet (£17.50) and 3mm hardboard also cut to size and have prepared the boards using 3 coats of gesso on the painting surface. I have used 1 coat of gesso on the back but it does seem a bit of a waste and used some acrylic decorators paint on some panels and have left some panels untreated on the back. Thanks for this good advice, finding a reliable support/surface which doesn't break the bank is a bit of a headache
Posted
If you’re looking for cheap canvas boards, Gerstaecker from Great Art are really cheap!
They aren’t the best by any means, but more than adequate in my opinion. I’ve used many dozens of them over the last five years or so.
They do have a compressed cardboard backing, so obviously not as rigid and stable as my preferred Belle Arti boards.