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Norrette Moore

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https://www.nationalgallery.org.uk/paintings/jan-van-huysum-glass-vase-with-flowers-with-a-poppy-and-a-finch-nest Although I went to see the small Hockney Piero exhibition preview.  This picture stole my attention. I'm not keen on still life and generally walk straight past the Dutch Flowers. It's only a bit bigger than A4, but if you drill down into this picture the detail is amazing.  I looked carefully at the surface, and this copy is not great quality, but it's completely smooth, even though it's canvas. It's the same with many great pictures, they have such a smooth surface.  So I toddled along to Cass Arts round the corner, and not even their top price canvases were anywhere near this smooth. No wonder oil painting is frustrating!

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by Norrette Moore

Waddesdon Grotesque

Andrew Roles

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Use multiple gesso primer coats and sand down lightly to create a smooth surface  I’ve done this  (and hated painting on it) but I have no idea if this stores up problems for the future. Maybe one of the experts knows. 

Alan Bickley

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There’s fine linen surfaces of course, that could be a possibility… Plus a layer of original gesso (not acrylic), if you can get hold of any, or make it yourself! Personally I like to see and feel a bit of weft and warp from the canvas under my paint brush, that sort of gives me the almost expected oil painting experience that I want. Or of course, 3mm MDF with a coat of gesso!

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by Alan Bickley

Norrette Moore

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Thanks Andrew & Alan.  I looked online and the variety of board surfaces such as clay or gessoed aluminum etc seems to be widening.  I'll try the multiple gesso and sand approach ... maybe once or twice 🙂.  But I'm so impressed at the tenacity of the Dutch artists and those earlier. This is an enlarged section of the above works, it's the equivalent of a postcard size!

Alan Bickley

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Multiple layers of gesso will give you the desired effect Norrette, sanded down with glass paper! Grade 00 240 grit or finer…

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by Alan Bickley

Norrette Moore

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Thanks for the detail, Alan.  There's any old sandpaper and there's quality. I'll see what I can dig out.
With Sarah, Phil, Ellen, Rose the dentist, and the granddaughter whose name I forget.

Robert Jones, Napa

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Nothing to add to the canvas suggestions, but you could also try a more modern surface, such as Ampersand boards - I really don't like them when painting in acrylics (though my experience of them is, in fairness, limited) but they worked well for me with oil paint - worth a try.  I've just ordered a trial sample of polyester canvases from ACF - don't know how they'll behave, but while polyester might not seem the ideal surface (largely because of its regular weave) it's a great deal stronger than cotton duck (which in turn is less satisfactory than linen, which should also be smoother if properly primed).   Some artist, I forget who, wrote a while ago that there's no ideal surface for painting in oil - but added that this hasn't stopped anyone from painting; finding a sympathetic surface is a dream of mine - a perfectly sympathetic surface, anyway: some come close; I think the very best may be oil primed with lead, but - try finding it!  

Norrette Moore

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This is a bit of hold the front page moment.  So I've been madly gessoing this afternoon. First on my cheap as chips canvas pad which has a weave no better than a cheap axminster and which sucked up the gesso like no-one's business. Then I broke open a pack of Loxley boards someone had given me and the difference is remarkable, the gesso flowed very well.  And then I opened a new canvas pad...same company but different presentation as the first, and again the surface was much much better. It was fractionally more expensive. So I've been working on really bad material over the last few months...and now feel better. I may not need the sandpaper, although I'll get some 240, the best I have is 150. Thanks Robert & Alan.

Norrette Moore

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I'll be interested to hear about your trial, Robert.  I looked at Ampersand online, but I'll wait until I have something worth putting on one as they're quite expensive. I've also begun to understand why I'm struggling to go back to any unfinished piece.  It's so difficult to add foreground detail on such a coarse surface.

Fiona Phipps

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I’ve used Ampersand Norrette, it’s a lovely smooth surface….which reminds me I need to order more.

Alan Bickley

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I’ve got some Ampersand boards here of different sizes. I’ve used a couple of them but not overly keen to be honest! They obviously suit a different style than mine, just too smooth…

Alan Morris

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I can recommend Ampersand gesso boards.  As Fiona says, lovely and smooth and a delight to paint on.
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