Painting Process

My fine art acrylic painting process:

• • Acrlyc Varnish

    • Liquitex gloss varnish spray. This cannot be removed.  Do not use this.

    • Windsor-Newton UV gloss Spray. This can be removed in the future. Paintings before 2025 didn't do it this way. Older paintings have a matte or gloss layer.

• • Frame (or cradle)

    • Frames drive  up the cost of painting. A standard size painting almost always requires a custom frame because of the folded canvas corners

    • Draw outline for frame: joinery, daddo for painting, a way to loosen top of frame to slide out painting, daddo for back masonite - instead of paper with a few breathing holes, French cleat for mounting, jigs to cut everything, stains, use poplar for frame, use birch plywood for painting ??? - other things?

    • Buy dowel rod

      • Buy 1x1 inch hardwood for frame

      • Cradle corners use a square overlap. 

      • use square overlaps with two dowels per corner 

  • Wood Panel for Acrylic Painting

    • In the past, I used all kinds of "canvases".  I have  settled on this approach.

      • Jerry’s artarama sells wood panels

    • How to create an archival wood panel

      • Buy birch plywood 2’x4’x1/4” project boards at Home Depot or Lowe's

        • Cut to size, use painter's tape to prevent ragged edges

        • Spray Shellac on back of plywood

        • Use Liquitex gesso for boards

          • Spread with large (2-3inch) house painter's brush 

          • Tint (very light) each coat of gesso as follows: 1st is white; 2nd is Yellow Oxide; 3rd is Burnt Sienna wash. Use Golden Open acrylics for underpainting

            • Sand between coats 

        •  - Glue plywood to support using acid free wood glue (gorilla glue)

  • I cannot make a painting that fits a stock frame unless I pick out the matte and frame in advance. 

  •  - Frame inside is exact measurements. 

  •  - Frame lip is 3/8 inch.

  •  - The matte has random measurements, which guarantees a custom frame. 

  •  - The matte width ranges from 1-3/4 to 5/8.

  •  - The matte lip is a bit less than 3/8 to a bit longer than 3/8s.

    • • Don't do it this way:

        •  - Use 1/4 inch pine plywood with 1/8 inch MDF or masonite

        •     - use acid free glue to attach MDF/masonite to plywood

        •  - sand to get finish off board

        •  - press together with weights or books

        •  - sand MDF/masonite

        •  - apply 3-5 coats of gesso

        •  - sand between coats and/or sand at end

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  • Sta-wet palette

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