Todd March

Luis Guerreiro of the UK turned me onto Lascuax Primer (acrylic based), and I just wanted to pass the word on about this wonderful product for those that are found of a slick and smooth painting surface.

I have prepared traditional gesso panels (hide glue/whiting on masonite) for some time for my egg tempera works, and have gotten very "addicted" to the final glass-like surface.

Unfortunately, traditonal gesso is very absorbent, which is great for egg tempera, but for oils I found it too absorbent for my tastes (goodbye oil for at least the first coat).

Lascsaux Primer goes on very smooth, and sands to a finish that is so close to traditional gesso that it's spooky. While this primer is technically an acrylic gesso, it really behaves (sands) much differently. I found it hard to get this smooth of a surface with traditional acrylic gessos, and even if I got them fairly smooth they still were "plasticy" (compared to my lucious traditional gesso panels anyway). Also, it seems to me that with regular acrylic gessos the coverage was very poor--I would apply many,many coats and still it would be hard to get an even smooth finish (I guess acrylic gesso is made to give some "tooth"). The coverage with Lascaux's Primer is intense, much more like traditional oil primers; a little goes a long way.

I have only used this Primer on Masonite so far, but I am sure (and am told) that it would work well on canvas or linen as well. If you're into smooth surfaces, Lascauz products are getting much more common in the USA, and I really think it's a great product. I applied it over the Laucaux acrylic sizing, which was also great; much more like Rabbit skin glue that the Gamblin PVA size I have used.

Also, I am told that Lascaux is a big supplier to the restoration and conservation community in Europe, and is very concerned about archival factors and quality of product. Always things about an artist's company that impresses me...!

Best,
Todd