Lead Priming and the Test of Time

[Marvin Mattelson]

Sharon,

Yes lead white had been used I believe from the get go. It makes the strongest film and is more flexible than other whites. On this thread I was talking primarily about painting grounds because it seems that lately there has been a trend to try oil painting on a wide variety of synthetic materials. In this case I think the old way is the best way, but that's just me.

As for canvas, I'm currently using a lead primed portrait grade linen canvas that I purchased at Soho Artist Supplies on Grand Street in New York City. What do you use? For the record, I use Flake White #2 by Michael Harding as my choice of white.

[Sharon Knettell]

Marvin,

I use Claessens 13dp. The roll I have is lead primed, but I don't know if they make lead primed anymore.

Thanks for posting your source.

I prefer canvas because I am addicted to those little bumps which give texture to fabrics like tulle.

As to new materials, if people want to use them, that's great. I am all for trying new things and I think people should. But plastic has not really stood the test of time as a painting substrate, and the adhesion in the long term of paint especially oil, to a polymer or plastic is a big unknown. There is the embrittlement and out-gassing problem as well, pointed out by the curator of the National Gallery in Washington. Embrittlement and out-gassing can be controlled, by completely covering the plastic substrate, but adhesion remains an open question.

[Marvin Mattelson]

Claessens no longer makes genuine lead priming due to certain laws in Europe. They use some kind of alkyd concoction now. Not nearly as good. I believe NY Central also sells lead primed canvas.

Where I come from, we used a very specific term when reffering to out-gassing.

[Carl Toboika]

Marvin,

The rabbit skin glue also plays an important role in keeping the acidity in the paint from rotting the canvas as well.

The expanding and shrinking of linen is a real problem for aged paint layers that have gone brittle due to time.

Polyester will not expand and contract once stretched, paint will not rot it, it should outlast linen or cotton. At least some conservators are using it to reline old work.


However it has a mechanical weave. It does not absorb water, so does acrylic primer stick well?

Acrylic primer under oil is still a question over umpteen years, as no one knows for sure yet, even the makers of the paint admit to that, and at least one plans on tests of this. Though acrylic does protect the fabric from deterioration due to the acidity of oils.

If you want "lasting" ... paint on a panel (even canvas glued to a panel) as movement of the support is named the number one enemy of lasting.

I still gamble on acrylic primer, since it is easy and readily available. Panels are a nice solid unyielding surface, which I actually like, unlike most Artists.

Rabbit skin glue/lead white primer/panel is probably a lot better and nicer to paint on so long as you let the lead white primer dry a long time.

It stinks to be Odd N. if that happened to his work. Stuff should at least last your lifetime plus a generation or two, just out of professional pride if nothing else.

[Allan Rahbek]

I am sorry that Flake White is not for sale here in Denmark. Is it correct that it will dry over night with no addition of dryer ?

When you size a bigger canvas, it can be wise to size the edges first and let it dry before sizing the whole canvas. This will prevent the linen to draw itself out of shape along the staples or nails.

Allan