Dear Marten: Prepping a Surface for Cobra Solvent-Free Oil Colors

Dear Marten,

I usually paint with acrylics but now want to try Cobra water mixable oils on a wooden panel. I have an unprimed hard wood panel and would like to know if a few coats of gesso will be all that is required before w/m paint is applied or do I also need an oil ground to ensure its archival quality? If so, can you recommend a product please. Many thanks.

Sincerely,​

Amanda ​

Dear Amanda,

Thank you for your email and your interest in Cobra Oils.

The preparation of the surface, being wood panel or canvas, is the same for Cobra as with all other traditional oil paints.

If you're using an acrylic based gesso, which is the most common today, you do not need any other primer for the surface. I would recommend 2-3 coats. An acrylic gesso will effectively size and seal the surface and make it archival.

Traditional oil priming includes a base coat of sizing, either a rabbit skin glue or PVA. After that, an oil ground or gesso. The sizing is required as the oil ground or traditional gesso don't seal the surface form the decay caused by the linseed oil in the ground and subsequent paint layers. Sizing is also important when using canvas to tighten the surface creating the tension needed for sanding and painting.

Met vriendelijke groet, With kind regards,

Marten Talens

Marten Talens founded Royal Talens, the Dutch Factory for Paints, Lacquers and Inks, in Apeldoorn (the Netherlands) in 1899.