Gesso

For the Italian geology term, see gypsum.
A restored gesso panel representing St. Martin of Tours, from St. Michael and All Angels Church, Lyndhurst, Hampshire

Gesso (Italian pronunciation: [ˈdʒɛsso]; 'chalk', from the Latin: gypsum, from Greek: γύψος), also known as "glue gesso" or "Italian gesso",[1] is a white paint mixture used to coat rigid surfaces such as wooden painting panels or masonite as a permanent absorbent primer substrate for painting. It consists of a binder mixed with chalk, gypsum, pigment, or any combination of these.[2]

Gesso is used in painting as a preparation for any number of substrates such as wood panels, canvas and sculpture as a base for paint and other materials that are applied over it.

  1. ^ The Painter's Handbook: A Complete Reference by Mark David Gottsegen. p. 321 Archived June 3, 2015, at the Wayback Machine
  2. ^ Daniel Varney Thompson (January 1956). The materials and techniques of medieval painting. Courier Corporation. p. 32. ISBN 9780486203270. Retrieved 2014-04-09 – via Books.google.com.