Art Snak: GESSO - More Than a Primer

Explore Gesso as texture, paint, resist, and ground.

In this Art Snak, you’ll explore the creative potential of white, black, and clear gesso far beyond their traditional role as primers. Working in an art journal, you’ll experiment with gesso as a ground, paint layer, resist, and texture-building surface to create rich and unexpected effects in your abstract and mixed media work.

You’ll gain a deeper understanding of the unique properties of each type of gesso while discovering versatile techniques you can easily incorporate into your creative practice and larger paintings.

As always, Art Snaks are designed to keep your creative practice moving in a stress-free, no-pressure way while encouraging exploration, experimentation, and discovery.

What’s Inside

Part I — White Gesso vs. Clear Gesso
Explore the differences between opaque white gesso and transparent clear gesso and how each affects texture, color, and layering.

Part II — Color Mixing and Gesso Resist Techniques
Experiment with combining acrylic paint and gesso to create unique resist effects and layered surfaces.

Part III — Collage, Underpainting, and Stencils
Discover how gesso interacts with collage materials and explore stencil techniques for building texture and depth.

Part IV — Clear Gesso and Mark Making
See how drawing and mark making behave differently on clear gesso surfaces and how they can add energy and variation to your work.

Part V — Black Gesso as an Editing Tool
Use black gesso to cover, simplify, edit, and rework old paintings, journal pages, and layered surfaces.

Part VI — Four Mini Abstract Explorations
Create four small abstract studies that combine the techniques explored throughout the session while discovering new ways to use gesso within your paintings.

You’ll Receive

✔️ Immediate access to approximately 2 hours of pre recorded video lessons
✔️ Downloadable supply list
✔️ Unlimited, indefinite access to revisit anytime
✔️ Invitation to a private Facebook group just for Art Snakkers