I've had some experience with clear gesso added to coloring pages, and I feel people who want to try it should be aware that the gesso does not allow watercolor to settle into it at all. It is basically plastic, so watercolor once applied will not soak in; this means the color will lift off the paper forever, so you can't layer it, you can't add more paint on top of yout first layer because the color underneath will just wipe right off. You might also have a hard time using fixative, since any drips or large droplets might move your paint. Gesso is also quite rough, so it will damage softer watercolor brushes over minimal use. I would highly recommend using gesso for its intended purpose, to prime a surface for use with acrylics or oils. Watercolor ground or even a gelatin sizing will likely get you better results. A Note: I would argue that, due to watercolor ground being much more absorbent, it is NOT the same as a gesso, and various brands differ in how their watercolor grounds perform. Test one section of a coloring page before you commit to a whole piece using any kind of surface prep!

Hullo Jennifer, I am sorry to tell you that not all clear gessoes are the same! I recently purchased some from USArt that just did not have the grit and was rather useless! I have discovered that you can make your own watercolor ground and Liz Chaderton has a great recipe for it! You can use clear gesso and transparent modeling paste! You can always look her up here on KZfaq! When I was a kid my family called those shoes “shower shoes” both parents are Marines so they were required to wear shoes in the showers! So later I met kids that called them thongs. I am glad that I no longer have a use for that kind of footwear! Thank you for sharing your wonderful coloring pages, so many are quite lovely! Please take care, be safe and enjoy your day!

Gesso is for acrylic so for the best results with watercolor try Daniel Smith's watercolor ground. It comes in white, black, clear and gold and has tons of uses. I paint, don't color, but the grounds, spread thinly, are marvelous for what they are made to do. I haven't done it but have seen the results of people who use it on paper, wood, and plastic in order to use watercolor in places you could never use it before.

Would love to see you now watercolor on that gesso’d page.

Given its abrasive sandpaper-like texture, I wouldn't use watercolor brushes to paint on top of a surface prepped with this gesso, as watercolor brushes tend to be softer and finer-bristled than the hog bristle and stiff synthetics used for acrylics and oils. This gesso is ideal for pastels, pencils, and anything that works best on sandpaper-y surfaces, so if you're planning on coloring in a page with colored pencils or pastels, this gesso would provide the perfect surface. If you're going to apply this gesso, those foam craft brushes you can find at any craft store would be the best applicators as they are cheap and disposable - gesso, if allowed to dry on the bristles of a brush, will ruin it - and don't leave behind strokes. Sanding after each layer can help you achieve a smoother surface. And a couple more things to note: since it contains an acrylic polymer, which is essentially plastic, it's not a good idea to wash gobs of the stuff down the drain, as bits of plastic may end up in our waterways. It's best to throw solids away in the trash. I also wouldn't recommend holding a heat gun or hair dryer on a high temperature setting too close to the surface to speed up the drying process. Gelatin has worked well for me as sizing for coloring pages, and it's what I'll be using from here on out. It contains no grit that could wear out my brushes and no plastic that could pollute our waterways.

I have ordered some gesso it seems just what I need x

Learning new things about art supplies is so valuable. I enjoyed your video and look forward to seeing more.

Thank you Jennifer. I have some ordered and can't wait to use it on my coloring pages ! I found your video very helpful. Thank you again. Karen from Canada

Thank you so much for this brilliant video! ❤ I have only tried this gesso with soft pastels- and can hardly wait to give this a go with watercolour!!! 😊 I recenttly broke my foot in a motorcykel accident - and been so frustrated , due to the need of DOING things! 🙈 Now, I am limping into my art room, and I have new inspiration again! 🙏 Thank you!!!! 😇

Wow , this is a great video. I learned a lot I can apply right away with art supplies I have. I am going to get the Daniel Smith colored gesso.

That's an absolute pleasure for me to see this with clear gesso. I USUALLY use white gesso an now that I'm learning watercolor saves my header W/C pzinting

Super cool idea - going to have a try. Thanks so very much!!!

Your nail color is fabulous!!! Perfect for your skin type.

I want to try this! Thanks for showing how to do this.

I had remembered watching this some time ago and just rewatched. I'm trying to print out my own highly detailed line art and want to color it using derwent inktense and watercolors and my printer doesn't like heavy paper but will deal with cardstock. Very excited to see if this is the solution to my problem and thanking you in advance for the help!

My mother called those Japanese sandles "Zoris". When I was a teen, I usd to have some lovely ones made of woven satin. I always loved the word "zori" made it feel like I was putting on a tiny, magical shoe even tho' mine were usually rubber...lol...! Thanks for reminding me about Gesso I used to use it alot in my Mixed Media Journal I am definately going to grab some of thr Daniel Smith Golden Gesso....! Now that sounds elegant.

Thank you for this video, I think that I will be trying out gesso in the next little while.

Watched another video the other day but couldn’t remember where, I’m off to buy some Liquitex clear gesso tomorrow to use with FC ,polychromos on a drawing, your video has been most welcome in showing how to apply the Gesso to paper, thank you very much for your help , Mike UK

I went to Blick in Columbus, OH. for the first time today and I GOT a small bottle of this, wondering what I would do with it and HERE is your video like you read my mind. AND I have one of your books AND I got some new watercolors!!!! Guess who will be playing!!!! LOL

A terrific tutorial. I have that gesso and plan on using it soon. I did a watercolor in Wish You Were Here by Teresa Goodridge. It worked very well. I was happy about the page. Lots of fun. I did use some very fine sandpaper on the page b/c i thought it was too textured. I'll try it without smoothing it out. Thanks so much!🙋🌺

Always a great tip!

Thanks for the coloring pages. I am anxious to try the black.

Thanks for sharing🤗

Just FYI, gesso is made for acrylic paint, not water color. The medium that does for watercolor what gesso does for acrylic (prepare a thin or not sufficiently absorbent paper for paint) is called *watercolor ground.* I know a lot of crafters use gesso for both paints, likely because they don’t know about watercolor ground, but you’ll get much better results by using the correct medium. The reason you need something specially made for each paint is because they have different binders. Acrylic paint has a plastic for a binder while watercolor uses natural substances, like gum arabic and honey. The binder binds the pigment to the paint (acrylic, watercolor, oil, etc) and the paint to the paper or other chosen material, so the medium will make a difference in how it looks and adheres.

I’m going to give it a try!

I just bought some clear grasp to try.

Hi, have never heard of a product that can seal the paper. Definitely gona be buying some. Lovely video as always. First time not seen Rose on her pillow. Hope she’s ok 💕

Just the info I needed thanks!

I use white gesso on my coloring books, it covers the lines. For water soluble application though I use Golden's Satin Glazing or gound, but I like the Satin glazing better. I find it nearly perfect for my needs. Both gesso and glazing are great for pastels.

Your fingernails got so amazing all at once! I was admiring how beautiful your hands are just plain, then bam! Fun polish 😁

ooo, I'm so going to try it.

Thanks for this tutorial 😄

I might have to try different gesso to see how they work with inktense pencils. I’ve gone through one bottle of Golden acrylic medium which has worked well.

I definitely wanted to see you put some paint on that page! The demo feels incomplete without it. Afterall, isn't that the whole point! ThankYOU for all the gesso tips.

I gotta try this.

I will definitely buy a bottle and try this!

Beautiful

Flip flops used to be thongs when I was young. Then that flossy underwear was invented and appropriated the name, and we were forced to rename footwear to prevent shock and confusion.

Thx soooo much, bought it because if you, but still have to try it, só looking forward to that, thx so much 4 all your amázing vudeos!!!, 👍😘

I didn't know you can use gesso for coloring. With watercolors. Thank you for sharing

I have used the clear gesso. I had some gelatos and wasn't getting the results I expected. The gesso did the trick!

I use clear gesso on various papers to use soft pastels because of the grit.

Great tutorial 😍 Flip flop in Sweden too 😊

I would like to have seen you use water paint on the page to view the results

For my watercolour and inktense pencils I use the art basics clear gesso as it is not so gritty so it's not so rough on my pencils.

Love this video! I recently discovered the magic of gesso! lol I've been gluing my coloring pages onto watercolor paper and applying gesso. So much fun to be able to add watercolors to my coloring pages. ❤

Me again from nz downunder,Jennifer ideal the clear gesso for water colorpaper awesome and I haven't tried gel pens what are they like. I use watercolor pens than paint set in tin trays I like to try everything that's new. Yes liquitex brand is very expensive in new zealand. And I have ruined so many brushes from gesso (not rinsing them out ASAP. Pellet knife never thought to use with gesso on any paper great ideas you have Jennifer,, I ha e now subscribed keep up the great ideas. Bye for now kk in nz

Thank you, this is very helpful. I want to try clear gesso on dictionary pages and use it in combination with coloring pencils. I’m curious to see what I can make with it.

Love it ❤

I love ❤️

Thanks!

I impulsively just bought my first palette of watercolors because I want to try them specifically with my coloring books. I'm glad I found this video before even trying it; otherwise, the results may have been very discouraging. Never mind. I just read the most popular comment, so I'll definitely NOT be using this method.

I have not tried using Gesso for coloring. I do have some I bought to allow me to watercolor on canvas. So far I have scanned and printed any page I've wanted to use water soluble pencils or water-based markers on. The shoes you asked about have always been and always will be thongs to me. Flip flops are what the underwear should have been called because, I feel that's the way one's buns would go while wearing them.

I'm so glad you shared this! I've been wondering why my (mixed media) pages haven't survived well with my watercolors. Now I know. Will be trying this soon to see the difference... By the way, what nail polish is that? It's so pretty!! Thanks for the video!

I have the watercolor ground bottle you previously recommended. I have applied it to a page but not yet “colored” them. 😂 Think I’m little nervous as I’ve never used watercolor paints before. I’ve put the page on my list TBC this month so wish me luck!!

heck yeah

Cool

I only work on gesso in my sketchbook. Three years now. 💜

I've used it as a top coat

What paper would you suggest to print on for using pencil crayons

I thought you were going to color the page you treated and put some water on it to show how the gesso works. Thanks for the tip!

What about golden stain to prep paper?

Beautiful video! I have a question about art supplies. I’ve been searching for vegan (and of course) cruelty free clear gesso but I still haven’t found one. Do you have any recommendations? Thank you so much🌿🕊️ With love, Imani

I was hoping a workable spray fixative would enable me to use my Inktense pencils instead of gritty gesso.

We call them jandals in NZ😊😇😇❤️❤️

❤💛💙

I have been trying to color with Aristo. They are really dull. How can I brighten these colors.

I have tried gesso before but it smeared the ink.. How do you avoid that?

Thats what happens bubbling up when i put clear gesso on it??

Im following a crafter artist.and she uses clear gesso on all page of any book then places her paper elements.then gesso over picture of colage she done.i didnt know there is diferent clear gesso

Is it thicker

I am a Floridian and those are flip- flops! 💯

You can use a drawing.on a canvas and use.gesso

Have ypu tried absorbant ground? I've been using it and the watercolor paints are not working well with it. I have no idea what I've doing wrong.

Try a Blck light please where u mayof missed pls. 😊😊

A link in the description box would help

Would this stop watercolours from going thru the other side of the page?

Isn’t that Gesso also good for making your paper into pastel/colored pencil paper if you do a couple layers?

Did I miss the part where we get to see what the paint looks like once it’s applied upon the gesso?

When I had them as a kid, we called them thongs. Now I call them flip flops.

So basically you lose all the expensive properties of your watercolor paper if you use gesso to prime it.. I might see some value in fixating some layers in mixed media to further build layers.. The question would be do you need to use gesso before and or in-between layers when mixed media water-coloring, pencil rendering and using slight diluted hints of acrylic gouache and then finish with some fine liner inks for details or so? I assume the answer would be no.. Only if you really want to add a pure acrylic or oil layer on top of said layers, it might be best to seal the work with some kind of transparent primer or gesso to make sure those mediums adhere well and even then I doubt to do so.. I am trying to avoid gesso ass much as possible in the workflow mentioned, since it alters the paper quality and creates a 'cheaper' surface of its own that is definitely not always wanted.. I can see gesso mostly be used for canvas preparations..

I douse Gesso.

Would/can you apply gesso just to the background area of your colouring page if you wish to use watercolours for the background only? I look forward to hearing your feedback.

In Hawaii those flipflops are called slippers!

This is the second video without Rose. I hope she's okay. I haven't tried gesso yet, I just use watercolour paper.

I use gesso on my colour pages, only smooth textured gesso, so far I have only found one, mont marte gesso premium, unfortunately it is only semi transparent but smooth to use only tested pencils and water colour and such. I am looking for a smoothest textured clear! So frustrating. Yours was way to gritty! 😢

I bought the white gesso, does this matter?

Flip flops live in my closet in many varieties.

I am from Australia so we call flip flops, thongs. While most people think that is weird, if you think about what the shoe does to your toes, its actually not all that different to the other meaning of the word 😂I got married in Maine, to an American and changed into my flip flops before the photos (shoes were killing me) and my sister yelled 'you can see your thongs'. Honestly she actually should have known better than saying that.

slippas. in hawaii they are called slippers but pronounced slippas.

where is Rose?

I grew up calling them thongs, but I know that makes people uncomfortable haha

The Daniel Smith gesso ruined a page in my Fragile World. It is impossible to use pencils over the watercolor

I call then flip flops

Slippers

those things aren't shoes, they're footwear. and slippers.

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