Oh gesso, how I love you.
There are two camps when it comes to gesso. The always-gesso camp and the never-gesso camp. I am a lifetime member of the always-gesso camp. I have very few art journal pages that don't start with gesso.
( A quick course on gesso, if you don’t know what it is. Gesso is basically a primer. It usually has a chalky finish that gives your substrate some “tooth” to hold paint.)
So here is why I love gesso so much.
1. It saves you money on paint. If you gesso a page or canvas, it seals the surface so the paint you add sits on top. Without gesso, your paint will sink into the fibers of your paper or canvas.
2. It allows for corrections. If a page or canvas is gesso'd, you can erase wet paint with a baby wipe. Again without gesso, that paint has sunk into the fibers and may stain when you try to remove it.
3. It can add texture. I love adding texture to my art journal pages, but since I am working in a book I don't want thick texture. Even a fluid gesso can add texture. My favorite technique is to add gesso to two facing pages, smoosh ( yes, that is the technical term) them together and then separate and let dry.
4. It makes art journal pages stiffer and thicker. I prefer an art journal with thicker paper (like the Dylusions art journals), but I have some journals with thinner paper. Gesso adds a little support to these pages.
5. Seals the "crack" in your journals. The center of your journal is a prime area where media can leak onto other pages. I prefer to add a strip of masking tape to the "crack" and then gesso over it. This protects my pages from leakage.
6. Preps non-paintable surfaces. If you are trying to paint over vinyl, chipboard or wood, gesso will make these surfaces easier to paint. The main purpose of gesso is as a primer, so it it perfect for making the hard-to-paint easier.
7. Use with your paint. Gesso has a chalky finish, so when mixed with acrylic paint it changes the texture and finish. While you are painting you can use gesso to knock-back areas that are too loud, use it to add marks, or use as a layer. I use gesso just like I would use white paint.
This is my favorite all-around gesso
But some close contenders are:
Dina Wakley Media white gesso
GOLDEN heavy body gesso
GOLDEN black gesso
Dina Wakley Media clear gesso