Do you size Masonite?

[Max Howard]

Originally Posted by Sharon Knettell

It really does not need any sizing, just paint on it. I use it for my large pastels. Just give it a light sanding to make the paint adhere better.

No gesso, no nothing. Simple and archival.

I wouldn't recommend doing that when using oils. Any natural fiber support be it MDF, Masonite, linen, or cotton will eventually suffer deterioration from the acids present in oil paint. The rule of thumb when using natural fiber supports is to size them with either a hide glue or acrylic emulsion.

Ooops! I missed post #14

[Sharon Knettell]

Max,

It was a LONG conversation, and I was writing from memory, a bad choice on my part. I remembered the sizing part, to my horror, only when my head hit the pillow.

Some artists like the luminosity of a gesso surface, some a naturally toned surface, but Max you are right, BOTH HAVE TO BE SIZED.

[Jean Kelly]

Hi Brenda,

This should take you to a discussion of cradling with a photo:

http://forum.portraitartist.com/showthread.php?t=5720

I forgot to finish that thread, Guerilla Glue is the the winner. It will hold forever.

Jean

[Brenda Ellis]

Thanks, Jean for the link to that thread. I'll check it out...as long as it doesn't involve boiling any guerillas...

[Allan Rahbek]

Originally Posted by Sharon Knettell

Some artists like the luminosity of a gesso surface, some a naturally toned surface, but Max you are right, BOTH HAVE TO BE SIZED.

I have read that oil paint gets more transparent over time, so if we don