10 Comments
Apr 15, 2023Liked by Marc R. Hanson

Your newsletters and demos are great. Inspiring and informative- perfect combination.

Iā€™m wondering about your treatment of the sides of 1.5ā€ deep panels. Do you prime them and leave them white or tape over edge and leave them plain or carry your painting over the side? Curious because I use floater frames also. Thanks!

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Hi Susanne... Thank you for being a subscriber! I'm happy that the videos are good for you. The feedback is greatly appreciated.

I don't tape off or do anything to the sides of the panels until I'm finished painting. I don't paint the image over the edge. Once the painting is done, I paint the sides with an acrylic paint, usually black or a dark grey. If I was not framing them, I would tape and then finish the sides. Cheers...

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Apr 14, 2023Liked by Marc R. Hanson

Marc, would you mind sharing what tool you use to apply the gesso/primer? Looks like maybe a stiff brush? Thanks!

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Hi Alejandra... I use almost any brush that's wide enough. More often though I use a Utrecht Series 755 Nylon 'gesso' brush. It's soft but stiff enough to push the primer around. https://www.dickblick.com/products/utrecht-series-755-nylon-gesso-brushes/?clickTracking=true&wmcp=pla&wmcid=items&wmckw=04632-1001&srsltid=AfAwrE6CJliNITKY5CV5PfSjPK2M_vjr1j-rkPhfg_f2_W00zHqMKbDanCk

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Thanks Marc! I've always enjoyed following your write ups of tools of the trade. Hope to see at another future plein air event sometime.

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Thanks Doug! I'm keeping my bones to local painting, inside and out. Maybe another plein air event in the future but for now I am finding it more important to dig more deeply into studying what's around me here and creating from that source. I am going to be judging the 2023 Plein Air Smokies event however! I appreciate you reading this. Cheers... Marc

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Thank you for reply..I know we disagree, but cradling is unnecessary when framed. Framing masonite is a snap using a point gun. Plus it can be sawed to any size.

I decided once to use the large cradled birch panels so I could save money and not frame them.

Big mistake! I gessoed and primed, of course but the grain came through and looked awful.

Never again. To me, anytime a surface is revealed, it looks amateurish and unfinished.

Just please don't use canvas. Your paintings are excellent and deserve better.

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I'm not using cradled panels because they're going into a shallow frame that allows them to be installed with a point driver. I'm using cradled panels because they're going into 1-1/2" deep floater frames. I'm happy you have your ways. Have a good day.

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Hi Marc,

Ampersand panels are primed masonite.

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Yes they are. Cradled is much better, as I mentioned in the other thread. Truly, nothing is absolute with the 'possible' exception of aluminum or copper panels.

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