Panel help?

[Richard Murdock]

Is there any reason why using an MDF panel well-coated with strong rabbitskin glue, without gesso, would lead to problems, cracking, etc?

[Sharon Knettell]

According to Micheal Harding, premium paint maker, it is an ideal surface.

[Richard Murdock]

Hi Sharon. Thanks for your reply. Since my original post I've had a large gessoed panel, on MDF, crack all over when I applied RSG. The glue pulled the gesso right off the surface.

I always use the same gesso mix, and glue mix. The only variable was the MDF. I'd never use it again. DPI Premium hardboard is the best available in the US, or I use Maple Die Board.

Thanks,

Richard

[Sharon Knettell]

Micheal said ONLY to use rabbit-skin glue, there was no need to use gesso on the MDF board.

Did the board crack using just the rabbit-skin glue on the MDF alone?

Also, I do not know what you mean by STRONG rabbit-skin glue as opposed to regular rabbit-skin-glue. He said to use two coats and did not mention anything about STRONG rabbit-skin glue.

Thanks for the tip on the quality MDF board.

I have used it with Acrylic Gesso for Pastel, a Golden product and the MDF has performed just fine, no cracking etc..

[Richard Murdock]

Sure, not using gesso would eliminate the chance of it cracking. However, there's the good chance that unprimed MDF will discolor or fade, soo it should probably be covered completely.

I have a piece of ABS I am trying. So far, I like it.

The MDF seems more stable than all of the hardboard I tried, with the exception of the DPI Premium hardboard.

[Sharon Knettell]

Micheal Harding is the one to query on this. I talked to him about 2 hours (his nickle) regarding materials. He is a very well respected and believe you me, fussy paint maker.

He felt that the MOST stable surface for painting was the MDF board coated with 2 coats of rabbit-skin-glue-no gesso needed. He felt that this was a far superior surface to any of the panels made today and far better than painting on canvas. It is simple and cheap.

Why do you think it would discolor? It hasn't for me. Sometimes the simplest thing CAN be the best. I cannot imagine putting rabbit-skin glue OVER gesso.

As to ABS, I use plexiglas for my pastel box covers. My plastics man has ABS sheets. He told me he would not use them for painting, because they absorb moisture (not good for paint surfaces) warp and are heavy. He has stacks of ABS and can't keep them from warping. Also you have the problem of outgassing with a product like ABS, which means future embrittlement and yellowing. Just ask my husband, he has a doctorate from Brown University in materials and electrical engineering. Also there is a thread here somewhere about the head conservationist at the National Gallery in Washington, who has warned against substrates made of plastic resins.