Brian Hatton

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Transcript: Making gesso Letter

Making Gesso

Limnerslease
Guildford

Gesso Marico

Put 1 lb plaster of Paris into a pail full of water stirring with a stick as you drop it in, stir well, let it settle and pour off the water adding fresh, stir again and repeat the process for a week, stirring two or three times a day, after this once is sufficient as the plaster will no longer cake.  This must be done for a month, then pour off the water and make the up the plaster into small batches about the size of a very small roll and let them dry in the air.  They should be kept in an airy place out of wet but with a free current around.  They used to have lofts with wooden shutters, such as the French houses have to keep off the sun.  When required for use take off the required quantity and stand it in water till it has taken up as much as it will hold and scrape it with a knife into the size or milk (skimmed) as if for printing.  
This can be used for gilding or working in relief.

Gesso

Size should be warmed by standing in a cauldron of hot water, so as not to boil.  When gesso is set it can be cut or filed, or rubbed down with sand paper.  
A varnish, composed of shellac dissolved in methylated spirits, is brushed over the work from time to time which hardens and smoothes it.  A drop of oil of cloves preserves gesso.