I think this is a great video tutorial for consumer grade panels. Generally speaking, for archival work if you don’t care for the alternative panels like hardboard or hardwood veneer over mdf, or true MRMDF, or Birch Plywood panels (all have pro’s and con’s), then a sealer of two coats minimum of GAC100 on both sides and edges is recommended. I prep panels out of my shop for artists. The ones that want super cheap my minimum seal coat is BIN 123. But I don’t guarantee archival quality without a pro-grade 100% acrylic fluid multi-purpose medium. This isn’t a criticism, just a reminder that true archival panels unfortunately in the opinion of professional and pro-sumers require the proper products.
@@TrailRunnerCroatia okay, there is no way to know absolutely for each paint medium without conducting long term tests. Really long term I guess. Although my recollection of this discussion has faded away now, I do know that all the artist I know who sell high end art work that I make frames for have mentioned minimum three coats both sides before Gesso coats for preparing panels. It would be interesting to know what layers Ampersand Gessobords use.
This is possibly ... ehm ... good ... advice. Ehm ... I myself just ... ehm ... needed to ehm ... to ... ehm ... really calm down ... aaaand ... ehm ... be really relaxed and patient ... to endure the .... ehm ... pace ... in which this guy ... ehm ... presents his ... ... tutorial. "Watching grass grow" comes to mind. Joining a course in how to make good presentations would not be a waste as long as you have a video channel. If you follow this tutorial, make sure you also paint the edges to prevent moisture from entering into the board.
Sorry about that. One of my earlier videos and I was still figuring things out. I'm trying to be more mindful of other folks time. I find some of the info a bit outdated now. I like MDF but now find it not quite as hardy and prone to damage a bit easier. Thanks for taking the time to watch some of the video nonetheless! Cheers
Best What strikes me is that you don't use gesso to prime your canvas but just cheap house paint. I have never heard of it and definitely want to try it out now. my question is whether it can also be used for painting oil paint Greetings David
Thanks for your comment! Yes, I have used it for oil as well since the house paint is similar to gesso and acrylic. It has an acrylic-based polymer so I have never had any issues. It follows the rule of laying oil on top of acrylic but not acrylic on top of oil.
Is this method of treatment also suitable for oil paint or only for acrylic paint? I would like to try this method but I don't know if I can use oil paint over it. I would like to receive your feedback and advice in this regard
It is probably a good idea to seal the back and sides too, mdf absorbs humidity from the environment over time, specially from the sides. Probably the same paint you use will do the trick for the back and sides. I use gesso in the front and sides and gac100 in the back. Just a matter of preferences, nothing special.
Thanks for your comment! I agree with you. Since making the video I have been treating all sides and corners with the interior house paint before starting.
Hey, I'm preparing for art project above my cabinets in my garage (first timer). Do you see any issues arising with using 48" x 72" MDF panels? 1/2 or 3/4 - would you suggest MDF over hardboard? Why use this product and not the typical "gesso primer" I see? Thank you. Liked and subbed
Sounds like a fun project. MDF is not a good material for outdoor use. It is an indoor material only. So long as your garage is well insulated then you should be fine using it. I coat my board with an acrylic latex paint that offers moisture resistance. That should add a level of protection in case you had a leak in the garage. Good luck!
I've found that watered-down wood glue applied to the edges works well. Once sanded it protects against moisture and gives a smooth finish for painting. 🙌
It's really a great video tutorial full of all the information and answers to the questions we can think of. but I have a small question Now that I'm done making my mdf surfaces just like you, can I do layers of oil paint like glaze and things like that ?? and Can I use gesso in the first layer instead of the one you used?
You can certainly use gesso instead of indoor paint. The only reason I start with indoor paint is because of the anti-microbial, anti-mold agent to treat the board. You can also certainly do layers of oil paint. Just make sure you remember the rule that you never lay oil down if you want to paint in acrylic. The acrylic will not bind. You can do acrylic first and then oil on top of that. Hope that helps!
Hello Kenia, You don't necessarily have to sand the MDF board as it is very smooth, however, there is some residual grain and other particles that cause a mildly scratchy surface that I like to clear off after painting a ground in order to make it even smoother. This is why I like to sand as well. Hope that helps!
Marc thanks for the video. I've been using mdf, painting first with house paint then a couple coats of gesso. Love them. My problem is this. I have a plywood backboard, then my mdf panel sits on it. Quarter inch thick mdf is too heavy to stick on with blue tack. Any ideas how I can mount the panel on the backboard? Thanks for listening!
Hello RL, I'm having a hard time visualizing what you are trying to describe. You ought to IM me a photo for a visual and perhaps I could be of more help offering a recommendation. Thanks
It is heavy. They are fun to paint on but I have stopped because I have since found they scratch easily. I have found using watercolor canvas a favorite go-to now because of the fine grain texture.
I’m just beginning with oils but I’ve painted a few walls. I’ve always used a prep/primer before I used the colour. You just go straight in with house paint without sealing it with anything? Does this board leech yellow after a while?
Not that I've noticed. Primer may be a good way to start for added protection. I simply have not enough years of observation on MDF to notice if age yellows them or not.
I have not had that problem of bending with the half inch thick panel. I purchased a sheet of it at Home Depot. I would get it there. You should not have a problem with bending. Good luck!
Sorry for the slow pace. I was still figuring the whole video/TH-cam thing as it was an earlier video and I was still quite new at it. Hopefully my later videos have improved.
Thank you so much for this instructive video. Question about recycling: I have MDF boards from an old closet, the boards are 0.59 inches thick, coated with plywood on both sides making them smooth, I thought of sanding them and then putting on some gesso or primer. Do you think it will fit or are they too thick and heavy. And thanks again.
Thanks for your question. If you choose to use this MDF panel with plywood I would make sure you cover the entire piece in anti-microbial paint to prevent mildew over time and protect it better. I am not sure of the weight since you never mentioned the dimensions of the board.
Hello, Marc Harvill. I'm just getting into Mdf boards and I wanted to ask if one can apply Gloss Varnish or Epoxy Resin on a finish painting or Drawing?
Great video: Newbie painter here, I've heard several times now that it's advised to make 100 practice paintings on MDF to really get into the flow of painting, so to speak. I would like to do this but could you advise me the best size for practice paintings from a large sheet of MDF board?
Hello and thank you for your question. I would recommend starting on an 8x10 or 16x20 size sheet of MDF for practice. Michael James Smith periodically will paint on a small 8x10 MDF. He does this mostly I think because he is a realism painter and his style takes so long because of his carful and intricate brush strokes. Here is a link to his channel: th-cam.com/channels/R-F7qHNjCxS5WJzIsgE0yQ.html
Hi, nice video. Why dont you use a painter grid, puttig your roll direkt in the can is not good. Why do you use the roller the wrong way? the rounded way on the wrong edge?
Thanks for your comment and your questions. I don't mind so much if I am using the roller the incorrect way. They are very cheap to replace and it serves my purposes well.
Thanks for your question. The board is 1/2" MDF. You do not need special frames since in many regards the MDF is as thick or less than many standard stretched canvases. You can use standard canvas frames. Also, you can hang them with standard wall mount anchors you can find in any framing department at a hobby lobby store. They are a little heavier than stretched canvas frames but not too much so!
I’ve gotten into the habit of leaving a tooth on mine so the paint grips easier. I did a book cover that came out good using a smooth finish but the next few tries after that I noticed that I needed some sort of tooth so I’ll sand once and then I’ll paint it again and sand a second time but when I sand the second time I leave a slight tooth.
@@MarcHarvillArt don’t get me wrong smooth is awesome for faces as you have mentioned! The modulation of edges is great but you have balance out how much linseed you use in your paint and generally let the first pass sit overnight which as I swim further into the deep end of the painting pool I find I don’t like doing that if I’m doing a self contained figure below a 1 to 1 fade size, like let’s say a 1/10 scale. It’s like sorting as much as I can in the block in, I’ll step away and come back after a few hours and refine but I try to knock in as much form as I can in my first pass
I think this is a great video tutorial for consumer grade panels. Generally speaking, for archival work if you don’t care for the alternative panels like hardboard or hardwood veneer over mdf, or true MRMDF, or Birch Plywood panels (all have pro’s and con’s), then a sealer of two coats minimum of GAC100 on both sides and edges is recommended. I prep panels out of my shop for artists. The ones that want super cheap my minimum seal coat is BIN 123. But I don’t guarantee archival quality without a pro-grade 100% acrylic fluid multi-purpose medium. This isn’t a criticism, just a reminder that true archival panels unfortunately in the opinion of professional and pro-sumers require the proper products.
You are obviously an expert and I appreciate you educating me too!
@@MarcHarvillArt at the end of the day the main thing is to get painting😀
So MRMDF would be acceptable with two or more GAC100 coats for archival work?
@@TrailRunnerCroatia okay, there is no way to know absolutely for each paint medium without conducting long term tests. Really long term I guess. Although my recollection of this discussion has faded away now, I do know that all the artist I know who sell high end art work that I make frames for have mentioned minimum three coats both sides before Gesso coats for preparing panels. It would be interesting to know what layers Ampersand Gessobords use.
@@fogsmart Thanks a lot! Will give it a try.
This is possibly ... ehm ... good ... advice. Ehm ... I myself just ... ehm ... needed to ehm ... to ... ehm ... really calm down ... aaaand ... ehm ... be really relaxed and patient ... to endure the .... ehm ... pace ... in which this guy ... ehm ... presents his ... ... tutorial.
"Watching grass grow" comes to mind. Joining a course in how to make good presentations would not be a waste as long as you have a video channel. If you follow this tutorial, make sure you also paint the edges to prevent moisture from entering into the board.
Sorry about that. One of my earlier videos and I was still figuring things out. I'm trying to be more mindful of other folks time. I find some of the info a bit outdated now. I like MDF but now find it not quite as hardy and prone to damage a bit easier. Thanks for taking the time to watch some of the video nonetheless! Cheers
Best
What strikes me is that you don't use gesso to prime your canvas but just cheap house paint. I have never heard of it and definitely want to try it out now. my question is whether it can also be used for painting oil paint
Greetings David
Thanks for your comment! Yes, I have used it for oil as well since the house paint is similar to gesso and acrylic. It has an acrylic-based polymer so I have never had any issues. It follows the rule of laying oil on top of acrylic but not acrylic on top of oil.
Is this method of treatment also suitable for oil paint or only for acrylic paint? I would like to try this method but I don't know if I can use oil paint over it. I would like to receive your feedback and advice in this regard
I will defer to my previous comment and say yes it works for oil paint as well. Thanks
👍💙thanks for the info, I'm gonna try the acrylic house paint. cheaper than gesso! i love painting on MDF and Hardwood but my absolute fav is ACM
You're welcome!
It is probably a good idea to seal the back and sides too, mdf absorbs humidity from the environment over time, specially from the sides. Probably the same paint you use will do the trick for the back and sides.
I use gesso in the front and sides and gac100 in the back. Just a matter of preferences, nothing special.
Thanks for your comment! I agree with you. Since making the video I have been treating all sides and corners with the interior house paint before starting.
Does it make sense, or do you think it’s necessary, to GAC the entire board and then Gesso the painting surface?
@@deannfrey3469 Yep.
Great video! Thank you!
You bet!
Hey, I'm preparing for art project above my cabinets in my garage (first timer). Do you see any issues arising with using 48" x 72" MDF panels? 1/2 or 3/4 - would you suggest MDF over hardboard? Why use this product and not the typical "gesso primer" I see? Thank you. Liked and subbed
Sounds like a fun project. MDF is not a good material for outdoor use. It is an indoor material only. So long as your garage is well insulated then you should be fine using it. I coat my board with an acrylic latex paint that offers moisture resistance. That should add a level of protection in case you had a leak in the garage. Good luck!
@@MarcHarvillArt thank you! cant wait to get started. will share afterwards
What do you do about the sides? Is there any chance that exposure to moisture will expand/warp the board?
I did not show it in the video but I usually will cover all the sides with the latex paint as well so that every part of the wood is covered. Thanks
I've found that watered-down wood glue applied to the edges works well. Once sanded it protects against moisture and gives a smooth finish for painting. 🙌
It's really a great video tutorial full of all the information and answers to the questions we can think of. but I have a small question
Now that I'm done making my mdf surfaces just like you, can I do layers of oil paint like glaze and things like that ??
and Can I use gesso in the first layer instead of the one you used?
You can certainly use gesso instead of indoor paint. The only reason I start with indoor paint is because of the anti-microbial, anti-mold agent to treat the board. You can also certainly do layers of oil paint. Just make sure you remember the rule that you never lay oil down if you want to paint in acrylic. The acrylic will not bind. You can do acrylic first and then oil on top of that. Hope that helps!
Good advice and I will try. A little bit of a more fluent and faster presentation would be helpful
Hello, could you please tell me why you sand the painted mdf boards, if the boards are already smooth?
Hello Kenia, You don't necessarily have to sand the MDF board as it is very smooth, however, there is some residual grain and other particles that cause a mildly scratchy surface that I like to clear off after painting a ground in order to make it even smoother. This is why I like to sand as well. Hope that helps!
Marc thanks for the video. I've been using mdf, painting first with house paint then a couple coats of gesso. Love them. My problem is this. I have a plywood backboard, then my mdf panel sits on it. Quarter inch thick mdf is too heavy to stick on with blue tack. Any ideas how I can mount the panel on the backboard? Thanks for listening!
Hello RL, I'm having a hard time visualizing what you are trying to describe. You ought to IM me a photo for a visual and perhaps I could be of more help offering a recommendation. Thanks
Thank you for sharing your techniques. How do you frame/hang your artwork on MDF board?
Thanks for your comment! I take it to Hobby Lobby and select a frame and have them mount it for me.
It must be rather heavy at that size and thickness?
It is heavy. They are fun to paint on but I have stopped because I have since found they scratch easily. I have found using watercolor canvas a favorite go-to now because of the fine grain texture.
23 minutes to give 2 minutes worth of info.
I'm sorry about that! I'm still trying to figure out streamlining these tutorial videos. A work in progress. Thanks for taking the time to watch!
Great information. ❤❤❤
Glad it was helpful!
What the board thickness?
This was half inch MDF board.
I’m just beginning with oils but I’ve painted a few walls. I’ve always used a prep/primer before I used the colour. You just go straight in with house paint without sealing it with anything? Does this board leech yellow after a while?
Not that I've noticed. Primer may be a good way to start for added protection. I simply have not enough years of observation on MDF to notice if age yellows them or not.
Great info Marc, thanks for posting this!
How do you prevent the MDF from bending, after you paint and seal ? Thanks.
I have not had that problem of bending with the half inch thick panel. I purchased a sheet of it at Home Depot. I would get it there. You should not have a problem with bending. Good luck!
Really useful. I found myself wishing I could speed it up a bit, it was very slow but the info was useful
Sorry for the slow pace. I was still figuring the whole video/TH-cam thing as it was an earlier video and I was still quite new at it. Hopefully my later videos have improved.
Thank you so much for this instructive video. Question about recycling: I have MDF boards from an old closet, the boards are 0.59 inches thick, coated with plywood on both sides making them smooth, I thought of sanding them and then putting on some gesso or primer. Do you think it will fit or are they too thick and heavy. And thanks again.
Thanks for your question. If you choose to use this MDF panel with plywood I would make sure you cover the entire piece in anti-microbial paint to prevent mildew over time and protect it better. I am not sure of the weight since you never mentioned the dimensions of the board.
Hello, Marc Harvill. I'm just getting into Mdf boards and I wanted to ask if one can apply Gloss Varnish or Epoxy Resin on a finish painting or Drawing?
Yes, absolutely. Once it is dry I will add an isolation coat, let that dry overnight and then add a final varnish. Should not be a problem.
Have you seen any problems over the year with MDF, with the preparation that you described?
Up to this point I have not seen any issues so long as you use the anti-microbial paint.
Great video: Newbie painter here, I've heard several times now that it's advised to make 100 practice paintings on MDF to really get into the flow of painting, so to speak. I would like to do this but could you advise me the best size for practice paintings from a large sheet of MDF board?
Hello and thank you for your question. I would recommend starting on an 8x10 or 16x20 size sheet of MDF for practice. Michael James Smith periodically will paint on a small 8x10 MDF. He does this mostly I think because he is a realism painter and his style takes so long because of his carful and intricate brush strokes. Here is a link to his channel: th-cam.com/channels/R-F7qHNjCxS5WJzIsgE0yQ.html
Hi, nice video.
Why dont you use a painter grid, puttig your roll direkt in the can is not good.
Why do you use the roller the wrong way?
the rounded way on the wrong edge?
Thanks for your comment and your questions. I don't mind so much if I am using the roller the incorrect way. They are very cheap to replace and it serves my purposes well.
since you seem to use kinda thick boards. how do you hang em on later on? do you use special frames or do you apply then just a mount on the back?
Thanks for your question. The board is 1/2" MDF. You do not need special frames since in many regards the MDF is as thick or less than many standard stretched canvases. You can use standard canvas frames. Also, you can hang them with standard wall mount anchors you can find in any framing department at a hobby lobby store. They are a little heavier than stretched canvas frames but not too much so!
I’ve gotten into the habit of leaving a tooth on mine so the paint grips easier. I did a book cover that came out good using a smooth finish but the next few tries after that I noticed that I needed some sort of tooth so I’ll sand once and then I’ll paint it again and sand a second time but when I sand the second time I leave a slight tooth.
Thank you for your comment and advice!
@@MarcHarvillArt don’t get me wrong smooth is awesome for faces as you have mentioned! The modulation of edges is great but you have balance out how much linseed you use in your paint and generally let the first pass sit overnight which as I swim further into the deep end of the painting pool I find I don’t like doing that if I’m doing a self contained figure below a 1 to 1 fade size, like let’s say a 1/10 scale. It’s like sorting as much as I can in the block in, I’ll step away and come back after a few hours and refine but I try to knock in as much form as I can in my first pass
Thanks for the informative video! Looking forward to creating something with your help on my MDF 😄
You're welcome! Thanks for tuning in!
Thank you
Thank you.
What mm is this ?
I believe this was a half inch MDF, so about 12.7mm
Thaankuuu Sir 😇🥰