Expirement, Materials, 9/10/2014: Gel-medium sizing on Tapestry Cloth for Oils

1: tapestry cloth on the wall, attached first, sized by soaking with < 50/50 gel medium solution (and strait gel medium) unevenly. more sized than second large tapestry cloth, which was sized with water and some mixed solution

attempted to oil paint on small scraps of tapestry cloth (one unsized, one sized w/ 50/50 solution-ish). unsized far too absorbant, 50/50 still too absorbent.

50/50 is used for sheer fabrics in printmaking to make resist layers; many layers for full resist in a print. given that, future trials may seek to try 75/25 mixtures.
have previouly tried this method of sizing (one layer of gel medium to affixing surface, and then sized cloth over this 50/50 to attach) on thinner cloth with decent effect; this fabric is much thicker so may require more sizing.

covered both large sheets with layers of strait gel medium applied via roller. more information forthcoming.

Gel medium DOES unfortunately reduce the visual contrast and beauty of the cloth. makes it duller, even when dry.

for a watercolor less sizing may be good to retain partial absorbancy?
try the chinese sizing techniques )with gel medium instead of alum mixture) outlined by sibergeld.

Later addition:
tore a sheet off the wall-- the crispness of the other side is preserved! the one less exactly sized.
did tear off the other side of the wall but this may be a method to employ with tapestry cloth in the future.