Materials research: Sizing and acrylci mediums as sizing

MDF panels and size

Panels (and a note on latex paint on the back-side of a panel for shrinkage evening)

PVA size gamblin-- try this
Gamblin PVA Size diluted with distilled water is a contemporary size for fabric support. Conservation scientists recommend painters use neutral pH PVA size on linen and canvas instead of rabbit skin glue. PVA (Poly Vinyl Acetate) seals the fabric but does not re-absorb atmospheric moisture, preventing the size layer from swelling and shrinking. It has a neutral pH and does not yellow, plus it retains its flexibility, does not emit harmful volatiles, and protects fabric from the ground. PVA does not tighten the fabric like rabbit skin glue, so stretch fabric tightly.

primer vs size.

prior research has indicated (though i cannot find those sources and they're veyr muddled and hard to find) that acrylic gel mediums are made with gac, esp gac 100? and that they are reasonably useful as sizes for canvas. my own expirementation has yuelded fairly positive results re: that. scrap-bookers use it/PVA ph-neutral archival glues to make books with, and theoretically might yield archival results?

not sure if they preserve the lightfast nature of colors in said cloths; more information forthcoming.

discussion of various sizing and gessos, mostly rehash

in my experience gesso alone has led to cracking, prior to sizing both sides of a wood panel.

consider spraying surface with fixative when done painting to rpevent acrylic-gel-treated surfaces from sticking to each other and causing problems.

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.