Have you ever noticed your beautiful acrylic paint colors looking dull or peeling off your canvas? It’s a frustrating moment when all your hard work doesn’t last. Many artists face this problem because they skip a crucial first step: priming their surface.
Choosing the right primer for acrylic paint can feel like navigating a maze. Should you use gesso? Is there a difference between acrylic and oil primers? Using the wrong primer means your paint won’t stick well, colors might sink in unevenly, and your artwork might crack over time. It’s a common pain point that stops many paintings from reaching their full potential.
This guide cuts through the confusion. We will explain exactly what primers do and break down the best types available for acrylics. By the end, you will know how to prepare any surface—from wood to canvas—so your acrylics shine brightly and stay put for years. Get ready to transform your painting foundation!
Top Primer For Acrylic Paint Recommendations
- Good quality base coat primer; one coat is usually all that is required.
- Value acrylic gesso used to prepare painting surfaces for acrylic and oil paint
- Includes 16-oz / 473ml bottle of medium
- Intermixable with Liquitex Professional Acrylic Paint Colors and Mediums.
- Conforms to ASTM D4236; Safe for educational use
- Ideal for use on interior/exterior surfaces including wood, plastic, plaster, metal, masonry and unglazed ceramic
- Oil-based formula is low odor, resist chips and provides long-lasting protection
- Dries to touch in 20 minutes and covers up to 12 sq. ft. per can
- Durable formula provides excellent hide and goes on smoothly
- Flat primer provides a surface ready for painting
- Superior Coverage: Our artist-grade gesso primer provides exceptional coverage, ensuring a smooth and even surface for your artwork.
- Versatile Application: Suitable for use on various surfaces including canvas, wood, paper, and more, offering flexibility for your artistic projects.
- Excellent Adhesion: Formulated with high-quality ingredients, our gesso primer ensures excellent adhesion, preventing your paints from flaking or peeling.
- Quick Drying: With a quick-drying formula, you can begin painting on your primed surface in no time, saving you valuable creative moments.
- Professional Results: Achieve professional-quality results with ease, whether you're a beginner or experienced artist, setting the perfect foundation for your masterpieces
- White liquid gesso primer for preparing canvas, wood, paper, and other surfaces.
- 16.9 fl oz / 500 ml bottle – ideal for multiple projects and regular use.
- Provides a smooth, matte surface for better paint adhesion.
- Suitable for acrylic, oil, and mixed media applications.
- Dries quickly and evenly for a clean, professional finish.
- The primer is the first layer of colour that is applied on the model in order to prepare the surface for the subsequent painting processes. In order to guarantee an excellent adherence it is necessary to apply it on a previously ‘degreased’ surface, therefore it is advisable to wash the model or the figure before priming it in order to remove the remains of release agents
- Vallejo Primers is a range of acrylic primers specially formulated for airbrushing. Recommended compressor settings for our colours are around 15 - 20 PSI or 0.5 to 1 kg
- The primers are applied in successive coats and dry quickly, forming a homogeneous film of extraordinary hardness and resistance within a few hours after application. They can be used directly or diluted with our Airbrush Thinner (B002X6DTHK) or Flow Improver (B00QD780G0)
- The white primer is available in 18 ml (0.6 fl. oz.) bottles with dropper, and 60 ml (2.02 fl. oz.) and 200 ml (6.76 fl. oz.) bottles with hinged cap and dropper
- Note: The brand Vallejo is currently in the process of rebranding, therefore, for a period of time, it is possible that you may receive the product with either the new packaging or the old packaging
- Superior Coverage: Our artist-grade gesso primer provides exceptional coverage, ensuring a smooth and even surface for your artwork.
- Versatile Application: Suitable for use on various surfaces including canvas, wood, paper, and more, offering flexibility for your artistic projects.
- Excellent Adhesion: Formulated with high-quality ingredients, our gesso primer ensures excellent adhesion, preventing your paints from flaking or peeling.
- Quick Drying: With a quick-drying formula, you can begin painting on your primed surface in no time, saving you valuable creative moments.
- Professional Results: Achieve professional-quality results with ease, whether you're a beginner or experienced artist, setting the perfect foundation for your masterpieces
- Premium Clear Gesso Medium: High-quality 16-ounce (480ml) acrylic gesso designed to prime surfaces for acrylic and oil paints, ensuring smooth application and long-lasting artwork.
- Professional Formula: Superior quality acrylic gesso that dries transparent; allows your base surface to show through while providing the perfect tooth for paint; ideal alternative to traditional white gesso primer
- Enhanced Paint Performance: Improves blending and color vibrancy; acts as an acrylic paint medium that helps colors maintain true hues; provides excellent surface grip without altering your paint's consistency
- Easy Application: Smooth flowing consistency for streak-free application; dries quickly between coats; can be thinned with water for lighter coverage; creates flexible surface that resists cracking and peeling
- Multiple Surface Preparation: Excellent canvas primer for acrylic paint and oils; transforms regular paper into painting surface; provides proper sealing for wood primer for acrylic paint projects
- Premium White Gesso Medium: High-quality 16.9-ounce (500ml) acrylic gesso designed to prime surfaces for acrylic and oil paints, ensuring smooth application and long-lasting artwork.
- Professional Formula: Superior quality acrylic gesso that dries transparent; allows your base surface to show through while providing the perfect tooth for paint; ideal alternative to traditional white gesso primer
- Enhanced Paint Performance: Improves blending and color vibrancy; acts as an acrylic paint medium that helps colors maintain true hues; provides excellent surface grip without altering your paint's consistency
- Easy Application: Smooth flowing consistency for streak-free application; dries quickly between coats; can be thinned with water for lighter coverage; creates flexible surface that resists cracking and peeling
- Multiple Surface Preparation: Excellent canvas primer for acrylic paint and oils; transforms regular paper into painting surface; provides proper sealing for wood primer for acrylic paint projects
The Essential Buying Guide for Acrylic Paint Primer
Getting the best results with acrylic paint starts before you even open a tube of color. You need the right foundation: primer. Primer prepares your surface so your paint sticks well, looks vibrant, and lasts longer. This guide helps you pick the perfect primer for your next masterpiece.
Key Features to Look For
When shopping for acrylic primer, keep these important features in mind:
- Adhesion Power: Good primer must grip the surface tightly. This stops your paint from peeling or flaking off later. Look for labels that promise strong bonding.
- Opacity (Coverage): How well does the primer hide the original color of your surface? High opacity means you use less of your expensive paint to cover the base.
- Texture/Tooth: Primer creates a slight roughness, called “tooth,” on smooth surfaces. This texture helps the paint grab hold. Some artists prefer a very smooth finish, while others need more tooth for thick paint application.
- Drying Time: Check how fast the primer dries. Quicker drying means you can start painting sooner.
Important Materials in Primer
Acrylic primers are usually water-based, just like the paint you will put on top. The main ingredients that matter to you are:
- Binder (Acrylic Polymer): This is the glue that holds everything together and makes the primer stick. A higher quality binder usually means a more durable finish.
- Pigment (Often Titanium Dioxide): This gives the primer its white color and its ability to cover up the surface underneath.
- Fillers: These materials help build body and create the necessary tooth.
Factors That Improve or Reduce Quality
What makes one primer better than another? It’s often about what goes *into* it and how you *use* it.
Improving Quality:
- Archival Quality: For professional work or art you want to keep forever, choose primers labeled “archival” or “acid-free.” These resist yellowing over time.
- Flexibility: If you paint on canvas or wood that might move or expand, a flexible primer will not crack when the surface bends slightly.
- Proper Surface Prep: Even the best primer fails if the surface is dusty or oily. Always clean your surface thoroughly before applying primer.
Reducing Quality:
- Using Indoor Primer Outdoors: Primers made only for indoor use often break down quickly when exposed to sun and rain.
- Applying Too Thinly: Applying a very thin coat might not provide enough “tooth” or coverage. Two thin coats are usually better than one skimpy coat.
- Painting Over Uncured Primer: If you paint before the primer is completely dry, the layers can mix badly, causing adhesion issues later.
User Experience and Use Cases
Your project dictates the best primer choice. Think about what you are painting on and how you plan to paint.
Canvas and Paper:
For stretched canvas or heavy paper, standard acrylic gesso is the go-to. Gesso is the traditional name for acrylic primer. It seals the surface, preventing the paint from soaking in too deeply. A smooth gesso works well for detailed portraiture.
Wood and Rigid Surfaces:
Wood soaks up primer quickly. You might need two or three coats of primer on raw wood to seal it completely. If the wood is very porous, a dedicated wood sealer might be needed first.
Specialty Surfaces (Metal, Plastic):
Standard acrylic gesso struggles to stick to slick surfaces like metal or smooth plastic. For these, you must find a specialty primer labeled for “multi-surface” or “bonding.” These contain stronger chemicals that help them grip non-porous materials.
10 FAQs About Acrylic Paint Primer
Q: What is the main difference between primer and gesso?
A: Gesso is just a specific type of primer made for art surfaces like canvas. Most acrylic primers sold today are essentially modern gesso.
Q: Do I have to use primer on canvas?
A: Yes, you should. Primer seals the canvas fibers. Without it, the acrylic paint soaks into the fabric, making the colors look dull and using up more paint.
Q: Can I use house paint primer instead of art primer?
A: You can, but be careful. House paint primers are often very thick and might not have the right “tooth” for fine art. Also, some house primers contain chemicals that could react badly with artist-grade acrylic paint over many years.
Q: How many coats of primer should I apply?
A: For most surfaces, two thin, even coats work best. Make sure the first coat is completely dry before sanding lightly and applying the second.
Q: Does primer change the color of my acrylic paint?
A: A standard white primer makes colors appear brighter and truer because it gives you a clean, uniform starting point. Tinted primers (gray or black) are used intentionally to alter the overall value of the final painting.
Q: Can I mix my acrylic paint color into the primer?
A: Yes, many artists tint their primer with a small amount of cheap acrylic paint. This is called toning the ground. It helps cover large areas quickly with a mid-tone.
Q: What should I do if my primer feels too rough?
A: If the primer has too much “tooth,” you can sand it smooth. Use very fine sandpaper (like 300 grit or higher) after the primer is fully cured. Wipe off all dust before painting.
Q: Is primer toxic?
A: Most acrylic primers are water-based and low in odor, making them much safer than oil-based primers. Still, good ventilation is always recommended.
Q: How long does acrylic primer take to dry?
A: Drying time varies by brand and humidity, but most dry to the touch in 30 minutes to an hour. Allow at least 24 hours before heavy sanding or applying oil-based topcoats.
Q: Can I use primer on the back of my canvas?
A: Absolutely. Priming the back helps seal the canvas evenly, which prevents the canvas from stretching unevenly as it dries and ages. This keeps your painting looking flat.