Can acrylic paint be used to prime canvas for use with oil paint?

Question

I bought a roll of like 20' x 7' unprimed canvas so it was real cheap.

I'm not trying to spend so much for gesso or white lead titanium whatever primers. I need to prime the canvas so that I can paint with oils.

If I were to apply like 2 or 3 coats of just plain white acrylic paint, would that be okay? Will that protect my canvas from the oils ? Hmmmm

Answer 1

well you can use it but you don't get the same result , gesso isn't acrylic paint alone , its mixed with powder and glue (white glue) so I don't suggest using white paint instead of Gesso .

Answer 2

Sure, but the gesso is cheaper and sandable for evening out the texture between coats. BTW one of the most celebrated painters of the 20th century, Francis Bacon, did most of his oils directly on unprimed canvas...so anything is possible.

Answer 3

you can use gesso or plaster like spackling paste which can give the painting texture for a cool effect.. if your stuck on using acrylic text it out on a smaller canvas first

Answer 4

Gesso is, of course, acrylic, so I see no reason why acrylic paint would not work. But gesso is cheaper than paint so why not use gesso.