PRIMING THE BOARD

The repeated scraping involved in this process requires a durable surface. I used a recycled piece of plywood for my drawing of Tendai. I sanded the surface to provide a key and applied five coats of white acrylic gesso primer, using a flat baker’s brush. I applied the first coat straight from the pot, followed by four more layers diluted to the consistency of double cream – a greater number of dilute layers require less sanding than a smaller number of viscous layers.

The baker’s brush will leave visible striations in the surface of the primer. Alternate the application of the gesso layers horizontally then vertically.

After each layer, leave the gesso to dry for several hours before lightly sanding it. Applying the next coat in the opposite direction. The resultant mesh-like texture helps to hold the oil pastels, but too much of it will inhibit your coloured pencil marks. You may want to prime a few test boards before beginning a final work to decide how much sanding is required for your preferred texture.