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Is gesso required for encaustic painting?

A gesso layer is optional. Artists working in encaustic often paint directly on raw wood and other absorbent substrates without gesso.

Three reasons to use encaustic gesso:

  1. If you want to begin with a white surface,  prepare the substrate with encaustic gesso
  2. Encaustic gesso improves encaustic adhesion. So starting with a layer or two of encaustic gesso is a good practice.
  3. Encaustic gesso can be pigmented. You can create an underpainting establishing your design and values before adding wax.

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