Primer & Undercoat. What’s the difference? Primer is for raw materials applied thin to soak into the substrate for preservation and a foundation for the undercoat. Undercoat is highly pigmented for coverage. It dries with a flat finish which makes the bond between the substrate and the painting stronger.

Most canvases come pre primed and are ready to use. Some artists add a couple more coats of undercoat for a smoother finish.

Process: Thin your paint about 10% for easier application. Dip your brush into clean water and wring it out by hand then scoop up a generous amount of paint and dump it on your board. Cover the entire surface quickly.

Lay off with a big brush, first horizontally then vertically. Repeat the process. while the paint is wet enough to settle down. This is called maintaining the Wet edge, overlapping each brush stroke before the paint can dry. Laying off and Maintaining the Wet Edge are terms and techniques that come from the painting and signwriting trades and apply every time you paint anything.

You may still have to apply two coats for a solid opaque finish whether you use Oil based or Acrylic based undercoat. If that doesn’t quite work, move on, let it dry and paint the area again.