Sol 4: Applying Gesso

 I have purchased a beautiful and informative poster on Martian geology from designer Eleanor Lutz via RedBubble. Apart from being stunning, it's a great map and has a handy disambiguation area at the bottom for explaining key geological terms to non-experts like myself. 

Eleanor has done all the hard work for the rest of us!

I find posters are a bit of a nuisance. They don't lie flat after having been rolled up, and they pop off the Blue Tack all the time (not to mention the chunks of paint that peel off the wall when you eventually remove the Blue Tack). 

So, I'm mounting it onto a 100x120 cm studio canvas. First job is to gesso the areas of the canvas that will be exposed. 

Here's my workspace for the job in the front hall. 

I'm using black gesso, which is an acrylic that does wash out in water. But nonetheless, I'm  being careful. When it dries it becomes hard plastic.

I've applied the gesso with a roller. Now to wait an hour or so for it to dry. (Looks a bit like Texas. James Corey would approve.)