GOLDEN Pastel Ground is contains finely ground sand (silica) in a pure acrylic emulsion designed to prepare surfaces for the application of pastels, charcoal and other art media where a coarse tooth is desired. 

It can be applied to paper, canvas, wood or any primed support, allowing almost limitless applications for media typically confined to standard papers.

Thinning

• Due to the weight of the solids in Pastel Ground, it is produced very thick, and does not come ready to brush-apply. Thin 20-40% with water to desired consistency.

Application

• Apply with brush, paint-roller, spray equipment, squeegee or palette knife.

• Mix up only as much as is needed for one day's work, as the solids will settle rapidly and be extremely difficult to mix back into suspension.

Surface Preparation

• Non-absorbent surfaces should be abraded for increased adhesion.

• Prime with Gesso or other suitable primers (depending on substrate).

• Apply one or more coats of GOLDEN Pastel Ground to achieve the desired tooth.

• On paper, use heavier weight stock to avoid buckling.

• Allow ground to fully dry before applying media.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Use as a Ground

• For best surface adhesion, apply over Acrylic Gesso. It may also be applied over other acrylic mediums, gels, and paints for multi-media work.

Note: When used in conjunction with oil-based media, prepare support (canvas, linen, etc.) with 3 coats of Acrylic Gesso before applying the Pastel Ground. 

Use as a Transparent Gesso

• Pastel Ground can be used as a transparent gesso, applied directly to substrates. The "toothy" quality helps media to adhere, yet allows the underlying layers to remain visible.

• Note: It dries with a whitish translucency, and multiple layers can produce a hazy effect. Test all applications prior to use.

Colour Additions

• Pastel Ground can be blended with Acrylic Paints to achieve coloured grounds. However, add minimal amounts of colour since all additions of paint to Ground will decrease the tooth.

• GOLDEN High Flow Acrylics and Fluid Acrylics blend easily into the ground without thickening the product. High Load Acrylics have the highest pigment load and therefore provide the most colour in the least amount of paint.

• Unless transparency is desired, select paints that are inherently opaque, such as the Pyrroles or earth colours. This will allow lower additions as well.

• Airbrushing thin layers of colour after the ground has dried will give the strongest saturation of colour to the ground without affecting the gritty surface.