For my recent series of oil paintings on paper, I prepared Arches 300 lb. cold press watercolor paper with two or three coats of acrylic matte medium. Re-reading notes from a workshop, I discovered that the recommendation was for one coat of matte medium followed by two coats of acrylic gesso. No wonder too much oil was being absorbed from the paint. Learn by doing — that’s what works.
ABOVE: Bananas and Blue Napkin, oil on paper, image 6.5 x 8.25 in, (16.5 x 21 cm), 02/17/2009