How I prime my boards

[@gayesekula]

You are always so generous with your knowledge. You are most appreciated!

[@ritakirkman]

Thanks Gaye!

[@wonders271]

I learned from your demos so much, Thank you ❤🙏

[@aliciamolloy5948]

Thank you Rita!

[@ritakirkman]

You are so welcome!

[@terrygaspich633]

Thank you - this so helpful. Much appreciated!

[@ritakirkman]

You're very welcome! Glad it was helpful!

[@ifcbarreau9730]

Thank you for sharing your wisdom. I simply love your work.

[@ritakirkman]

Thanks Ifc! My pleasure!

[@soniagibbs3366]

Hi Rita, I absolutely love your work. I would like to know if the golden fluid acrylics can be used with water instead of the pumice medium to achieve similar variations in colour? I am a soft pastel artist but don't plan to use soft pastel over the top of the acrylic in this instance, so wont need the pumice, but want to achieve an under-painting with varying values such as you do here. Would water work as a substitute or would a different medium be better? Also, how long do your mixes last in your jars?

[@ritakirkman]

Hi Sonia, sorry for the late reply. KZbin only recently started sending me notifications for comments. You've probably solved your question already, but certainly the acrylic colors can be used with water. My pumice gel color mixes last quite a while in jars, if I use a paper plate or other palette while working instead of keeping the jar open. Also good when I use some plastic bag under the lid to keep it from sticking lol.

[@tjrollinthedough102]

Thanks for sharing! I have admired the glow in your work since l first saw your videos. Do you swallow the golden mix? Because l think you have an inner glow!!!😊

[@ritakirkman]

That's so mice of you to say! Once I did swallow some of my brush water by accident, then quickly Googled acrylic paint and found that it's not too toxic, lol.

[@denisegrossman3840]

Thank you for such an informative video. I found all the supplies on Blick, can not wait to try this technique. How long does gator board take to dry and how long will the yupo plastic sheets take to dry. I really look forward to enrolling in one of your classes! Thank you for your generosity!☺️

[@ritakirkman]

Hi Denise, sorry I missed this question (I must check my notification settings!!) I guess you probably have figured out the dry time by now, lol. I find it dries very quickly on the Gatorboard (just a few minutes) but longer to cure on the Yupo. I could still scratch it (the first layer) off of the Yupo with my fingernail after a couple of hours, but it was completely solid the next day.

[@JAsisterti]

this is so helpful thank you!

[@ritakirkman]

You're so welcome! 😀

[@Drvineetakapoor]

Hi rita, I have just discovered pastels and am in love. was fortunate enough to be pointed your way and am learning slowly! Quick question - are you using the fine pumice gel or the coarse to prime the gatorboard? thank you so much, vineeta

[@ritakirkman]

Hi Vin, sorry for the late response, KZbin has not been sending me notifications, darn it! I use the fine pumice gel. I've tried the coarse, it's like gravel and rocks! Lol. Golden brand also has a Pastel Ground that is very similar and works just as well.

[@marilynsmith2773]

Rita, how do you frame your pastel paintings? Can you do a video on framing?

[@ritakirkman]

Hi Marilyn, that's a great suggestion! I'll add that to my list... ;) Meanwhile, here's a good informative video I found... kzbin.info/www/bejne/a6CTlGqKlq2qrJo very similar to how I do it, although I usually don't use spacers on small works, but I do always use the "passe partout" method described by Richard McKinley in his blog post: www.artistsnetwork.com/art-mediums/pastel/pastel-pointers-blog-passe-partout-framing/

[@marilynsmith2773]

@@ritakirkman Thanks for your speedy reply! I will check them out.

[@reneekroyer5104]

Just curious on why you changed to the smooth - hot pressed - watercolor paper. Watercolor paper is rough but has no tooth to it. I've tried using clear gesso on it and it works okay, but not great. You have to avoid the brush marks too when applying the gesso, even when using a sponge foam brush.

[@ritakirkman]

(Sorry for the late reply, KZbin never sends me notifications; some glitch in my account 🤨) Hi Renee, I like to control/create my own texture, that's what I like about using the primers that I use, and also using the sponge, and on smooth surfaces (I like the brush strokes, just my personal preference.) I still prefer Gatorboard over anything else as my support. I stopped recommending Yupo because I found that Yupo was TOO smooth and would not hold on to the primers permanently enough... if I was too rough with some pastel application, it would accidentally scrape off some of the primer. Quite annoying. I suggest hot-pressed watercolor paper for anyone who prefers to work on paper instead of Gatorboard. But if I use paper I will still prime it with these gritty primers, so that the surface will hold pastel.

[@reneekroyer5104]

Thank you Rita for your reply. I understand totally about the notification problem as I have signed up to get notified for my favorite artists when they post a new video and I never get notified either. I USED to get notifications, but for over a year now, I no longer get them. I checked my settings too, and we cannot figure out why I no longer get the notifications. So annoying as I'm missing LOTS of good art videos. @@ritakirkman

[@ritakirkman]

Sigh. Yeah, there are no problems with social media that surprise me. It's more normal to expect glitches. At least they send me comment REPLIES; just not original comments! Go figure. Lol @@reneekroyer5104

[@manonmanon1967]

Hello I watch your videos and admire your works ... Are you still working on GatorBoard media just for your demos? Do you normally use another media ... I am from Canada Thanks for the video

[@ritakirkman]

Hi Manon, (sorry for the late reply, KZbin has always glitched with my notifications and never sends me any!) I still primarily use Gatorboard as my support, yes. My main medium is pastel, but I like to underpaint with acrylic-based pastel primers, which spread onto Gatorboard quite well. :)

[@manonmanon1967]

@@ritakirkman Thanks for taking time to respond to me..

[@simray981]

Can i use this technique for pastels on canvas??

[@ritakirkman]

Hi Sim, most likely you could, however, pastels need to be framed under glass, so not sure how you could do that with canvas, unless it's a canvas board and not a stretched canvas?

[@reneekroyer5104]

Where do you purchase Gatorboard? Just wondering why you go thru all of this instead of just buying sanded paper? What is the benefit?

[@ritakirkman]

Hi Renee, Sorry for the late response. KZbin has not been sending me notifications, darn it. I get gatorboard from a local plastics wholesaler in San Antonio. But you can also order it online from Dick Blick www.dickblick.com/products/gatorfoam-board/ I like the 3/16" white. I like the texture I can get with the primers, which I can control the strokes of. I also like sanded papers, but I've gotten used to this method and just love it. It's not for everyone, but imo, it's worth trying! :)

[@reneekroyer5104]

@@ritakirkman Thank you!

[@ritakirkman]

@@reneekroyer5104 you're very welcome! And yay! I think I managed to get KZbin notifications set up right... I'm commenting from my phone! 😀

[@chriswhitehouse8982]

Rita, now that this video is a year and half old, I'm wondering if you are still primarily using Gatorboard or if you are using the Yupo paper more now? Any drawbacks of using the Yupo paper? Differences in framing, etc.? Thanks!

[@ritakirkman]

Hi Chris, so sorry I never get notifications of these comments and am just seeing them now! I still use Gatorboard primarily. In fact, I'm less thrilled with Yupo since a couple of times I've scraped bits of my underpainting right off, if I have too much pressure or too hard of a pastel. It really takes a very light touch!! That said, i did just finish one that i had started on Yupo and it came out fine, but I was careful with it.

[@kerry5586]

The music makes it very difficult to hear what is being said.

[@ritakirkman]

Thanks for letting me know! I've been meaning to remake that vid for quite a while, so for sure the next one will have better sound! :)

[@elizabethpears307]

Great video, better without the music.

[@ritakirkman]

Thanks! Yes, this was in the early days of my video editing, when I thought background music would enhance it, lol. I don't do much of that any more. 😅

[@ritakirkman]

I also have an updated version of this video, called Rita Kirkman Workshop Prep. I didn't realize this old one was still out there. I'll probably be deleting it.