If you want to paint, stencil or do other messy wet media techniques on paper, you’ll want to consider using gesso or primer to treat your paper before you start working. This can help to prevent your paper from buckling, sagging, tearing or absorbing more of your paint / media than you want it to.

Read on for a list of my favorite, most-used brands of Gesso and primer.

1. Joyful Gess OH! by Jane Davenport

Jane Davenport’s Joyful Gess OH! is my most frequently used primer for several reasons:

• It is a huge time saver! Most primers are stark white, but this one combines paint and primer, allowing you to prime and paint your first layer in one step.





• The available colors are beautiful, vibrant and trendy. I love them!
• I like the subtle, almost silky textured glow this product adds to my projects.

You can learn more about this product in my detailed review of Joyful Gess OH!

2. Stamperia Primer

Stamperia’s primer is a classic, textured, grippy white product that adds tooth and grit to your paper, enabling the products you use afterward to adhere better. I love this stuff and go through massive quantities of it!

Learn more in my detailed review of Stamperia’s Primer, HERE.

3. Dina Wakley Clear Gesso

You’ll want to use Dina Wakley’s clear gesso in cases where you plan to stamp, stencil or paint on top of paper that already has a pattern or design on it.

This is another one of my most-frequently-used craft supplies, because I also use this stuff in an attempt to make it possible to use Triple Thick clear gloss overtop of patterned paper. This is NOT one of that product’s recommended uses.

How is that working out for me? For a more in-depth discussion about that, I refer you to my detailed product review of Dina Wakley’s clear gesso, HERE.

So there you have it: Those are my top picks for gesso and primer brands to use for painting, collage and mixed media art techniques on paper. I hope you found these suggestions useful!

About Your Product Reviewer: Amy Solovay is a craft blogger and educator who holds a degree in textile design. Amy learned to collage, stamp and stencil as a small child, and she still enjoys mixed media art techniques all these years later. Beyond that, she enjoys introducing other crafters to the best new craft supplies, and she also loves helping crafters learn new techniques for making the most of the craft supplies they buy.

This page was last updated on 9-14-2024.