Hide Glue

In traditional painting and gilding, hide glue has long been used as a sizing and binder for rigid supports and gesso grounds. This highly refined hide glue (graded at 240 Bloom) is produced from various animal skins, is darker in colour, has high cohesion, and is processed into small, easy-to-dissolve granules. It is particularly well suited to preparing rigid panels and making traditional gilder’s gesso.

When used as a sizing for painting or gilding, the warm glue solution is brushed thoroughly over the surface (such as a panel or canvas) to seal and tighten the support. Once dry, it provides a slightly absorbent, flexible base for further layers. Over this size, a traditional chalk or gypsum gesso, or an oil-based ground, can be applied. A surface prepared with 240 Bloom hide glue can be sanded to a very smooth, flat texture, allowing the artist or gilder to achieve a fine level of detail and an excellent finish.

This type of hide-glue ground is best suited to oil paint, tempera, and traditional gesso work on rigid supports. Acrylic-based products are generally not recommended directly over pure hide-glue grounds, as they can be prone to poor adhesion or flaking.

To use:

• Dissolve 1 part Hide Glue to 8 parts cold water.
• Soak overnight until all the water has been absorbed by the glue to a porridge-like consistency.
• Gently heat the mixture in a double boiler, stirring until the glue dissolves (be careful not to let the glue boil).
• Apply to your surface with a stiff brush while the mixture is still warm (not hot).
• Once sized, your surface can be lightly sanded for your ground layer to adhere better.