How to Use Acrylic on a Mat Board
- 1). Support the mat board on your easel using a piece of thin wood or foam board. It may weaken while wet with paint, but the dried paint will make the foam board more rigid.
- 2). Dip the paint brush in acrylic gesso and apply a thick coat of the primer to the mat board. Allow to dry for approximately two hours, or until it's dry to the touch.
- 3). Paint a second coat of gesso onto the board. Alternatively, use a painting knife to add texture to the gesso during application. Lay the mat board flat on a hard surface to dry fully. This may take four to six hours, depending on the thickness of the gesso you applied.
- 4). Paint as usual using acrylic paints or water colors.