There was also a lot of interest in finding out what the results of the survey were. To the nearly 300 people participating, thank you. Herein are the results of the survey, followed by responses to frequently asked questions and other comments that were made. The purpose of the survey was to collect information on current practices of support preparation. The size and priming layers of paintings are a critical interface between the support and paint layer.
Acrylic gesso is a popular ground for both oil and acrylic painting.
There currently are several ASTM standards relating to artist materials. Manufacturers' labeling their colors as conforming to any of these are voluntarily providing assurance to the consumer that the paints meet criteria for lightfastness testing and labeling as well as disclosure of the pigments used. Use of these standards allow artists to choose materials that are of the highest archival integrity. By understanding where and how acrylic gesso is used, application practices, and attributes im-portant to artists, an ASTM Acrylic Gesso Standard can be designed that will address as many needs as possible. This will not result in one generic product, without brand differentiation, that will be suitable for all applications.