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Tuesday, July 12, 2011

Term: Size (or Sizing)

Size is a penetrating liquid (such as, hide glue or acrylic polymer) applied to a support to seal it and make it nonabsorbent. It is used primarily to shield the support from the effects of oil paint, but it is also used with acrylics to keep the colors from losing their intensity or developing a dull appearance.

Sizing describes the application of the size and is the first step in preparing a support for painting. The sizing used by paper manufacturers should not be confused with the sizing used for oils and acrylics. Watercolor paper, for example, is sized to help keep the color on the surface, not to protect it from the paint.

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