Everything you need to know about oil primers
Basic White is a fast-drying white alkyd oil paint specially developed for making relief underpaintings. Due to the high concentration of dry raw materials (a balanced ratio of titanium white pigment and fillers), Basic White offers optimum adhesion for oil paint after drying. Underpainting White can also be mixed with oil paint in any proportion. Only to be used on a ground prepared for oil paint.
As neither oil paint nor acrylic paint (also Gesso) adhere well to metal, the panel should first be treated with an adhesive primer or wash primer for metal. This is an industrial product that you can buy in a hardware store. After drying, lightly sand the primer. If the metal can then be seen through the layer, apply a second layer and sand this one lightly after drying as well. For optimum adhesion of the final paint, a layer of Gesso should be applied on top. The preparation is now suitable for both acrylic and oil paint adhesion.
All surfaces that are free of grease and are somewhat absorbent, such as paper, cardboard, cotton, linen and wood, can be prepared with Gesso. With an open woven canvas, it is recommended to apply a layer of Amsterdam acrylic binder first. This seals the meshes of the canvas so that the Gesso does not come through at the back.