Gesso or Mod Podge

I was wondering if anyone can give me some advice on the benefits of using gesso vs mod poge for a collage on canvas. I am planning on doing 2 18 x 24 collages. I will be spray painting the canvas with black paint as a base. It will be it a mixed media, but it will have more paper items than anything else! I appreciate any help or advice as I dive into this project!

Lynn, the Gesso will give a cool distressed look underneath and it is a good glue....the Mod Podge won't give that distressed-resist look, so it depends on what you are going for!



Sounds like a cool project! Can't wait to see it!

is it clear gesso or white?

I like to use liquitex acrylic gloss medium & varnish. Its clear with a nice adhesion & dries tactless.

I hate modpodge, its not humid friendly.

Just a question: I thought Gesso was for sealing the canvas, etc whereas Modpodge was for sealing the paper on top--like decopage. Right/wrong????

Gesso does seal the canvas...Mod Podge can do either, it can be a glue or to seal the work on top.

maybe I will go with the Gesso.. I kinda wanted a distressed look, plus live in a VERRRRY humid area. I am doing a collage of blues guitarist with some pics & stuff from out blues traveling... we go to old blues sites & soak it all in! We thought it would look great in our basement ( our fun place! ) which we refer to as Blues Alley LOL. we always say that we are going "down in the alley".
thanks for the tips & keep em coming!!

Are you going to Gesso then paint?? It will resist some inks, but you can layer it pretty thick to give texture then use like acrylic over it.