Have you noticed how thinly our regular canvases are primed with one layer of gesso? Well, you cannot expect too much by paying too little! Unfortunately, poorly primed canvases "inhale" paint, which is a very costly business. Additionally, such surface is uneven and often porous, thus our brushes are prone to be have their lifespan shortened.
Solution? Yes, two of them actually!
The most common one is to apply another coat, or two, of gesso before painting. My tip this week is to apply a thin coat of acrylic gel (regular, matt or gloss) evenly on the surface. An elongated palette knife, a wide spatula or a squeegee can help you to spread the gel evenly and smoothly. Leave the gel to dry for about 30 minutes and then...voilà...your canvas is ready to be transformed into a beautiful masterpiece!