Making the canvas for our 36"x36" Cherry Blossom painting

I'm making the canvas for our 36"x36+ Cherry Blossom painting.  Yesterday I applied two coats of hot - not boiling -  Rabbit Skin Glue from Gamblin (other companies sell it also) to the bare canvas to seal it and to shrink the cotton fabric.

Here I have begun applying the first coat of tinted Gesso. It's tinted with several colors of acrylic paint (whatever I had at the time) so that I can easily see what's covered and what isn't. This Gesso is white in the bucket. I'll probably apply four coats of Gesso lightly sanding between each coat.

The roller is a "cabinet roller" made of foam rubber available in most stores that sell paint.  It is about 6 inches across and 1 inch in diameter.  The rollers last a long time if I give it a thorough washing. After MANY uses the rollers will start coming apart

Showing the (gallon) bucket of Gesso, the paint roller and the 2 inch bristle brush. I usually don't apply the Gesso out of the bucket because it tends to dry and form clumps. But this bucket is virtually empty with JUST enough left to give this canvas one good coat. The Gesso is also thin for the first coat. Each successive coat of Gesso is thicker.

Another view of the canvas and my studio work bench.  Finished paintings behind and "good stuff" beneath.

I apply Gesso to the sides of the canvas and to the back side (bottom?)  The 11x14 study of this painting is behind the canvas.

This is the little heater I use to blow warm air on the canvas to help dry the Gesso.  It's on the lowest heat setting. It's raining and cool = humid and without this "boost" the Gesso takes a very long time (overnight) to dry enough for a light sanding and the next coat of Gesso. The next coat of Gesso will be tinted a different color - easier to see and correct the areas that I have missed or didn't cover well.