Artists put it on canvas, wood, or other surfaces before creating a painting with oil paint or acrylics. Gesso makes the surface a little stiffer. It prevents paint from soaking into the support (canvas, paper, wood, etc.), and it gives the surface a little more texture (called tooth), so the paint sticks better.hat it is and how to use it. Gesso is a useful option for art journaling. It's also used for painting and mixed media art. I use gesso often. However, many (perhaps most) artists never use gesso in their journals.