GESSO
One of the most useful products ever invented, Gesso is really versatile and can help you create some fantastic effects in your artwork. I'll upload a few samples of different effects you can achieve with it, but the main one I'm going to focus on is the Masterboard (as seen in Take Ten) which involves a very simple technique which creates great backgrounds. Here the Gesso is used to blend bright colours to create a more subtle effect.
The two right hand cards were made for a Katy's Corner UK swap by Dave Jinks and Chris Slater
WHAT YOU'LL NEED
Variety of Dye based inkpads in lots of different colours - or colour theme them if you like
Credit card or Splodger (Paperartsy)
Gesso
Brayer (the tiny one is best for this)
Stamps and Stazon or Versafine black inks
Lots of scrap paper to protect your work surface!
Using the brayer, roll different colours of ink onto the card, in a roughly geometric pattern, being sure to vary the colours as much as you can. You'll end up with something that looks like this
(Click to enlarge)
Take the Credit card or Splodger and apply a coat of Gesso over the ink. The Splodger allows you to get a fine coat. Don't be afraid to create some texture. The finer the coating the quicker it dries, so you can keep on adding more layers until you get the blended effect you need. If it isn't drying quickly enough for you, just give it a quick blast with a heat tool - I always do!
This is what you'll end up with
Click to enlarge and you'll see that half of the paper has more Gesso applied than the other half, just to show you the difference another coat can make. You'll also see how you start to get 'texture' effects as you add more coats. But most importantly, you'll see how the Gesso softens and blends the colours together and that the bright inks seem to 'fade together'
Now cut up and use as you would any other background paper, just stamping over the background. The Gesso does coat the paper, so you'll find that you can only overstamp in Permanent ink, unless you emboss. I've used Versafine Onyx Black and embossed it with clear embossing powder, for a different effect. You can make your own Basic Grey type papers this way - much cheaper.
This one is a Mini File Folder we did at one of our workshops. You can see how the gesso was applied before applying the inks (using a Splodger or old Credit Card) and then it was allowed to dry - or heat set. Distress inks were sponged over the top, creating the random effect you can see here. The inked backgrounds were overstamped with various images to give the illusion of texture and depth.
The two sheets below are dictionary pages, glued to card, then gesso was added with a splodger and left to dry.
Distress inks in two colours (Mustard Seed
and Aged Mahogany) were sponged or sw
iped
over the top, then left to dry.
You can see how the one on the left had more Gesso on than the one on the right. The paler bits are the ones which had gesso on them and therefore resisted the inks. The dictionary page with no Gesso on it absorbs more ink and therefore looks darker, but it isn't really. I've overstamped the one on the left with the two colours I added to the page. I like the way the gesso creates different shades of the same colours and thus adds interest.
This is a background I was making in
preparation for making Inchies for a swap. The theme is yellow, which
isn't a colour I ever use on its own, though I love it with other colours, so
that makes it even more of a challenge.
I started by sponging Adirondack Lemonade and Sunshine yellow on cream card, then added touches of Willow. Then I stamped in Sunshine Yellow and Willow. The result is the first sheet. (Note that I dropped the inkpad in the centre but I decided to leave it as it would add character and be blended in by the Gesso) I then randomly added Gesso and then added more colour over it - Sunshine yellow and swiped Willow. The second sheet is the result.
These are the Inchies and an ATC I made from the same background, after adding a little more colour:-
Happy stamping!!
