Gesso Techniques

[Deb Lovett]

There are so many ways to use gesso in stamping. I hope everyone will feel free to add their favorite ways of using gesso in this thread. We'll all learn from each other.

Here is one way.
Start by applying acrylic paint to glossy cardstock (below, left). Go here for the Twist & Shout Technique that Ann/alsmouse posted:

http://www.rubberstampchat.net/showthread.php?t=3602

When dry, clear emboss your image directly on the acrylic-painted background.
Use an old credit card to VERY LIGHTLY layer gesso over the embossed image (below right).
When dry, iron between 2 sheets of copy paper, using a hot iron. Finish card as desired.

For the Twist & Shout Technique, I used Apple Barrel Glossy Real Blue and Folk Art Enamels Emerald Green Metallic.

[inkkyjo]

hey deb, you make it look so easy..i for sure want to try this..do they sell small bottles of gesso, or do ya have to but a big bottle.

[piecesandpom]

I found a small bottle of gesso at my local Ms, inkkyjo. Not that expensive.

[Deb Lovett]

Yes, you can buy a 2 oz. bottle of gesso (Plaid maybe). It is usually on the same aisle with the acrylic paints in the craft section. Or you can go to the art department and buy artist grade gesso in larger containers.

[Deb Lovett]

We did say this thread would be "Gesso TechniqueS," right? Here are a couple more ideas. Once you have the gesso out, it is so fun to play just little longer and make more backgrounds.

Bottom left: Squirt some acrylic paints on a saucer, and use a wadded up piece of plastic wrap to dab the paint on white cardstock, then dab on gesso. If the paint is not quite dry, the gesso will blend with the paint color. (Some of the gesso on my sample is white and some is bluish. That is OK with me.)

Bottom center: Start with your choice of colored cardstock (mine was greenish; see the strip of cardstock between these two samples?), and brush gesso over the entire piece of cardstock. While the gesso is still wet, stamp firmly into the gesso and lift up to remove some of the gesso. Clean your stamp and repeat as desired.

Be sure to clean your stamps immediately. Do not let gesso dry on your stamps.

Bottom left: sample ATC; the flowers are punched out of the left sample.

Please feel free to share your favorite gesso ideas!

Thanks for always sharing such wonderful ideas / techniques /samples ! Their amazing !! More fun stuff to try !

Now all I need is time.. or that vacation

[Deb Lovett]

Thanks for your nice note, Wolfeyesone. I am a teacher at heart, and rsc and these tutes seem to be the classroom these days. I do hope you get some play time.

Originally Posted by wolfeyesone

Thanks for always sharing such wonderful ideas / techniques /samples ! Their amazing !! More fun stuff to try !

Now all I need is time.. or that vacation

[Deb Lovett]

Here is an ATC using the background described in #5 above.

I'm not big into cutting out images and layering, so I stamped directly on the gesso background with StazOn. Guess what? The ink doesn't take well. It is great if you want a "distressed, old" look. I didn't, so I used a black Sharpie permanent marker to touch up the image. The dragonfly is punched out of the background so the black shows through.

Please feel free to experiment and show us what you make using gesso!

[Deb Lovett]

Regarding the first Gesso Technique, above #1: It is very important to LIGHTLY add the gesso. I am attaching one of my first attempts at this technique. Two things are working against me here.

1. The gesso was way too heavy! I painted it on with a foam brush. (Use a credit card to LIGHTLY spread a layer of gesso.)
2. I don't think the stamp is bold enough for this technique.

So I offer this as a teaching example of what NOT to do.

Have fun, and show us what you make!

See, That's what I appreciate about your tech postings.... you show the good & the bad...what you have tried, what works, what doesn't & why... makes it easy to follow...