Hi everyone! It's Lisa with you for another episode of #TexturalTuesdays . I'm going to be delving into my bag of tricks today and sharing a few of my favorite Gelatos® techniques. I get asked a LOT about how to use them and, honestly? They are one of the easiest and most fun products to use out there.
Using the Essentials by Ellen Autumn Acorns Stamp and Die set designed by Julie Ebersole I created the card below:
Gelatos® are a very unique product in that they are a compact acid-free pigment stick that glide on smooth with or without water. They are light fast, odorless, and acid-free.
They can be used on paper, wood, canvas, chipboard, ceramic, glass, and so many more surfaces. Of course, my favorite way to use them is on paper and canvas.
So let me show you what I did!
1. I started off by creating an A2 card base out of Neenah Desert Storm card stock. Scored on the vertical edge.
2. The next piece that I'll be working with is a small piece of Ranger watercolor paper. Cut large enough to accommodate the dies I'll be using.
3. Then simply start scribbling your Gelatos® onto a panel of watercolor paper. The heavier-handed you are with the color, the deeper the color will be.
4. Add more Gelatos® colors, if you wish. (The colors I'm using are all from the Steampunk Collection of Gelatos®.)
5. Blend the colors onto the watercolor paper using fingers. Use a separate finger for each color. While the color is at a dry stage over-blending would "muddy" the color too much.
6. Using a mister, heavily mist the panel and tilt it over a rag or paper towel. Allow the color to drip.
7. At this point the panel can either be air dried or heat set. I'm pretty impatient, so I opt to heat set it. I also dabbed it with a rag for extra texture.
8. Using the Autumn Acorns Stamp set and Versamark watermark Ink, stamp the images for the card front. Then shake copper embossing powder over the entire panel and carefully tap off the excess.
9. Heat emboss.
10. Roughly cut out each shape and die-cut. Put the die-cuts aside.
11. Create another panel out of watercolor paper and create wet brush strokes across the front of the panel with the Gelatos®.
12. To lighten the color, it's very easy to rub the Gelatos® color directly onto a craft mat and mist it. Then pick it up with a watercolor brush to paint onto your panel.
13. If you create multiple pools or puddles of color, your panel can be pressed into them for a very unique look once dried. (My panel below is not dry yet, but has just been pressed into the pools of color.)
14. Once the panel is dry, create the sentiment by stamping again, with Versamark, and embossing with copper embossing powder onto cardstock weight vellum. Then create a banner notch to one end of the vellum and adhere to the back of one side of the panel.
15. For visual interest a strip of card stock was cut to the same length at the Gelatos® panel. This strip was then coated about half-way in with Gel Medium and bronze mica flakes were added. When the Gel Medium dries, the mica flakes are heated with a heat tool to slightly melt.
16. If there are areas of white (from the cardstock) showing through apply one of the Gelatos® colors. I used Black Cherry from the Steampunk Collection.
17. Adhere to the left (and back) of the Gelatos® panel so that just the edge is peeking out. Adhere the acorns and leaves using the different thicknesses of foam squares, then adhere your panels together. TA-DA!! All done.
Here's a close-up for your viewing pleasure. ;)
If you have any questions on anything I did on today's #TexturalTuesdays episode, please be sure to let me know. I'd love to hear from you!
