Gesso Art Recipe

Gesso... My best friend...
As a matter of fact, every mixed media artist's best friend... I can't imagine my creative process without it!

This journal spread was created in an old book - I love the concept of using real old family photographs on real vintage substrates with real vintage embellishments. However, old paper tends to be very fragile and it's often tricky to work on because it easily absorbs water, paints and any other media. That's why I always need to prime it and make it safe to work on. Here comes gesso to my aid...

How does it work exactly? We call gesso a primer which means it is used to create a smooth, non-soaking surface on top of which you can add any medium your heart desires. You can apply it on any kind of surface - canvas, wood, paper, metal, chipoards, fabric, plastic - literally anything! It also works fantastic when applied through stencils - you can add some interesting textures and patterns to your art. Gesso is so user's friendly - it dries quickly (good for impatient people like me ;) ), it's non-toxic and archival safe. If you'd like to know more, you can find some information {here} and also learn about some really fantastic effects you can achieve with white, black and clear gesso. :)

To create an interesting project, just gesso is not enough - you need to add a pinch of color... :) I hope my Art Recipe I present today, will inspire you to experiment!

This journal spread is a combination of layers of old paper, lace, buttons and Mechanicals. The color comes from a home made tea stain - simply a couple of tea bags left in hot water and then sprayed on the pages through one of my "Elementals" stencils. It's my favorite way to create an interesting looking golden brown color. The other colors come from Primary Elements Pigments mixed with water in spray bottles.

Have a great creative weekend!