Wednesday 9 January 2013

Michelle Webb #2 .... Printing With Fresco Paints

Leandra Says: Here's another project from the painty one, Michelle Webb! As you will see, being experimental certainly pays off, and the combination of printed layers, and a wash of paint produces a delightful vibrancy from Fresco Chalk Acrylic Paints. My limited experience of printing in this manner is you deffo end up thinking inside out! Enjoy.
 
I got a Gelli Plate for Christmas and I couldn’t wait to try it out, so I went straight for the PaperArtsy Fresco Paints as I thought they would perform brilliantly, and they did! There is nothing better than starting off with something blank and adding layers to see the dimension start to appear. After a couple of practice runs on plain card I decided to use Tim Holtz’s Alterations envelope die from plain card and to alter it along with an ATC to put inside.

I love trying out new crafty products - this was going to be a steep learning curve, it could potentially go wrong, but I wanted to try it out anyway....so here's what happened...

I started by using London Bus red, spreading it across the GelliPlate with an old credit card then leveling it off with a brayer. I put some sequin waste over the top of the paint on the gelli and placed my card on top of the sequin waste and pressed down evenly. I peeled back the card to see my first layer of red. So, from the gelliplate you get the first 'print' of red paint masked by the sequin waste onto the Envelope blank.I repeated the process using Sky Blue.Again, the paint is brayered onto the gelliplate, a numbers stencil is laid on the wet paint, and then you press the envelope blank on.
Oh but look at what was left behind on the Gelli after lifting up the stencil, a little bonus!!
It would seem a waste to wipe this off the Gelli, so I used a spare die cut envelope to print what was left on the Gelli Plate onto the card. Oh winner, love this, the numbers look great! The stencil kind of protected the wet paint, so if you are quick, it stays wet long enough to get a second impression. I’ve saved this one for later.
I did one more layer using Zesty Zing bright neon yellow. Remember, if you use a translucent layer over opaques, you will see through the layers, so Zesty Zing still lets the colours below come through. You get an orange where it is over the red, and green tones where it is over the blue areas.
I bet you’re thinking; 'where is she going with this'? I was asking myself the same question!
Out of curiosity I wanted to know how the colours would change if I painted another semi-translucent paint over the top. I chose Inky Pool deep blue, and I’m so glad I did, the transformation was amazing. I loved the effect it had on the layers of colour. Those 3 layers looked garish, a bit like they didn’t belong with each other, but with the Inky Pool paint over the top it just brought them all together in painty harmony.

{Leandra comments: Michelle has totally captured here the accidental magic of paint, and the entire reason we added some translucent colours to the collection. Notice how the red gets some purple tones, the zesty zing sections pops to a grassy green, and of course, you can always use a sanding block to sneak back to reveal the layers underneath in a few areas if you want to. A wash of colour over the top is a perfect way to bring harmony to all the layers. And remember, satins glaze mixed with opaques also creates translucent shades across the entire paint range}
So I dried the background thoroughly, and then, using a permanent ink, I stamped over the 'envelope' section with the following stamps:

Ink and The Dog: Clocks Plate 7 (C7) which has some bold numbers on the plate
 
Ink and the Dog: Mini 54 (MN54), par avion (bottom left)
  
Ink and The Dog: Dolls Plate 1 (D1) – Impress numbers man (side right)

The final touch was to add a finishing touch on the front of the envelope, the words printed onto white card “Create art it makes....” This refers to the stamp used on the inside on the ATC that says 'a smile...that sets everything straight' (coming up below).
And this is the back. Once folded some of the stamped images wrap around. Remember, over acrylic paint, it's appropriate to use a permanent ink like Ranger Archival (Jet Black or Sepia) or Tsukineko Versafine (Onyx Black, Vintage Sepia) and heat set thoroughly once stamped.
I added subtle 'rings' and 'lines' using Snowflake, Little Black Dress, Eggplant and Old Gold paint, then distressed the edges with Pitch Black Adirondack dabber. It’s an amazing colourful finish. I’d like to try this kind of printing on a larger scale now.

As mentioned above, on the 'ATC' insert I stamped the numbers from:
 
Ink and the Dog Mini 12 (MN12) the rocket scientist
and the smile quote (masked) from Hot Picks Xtra Plate 4: HPXT04
 
And on the inside I stamped the Rocket Scientist Mini in Black ink

To use the Hot Picks sentiment HPXT04 “a smile is a curve that sets everything straight” the Fresco Paints are perfect for this technique, I needed to lighten off part of the rocket scientist image in the lower left corner before stamping the sentiment. Because the paints are so chalky, it worked perfectly as a base for stamping the quote onto. I want to try this again. 

Note I blacked out the words “is a curve” off the quote with a pen. So from the outside of the envelope to the inside on the ATC it reads “Create art it makes....a smile that sets everything straight”  

Finally I attached some TH ideology and stapled some folded tissue tape across the bottom of the ATC.
I hope you have enjoyed today's project.

Leandra Says: Well I am in love with the sheer vibrancy of colour that you have achieved here Michelle. I have dabbled with a gelli, but I was trying to use it differently to you, and I must admit I got a bit frustrated, I think Claudine's extra time medium may be a good option to use here. But by golly, I think you have cracked it! As Fresco's are a chalky, fast drying paint, the 'paint-stencil-print' is a great fast method. I can't wait to have another go now!

Gillian Says: Michelle seriously the depth of colours you achieved with this technique is amazing. Makes me want to crack open my Gelli Plate!

 I have two more projects up my sleeve to share with you this week .... :)


31 comments:

Craft Addicts - Tracy Evans said...

Gorgeous love the painty background. So much interest, I love them and the colours are wonderful . Tracy x

Anonymous said...

Wow, that is seriously gorgeous, I love all the layers. Keep telling myself I really don't need a Gelli plate, but I think I really do. :) Looking forward to your next projects.

Anonymous said...

Fantastic Michelle, the colours you've put together are awesome ! Love how you've highlighted it at the end with some rings of white and black. Sue C x

yoursartfully said...

Another absolutely stunning project Michelle, it didn't take you long to get in the swing of things with the Fresco paint......way to go!!!!

Lin

Darcy Marshall said...

Fabulous. i got a gelli plate for Christmas too, and have only had a little play so far, can't wait to use it again.

Anonymous said...

fabulous project Michelle, so colourful and full of life, makes you smile just looking at it.

flutterbycrafter said...

A wonderful project, so colourful and vibrant xx

Helen said...

What great backgrounds! Just goes to show, don't give up when you think something has 'gone too far' but I love this look. Gorgeous.

Sandra Botham said...

Wow hun, you have done it again, this is stunning, adoring the red, lol. Never used a gelli thingy but its def making me want to have a go.
Sand. Xx

jojo79 said...

wow amazing colours. Love the project x

Anonymous said...

The colours on the envelope are really gorgeous. What a great combination of paint colours.
Margriet

Redanne said...

Absolutely brilliant Michelle, I can tell you are having lots of fun! A x

Linda M. Cain said...

You're on a roll, girl!

~Linda

Suzanne C said...

Beautiful Inky effect! Love the layers of paint and stencils!

Silvia(Barnie) said...

Wow, these are fabulous projects.

Jo said...

Wow, really fantastic techie and colours, love how the inky pool just bought it all together. Told husband that gelliplate is my birthday present! Jo xx

SamsHomeCookedDesigns.com said...

I love this project Michelle, as you know, you have obviously had a great time making this too. I have to have that button lady stamp! Sam

Words and Pictures said...

Simply stunning Michelle, and the clearest explanation of what the heck to do with a gelli plate that I've seen so far... thank you!
Alison xx

Marjie Kemper said...

Oh my goodness! I already love PA stamps but you make me want to buy even MORE of them. Enabler! And those paints look amazing, too. Congrats on the DT spot, Michelle. You are rocking it!!

Jennifer said...

W..O..W..! All I can say is wow and stunning!

Alison said...

Fantastic!!! That's it....the Gelli Plate is coming out today....you've inspired me Michelle!
Alison x

Inkypinkycraft said...

Great info and fab make..love it buddy! The colours sing! Trace x

Minxy said...

Love how bold you are with your colour choices, if I try that I usually end up with a muddy brown lol, think I need more play time with my gelli plate! Just love the mini envelope colouring.

Gio said...

This is so gorgeous!!

I got a gelli plate for Christmas, too, you inspire me to use it with my Frescos!

Emilia said...

Amazing project! I have a gelly plate but I thought that fresco paints wouldn't work because they dry very quickly. What a great discovery! I am going to use my gelly plate and fresco paints today. I can also try them with the extra time medium. Thanks for the inspiration and great instructions.

lilygee said...

What an amazing transformation Michelle after using the translucent paints. I had never heard of the Gelli Plate so after researching it I was intrigued to see what fabulous results could be achieved and after reading your informative post it is on my 'to have' list. Good luck with your next project - can't wait to see it.
Jean xx

Helen said...

WOW, you sure look like you had lots of fun playing with the paints and the gelli plate - well done!

Scrapmate said...

I love the end result of this - the inky, painty fabulousness is amazing.

Marjie Kemper said...

Your colors are amazing! I love the build up here.

Sandy said...

Wonderful art work Michelle!
Sandy

Jeffy said...

Wonderful! I'm french and I would like to know where I can find the Gelli plate in London. Can you help me ?