3. Gesso Cardstock makes me wanna Marker stuff!

Made this card set for my aunt Kathy's birthday. Happy Birthday Kat! I sure do love you! OXOXOXOXOXO Mwah! Kat loves bright colours, so hopefully these are bright enough! ;0) She loves yellow especially! It's sunny like her:


Gesso makes markering way easier & niftier! Who'd've thunk it? :0) I must admit, I don't usually like colouring in images with markers. It's probably lack of skill & I've never tried Copics on regular paper mind you, but....

...I just don't like these things about markers on plain ol' cardstock:

• The colour is too dense with little variation
• Colouring strokes show
• One slip up and you've wrecked your image
• You can't remove colour
  

But not with Gesso!!! You can marker SO easily. Just add the colours you like and the gesso gives them a neat look. (Can you tell I'm all twitterpated with this stuff? heehee) :0) It feels like cheating! Textured gesso cardstock adds all of the interest for you so you can just use your markers simply and quickly. I found this WAY easier than other colouring or water-colouring methods.

Markering on Gesso Cardstock:

1. Make gesso cardstock (Tut here)
2. Sand it
   
3. Emboss with waterproof ink (I used Encore here)
4. Marker it (that was hard hey? heehee) ;0)
   

Of course you can also run it through your printer if you're feelin' crazy like me.

Marker Brands react different ways on Gesso:

(Good news & bad new that's actually good news)

SO do you want the good news first or the bad news that ends up being good news, heehee... Good news: You can correct your marker mistakes with a damp q-tip or damp brush. Bad news: Stampin' Up! markers stay wet so they need daubing off with a paper towel and may look more muted than when you first colour. But know what?...Good news! You can emboss them! YUP! They stay wet and take embossing powder like a dream!

(I am Stamper dork!... faster than a speeding brayer, more powerful than a cuttlebug, able to leap tall stampin' tables in a single bound...and capable of using a zillion exclamation marks in one post!!!!) ;0) heeheeheehee (Yup, I'm sleep-deprived...insomnia)

Here's how SU markers look embossed:

This dressmaker's Judy was actually stamped in Stazon (YUP! You can emboss Stazon if your cardstock is treated with Gesso) I was floored by the fine detailed look it gives you: each little dot is captured! Neat huh?

This is the gift tag on the box for Kat's gift. The image is #53005 G from Above the Mark. I added the rainbow colours with SU Markers (which stay wet so they can be covered in clear embossing powder!) Maybe I need to get out more, 'cause I find the fact that you can emboss Stazon & Stamp'n'Write markers immensely thrilling!?!

This schtuff makes an easy altered box:

1. Take a dollar store box (it has a black bottom & HAD a coloured top)
   
2. Paint Lid with gesso, & sand to distress.
3. Emboss Riot of Petals stamp onto back of glossy c.s. (with silver Encore ink & clear e.p.)
   
4. Brush on Acrylic Gesso over stamping--If you want more embossing to show, you can work in stages--to manipulate the gesso while wet)
   
5. Wipe wet gesso off gently with paper towel for embossing to show through. If you want some texture, you can pounce the paper towel to create some.)
6. Let paper dry & flatten if needed (under a book)
7. Adhere to top (a good amount of double-sided tape will prevent curling)
   

Matte Look with Close to My Heart & S.U. Markers:

Want an unembossed matte look instead of the shiny gloss finish? Got Close to my heart markers? They set nicely with no embossing at all. Want the unembossed matte look and only have SU markers? You can sand clear embossing powder to dull it nicely (Wendy thought of that; brilliant hey? I tried it & it works wonderfully) or you could get Ranger's clear, matte EP: Antiquities Frosted Crystal (Thanks Trish!)

Copics on Gesso:

I can only imagine how other markers will perform. I bought one Copic marker today, so I could tell you how they do on gesso (it was 7 bucks! they must be good, lol.) It goes on nicely (though honestly with the gesso c.s. I much prefer the CTMH markers. They just need less working over than the Copic to look great.)

Granted, I only had one Copic colour : Nile Blue (turquoise of course) so I did no blending. The Copic had a nice intense colour when I layered it on itself and needed no embossing to be colourfast. BUT (and this was a BIG but for me) The Copics were so colour fast that I couldn't erase any mistakes the way you can with the other two types of markers.

Card Details:

All images are Riot of Petals background stamped on gesso cardstock with silver Encore ink & embossed with clear e.p. The main cards are Naturals White cardstock cards, with Basic Black accents. Oval sentiments are "happy" stamp from Define Your Life. stamped on naturals white & punched with the two SU oval punches. The hinges aare large oval punches with white doodlebug brads.

The Card Ingredients:

Tempting Turquoise cardstock mat. Leaves with SU Mellow Moss marker & flowers with Tempting Turquoise SU marker (embossed with clear e.p.)














Marigold Morning cardstock mat. Leaves with SU Mellow Moss marker & flowers with SU markers: Yoyo Yellow, Summer Sun, & Pumpkin Pie (embossed with clear e.p.)








Not Quite Navy cardstock mat. Leaves with SU Mellow Moss marker & flowers with Close to my Heart Breeze & Twilight markers (no embossing needed!)











Ruby Red cardstock mat. Leaves with SU Mellow Moss marker & flowers with with SU markers: Only Orange, Real Red (embossed with clear e.p.)









Cool Caribbean cardstock with Close to my Heart Breeze marker & SU tempting turquoise Markers (partially embossed)

Go to the Gesso Index (7 techniques)

Thanks so much for stopping in! Happy craftin! :0)