6. Gesso Resist Stamping

The black background for this tie-dye dress card uses gesso resist. It's just like regular embossing resist only with gesso stamped on the paper instead of inking & embossing powdering. It's neato how much the gesso really resists the ink. :0)

How to:

1. Stamp in Gesso (Tips: i love using a brayer for even application & the staying power of gesso means it's best to clean stamps asap after gesso stamping)

2. Let gesso dry (or heatgun it)

3. Apply colour (Brayer/sponge/paint/spray ink over)

You can use it as is, or add marker to give details to images


The black background was white glossy cardstock. I stamped the non-glossy side with the Wanted medallion in gesso & then sponged on a bit of stazon & lots of basic grey reinker. It looks like suede in person:


The paper-piercing for the stitches is done with Tim Holtz's design ruler & a making memories piercer on a homemade fun foam mat (I know I keep talkin about that, but it makes faux-stitching so easy that I hafta share it.) The white pen stitches are added with a Sakura white glaze pen.



My markers used to be neglected & I felt guilt--not any more! I'm usin' colours I never thought I'd use because i can emboss them (& do emboss resist like this dress.) The dress used this template which I printed onto patterned gesso cardstock & embossed with clear e.p. (stamping instructions in tut. below.)

The rainbow colours in this were inspired by my Mom, aka best friend. Hi Mom! (add goofy waving like kid on TV here.) ;0) We were chatting the other day... she said you should make a mandala & told me a story about when she was younger & she went to visit some friends where a guy was painting a mandala on a wall. I, of course, had to tease her about how quintessentially Hippie that was. (Love those flower children!) So, this mandala-inspired card is in honour you lovely Lady Momp!

I've taken liberty with the inspiration...I have great respect for the origins of the mandala. Have you ever watched documentaries on the sand-painting of mandalas? I'm in awe!


Now that I've rambled on, here's how I made the dress:

1... Printed the dress template (from this other gesso post) onto gesso cardstock & cut out the baby dress

2... Markered the Wanted medallion stamp in rainbow colours of SU markers (real red, pumpkin pie, summer sun, green galore, taken with teal, brilliant blue, elegant eggplant)

3... Stamped it onto the dress

4... Embossed the stamped marker with clear embossing powder.

5... Coloured over the embossing with a black stamp'n'write marker

6... Removed excess ink & embossed again (for a distressed kind of look)


The sentiment "You're Groovy Baby" is handwritten in Stamp'n'write marker, since it's on gesso cardstock, it embossed easily with clear e.p. too. I put a bit of a pink wash on the rest of the background gesso paper.

i LOVE rainbows and all of the beautiful archetypes & ideas that they signify! :0)

To make the rainbow frame edge (around the white) I markered & blended the colours a little with the fine tips of each colour, then I doodled the black line round the edge & embossed the whole thing with clear embossing powder.

To make the rainbow scallop, I just markered more of the patterned gesso cardstock, embossed it with clear e.p., & used the corner rounder to scallop it.

Go to the Gesso Index (7 techniques)

Thanks for reading. Hope your day is colourful!


P.S. Check this gorgeousness out! --> Erin has been working some stunning magic with gesso cardstock! LOVE it! And more here too! And she tells ya how great Tombow markers work on it here.

P.P.S. What are your favourite kind of markers? Have you tried them on gesso? I'd love to hear about it if you do. :0)