A couple of weeks ago I posted a tutorial on the Faber-Castell Blog about pumpkin paintings.
I pulled together a video for today's post to show more detail and share more information. You can use Gelatos on any porous surface. I've used canvas, paper, cardboard, black paper, any paper really. I did gesso this paper before the painting. The gesso lets the Gelatos slide around more and mimic watercolors.
Pitt Pens work well with the Gelatos to add details and shading.
If I could get only a few Pitt Pens, the grays (they come in warm and cool) and the white would be The Ones. :)
Affiliate Links are below (I get a commission if you buy). I suggest checking Joggles supply as well as Scrapbook.com. They have the best prices I've seen. Amazon can be hit or miss.
Well ... I call them Roses :) Scroll down for the video and supply list. This was originally written for Faber-Castell's Design Memory Craft blog.
For this project I used a canvas panel (6"x8"), Gelatos Brights, a Pitt Brush Pen and Texture Luxe Gold to "frame" the painting.
I used the brush and water to remove some Gelatos for the stems later in the painting. It's easy to "erase" some or all of the Gelatos color using a wet brush or rag.
The roses are simple doodles done with the Pitt Brush Pen. I like the heavy black line. I varied the size of the doodle flowers and have them cascading down the panel from the top left. (I used the Rule of Thirds for the composition.)
Once you have your doodles finished, start adding the dark green close to the flower outlines. Try not to cross over the black lines but don't sweat it. I began adding the lighter lime green next. Pushing the creamy Gelatos around and away from the roses.
Use either the blender that comes with the Gelatos or your fingers. Either way, make sure your "tools" stay clean as you don't want to muddy your colors later on. Just rub any media away on a scrap paper. We'll be crossing the color wheel to reds and if there is leftover green on your tools you could make some serious Mud.
I added some stenciling to the background using hexagon and dot stencils. Any medium scale pattern stencil will work well. I laid the stencil down and rubbed away the Gelatos® with a cloth. Vary the amount of rubbing away you do. You can use a baby wipe (or wet rag) to take the Gelatos® off completely.
I pulled out pinks, yellow and orange Gelatos and filled in (roughly) the center of the flowers and the shapes that were created when the doodling was happening. I pushed the Gelatos around and did some blending. You can still see the heavy dark line under the Gelatos but it is faded back somewhat. I left some of the lines uncovered so they would be darker.
I used my binder's awl to make scratches in the Gelatos; just doodly lines again. Try the non-business end of a paint brush for a thicker line. The white lines around the flowers give movement to my project.
For the stems, I removed color using a wet brush. I mixed a tiny bit of green and red Gelato on palette paper for the muddy green color (sometimes mud is a good thing). I added a little bit of the color near the bottom of the flower and then gently smudging it straight down.
I finished this piece by brushing Texture Luxe gold around the edges to give it a frame. Ready to hang!
I hope you enjoy this project and learn some new techniques! The Gelatos are lush and smooshy and very easy to use. If you have any questions, leave them in the comments and be sure to let me know if you try this project and how you use Gelatos.
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I've been exploring Gelatos thoroughly. For instance, Gelatos are made from lightfast pigment. They are creamy and are more like oil pastels than other crayon-type materials out there. Gelatos are water-soluble and that means you can use them as watercolor. It's great that these creamy sticks are pigment based and lightfast.
When swatching out new colors, use good paper! This makes a huge difference in how the materials will work for you. Lately I like the Canson XL Watercolor paper a little more than Strathmore. I prefer the surface which has a "sandy" feel rather than the texture of Strathmore. The surface is more akin to Arches (which I LOVE but is pretty expensive).
The Gelatos will feel dry to the touch on the surface of the paper. They remain liftable (to a degree). For finished work, such as a canvas, I use the Faber-Castell Glaze medium to coat it. I'll talk more about that in another post.
I'm just loving these crayons.
Swatch tests are the best tool you can create for yourself. I think of them as a first date. As I begin exploring, more ways to use the materials pop to mind.
Try swatching out any new media and you'll develop an understanding. Enjoy today's video! There are purchasing links below the video. PLEASE NOTE: The sets of Gelatos say (for instance) "15 Pieces." There are 12 Gelatos, 2 sponges and a brush included in that count. Some larger sets include stamps. Read carefully to see what you are getting.
Affililate links used. I get a commission on sales. A word about Simon Says Stamp: they are well stocked and great if you need a restocking. The prices are not the best and the service is slower than most other online stores. That said, it's a very convenient place to shop and the folks over there are always very nice and helpful so I do retain my affiliate with them.
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