Gesso Resist with Distress Oxides and Stencils

Morning All,
We had a fabulous class yesterday playing with Distress Oxides and Stencils.

Once again I found this technique on YouTube , my favourite place when I am sitting on the train visiting my youngest daughter and the Grandkids.

I have often seen people use Gesso on cardstock before they ink it, and to be honest I have never quite seen the point, it just seems like a major phaff.

Now I understand. I decided that I had better try the technique with Gesso, as per the video, and without to see if there was any point in its addition.

As you can see from these first two cards there is a definite difference in colour. Both cards have been made using the same colours. The first with Gesso and the second without.

The technique requires that after you have applied ink to the cardstock you run it through an embossing machine using a stencil and rubber/silicon mat to give you a fabulous textured background.

Once embossed you gently remove ink from the embossed image using a baby wipe.

The gesso on the cardstock acts as a resist allowing you to remove the ink which allows the pattern from the stencil to become more visible.

You need to be fairly gentle with the baby wipe otherwise you wipe away the background ink as well. Top tip from the ladies on the class...….squeeze the baby wipe first to remove some of the moisture.
I am always telling them that I learn something from them at each class and this was one of those things. Along with a fabulous colour combo that I need to try out.

Without the Gesso, the colour of the background is much darker, and the ink is difficult to remove making the stencilled image less visible.

A little gilding wax can help to make the background 'pop'.

Any stamping needs to be done to the background before you run it through the embossing machine.

I added stamped and coloured images or die cuts to finish off my cards.
This is definitely a technique that I will use again, and the bottle of gesso now sits on my desk, not put away with all the other paints that I own.
I wonder what it would look like using black gesso and Distress Oxides? Guess what I will be playing with this afternoon lol.
Have a great crafty day. It's very cold and frosty here so perfect weather for staying inside and playing.
Happy Crafting and Hugs
Kimx