PRODUCT COMPARISON - GESSO

White vs. Clear vs. Black Gesso

If you love mixed media, you already know gesso is a must-have in your stash. But with so many options  - white, clear and black, it can be tricky to know which one to reach for. Let’s break down the differences and when to use each.

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White Gesso

Best for: Classic base coating, priming, bright backgrounds.

• Creates a smooth, opaque surface that covers patterned paper, chipboard, or canvas.

• Brightens colours layered on top—perfect when you want paints, inks, or pastels to really pop.

• Great “oops fixer” if you need to tone down busy paper before adding layers.

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 Clear Gesso

Best for: Preserving patterns or working with slick surfaces.

• Transparent primer that lets the original design (like patterned paper, collage, or photos) show through.

• Adds “tooth” so your mediums grip better—fantastic for journaling, watercolours, or over glossy papers.

• Ideal when you don’t want to lose detail but still need a workable base.

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Black Gesso

Best for: Dramatic, moody, or grunge-inspired projects.

• Gives a deep, matte black base that makes metallics, neon paints, and bright colours glow.

• Creates instant contrast—amazing for Halloween, industrial, or night-sky looks.

• Can transform plain chipboard or wood into bold, ready-to-layer embellishments.

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 Quick Tip:

Think of gesso like a stage:

• White sets a fresh, bright scene.

• Clear keeps the background in the spotlight.

• Black adds drama and intensity.

Want to try them all? You’ll find white, clear and black gesso in the Scrappingclearly store. Perfect for experimenting with new looks this October. Stock up today!

Frayed by Tracey B

 hi everyone, back for more crafting with another glorious Moodsketch.

I was first drawn to the feathers but struggled to identify the picture in the top right (it's someone wearing a unicorn onesie - thanks Del!).   That was enough to get me stated and I chose a photo of me all wired up for a sleep study.

I started by googling feather quotes and found this one which I stamped onto strips of paper and glued to my page.

I then went nuts and collaged on a serviette and some tissue paper including some Dina Wakley collage paper which reminded me of a feather.   It didn't matter to me that I covered the quote - I know it's there.

I then sponged on some Dina Wakley paint (Lapis, Sky, Night & Magenta) through some stencils and basically got into a hot mess so gesso, more sponging, modelling paste, more gesso etc.  

Nope, still a hot mess so onto Plan B.

My would-be background became diecut feathers.   Love these! 

Note: found it much easier to die cut on the wrong side of the paper to stop the paint sticking to the die.  Discovered this after about the 3rd feather :(

 

 I then chose one of my waste pages as my background.   I'm not sure of all the products but the black is 13@rts texture powder mixed with Dina Wakley paint and scraped through an eye chart stencil.   

I traced around my double sided tape with a blue stabilo and used my water pen to activate it.

I had a couple of metal feathers which I stuck to my messy mat using double sided tape (a tip I picked up from Di Garling), coated with gesso, paint and finished by rubbing on some Indian Pink wax.

I roughly created a circle from wire and stapled it over my photos and sewed on some beads and the feathers to create a dream catcher (as if anyone can sleep wired up like that!)

 Added a bird fussy cut from Vicki Boutin Storyteller paper and Heidi Swapp puffy alphas for my title.

here's the finished product

TFL

cheers

Tracey

  

Room for the Unimaginable - with Emma Zappone

 Hello SC friends.
Emma with you all today. I have been loving the projects coming through featuring this months mood/sketch. Amazing!! Loving all the Travellers Notebooks too. I'm hoping to start this weeks prompt today. Today's share though is featuring the sketch part of the mood board. I chose to pull the orange tone out of the moodboard also. This Layout is made as an 8"x8".

I used some great products to play along with the sketch, let's just refresh our minds of this months mood/sketch..........

Oh and I flipped the sketch! 
And I decided to place my title at the top of my design for reasons I will mention later in my blog.
Right now lets talk about what product is found on this mini layout.

After I had layered some rubons from my stash, I grabbed the beautiful  'Elegance' stencil by Aall & Create and with a makeup sponge dabbed Dina Wakley's Buff acrylic paint through it. This created a beautiful soft shadow over the patterns on the page. I did this both top and bottom of the page.

I then took one of the little script stamps by Aall & Create and with Stazon 'Spiced Chai', stamped rhythmically over the same area as the stencil. The stamping was also blended out through the page.

My paper elements needed to be small to match the image and the size of the overall project. So I tore some book paper to mount my image on and then chose a few pieces from an Ephemera Pack of Tim Holtz's. These are full of different shapes and make for great tucking and layering.

This stunning Mould that Kylie sent me is painted with another one of Dina Wakley's paints this time in 'Elephant'. Once dry I rubbed Metallique Wax - 'Bronze Age' very lightly to only pick up the raised parts of the mould. This is why I chose to move my title as I really wanted this mould to shine on it's own. I finished the page with a few more elements from my stash and then flicked watered down 'Dried Marigold' Distress Crayon and Dylusions Ink Spray 'Ground Coffee' to bring all the elements together.

I hope this has inspired you to have a go of the months sketch and make it your own.

Have fun creating everyone. I will see you all next week.

Stay safe, Em xx

Buckle Up Buttercup

Welcome to another fantastic weekend of creativity. I hope you are enjoying creating with the August moodboard. A couple of weekends ago I created a layout using a car like the one in moodboard and have found another photo similar to create with. I take a lot of similar photos at different angles when the kids were little - they each have a different story. In this one my little boy was so proud that he got to drive the car at Dreamworld. If we could only keep them this young and cute.

For this layout I chose some 12x12 Vicki Boutin paper from the Let'sWander range - Beach Vibe & Chasing Stars. I used the Chasing stars paper as the base and used a strip of the Beach Vibe as a layer.

I have added a little of the Ranger Distress Ink - speckled egg to the background. I did this by adding it to plastic & spraying a little water before tipping it and dabbing it on the cardstock in a few places.

After the ink had dried I then stamped in a few places the Stampers Anonymous stamp - Grunged  . I used Liquitex Modelling paste with a Dina Wakley stencil - Wheels. Once all of this was dry I marked out with a pencil where my photo and layering cardstock would go and then took them away and used my sewing machine to add some black borders.

As I added all the layers I found some grey loose cardstock on my desk to add under the photo also. I built up the photo using foam tape. I have then stamped a few small dots using Ranger Ink and a Viva Las Vegas stamp. The title was created in the Silhouette and coloured using an Artline black marker and raised on the layout using foam tape. I have used some yellow stickers and stars from the Heidi Swapp Stationary set and used a good amount of the Studio Calico timber embellishments that came in the pack. To add to the boy theme I added some chipboard cogs coloured with Staz On - midnight. I finished off the layout by adding a flair & some older rub-ons I had in my stash and Vicki Boutin heart stickers - because they are super cute. 

        

I hope you are having fun creating with this months Moodboard and I am enjoying the entries trickle in and fill up the Share & Inspire Facebook page album. We are a creative bunch.

Until next time - stay safe, create & have fun

tracey xx

Solidifying my Creative Style By Lisa Oxley

Howdy Bloggers, Lisa here with a Scrapping Clearly Sunday Mixed media update.

With only 17 days till the end of the #100dayproject, I sometimes think I am running low on ideas.

Then I go back to look over my work and I am feeling more happy and connected to the flow of my own creativity. the #100dayproject has once again helped me solidify my own creative style.

"The World Needs Who You Were Made To Be"

Day 66

Be Yourself ,Stay Weird

Day 68

"Art Is Too Important Not To Share"

Day 70

"Different Is Good"

Day 71

"Queen of the Evening"

Day 82

Basic products used throughout this 2020 #100dayproject

Acrylic Paints

Gesso
Matt Medium

collage papers

Stamps

Stencils

Thnaks for dropping by today, Ill be back very soon with a #100day round up.

Lisa xxx

"The best things" - Art journal, by Amanda Hartmann

Hi everyone!

I'm so excited to be here to share today - using my first ever real Dina Wakley journal. It is one of the new release blue journals and this is just my second page. I already LOVE the paper weight and textures. Can't wait to do more over the next few months. Very exciting for a "scrapbooker"!

I started by swiping some Dina Wakley Acrylic Paint (in Magenta) with a credit card on the page.

Next I sprayed some Dina Wakley Gloss Spray (in Fuschia) through a stencil.

Then I fussy cut a Jane Davenport Washi girl and stuck her to the page with Gel Medium.

To finish the page I added some random stamping, highlighting and mark making. I used a black posca pen as well as the new Pilot Pintor pens in black and green.

Here is the final page in my journal...

I added plenty of highlights and marks with my paint pens.

And included a sticker from my Art by Marlene sticker book.

Thanks for looking. Can't wait to create more and share more.

Amanda

"Happy" using the April moodboard, by Amanda Hartmann

Hi everyone!

Welcome to April! And with a new month, we have a new challenge! For April, there is a mood board - you can see the entries and DT samples loaded into our Scrapping Clearly Facebook group. Head there to load your entries too!

Today my page is dedicated to my beautiful oldest daughter, and it is all about the amazing Paper Arts Whimsical paper!

There is a big collection of Paper Arts papers - each with divine mixed media backgrounds, and often with funky and quirky designs, like the girls on this paper!

Here is the mood board this month!

To create my page, I started with the Paper Arts Whimsical paper and I painted some white gesso to the middle of the background where I wanted to journal.

Next, I added some colour - I watered down some Dina Wakley acrylic paints, and added them in splodges and heat set to dry. I used these paint colours: Lapis and a little Turquoise.

I trimmed the edge of the paper, and mounted onto some black cardstock.

 Here are some close ups... you can see how I used stickers, journaling and doodling to finish the page!

Such a wonderful paper and perfect to send a message to my girl!

Thanks for looking, 

Amanda

Full list of Products used:

Paper Arts Whimsical paper

White Gesso

Dina Wakley Paint: Lapis

Dina Wakley Paint: Turquoise

Tim Holtz - Small talk - Sticker book

Heidi Swapp - Black epoxy words - Fabulous