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!

'Fairy Tales' with Emma Zappone plus Video

Happy Thursday friends!
Emma with you again today with a new Art Journal page featuring another Lucky Findings Foundations pack, this time I played with 'Earthly Riches'.
And there is a YouTube video for this page too 🤗😜

This pack is so moody and lovely all at once. I was drawn to the numbers in this pack and I knew I wanted to play with some of my number stencils which included the Finnabair 'Book of Numbers' stencil. I used black Gesso through the stencil work after I had applied 2 torn panels from 2 of the papers in the Foundations pack.

These packs lend them selves to so many different designs, so super versatile, but I did enjoy going down the grungy path with this one. And I loved incorporating the stamps from the washi sheet into my collage panel. You will see more of how I used them in the video.

The gorgeous wings were made by using the Aall & Create stamp set 'Take Flight', and I had fun inking them up with liquid acrylic.

It just wouldn't be me if I didn't use some rub-ons! So I used some 49 and Market rubs as well as some Stamperia ones I had in my stash, which I used as embellishments on my photo image.

I scribbled, I stamped, I played with ink and paint! I had fun!

I hope this page inspires and encourages you to have a play again soon too.

Check out my video here for all the steps and create process....

Till next time, Stay Crafty.

Em xx

 

Bloom - Travellers Notebook by Emma Zappone

Hi, Em with you today.
And today for my share I have a Travellers Notebook page that also showcases the moodboard for Feb.
So some of you may know that I quite like Brown and when I saw this months colour theme I might have squealed with delight.

As a reminder lets peek at the amazing mood/sketch.....

I will play with the sketch side of the board later in the month.
I used some awesome products for these pages. I started with some Rubons. Once they were applied I coated my pages with a clear Gesso to prime them ready for all the colour and medium.

Next I used some modelling paste through Finnabair's stencil - Mind games along some of the corners and edges of the pages. This created a nice bit of texture with out overwhelming the pages.

Then came the colour. I used a variety of different products for all the neutral shades. I started with Distress Oxides in Gathered Twigs, Vintage photo & Frayed Burlap and then a Dylusions Ink Spray in ground coffee. I moved it around with a little water and a damp brush.

Next came the tree. This was painted with a Mix of different acrylic paints which included Art by Marlene - Tobacco, Dina Wakley - Buff, Dina Wakley Heavy Body acrylic - Ancient and a little cheap acrylic from my stash. For the trunk, this was painted with black Gesso. You can see how it all came about in my Video.

This weeks TN theme is hearts, now I'm not one to play with hearts much, so I drew these little hearts dangling from the tree to honour the theme. Finally I added a word and a quote from Art by Marlene quote book and this weeks TN pages were complete. 

I hope this inspired you to play along with this weeks theme or even have a go at this months fab mood/sketch.
You can check out my video here....

I will see you all again very soon.
Stay safe and stay crafty, Em xx

My Darling with Emma Zappone

Happy Sunday all! Emma here with you today sharing a page inspired by this months glorious moodboard. It has the warmest shades of mauve, purple and grape. Colours that usually would have me running, but this time I decided to really embrace them and make them my own.

Here is the moodboard.....



To achieve the different shades of purple, I used a variety of different products. But lets start from the base sheet up. I primed by paper with a clear gesso and allowed to dry. Then with a couple of different stencils added a white crackle paste and again allowed to dry. Once dry I then used a Distress Crayon - seedless preserves and a touch of Dylusions crushed grape ink to create a dramatic effect on the crackle paste.

To add a little warmth I watered down a small amount of Art Alchemy Metallique romance pink acrylic  with a fine brush, dotted in amongst the other shades of purple.

I used a number of scrap pieces of paper from all sorts of brands to achieve my layers behind my image. The chipboard is painted with the Romance pink acrylic, I primed all my resin pieces with black gesso and then brushed Prima waxes once dry. these were a combination of Heather Hills and Amethyst magic. It created such an awesome finish. 

Once all my embellishments and flowers were in place I dry brushed a little white gesso over a lot of the elements, this allowed me to then add a touch of wax over the art pebbles and other embellishments.

Lastly a few Finnabair micro beads and Prima pearls to add a soft touch. I watered down a little of the Distress crayon used on the background and flicked this around my layout to tie it all together.

I hope this page inspires you a little to try a colour that may not be your first choice or one that you play with often, but that's what makes a challenge like this so much fun.

Catch you all again soon, Em xx 

Have an open Heart by Emma Zappone

Hello everyone! 
Emma with you on the Blog this Sunday.
Have you been playing along with the awesome Cyber Crop challenges yet? Lots of fun to be had!
Today I'm sharing a page I created using this months moodboard.

Lets refresh our minds with the fab board.....

I found this awesome Cyberpunk image on Pinterest and thought how great it suited the colours and vibe I was getting from the colour palette off the moodboard. I started with a white background and then swiped brush strokes with some black acrylic paint.
Then outlining some circles free hand painted the bigger circles with Art Alchemy Acrylic in the violet-green opal magic, it has that awesome transparent kinda shimmer which created the purple tones over the black paint.

Once dry I then outlined these circles with matching Posca pens. Grabbing a couple of different circle stencils & blending tools I rubbed through Distress Oxides, Salvaged patina & Spun Sugar to a few areas.

Behind my image I have layered a couple of chipboard arrows, again painted with black gesso and a layer of White Pearl Acrylic paint. I stamped in 3 places with one of the stamps featured in the Aall & Create pack Take Flight. 

Finally a couple of stickers from the Idea-ology small talk pack and a few splashes of Izink pigments - Cotton candy & Opal Frost this page was finished.
Quick, simple & effective.

I hope you join in with the crop as the moodboard is also a feature along with other awesome challenges. We love seeing your creations come through.

Till next time, Em xx

Be BRAVE! by Emma Zappone

Hello, Hello!
Hope you are all having an amazing long weekend so far!
And the weekend is only going to ramp up with the Cybercrop tomorrow! 
Today I'm sharing an A4 layout/journal page with you. And I have gone a little grungy.

I have wanted to use this image i found on Pinterest for sooooo long. And finally today's project was calling for it! 
My first layer started with a sheet from Art by Marlenes Collage paper - artsy Arabia. I made it a little stronger by adhering it to a sheet of cardstock. Then using Dylusions Glorious Blooms stamps, stamped on smooth white cardstock and coloured them in using Copic markers.

Then I felt I needed to add a little texture. So I stapled some old book paper and muslin off to the side that my final composition was going to go.

Now came the colour an that grunge feel. Using Dylusions acrylic paints and a palette knife I started spreading colours around the page along with Black Gesso. The colours I chose to match the background were - Vibrant Turquoise, Funky Fuchsia and Peony Blush.

It still needed another lot of layers. So using a number stencil by Darkroom Door and archival Black ink and a blending tool I added stencilling. Then stamped a triangle stamp from Darkroom Door as well.

Here are more close ups of the finished project. 

The title consists of  Ideology Quote chips and Small talk stickers. And the big roman numerals are resin moulds that are primed with black Gesso and then I rubbed a selection of  Waxs over them.

I had so much fun creating this page and I finally felt rather free in my creative space. Yes my hands were messy, but it felt oh so good!

I hope you get some creative time this week. Be sure to look out for the Cybercrop Tomorrow for lots of fun.

I will catch you all soon.
Em xx

🖤You

Well hello everyone, and welcome to May!! 

Today I’m sharing a 12x12 with you that is very colourful and a little grungy. 

I started with a Paper Arts for my base sheet, this one is Psycadelic 2. 

I really wanted the paper elements and embellishments to stand out so I swiped some Jo Sonja black texture paste on the base. 

Then proceeded to add colours that were already in the base sheet but would ‘pop’ more. 

So I chose Dina Wakley acrylic paints in turquoise and sky. 

Then I created tags out of a few sheets from the Heidi Swapp 8x6 pad, And a resist tag to create my layers under my photo. I used a handful of the Tim Holtz rub ons along with some stamps prior to adding the tags. 

Under my photo I tucked a frame that I had, added a couple of the rub ons onto, and then came the embellishments. 

Firstly the Heidi Swapp arrows and the complimentary flairs. 

These arrows are so easy to work with and add a nice quick easy way to embellish. Then I added a few enemel stars from Heidi Swapp. 

Finally I flicked liquitex titanium white ink around and outlined my tags with liquid paper. 

This page was complete. 

Quick and simple. 

I hope you can play along this month and I look forward to seeing you all very soon. 

Until then, Em xx

How To Read a Mood Board - Thanks Jo!

 Good Morning Arty Peeps!

Welcome to the Scrapping Clearly blog.

We recently had a question in our Facebook Group about how to use a mood board. One of our fans answered that question beautifully so I am going to share it with you today

Jo Lovespaper - a mood board is a collection of colours, patterns, objects, such as this month's which I've added here. The idea is to look at the board and whatever comes to mind you go with!
For example, you might see and use the colour red, or see the bike and think of tires and wheels or tire treads. Or the doll with the sparkling earring and use diamontes. Or the Poppies and relate it to ANZAC day. You can do a combination or just use one item. I hope that helps!

Thank you Jo!

This month I used the colours because they were perfect for these pics of my boy at Jindabyne with his school. Black, red, grey/silver, and white.

Black gesso on white heavyweight card, with red paint highlights. My grey/silver is the Tim Holtz hashtag stamps (oh, how I love these!!) embossed.

My title is laid over a photo of the slopes, I inked around the edges of the Bella Rouge letters to make them stand out a bit more. I really like this alpha set, it's so versatile and goes with everything. There is also a whole range of scrapbooking products that match.

Can't wait to see how you interpret the mood board this month.

Upload your project here for a chance to win a $30 shop voucher.

And before I go, I just want to say a huge thank you to the Boss Lady Kylie, and Kim, for hosting Lisa and me at Gundy Scraptacular last weekend. We had a ball.
Here we are waiting for the shop to open, we were a little early!

Til next time,

stay arty,