Finnabair's Creative Team- Art Basics

ArtBasics: Gel, Gesso, Paste....we ALL see these wonderful art mediums available, but do we KNOW what to use them for? Finnabair's amazing team is here to help us all out with a brand-new feature: Creative Team Art Recipes....and the focus today is on ArtBasics! Each gal will share wonderful ideas and tips for using a specific ArtBasics product!

I would like to share a bright and happy mixed media tag with you all featuring the Finnabair Soft Gels! (The gels are very similar, but one provides a glossy surface and one provides a matte surface.) ~ Rebecca Morris

This tag has been created using the extremely versatile product Soft Gloss Gel and I have used it in three different ways.

Image Transfer - I applied Soft Gloss Gel to one side of antique book paper and adhered my paper to the tag. Once dry I sprayed the book paper with water and gently removed the top layer by rubbing my finger over it. The result is the reverse text, but I like that. It makes it a little different.
Ink Resist - Soft Gloss Gel was applied through my stencil and allowed to dry completely. Ink was then applied over the top with a sponge dauber. The Soft Gloss Gel will resist the ink, leaving glossy white spots.
Adhesive - I used Soft Gloss Gel to adhere my material, ribbons, and beads to my tag. My leaves and flowers were also given a top coat of Soft Gloss Gel, this not only sealed them, but gave them a beautiful shine.

Prima Products Used: Finnabair: Art Basics Soft Gloss Gel - 961435, Art Basics 3D Gloss Gel - 961367, Art Ingredients Mica Flakes (Mulberry) - 961725, Art Ingredients Glass Beads (Zinc) - 961695, Art Ingredients Glass Beads (Plum) - 961718, Mechanicals Vintage Trinkets - 961114, Mechanicals Vintage Trinkets - 961046, Vintage Trinkets Bottle Caps - 960391

Like all the other ArtBasics, 3D Gels are very versatile and possess great powers. They can be used to make texture, to create a resist to water-based products, to adhere items, to create custom pastes, and to also thicken paints...just to name a few uses. ~ Riikka Kovasin

I used both 3D Gloss Gel and 3D Matte Gel in this little canvas. First, I used the Gloss Gel to make the pattern to the background. I applied the Gel thickly through a stencil with a palette knife. After finishing the pattern, I then rinsed the stencil as otherwise the Gel would dry on it. As the Gel has body in it, it dries like the name implies, three-dimensional.

Secondly, I used the Matte version and adhered the Mechanicals, Prima blooms, and also some random ephemera to the canvas, forming the head piece of the lady. The 3D Gel has enough body and adhesive to even stick the heavy metal embellishments in place. It also gives them support from underneath if needed as it dries to 3D forms.

Thirdly, I used the 3D Matte Gel to thicken the acrylic paint. Even though the paint I was using was heavy bodied to begin with, the Gel adds thickness to the paint and allows it to really stay dimensional. It also reduces the amount of paint you need to use as the Gel is "filling in", doing the job of the paint. I used my finger and tapped the thickened paint to her head, forming locks of hair.

I also used the 3D Gloss Gel to add the finishing touches to the canvas. I stroked the Gel here and there lightly with my finger, and then added Art Ingredients on top. The 3D Gel works well with the beads and glitter as it dries transparent and also has the thickness for the beads to sink in. I also made a mix with the 3D Gloss Gel, Glass Glitter, and Art Sugar...and added the thick paste in few spots around the canvas.

Prima Products Used: Finnabair: 3D Gloss Gel 961367, 3D Matte Gel 961398, Mechanicals: Leaves 2 961046, Mechanicals: Flowers x10 960407, Mechanicals: Bottle Caps 960391, Mechanicals: Pendant Caps 961091, Mechanicals: Flowers Medium 960315, Art Sugar - White 961800, Glass Glitter - Pearl 961633, Glitter Set - Ebony and Ivory 961602, Glass Beads - Butter 961657, Stamp - Seamstress 960780, Stencil - Lace 961282

Modeling paste is a wonderful, light-weight art medium to add texture and dimension to your project! Available in regular (8 & 16 oz) and light forms for every need you might have. Elena Smoktunova has a gorgeous project showing off our new pastes' functions and form!

First, I painted a paper from Prima Vintage Vanity line and I applied some modeling paste through a stencil. Then, I decorated my journal cover with various metal embellishments and paper flowers. I added some accents with a stamp and black ink.

Next I mixed the modeling paste with sprays and glass beads and applied it on all the embellishments (and a little on the paper around my main composition.) I applied a little more of copper crackle texture paste for some additional accents. I mixed some light pink Art Sugar and glass beads with modeling paste and I filled the metal bottle cap. Finally, I sprinkled a little bit of black gеssо on the project.

As you can see, the modeling pastes offer countless possibilities to mix & match with other art mediums, and it can create really interesting accents and effects. It is a real pleasure to work with such inspiring products! Big flight for the imagination!

Prima Products: Finnabair- Heavy Gesso - Black 961459, Modeling Paste 961350, Soft Matte Gel 961428, 3D Matte Gel 961398, Stencil - Lace 961282, Glass Beads - Licorice 961688, Texture Paste - Gold Crackle 961558, Art Sugar - Light Pink 961817, Glass Glitter - Gold Rush 961657

Today Elena Morgun is going to show off Finnabair's new gessos on her BEAUTIFUL project! Gesso is so much more than just a primer for projects! Think of it as a neutral base ready to be applied as a prep layer...or as a main base to add other ingredients (and color) to! It's also a great "eraser" if we mess up a layer. Just gesso over it and start again. Gesso has SO many uses!

Gesso is a must on my desk. I use it in almost all my projects. I really like its limitless possibilities and the fact that we can use for different purposes.

I was very pleased with Finnabair's gesso consistence. It is really thick, easy to apply, and the paper doesn't deform because of it. It dries quickly so you do not have to wait. To many of us it's important not to stop once you started creating. :)

Here are some of my favorite ways to use gesso:

To create highlights and shadows on the projects to give them visual dimension
I like mixing gesso with water, then sprinkling the page with it. It will unite the page elements into one composition.
is an excellent base for projects. On my LO I have applied it around the edges and covered it with paint to achieve an interesting effect.
I also love to cover chipboard with gesso. If you use paint afterward, the color will turn out deeper, and more beautiful.

Prima Products Used: Finnabair-Sunrise Sunset Paper - Aura 960032, Art Basics - Heavy Gesso - White 961374, Art Basics - Soft Gloss Gel 961435, Art Ingredients - Art Sugar - Light Pink 961817, Art Ingredients - Glass Beads - Licorice 961688. Prima-Metal Die - Doily 2 572792, Something Blue- Wedding Planner 813444, Pebbles 570613, Vintage Center 961077, Vintage Mechanicals - Mini Brads 960384, Ingvild Bolme- Jean Plates 892210, Camille Songbird 555542, Wood Icons- Epiphany 576059, Say it in Crystals - Coffee Break 576219, Time Traveler's Memories- Chipboard 813710, Jutes Flowers 574840, Le Mia-Cashmere Flower 571504

The ArtBasics line creator, herself, is wrapping up today's ArtBasics feature with a WONDERFUL new product: Clear Gesso! Just wait until you SEE what this versatile product can do!

It's just amazing how helpful Art Basics Gesso - Clear is for mixed-media projects. Like any other gesso, it is a primer, which provides a matte surface which is so easy to work on. But, there is great difference too - this one dries transparent! You can apply it on any surface and have a possibility to work on the background with its colors and patterns visible. It's a perfect solution for projects where you want to work with inks, paints, or pencils on slippery surfaces such as glossy pictures, photos, or even metal or plastic... Anna Dabrowska -

It is easy to use - just apply it with a soft paintbrush and let dry for a moment or use a heat tool. It makes all the paints and inks stay on your artwork, which enables you to use less of your colored mediums to achieve the desired effect. What could be better?

On my project Art Basics- Clear Gesso was used two times: to coat the vintage cabinet card before stamping and coloring with watercolor pencils; and to prepare my metal embellishments for painting with Color Bloom Sprays, Inka Gold Rub, and even Watercolor Pencils - how great is that?

Tip for using Clear Gesso:
You can turn your glossy, slippery surfaces such as photos or metal embellishments into matte - ready to apply colors! Here are the examples of the effects you can get using acrylic paint, Color Bloom Spray, and Colored Pencil working on metal covered with Clear Gesso and without it. I used it to prime my metals before applying Color Bloom Sprays on my project.

Note: Full step-by-step for this project is coming soon on my blog: www.finnabair.com

Product list: Finnabair: 961466 - Art Basics - Heavy Gesso - Clear, 961398 - Art Basics - 3D Matte Gel, 960933 - Vintage Vanity Stamps - Stamps and Adverts, 960964 - Vintage Vanity Stamps - Book, 960230 - Mechanicals - Mini Roman Numerals, 960391 - Mechanicals - Bottle Caps, 960322 - Mechanicals - Mini Flowers, 960339 - Mechanicals - Roses, 961060 - Mechanicals - Washers, 961107 - Mechanicals - Pendants, 961077 - Mechanicals - Vintage Centers, 961114 - Mechanicals - Tassel, 892289 - Junkyard Findings - Steampunk Air, 892197 - Junkyard Findings - Home Articles. Prima-577537 - Paper Flowers - Melbourne - Outback, 565763 - Paper Flowers - Mini Sachet - Frost, 573393 - Trim - Medallions, 573454 - Flower Trim, 573942 - Color Bloom Spray - Glistening Weaves, 573867 - Color Bloom Spray - Summer Sky, 573805 - Color Bloom Spray - Gold Foil

Let us know if you have any ArtBasics questions and we will do our best to answer them...right here!

Also...be sure and mark your calendar for November! Finn's team will be back with Art Recipes for a NEW Finnabair art category in just a few weeks!

13 Comments

Beautiful inspiration pieces. I especially loved the tag by Rebecca.

Posted by: MariLynn | Friday, October 10, 2014 at 10:09 AM

Clear gesso is a brilliant idea! Sometimes I love the base colour of the object I'm using, I just want to tie it in to my page with colour. How fabulous that I can now clear gesso it and use whatever medium I have used elsewhere on the page on metals and other textures!

Posted by: BunnyD | Friday, October 10, 2014 at 10:26 AM

Oooooooooooooooooooooooo! LOVE these mediums! They are Heaven in a jar! Great creations by the designers and very inspirational!! I shared on Facebook!
Did I hear you say there are MORE art categories by Finnabair coming?!?!?! I might need to be resuscitated! LOL

Posted by: barbara macaskill | Friday, October 10, 2014 at 12:53 PM

They are all such beautiful projects. Always love seeing all those awesome products in use. I pinned them all and off to share on social media. Can't wait to see more in November. That's not far away.

Posted by: Ann Custer | Friday, October 10, 2014 at 03:13 PM