Day 6: Adding Dimension with Gesso and Sunflowers

 Hello and welcome back to the challenge! 

For Day 6, I wanted to move away from flat blending and explore some tactile textures using mixed-media techniques.

My random draw from the stencil deck today was a beautiful scrollwork pattern. It’s a classic, elegant design that felt like the perfect candidate for a more structural approach.

I started by applying white Gesso through the stencil with a palette knife. This created a hard, raised texture that adds a wonderful "shabby chic" feel to the background. Once the Gesso was completely dry, I used my Cloud 9 Inks in Rusty Nails and Burnt Ochre. The Gesso resists the ink slightly differently than paper, resulting in a lovely aged, weathered effect.

I paired this textured backdrop with vibrant sunflowers and a "Birthday Hugs" sentiment. To tie everything together, I added a few ink splatters for that artistic, layered finish.

It’s amazing how a simple stencil can be transformed just by changing the medium from ink to Gesso!

Natalia x