Art Journaling: Gel Press Background with Shari Carroll

Hi everyone! It’s Shari here, back with my Art Journal Feature for April… no foolin!!

I had so much fun playing with the Gel Press yesterday and had another idea. As I was playing I noticed that I could add and remove paint from the Gel Press using my brayer. So the wheels were turning thinking that I could add color in small areas and layer them up creating a distress painted background for my art journal.

Art Journal, Shari Carroll, Gel Press

I love how my background turned out. I also used the Mini Brocade stencil from The Crafter’s Workshop with Wendy Vecchi’s Violet Archival ink. I didn’t want to clutter up my page and hide the background too much, so I wend with a Typography look using the Tim Holtz Alphas Transparency Tiles, Lace die cut and title. To finish things up, I added Hydrangeas which were die cut from painted paper.

Art Journal, Shari Carroll

Using black for my title with Alpha tiles and lace border really pop against the background. My last finishing touch was to add Black Enamel Accents to the centers of the flowers. Viloa!

Art Journal, Shari Carroll

I have filmed the entire process which you can view in the video below, or watch on our YouTube channel HERE.


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Thanks for reading today, I hope you have a great weekend!

    1. I love seeing all these new techniques, new to me anyways. I can learn a lot with these talented ladies!

  1. I’ve started my collage type journal, thanks to your inspiration, and I am having fun with it. It is not perfect( though I am too much a perfectionist ), but on one of the pages, I will note that! This is lovely today from the colors, the technique – to the sentiment! Thanks!

  2. What an amazing cover thanks for sharing all the techniques and supplies. One day I will get brave enough to decorate my own.

  3. Shari, you make us all realize that there are no rules for art. Another great inspirational project.

  4. SUPER COOL !! Love seeing new techniques that at least I have not seen before, I should of said new to ME, sorry. This is so very cool. I watched the one from yesterday also and I was just blown away, thought they were just so awesome and I hope to try them soon. Thanks for sharing them with us.

  5. It was like Christmas morning. You replied instantly to give us more with the gelpress .

    Can we please have anither when you turn them into cards ;)

    You are a wonderful teacher I love your process

  6. Really beautiful!! I love the subtle swirls of gorgeous colors in the background pattern.
    <3 J

    jwoolbright at gmail dot com
    HerPeacefulGarden.blogspot.com

  7. The gel plate looks like it would be so fun to play with and you can do so much with it! I’m going to have to get one! I love your art journaling page. Very pretty! Thanks for sharing .

  8. that gel press looks like fun to play with! Love the quote and colors chosen as well as the use of the transparency plates. thanks for sharing Shari!

  9. Your page turned out gorgeous, I love the all colours and textures you used. The jelly plate looks very cool, I’ve only ever seen it once before but I am getting very intrigued. Thank you for the excellent video too, I loved watching the progression of your piece.

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