Using gesso with stencils is a really fun technique with neat results for journal pages. For my first page I painted it with with water soluble oil pastels. Yes, you read me right – water soluble oil pastels!

First thing you need to do is to place your stencil over your page and apply gesso. You don’t need a whole lot of gesso, just enough to cover the stencil.

Then carefully remove the stencil and just like magic the image appears!

Before you go any further, wash the stencil right away. If you don’t, the gesso will dry and it won’t come off! Now you have to wait for it to dry. I usually leave it overnight.
For the next directions, I’ll have to show you a different stencil I used. I was so excited I didn’t take any pictures of that first stencil image being painted.
Now that the gesso is dry, wet your paint brush with water and apply to the whole page.

Then take the oil pastel, wet it with the paint brush and slide across the paper.
And the finished background.

Here is the other stenciled page. This one I used acyrlic paint that I again watered the paper down first.
And another one. This one (my first attempt) shows how I used too much gesso and it messed up the image. This one I used regular watercolors.
I am just learning to use the oil pastels. If you slide them across a dry page, you will have crayon-like lines, so it’s important to wet the paper and then wet the pastel stick unless you like that look. If you use these oil pastels, please feel free to comment and let me know how you use them.
Of the three ways to color these pages, I like regular watercolor best, but I enjoy experimenting with different mediums. Using watercolor seems to keep the gesso white.
Another day, just another fun way to make backgrounds for those journal pages.
Yesterday we had some strong winds. There was no rain, just wind. I watched from this desk as a large limb broke off of one of our trees. Later, I walked around our property to find this apple tree that was blown over by the wind.

We had planned to cut it down this year since it shades the cherries and hasn’t produced many apples. However, this year it’s full of them!! Luckily it didn’t fall on the cherry trees. Looks like a sawing party needs to be scheduled.
Too bad about the trees, but glad the apple didn’t fall on the cherry trees.
I really like the gesso/watercolor effect–does the gesso not absorb the water color like the paper does, and that’s why it stays white?
Eileen, I’ve just done this a couple times but that’s what it looks like and I like that!
Oh, were you able to save some apples at least? Poor tree. I love the stencilled effect!
Kristina, No, the apples aren’t near ready.
This is a very cool technique, Lynda. Water soluble oil pastels always seemed like misnomer to me! Is the finish set when dry? Or if water touches the color, do they run again? I have water soluble wax pastels. They are basically watercolors. I have never tried the kind you are using here. But I do have regular oil pastels!
It looks like the oil pastels color the gesso better than the watercolors.
Kathy, Yes they do cover better than watercolors. I like the gesso remaining white though.
Kathy, I just tried seeing if they run after dry and it doesn’t look like they do.
Great project! We featured it on the Studio Tangie Blog here: http://tangiebaxter.com/news/2011/07/19/art-journaling-101-supply-basics-taking-the-mystery-out-of-gesso/
Julie Ann, Thanks so much! Lots of great info on gesso on that link. Thanks again for including mine and for dropping by. Lynda
Would this technique work on a canvas?
Kd, I don’t know why not. Try it!
I like to play with Spackle and stencils…. Butterflies I added a dot of black paint (crafting ) I used the spackle on the stencil so I have raised Butterfly patterns scattered around.
Hi Lynda, 🙂
I just wanted to say that your site is very inspiring! Thank you so much for sharing your wonderful and expressive creativity.
Julia Kempf ♥
Julia, Thank you for dropping by.
I saw this post on pinterest. I am new to art journaling and this is a method I use frequently. I also use Goldwn’s light molding paste as well. The molding paste is really fun to play with. It is almost marshmallow fluff like in consistency. For variation besides using different stencils, I will mix paint into the gesso or molding paste first. It will add depth to the page. I find the molding paste is easiest to apply using a palette knife.
I really enjoy your work. Being new to this medium of creating I am always looking to more experienced and or talented artists for inspiration. You definitely fit that bill. You have so many wonderful and creative projects, you definitely have a new fan/follower.
(I am also a fan of Julie Fei- Fan Balzer, I also follow Donna Downey and Jennibellie. Do you or have you ever seen their work??)
I am lookig forward to really looking through your blog, and seeing your future work. Hoping this finds you well.
God Bless,
Kimmie <3
Kimmie Hogan recently posted..With Faith All Things Are Possible
Kimmie,
I bought some neat stuff recently in the same line of the gesso and stencils that I’ll be posting a video in the near future. I’ve used molding paste but another one of those things I put aside and need to dig out again. Thanks for the reminder.
Thank you so much for your kind words about my blog. Yes, I am familiar with both Donna and Jennibellie’s work.
Please do come back. So glad you found me. Lynda
I like the watercolour effect best. Just for another look you could wait for the background to dry and then put the stencil back on and paint the design in a contrasting colour.
I love this idea for a technique can’t wait to purchase some gesso and try it out!
Violet, Great idea! Thanks.
I saw this on Pinterest. It seems easy enough. I want to use this for an elementary school art program. How long were the drying times after applying water to the paper and the gesso?
Brenda, The gesso takes some time that is why I let it dry overnight. Then when you apply the water the next day, you don’t have to wait for the water to dry. I could see you having the kids create several pages with gesso and stencils and then the next day when they are dry the students could come back with the water and paint or watercolor. It would be a fun activity and pretty neat looking. Thanks for dropping by. Hope that helps.
Loved looking at your stencil work! Important that the paper should be able to handle the water? In an altered book, perhaps do the stencil, let it dry, then place the stencil so that it creates a shadow, then spray paint over – beautiful effect!
Ritha, Yes, I used watercolor paper so it could handle all of the water. Your idea to spray over creating a shadow sounds lovely. I’ll have to try that. Thanks for dropping by and commenting.
Great photos and another new idea I can use on canvas too. Love that you included your lovely yard pics and what’s happening with the weather. Thanks!
Jean, Thanks. I’ve not played with gesso and stencils for quite awhile. I need to get them back out! Yes, this would be great on canvas.
I am a newbie to Art Journaling and I love your blog 🙂
Dying to try this, I love using stencils and thanks for the inspiration 🙂
Kerri Smith recently posted..“Art Jouranl Play!”
Kerri, You are so welcome and thanks for dropping by! Check out my book giveaway this week all about stencils… I hope to have it posted by Thursday.
saw this on pinterest – thanks for the instructions, going to be trying this out this afternoon on my 2014 journal 🙂
Hi Alice, Glad you found it and have fun!! Thanks for commenting.
I saw this on Pinterest, as well, and found it very interesting. I too love all kinds of mediums. I purchased my first Gesso, just a month ago. Hope you cherry tree is producing lots of good cherries this year. Blessings.
Gloria, Thanks for dropping by. Gesso is fun. Regarding the cherry tree, it was mistakenly cut down a couple years ago when the tree guys came to cut down some dead and fallen trees. It was a sad time. We replanted four last summer but it will be years before we’ll enjoy our own. Thanks again for dropping by.
I only discovered gesso a couple of weeks ago and haven’t used it yet. Your work is lovely so, after seeing it, I will be having a go!
Karen, Thank you!
Would this work on a canvas, and with watercolors on top of the Gesso?
Eulalia, I don’t see why it wouldn’t work on canvas. Great idea!
<what a fun project. I've never seen this before. my mom was a fabulous artist and used gesso a lot but never with this method. She bought gesso by the gallon. she passed away two years ago so I'm enjoying using all the products she had. I can't wait to try this and hope it turns out as nice as yours. it'll probably take some practice but I really like how yours turned out. sorry about your tree .our homeowners insurance paid us when one of our trees blew over like that. can't wait to see the next message you show. thank you so much for sharing this. I think I'll try it today.I was going to do some type of art today but didn't know what but now I do.
Lizabeth, So sorry to hear about your mom. Glad you are able to enjoy the things that she loved working with. I’m sure your project will turn out as nice as mine! If you’d like to share what you are doing, please feel free to email me. Thanks for dropping by.
Have had some of these oil crayons from years ago, never quite knew what to do with them. So glad I found this tutorial on Pinterest, and since I love making backgrounds, I’ll be trying this. Not real adept at gesso, but will give it another try. TFS & hope you’ll find time to visit me. I looked for a Friend Connect followers button but not seeing it.
Mary H. recently posted..Ellie Valentine
Hi Mary, So glad you found my tutorial with gesso and those crayons and hope you’ll try it. I don’t have a Friend Connect button on my site. I’ll have to do that. Thanks for dropping by. I’m heading over to your blog.
Looks like fun. Thank u for sharing:)
Connie, It is! Thanks for dropping by.
I would like you to teach more about gesso with the stencil I’m working on a project with light modelling paste with a stencil not having a great deal of success just wondering if gesso is better as all these products are new to me thanks so much for your time. Jan
Hi Jan. It’s been several years since I’ve worked with gesso on paper since I mainly work on fabric now. However, I found it easy to use instead of modeling paste. Gesso is also good to prime pages or canvas so it’s a good medium to have around. One tip, be sure and give it or modeling paste plenty of time to dry. Work on several and then let them dry overnight. Hope that helps. Thanks for dropping by.