PanPastel® + GelliArts®: Textured Landscape by Bob Pennycook

Hi there. Bob here today working with PanPastel® on the Gelli Arts® plate to create a soft/textured landscape.
Plus- read to the end to enter for a chance to win a prize pack from PanPastel® + Gelli Arts®!

I love the random look of these images
after you’ve pulled the print. And, although most often I need to apply a
little more Pan Pastel directly to the image to fully develop the image, I try to keep much of the initial texture
visible. The look reminds me of an aged fresco.

 

You’ll see that I apply the PanPastel® to
the gel plate with a brush. That means the pastel will be thinner on the plate
than if applied with a sponge. That also means there’s not as much pastel to
lift onto the print and that creates the worn texture look.

 

But I’ll be honest, you’ll need to try a
few practice pieces first so you’ll know just how much pastel to apply.

 

So here we go:

I used greens, blues and violet PanPastel® for this image. I just dipped a dry brush into the pastel, circled the brush
around the pastel once or twice, then brushed the color onto the gel plate. I
kept wiping the brush on a clean dry paper towel to remove excess pastel and
particularly when I switched colors.

I used one larger brush for most of the
color, a smaller one for smaller details and a sponge to add some color
directly to the print at the end.

 

Create your entire image on the plate,
layering color directly onto the plate. Just remember, that the initial layer
you apply to the plate will tone all the other colors you apply on top of that
initial layer.

 

 

Apply a few dabs of white acrylic paint
paint (you can use any paint color but, to keep the integrity of the color on
the plate, I used white). This paint will help remove the pastel from the plate
and transfer the color to your paper.

Use a clean brayer and roll out the white
paint thinly and evenly.

Immediately pull the print before the paint
dries. I used a printmaking paper for this which is somewhat thicker than a lot
of the paper I see others using when making gel prints. 

It’s also a little more absorbent than other
papers which helps create the texture. Try different weights of paper to see
which you like best. I also used a barren to help apply pressure, but that’s
optional.

I used an optional soft pastel stick to
draw in the pink area in the center of the image. I didn’t have a PanPastel® color in my collection that provided a bright enough highlight so I used the
stick pastel.

I switched to a smaller brush to apply some
soft green PanPastel® to the surface and, as you’ll see in the video, I applied
several other colors with a brush and also used a sponge to apply a stronger
layer of color where necessary.

I used a tissue to soften all colors that I
applied directly to the print. Direct painting was used to strengthen the color
but I found some of the colors too heavy so I softened them, particularly around
the edges with a tissue.

Materials:

1. 6×6” Gelli Arts® gel plate

2. PanPastel® in a variety of blues, greens
and violets

3. Brushes and Sofft sponges to apply pastel

4. Printmaking or any other type of paper

5. Brayer

6. White acrylic paint

7. Tissues

8. Barren (optional)

9.Soft pastel sticks as needed (optional)

And now.. enter in our giveaway for a chance to win some great products from Gelli Arts® and PanPastel®!

 

Gelli Arts® + PanPastel® Giveaway!

 

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