Rossana Radaelli is an Italian collage and gel-printing artist whom I ran across at Instagram. I especially appreciate her paper stencil gel-printing techniques, her handmade paper silhouettes reminiscent of the Dinah Wakley-style and her magazine-inspired collages.
Website in Italian but you can see some of her splendid collages here. The Google bar also pops down from the top so that you can translate the site into English.
I designed these narrow Christmas cards, 3.25 x 6", to fit lavender envelopes that I already had. Techniques and media used are stamping, dry/heat embossing, die-cutting, embossing folders, cardstock, ink, glitter, embossing powder, Washi tape, ribbon trim, rhinestones, gel and paint pens and gel plate-printed background papers.
I die-cut the Christmas trees and snowflakes shapes with dies in 2 sizes/designs from Aliexpress. I like these trees because they have nice cut-out designs in the branches.
After trimming my gel plate-printed papers, I dry-embossed them with an Aliexpress snowflakes embossing folder. I highlighted some of the dry embossed snowflakes with silver metallic gel and paint pens.
Joy Peace Love is stamped/embossed with a sentiment stamp from an Aliexpress holiday set. I refreshed my Stampabilities embossing ink pad with a few drops of glycerin spread across the top and lightly pressed in with a spoon. It has lasted well over 2 years. You can get a bottle of glycerin at most drug stores or the pharmacy of discount stores.
The heat embossing of the stamped text was done with Ranger Snowflake Embossing Tinsel (a combo of white embossing powder and silver glitter) and Joann Craft Essentials Silver. I kiss-trimmed each sentiment.
I stamped inside sentiments of Merry Christmas and a Joy To The World wreath, with the same Aliexpress holiday set, with Memento Tuxedo Black. You can see part of these sentiments in image #2, where I off-stamped on little pieces of card stock.
I adhered Washi tape from Amazon and Aliexpress and mini ribbon trim to the embossed panels and glued them to the folded, white cardstock. After I attached the snowflakes and trees, I positioned the Joy Peace Love sentiments and glued on.
I embellished each card with glitters and rhinestones from various sources.
Ran across these lovely, Star of Jesus cards in my Gelatin Printing Enthusiasts Facebook group. I wondered if they were embossed but thought the stars looked thicker than expected. Did the crafter use some type of ultra or super thick embossing powder or enamel?
It turns out that crafter, Michelle Moussan, used the easy double-embossing technique. She explains below:
I die cut the star and then did the double embossing. After I melt the first layer of embossing powder, I ink it again with embossing ink and add a second layer of embossing powder. I then added small bits of highly reflective glitter. Like I said just a bit so it wouldn’t be overwhelming just catch the light a little.
Embossed Cards Design by Michelle Moussan
The double-embossed effect can work with what we have, rather than buying another product, such as ultra thick embossing powder. Just a few minutes more are needed to get the look. Designs can even be embossed a third time.
It would seem that generally, the thicker the embossing will be, the less intricate the design will need to be. Heavy embossing may over fill detailed areas.
I love this altered art book pages tute by Aldridge Crafts & Gifts, a craft retailer out of Norfolk, United Kingdom. I particularly like how the die cuts are used to accent the pages. I have a supply of die cuts from other projects and my testing of new dies.
Notice how the spray inks stain the pages with colors that are too dark and an opaque coverage with at first does not allow the underlying work to show through? Well, they usually dry lighter in tint. Some of it can also be mopped up with a tissue, making the end result even lighter if needed.
I also like the technique of adhering elements that extend beyond the edges on the pages and snipping the extra off. This technique gives the pages such a neat, finished appearance.
The process of altered art is really not as confusing and intimidating as it looks. It's just step by step, starting with laying down a surface for you work, either using paint or paper. You begin to add elements and accents as you see fit.
There is no perfect way to create it. It's what you feel should be added as you work along. The artwork will also guide you. Art creates itself. It also helps that you can work on it over a period of days or weeks. Do a little and come back to it later. Your nerves will have rested and you'll have a fresh perspective with new ideas on how to proceed.
For an old book, the flatter the additions to the pages, the better. There are so many pages and the book needs to close. With a handmade book, you can add as many or as few pages as you want, so your pages can have thicker elements.
This video is a perfect example of how easy it is to create, in a few, non-intimidating steps, altered artwork that is stunning! Give it a try. In the end, you'll be surprised that you did it!
