Hello artists! I remember the days of pen pals and mailing postcards from vacation to friends and family. I used to love to get mail, so I have decided to make 2022 the return of snail mail! Texting and emails are a great, immediate way to communicate but nothing compares to a handwritten note or letter. For the Holidays I created notecard sets for friends to encourage a new year of communicating.
With just a few supplies you can create your own. For ease I concentrated on just 3 colors and 1 set of related Art Foamies. There are many how to gel printing videos on YouTube, check them out if you’re unfamiliar with gel plate printing.
Art Foamies used:
Additional Supplies:
- Acrylic Paints – 3 colors you choose
- Gel Plate – these samples used a 3” x 5” size
- Brayer
- Plain notecards
- Black and white paint pens
- Black and white gesso
There are a couple of different ways to utilize the gel plate. These first examples show that after layering the paint on the plate, press your notecards onto it directly. On some of the notecards I left blank space for journaling or handwriting.
After the paint dries, cover the gel plate with white gesso and use as an ink pad. Stamp an Art Foamie onto the plate and stamp on to the notecard.
The other technique is to use the gel plate as an ink pad. Create your colors on the gel plate. Art Foamies work great with this technique because they don’t move around, making it easier to get a good image. Stamp on to the plain notecards.
An easy way to embellish the cards is adding some touches with black or white paint pens
The notecards I used came in a kraft paper box, so I painted the cover as well!
I enjoyed how the sets have a consistent color and design scheme. It is so easy to create assorted designs with so many Art Foamies, you are only limited by your imagination,
Let’s make 2022 the year to bring back snail mail!!
Hope you see some techniques you would like to try. Best wishes for a happy and healthy Holiday Season.
