Art Nouveux Meets Rosemaling-Part One, Faber-Castell Gelatos

After several days of experimenting with Faber-Castell Gelatos using some of the more common techniques, I was about to throw in the towel. Used dry, I felt like they didn't move enough. Spritzed on a gessoed surface I found them to be grainy. I decided to instead use them like watercolors. After applying to a ceramic surface, I added water with a dropper and mixed colors with a palette knife ( both of which were found in Gelatos Tool Set). I then used a water pen to apply colors to a line drawing done on Stonehenge paper with varying sizes of black Micron pens.

I find large Corelle-ware plates work great for mixing colors. The are as big as a large tile, but the curve of the plate keeps any water from escaping. The Faber-Castell Mix & Match Gelatos Tool Set (pictured) comes with some of the most commonly used tool for Gelato application.

The pigments of the Gelatos took on a very delicate look when used with a water pen. They reminded me of the colors that would be seen in Art Nouveux pieces, but at the same time they brought to mind some Norwegian textiles that I have. I decided to combine Art Nouveux style with traditional Rosemaling.

Here is the piece filled in with the Gelatos. As there are limited colors available in this line, this is probably all that I will do with this product line on this piece. Stay tuned for the next segment as I continue to work.