G is for Gesso Chic

 This is another technique from an old Technique Junkie Newsletter. The directions were to use it on glossy card stock, but I wanted to try it on grunge paper.
Because grunge paper absorbs lots of ink, I first rubbed picket fence Distress Stain over the grunge paper and let it dry.
Instructions says to brayer on 3 coordinating dye ink colors over the paper. Here is what it looked like with the Distress Stain and the first color of dye ink. Start with the lightest color of dye ink.

Overlap some of the dye ink, let dry.

Roll brayer in gesso, then cover the paper incompletely and splotchy. Clean gesso off brayer immediately. Let gesso dry on paper. I thought I'd let the dye inks dry completely, but apparently not as the ran with the gesso. No problem, as I like how this looks.

Once gesso has dried, reapply the same colors of ink in approximately the same places. Let ink dry.

If desired stamp an image over the inks. I used a flourish stamp in a dark orange Distress ink (forgot to take a picture). Once ink dries,apply another layer of gesso with the brayer. Was brayer immediately and let gesso dry on the paper.

If desired, use sand paper to remove some of the gesso (I skipped this step). This is looking great.