Create A Sketchbook Cover with Layered Gel Prints

Gelli-printed papers:
I’m using a selection of Gelli-printed papers I made with dried leaves and flowers in Experimenting with Botanical Gelli Prints. You can, of course, use your own collection—just try to pick prints with colours that work nicely together. It’s always a good idea to have a mix of different paper types, including wet-strength tissue paper, which is brilliant for layering. I used Maruishi paper, but you can use any art tissue.

Clear drying adhesive:
I'm using matt medium, but you can use gloss medium if you prefer a shinier look. 

Sketchbook:
Choose a sketchbook with a hardcover.  Mine is plain black.

Gesso and Acrylic Paint:
We'll use Gesso to transform the sketchbook cover into our base layer.  You may also want to have some acrylic paint on hand for embellishing and detail work.  I used gold and white and you can also pull colours from your Gelli printed paper to keep the composition harmonious.

Tools:
You’ll need a pair of scissors to trim your papers to size. To apply the gesso, matt medium and paint, you'll need a selection of paintbrushes. You'll also need a silicone Catalyst Wedge spreader or old credit card to smooth the papers and to avoid wrinkles or bubbles when applying the adhesive.

Other Tools:
You'll need disposable gloves to keep your hands clean during painting and gluing.  I also added some final details to my cover with Pan Pastel in gold.  If you use pastel, you'll need a clear spray fixative to prevent it from smudging. 

Before we get started, I want to show you my Inspiration Wall—it’s one of my favourite spots in the studio. It’s full of things I love, little treasures that spark ideas and keep my creativity flowing. 

I love hunting for pretty little pots in charity shops to hold my paintbrushes. I’ve also got my plants to bring life into the space, and a few handpainted air-dry clay dishes I made. 

I pin up my prints and whatever I’m currently working on so I can see everything at a glance, and I always keep my sketchbooks open—they’re brilliant for sparking new ideas.

I recently sent out a survey in my newsletter, asking what people needed the most help with, and layering was by far the most requested topic. So, I wanted to take a moment to explain a couple of simple ways you can create layers when working with Gelli prints.

1) The first way is to build up layers on a single print.

These two prints, for example, were built up with three layers each, adding depth and richness to the final piece.

I start by applying two coats of gesso to the sketchbook cover, letting each layer dry before adding the next. This preps the surface, making it easier for the paper to adhere while also masking the black background—so when I layer tissue paper on top, the details will be nice and clear.

Once the gesso is dry, I brush on a layer of matt medium to glue down the first piece of tissue paper. It’s a lovely, fluid medium that works beautifully for this process. 

Next, I carefully place my first layer—wet-strength tissue paper with an image transfer of some text. This adds a subtle bit of detail to the background, to give it more depth and interest. I make sure it’s glued down well, then use a catalyst wedge to smooth everything out and remove any wrinkles.

Now, I leave it to dry before moving on to the next step.

Now that it’s dry, I brush on another layer of matt medium to adhere my second print over the top. I'm using a large Maruishi paper print, and in hindsight, it would have been easier to cut the paper beforehand—I had to fiddle around with it a bit to get it into place.  Thankfully, Maruishi is a strong paper that doesn’t tear easily. 

Once the paper is in place, I use my catalyst wedge to smooth out any wrinkles and set it aside to dry.

Next, I carefully trim off the excess using a pair of scissors. I was really careful to position the open space within the flower silhouette so that the text beneath would still show through. As you can see—it worked!  The text is peeking through and I'm really pleased.

However, I did run into a little issue: while working on the cover, pressing the paper down and trying to get the book to close, I accidentally tore the print along the edge. Not to worry though... I’m going to show you how to layer another print over the top to fix it.

I'll use this teal Maruishi print as a rescue. A very thin paper like this over the spine works well because it lets the book move freely without tearing.

I’m building up the underlayers here, adding more elements and experimenting with different papers and textures to create depth. It’s all about layering, and there’s no rush. Take your time to experiment.

TIP: When working with heavier papers, make sure to apply matt medium to both the substrate and the back of the paper. This will help everything stick more securely and avoid any lifting later on. 

Once the papers have dried, I use my scissors to trim off the excess.  

Next, I add a bit of gold paint, then blend in some white, just to see if I can pull it back a little.  I did this over the dotted areas on both edges of the cover.

One of the brilliant things about collage is that you can play with the paint, experiment, layer, and build on what you’ve already done. Remember, it’s all part of the process—just keep going until it feels right!

I’m really pleased with how it turned out—here’s the finished sketchbook cover!