It’s time to jump on-board for a jaunt into Gelatos®! If you aren’t familiar with Gelatos®, I think you’ll love their versatility.  They are a Faber Castell® product which was developed as a result of their children’s Gel Sticks® product.  They are pigment sticks in tubes about the size of lipstick. Since I love lipstick, you know I love using these! It’s like using lipstick on art. However, clean-up is much easier than lipstick would be!  Watch the video or read below!

Although they are similar to the children’s products, the formula was developed for paper crafters. Both are easy and feel just about the same to use. You probably would never know the difference, but  two of the main differences between the two, are that Gelatos are lightfast, and they come in so many more colors.  Here’s the scoop on Gelatos:

• Odorless
• Acid-free
• Archival Safe
• Lightfast! They will not fade over time.
• Gellatos come 28 colors, plus black and white, plus 6 metallics, which include a yummy set called “Metallic Mellon.” That brings the total to 36 options! The Gel Sticks are available in a set of primary colors and a set of a few metallics.
• Gelatos coordinate with other products in the Faber Castell line. Not only do they coordinate with their own line, but they did a great deal of study on color trends in the papercraft industry and selected colors accordingly!
• Water-soluble
• Blendable
• Work on many surfaces!

You will most often find Gelato’s sold in sets of 4, in a color family, such as blues, greens, etc. Recently I found a set of assorted colors at one of the large craft stores near me! I grabbed a set and thought you might like to see what kinds of things you can do with them!

Gelatos are a very versatile product, and there are several ways to use them. This Artful Adventure series is going to look at some of the different ways they can be used.  We will look at using them in scrapbooking, art journaling, and card-making.  You know you have found a great mixed media product when you can use it in so many ways! Plus, if you want to take them with you, it’s so easy and non-messy to transport them. It’s like throwing your lipstick in your purse!

Today, we’ll start by looking at using them dry, right out of the tube. Just take off the cap and apply! Being able to use them dry is good news when it comes to projects that would be either ruined or warped by using water-based products. You can either leave as is for the most intense look or rub for a more blended look. The smooth, creamy consistency is enjoyable to work with.

You can use them together and they still blend well in their “dry” state.  Use one tube over the top of another, and your tubes will not even become cross-contaminated with color! I love that quality! You can either blend them with your finger tip, or use a cotton swab, or blending stump. I like using my fingers, because they of their smooth, creamy consistency!

Have you tried Gelatos? What did you like best about them?  Don’t forget, you are always invited to share your projects in our Artful Adventures Facebook group!

This information is based purely on products I have purchased and used, and am freely sharing my thoughts and ideas about.

Until our next Artful Adventure together, have some of your own!