Rainbow Glass Bead Gel Artist Trading Cards - Clique International

Hi! I'm sharing a tutorial for how to create a glittery glass bead gel background on an artist trading card for Clique International today. The tiny glass spheres create an amazing luminosity when exposed to light and add a wonderful texture that you can both see and feel. To add to the shimmery effect, I applied metallic and glitter gold acrylic paint to the base of the cards. The sparkle on the background of these cards is absolutely fantastic! This mixed media technique only requires a few simple steps to produce amazing results.

Glittery Glass Bead Gel Background Tutorial

Artist Trading Cards are a great size (2.5 x 3.5 inches) to experiment with new techniques and mediums without using a lot of product. I cut all of my artist trading card bases from empty cereal boxes. To prevent the cardboard base from absorbing expensive mediums, apply several light layers of gesso to the card and let dry. Gesso is a good idea here to provide a bright white base for color. Applying paint to untreated cardboard will result in a dull and less vibrant finish. We definitely want to avoid that!

Next, brush on a base layer of color. I used a metallic gold acrylic paint topped with a coat of ultra fine glitter paint for extra shimmer.

Use a spatula to apply a thin layer of glass bead gel over the card. The gel is white when wet and dries clear. While the gel is wet, apply several plastic stars to the card. The Clique Shop has a lot of super fun sequin mixes that are perfect for adding flair to projects. Set the card aside to dry for a couple of hours.

Embellishing with Acrylic Shapes and Stickers

Secure an acrylic rainbow and cloud to the card using Crafty Power Tape and 3D Adhesive Dots. These translucent adhesives are perfect for clear embellishments.

Finally, apply a colorful sticker to the card. This Pretty Little Studio Sticker Sheet is available in the Color My Happy Clique Sampler Kit.

Clique International Supplies:
Color Me Happy Sampler Kit
Bella Blvd Acrylic Shapes
Sequin Mix

Other Supplies: Artist Trading Cards; Gesso (Faber-Castell Design Memory Craft); Splendid Gold Metallic Paint (DecoArt); Gold Glitz Ultra Fine Glitter Paint (DecoArt); Glass Bead Gel (Bad Girls Couture); Crafty Power Tape (Scrapbook Adhesives by 3L); Adhesive Dots 3D (Scrapbook Adhesives by 3L) 

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