Hello friends! Ericka from Strangely Creative here, and today I’m sharing a project that feels perfectly suited for summer.
When I think of summer, I immediately think of sunshine, beach days, and of course, the ocean. So I couldn’t resist pulling out one of my favorite fish stamps from Tracy Scott and creating a colorful underwater scene filled with texture and layers.
🎨 Starting with Gel Prints
One of my favorite ways to create unique cards is by digging through my stash of gel prints. Every print has its own personality, and it’s always fun finding new ways to use them.
For this card, I selected one gel print for my background (using Lavina Inks and Lindy’s Gang Sprays) and two additional prints for my fish. The variety of colors and textures gave the project an instant underwater feel without requiring a lot of extra work.
That’s one of the things I love most about gel printing—the background is already doing a lot of the heavy lifting.
🐟 Building the Ocean Scene
After choosing my prints, I stamped the fish images onto the gel press prints and began creating my focal point.
To help the main fish stand out, I added color with colored pencils. The extra shading and highlights brought the image to life and created a beautiful contrast against the printed background. This is one of my favorite tricks when working with gel prints. Even a small amount of coloring can completely transform a stamped image and make it the star of the card.
✂️ Layering for Dimension
Once everything was colored, I fussy cut the fish and began arranging them across the background. Layering multiple fish instantly created movement and made the card feel more like a lively underwater scene. It’s amazing how a few simple layers can add so much depth and interest.
To help frame the design, I added one of my signature hand-drawn borders around the card.
✨ Finishing Touches
No summer card is complete without a little sparkle.
To finish the project, I added:
- Sentiments from the Lavinia Sentiment Collection
- A few gems for shine and dimension
- Final details to help guide the eye around the design
The result is a bright, cheerful card that captures everything I love about summer creativity.
💡 A Little Creative Challenge
Next time you’re looking for inspiration, try creating an entire scene using nothing but gel prints from your stash.
Use one for the background, another for your focal image, and see what happens.
You might be surprised at how quickly a card comes together when the color and texture are already there waiting for you.
Thank you so much for stopping by today! I hope this project inspires you to dive into your stash, play with your gel prints, and create something colorful this weekend.
Have a wonderful crafty weekend and happy creating! 🌊🐟💙
 PaperArtsy – Tracy Scott 79 Shop at: TP |
 Lavinia – Sentiment Stickers – Uplifting Collection Shop at: TP |
 Lavinia – Elements Dye Ink – Blue Atoll Shop at: TP |
 Lavinia – Elements Dye Ink – Mermaid Shop at: TP |
 Ranger – Archival Ink Pad – Jet Black Shop at: SC | Lindys | AZ | Misc |
 Lindy’s Gang – Glitz Spritz Set Shop at: Lindys | TP |
 Lindy’s Gang – TiffanyLou’s Blue Starburst Shimmer Spray Shop at: Lindys | TP |
 Gel Press – Reusable Gel Printing Plate Shop at: AZ | TP | Misc |
 Speedball – 2″ Brayer Shop at: TP | |