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Easy monoprinting with Gelli Printing Plates

Date: 10-02-2024
News, Tips & Info

 

Printing without a press! Gelli Printing Plates will have you making delightful prints in just a few minutes, at the kitchen table, in the classroom or studio – they’re so easy to set up and use!

Gelli Printing Plates are a soft, reusable plate for transferring your image to paper with hand pressure. These plates offer a tactile and responsive surface, allowing you to experiment freely, create textures, and unleash your imagination. They are a very easy and mess-free way of making monoprints, and work especially well with Golden OPEN Acrylic.

Getting Started with Gelli Plates

At the core of Gelli Plate printing lies the use of acrylic paints. These vibrant pigments come alive on the plate's surface, and you don't need to clean the plate between prints unless you choose to. While acrylic paints are recommended, oil-based paints can also be used, though avoid letting them sit on the plate for too long, wipe it off with linseed oil, and clean with hand soap and water.

Set up your Gelli Printing Plate on a flat, non-absorbent surface (a sheet of PET plastic is perfect). The ink on a Gelli will often give you more than one impression, so cut two pieces of print paper slightly larger than the Gelli, and hinge them with low-tack masking tape on either side of the plate, so when flipped over, they cover the plate. This enables two transfers from each layer, keeping a good registration for successive layers.

 

 

A very small amount of Golden OPEN Acrylic is applied directly to the plate and spread evenly with a soft rubber roller, to provide a warm base colour to the print. As OPEN Acrylic is slow drying, it allows plenty of time for working on the Gelli and still transfers completely; and of course you have a wide range of saturated colours to choose from!

 

 

Once the colour is applied, flap down one sheet of paper and a baren (Essdee or Speedball have great options) in a circular motion to press the paper to the Gelli. Then peel that sheet away from the plate and repeat with the other sheet. The softness of the Gelli means you don’t have to press too hard for a complete transfer, and you can even get a good print by using your hand, though a baren is more even.

The paper you press first transfers more colour than the second sheet. You can follow this for each layer to create one strongly coloured and one softly coloured print, or alternate them to produce both strong and soft layers on each.

 

 

There is no need to clean the Gelli Plate between layers, as any residue transfers to the same spot. By keeping the plate in place, the hinged papers will drop back into position to transfer the next layer. If you do want to move your Gelli, just outline the corners, so you can reposition it correctly.

Paint can be applied in as many colours and detail as you wish. Keep the paint application thin – too much paint will ‘pucker’, and spoil your print. Once you have it how you want, repeat the transfer process by flapping down the paper and rubbing with your baren. The Gelli will transfer your image in incredible detail.

 

 

Stencils work well with Gelli, and cut be easily cut from drafting film – a polyester film that is washable, doesn’t wrinkle, and is thin enough to provide a good edge for the image. Stencils add a hard edge that contrasts nicely with the brush marks. Place the stencil on your Gelli, paint over the holes and lift off. You can then repeat the transfer process to add another layer to your work.

Bubble wrap, foam stamps, leaves and strings can be used to create texture and marks. Soft-tipped tools like paint brushes and cotton swabs allow for hand-drawn mark-making, adding your personal touch to each print. Remember to avoid pointy tools that might scratch the plate.

By using roller, brush, and stencil, you can quickly build an interesting vocabulary of high-definition marks into a unique monoprint. Once you’ve pushed the print as far as you want, you can add to it with coloured pencil, pastel, pen and refillable markers for a really fresh image.

 

 

After using Golden OPEN Acrylic, your Gelli Printing Plate and printmaking tools wash clean under water. It is natural for the Gelli to turn matte after several uses – this does not affect the print quality. To protect the printing surface when you are storing your Gelli, cover both sides with a plain white sheet of copy paper. Be careful to smooth out the paper with your hands to ensure there are no air bubbles between the paper and the plate. If you do get bubble marks, place bubble mark side down on a hard, flat surface (the gel printing plate contains mineral oil, so do not place the plate on a surface that may absorb mineral oil) and let it sit overnight.  The gel material conforms to the surface it is laying upon - so in the morning the bubble marks should be gone.

 

Essential Insights and Tips

Storing your Gelli Plate requires some care. Lay it flat on a smooth, clean surface, as the plate's sensitive surface will imprint any texture it's placed upon. Avoid covering it with plastic wrap or waxed paper, as these materials can wrinkle and leave imprints on the plate. If you're looking to protect your work surface, consider using a non-porous barrier like a Teflon sheet, baking tray, or glass.

https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0069/4072/files/Gelli_Instructions.pdf?462 

 

Answering Your Questions

As you embark on your Gelli Plate journey, you might have questions that need answering. Let's tackle a few:

  • What kinds of paints/inks can I use? Acrylic paints, water-soluble printmaking inks, and even some oil-based inks are compatible with Gelli Plates.

  • Can I print on fabric? Absolutely! Tight-weave fabrics like cotton and muslin work well.

  • How do I remove stains? Baby oil or gel hand sanitizers can help remove most pigment stains. For oil-based paints, follow up with a dish soap wash.

https://www.gelliarts.com/pages/faq 

 

Unlock Your Creative Potential with Gelli Plates

Gelli Plates aren't just tools; they're invitations to unleash your creativity in unprecedented ways. Whether you're a seasoned artist or just discovering your artistic flair, Gelli Plate printing offers a vibrant, tactile, and endlessly captivating avenue to express yourself. So, embrace the magic of Gelli Plates, dive into the process with confidence, and let your imagination run wild on this unique artistic canvas.

Information that can be used for classes or studio, from Gelli plate:

https://www.gelliarts.com/pages/what-to-know 

Gelli Printing Plates are an easy and fun way to produce monoprints, with no need for a press and a huge variety of creative approaches.

 

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