G e l l i P l a t e P r i n t i n G

mixed-media monoprinting without a press

Gelli PlatePrinting

CinCinnati, OhiO

artistsnetwork.com

J oa n B e s s

Cleaning Your gelli Plate

Gelli Plate Basics 5introduction 6

P a r t 1

GettinG Started With Gelli 8

P a r t 2

Gelli techniqueS 16

conclusion 110contriButor Gallery 112Glossary 138resources 140index 142aBout the author 143

The Gelli Arts™ Gel Printing Plate is a unique and ideal surface for monoprinting without a press! And like any studio tool, there are a few basic things to know to keep it in good condition.

GELLI D O’S AND D ON’ TS

• Thegelprintingplateismadeofauniqueplasticthatcontainsmineral oil. It will leach a small amount of harmless mineral oil when left sitting on an absorbent surface, so it’s important to protect your work surface with a flat, smooth, nonporous barrier such as a piece of glass or acrylic, a Teflon craft sheet or a baking sheet.

• Tokeeptheplateinplacewhileprinting,placetheGelliplate on a piece of paper that’s taped to the barrier sheet with painter’s tape.

• Acrylicpaintsarerecommended.Thegelplatecantakeonatint or stain from paint or ink, but it won’t affect your prints. If desired, the stain can be removed by wiping the plate with baby oil. Then wash the plate with dish soap, rinse and pat it dry with a paper towel. This is also the recommended clean-up whenever you use oil-based paint or inks on the gel plate. And it’s the best way to remove pencil marks and newspaper inks, which can transfer to the plate.

Pull Excess Paint With PaperAfter pulling a print, areas of wet paint

may remain on the plate. Quickly pull

another print to remove residual paint

from the plate.

Spray With WaterKeep a spray bottle nearby! If you spritz

the plate with water immediately after

printing, the paint wipes off easily! You

can also use a mixture of water and

dish soap to wash off hard-to-clean oily

residue.

Wipe it Clean!Use a paper towel to wipe the plate

clean. For stubborn paint, apply gel hand

sanitizer, then wipe with a paper towel.

Gelli Plate Basics

Contents Visit gelliarts.com to check out the different sizes of Gelli plates available!

• Donotuseglossypaper,especiallyglossyphotopaper,topullprints. It can stick to and damage the surface of the gel plate.

• It’snotnecessarytocleantheplatebetweenprints.Infact,paint remaining on the plate between prints can be pulled up on the next print yielding the most exciting and unpredictable results. However, it is recommended to clean the plate before storing. I store my Gelli plates in the plastic cases they come in.

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introduCtion

Something exhilarating happened when I started monoprinting on gelatin plates several years ago—the sheer FUN! Winging it with an experimental attitude, playing with paint, color, texture, not to mention the fast pace! Grabbing every textured surface in sight and smooshing it into the painted plate. The adrenaline rush pulling each print off the plate! And in no time—a stack of amaz-ing prints! Everything about this printing process was magical ... except the gelatin. Ugh! In my experience—it turned mushy, fell apart, got moldy, and took up too much space in the refrigerator. Worse yet—not always having a plate ready when I wanted to print was, for me, an annoying creativity killer.

It was a small leap from thinking about the concept of a non-perishable gel plate to becoming obsessed with having one. After looking around and learning there was no such thing available, I ran the product idea past my friend Lou Ann Gleason. Under-stand, Lou Ann is a career businesswoman with an impressive Fortune 100 résumé that does not include making art. So when she came to my studio and had a total blast creating prints on a gelatin plate, we knew we were on to something.

As a result of that eventful day of studio play, we joined forces, formed Gelli Arts and went to work. After a year-long journey to produce our dream printing plate, we hit the ground running by introducing to the world a new, convenient and exciting mono-printing experience. Thanks to our social media expert, Nancy Kelley, word travelled quickly across the Internet. And the world responded! Gelli printing has taken the art and craft world by storm. Across all corners of the globe—artists and crafters, teach-ers and students, men and women, seniors and children are taking brayer in hand, rolling out acrylic paint, making their marks and pulling incredible prints. It’s easy, fun and totally addicting!

If you’re experienced in monoprinting, you’re sure to find tech-niques in this book that will send you off in new directions. If you haven’t tried Gelli printing yet, this book will guide you through the basics and give you the confidence to give it a go and get you hooked!

After a brief overview of materials and a few tips, you’ll be ready for printing. There’s no special sequence, so you can skip around the techniques. The learning curve isn’t steep, but it does take some practice to get the feel for how much paint to use ... and

how different paints work for you. The discovery process is part of the fun.

Have no fear! You’ll make tons of prints. The good, the bad and the ugly. Gelli printing is adventurous and experimental. And there are no mistakes. If you don’t like a print, just add another layer right over it! The thrill of pulling a print is hard to describe. But the joyful “aha!” moment visible on the faces of people as they pull prints tells the story!

One of the fascinating aspects of Gelli printing is incorporating found textures. And you’ll start finding them everywhere! Before you know it, you’ll catch yourself looking at an ordinary object and saying to yourself, “That’ll make such a cool print!” Things like textured wheels on toy cars, patterned bottoms of flip-flops, a crumpled piece of waxed paper ... all will grab your attention. You’ll look at commonplace things with fresh eyes. Suddenly, nothing is safe from paint!

As you work through different techniques in this book, you’ll find yourself intuitively combining them to create more complex prints. Looking over your prints, you’ll wonder how you did some of them—this can be a fast, spontaneous and multi-layered process. It isn’t always easy to decipher or reconstruct some prints. On other prints, you’ll know exactly how you achieved the result. Each printing technique you learn will help take your art to a new level. The more you print, the more discoveries you will make.

Looking for inspiration? On page 120, you’ll find a gallery of art contributed by some of the most talented artists working in mixed media today. How exciting to see these extraordinary art-ists using their Gelli prints in the amazing pieces they create! Their works bring to life the techniques you’ll find in this book and offer us an impressive range of what is possible.

The objective of creating fine art prints is just one way to approach Gelli printing. Many monoprints are simply good begin-nings for a vast range of projects. It’s great fun to work back into prints with various media, layer over them, journal on them, or tear them up and use the snippets for collage. Follow your own creative path and include Gelli prints in your mixed-media art, art journals, card making, scrapbooking, quilting, fiber arts jewelry and much more!

Happy Printing!

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P A R T 1

GettinG Started With Gelli

Monoprinting with a Gelli plate is a simple process. All you need to do is apply

some paint to plate and roll it into a thin layer with a soft rubber brayer. Then,

make some marks in the wet paint and cover the painted surface with a piece of

paper. Rub the paper to transfer the paint and pull your print. Voila! It’s that easy!

People new to monoprinting often tend to use too much paint. A little goes

a long way. Practice will give you the feel for how much paint to use. Too much

paint will produce mushy prints with little detail. Too little paint is apt to dry too

quickly on the plate. And different paints can give very different results. You’ll see

when you start experimenting!

Most acrylic paints create good prints. But some acrylic paints dry very

quickly. There are many mediums available that can be added to acrylic paint

to extend the working time. Slow-drying acrylic paints specially formulated to

extend the ‘open’, or workable time are ideal for monoprinting. But inexpensive

acrylic craft paints work great too. Try different paints to find what works best for

you.

Before you know it, you’re pulling print after print. As you can imagine, you’ll

go through a lot of paper! Start with inexpensive copy/computer paper. Card

stock is another excellent choice. And deli paper (dry waxed paper) is a hands-

down favorite among many Gelli printers.

Expect to make plenty of prints that aren’t so great. Not a problem! Simply

print another layer right over them. You’ll be amazed at how layering images can

build fascinating prints!

The thrill of revealing each print keeps you totally in the moment. And don’t

be surprised if you actually gasp out loud!

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My Set-UpThis is my basic set-up for Gelli printing to quickly pull multiple prints. The Gelli plate sits on a piece of clean paper, which is taped to a Teflon craft sheet protecting my work surface. A water dish contains a folded paper towel saturated with water. A dry paper towel is folded in half next to the water dish. My sketchbook is open. A spray bottle of water and gel hand sanitizer are nearby. And always, a supply of paper towels. You can copy my workspace or figure out the system that what works best for you!

Mark-Making Tools

My Gelli Set-upIt’s important to have everything in place before starting.

Monoprinting is fast. You don’t want to start looking for the

spray bottle or art journal to roll the paint off the brayer once

you’ve started printing.

Stencils and MasksThe versatility of stencils and masks in

Gelli printing can’t be overstated! The

marketplace has exploded with new

designs. But it’s so easy to create your

own! Common found objects, like a

leaf or piece of string, make stunning

masked prints!

Mark-making tools come in many forms. Some are designed for art use and some are appropriated from other purposes. Soft-tipped tools like cottons swabs, pencil erasers and Colour Shapers are perfect for drawing into a painted Gelli plate. Faux finishing tools such as homemade combs and scrapers, commercial combs like Catalyst Wedges and Contours, soft paintbrushes and various sponges all make great marks. If you prefer making your own custom texture tools, that’s easily accomplished!

A Paper towels

B Gelli plate on top of clean sheet of paper taped to work sur-

face with painter’s tape

C Spray bottle of water

D Brayer (never resting face down)

E Water dish with moist paper towel at bottom for cleaning

brayer between uses

F Art journal for removing excess paint from brayer

G Hand sanitizer for cleaning edges of Gelli plate

Subtractive ToolsAs you press, swipe or draw with various tools into wet paint

on a Gelli plate, paint is removed from the plate. The subtrac-

tive process is commonly used for creating patterns and

designs in Gelli printing with fabulous results!

Additive ToolsTools and objects, when coated with wet paint and pressed

onto a Gelli plate, add more paint to the plate. Stamping on a

painted Gelli plate with paint-loaded tools is an additive method

for producing interesting multi-color prints.

A

B

C

D

E

F

G

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2 Burnish with a bone folder, credit

card or other smooth object to flatten

the image. To make it more durable,

cover both sides with laminating film or

coat with matte medium.

1 Cover an image from a magazine with

laminating film. Silhouettes of house-

hold objects, people and plants make

excellent subjects for masks.

3 Cut out the image with sharp scis-

sors, or use a craft knife on a cutting

surface.

Printing With a DiY MaskCreate your own masks to block out areas on your prints to create focal points and deliberate compositions. Any torn or cut paper can work as a mask, even deli paper. As your masks become more coated with paint they become more durable. Build a collection of DIYmaskstouseinyourprintsandartwork.

4 Roll out an even layer of pink on the

Gelli plate using a brayer. 5 Affix your DIY mask to the paint.

1 After you pull your first print, and before the paint dries, you

can pull a second print with the paint that remains on the

Gelli plate. Carefully peel back the mask using tweezers and

place another piece of paper over the plate. Rub firmly with

your hands to transfer the paint.

6 Press a piece of paper on the plate

and rub with your hands to transfer

the paint. Pull back to reveal the print!

2 Pull back the page to reveal the ghost print! Slow-drying

acrylics such as Golden OPEN paints are great for ghost

prints because the paint takes longer to dry on the plate, giving

you more time to pull a print.

M a t e r i a l s l i s t• Gelliplateandbrayer

• acrylicpaint

• paperforprinting

• magazinecutout

• laminatingfilm

• scissorsorcraftknife

Pulling a ghost PrintWhen you print the residual paint that’s left on the Gelli plate after a mask is removed, you create a ghost print. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat.

M a t e r i a l s l i s t• GelliplatewithDIYmask

• paperforprinting

• tweezers

Joan’s gelli tiPs• When the masking object has a finely textured surface, like a

feather or leaf, the ghost print can produce a delicate, almost pho-tographic image. These ethereal prints can be especially beautiful.

• Be prepared to work quickly when pulling ghost prints. Some acrylic paints dry too fast to produce a second print.

• A thin layer of slow-drying paint on the plate produces a finer-detailed image, perfect when printing a low-relief image.

• When a mask is removed from a painted plate, there’s a layer of paint on its underside. You can use the painted mask as a stamp. Dependingonhowmuchpaintisonthemask,thisdoesn’talwayswork. Sometimes the paint on the mask is already too dry to stamp off.

• Differentpaintsandpaperswillproducevaryingresults.There’salways trial and error involved with printmaking, so experiment to find what works best for you!

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2 Randomly place some Tyvek freeform

triangle masks and drape a piece of

string over the plate just for fun.

1 Roll out an even layer of transparent

yellow acrylic on the Gelli plate. Here

I used slow-drying acrylic paint. I use this

type of paint because it creates a nice

transparent layer that won’t dry too fast.

3 Add some texture as desired. Here I

pressed on a piece of sequin waste,

but any stencils or found objects will

work.

Creating a laYereD Mask PrintYou can use masks and multiple printed layers to create a beautiful complex image. In this exercise, I used masks cut from Tyvek, it’s more durable than paper and can be used over and over again.

5 Use tweezers to pull of the masks and string, and

before the paint dries, pull a ghost print with a fresh

sheet of paper.

4 Press on a piece of paper and pull a print.

7 Pull a print using the print from step

4. If you tape a piece of paper the

same size as your print, it will help you to

ballpark where to press the second print.

6 Thoroughly wipe clean the Gelli plate

and roll out a layer of transparent red

acrylic paint. Lay out some Tyvek masks

and add some more texture.

8 Remove the masks and string and

pull a second ghost print using the

print from step 5.

10 Pull a print using the same print

from step 7 to reveal the multi-

layered result.

11 Remove the masks and string and

pull a third ghost print using the

print from step 8.

LAYER 1

9 Clean the plate again for the third

layer. Apply a layer of transparent

blue paint and lay out the Tyvek stencils

and string.

LAYER 2

LAYER 3

Final Layered Mask Print

M a t e r i a l s l i s t• Gelliplateandbrayer

• acrylicpaint

• paperforprinting

• paletteknife

• Tyvekmasks

• texturedtools

Final Layered Ghost Print1514

2 Cut out the stamped images. For this

exercise, I used two types of stamps.1 Press a rubber stamp into an ink pad

and stamp onto the sticky side of a

sticky note. Make sure part of the stamp

covers the sticky side.

3 Take the stamps from step 1 and

stamp onto a piece of paper or

cardstock.

Masking With ruBBer staMPsIntegrating rubber stamped images into a monotype print is a fun way to get dramatic print results. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua.

6 Mix the paint together in a pleasing

pattern. You don’t need to totally mix

the paint with the brayer.

4 Cover the stamped images from

step 3 with the masks.

7 Press a piece of embossed paper

into the painted Gelli plate to add a

bit of extra texture.

9 Press on the paper from step 4 and

pull to reveal the print! If the masks

stick to the plate, simply remove with

tweezers.

8 Stamp on other cool objects for even

more texture and design.

5 Add a dollop of two colors of acrylic

on the Gelli plate—pink in orange is

shown here.

M a t e r i a l s l i s t• Gelliplateandbrayer

• acrylicpaints

• paperforprinting

• stickynotes

• inkpadandrubberstamps

• scissors

• stencils

10 Final pulled print using masked rubber stamps. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet,

consectetur adipisicing elitcitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea com-

modo consequat.

Joan’s gelli tiPs• You can also use low-tack frisket film or removable label stock

instead of sticky notes to create rubber stamp masks. Make sure the removable adhesive will leave no residue on the Gelli plate.

• Always pull a ghost print just to see what you get! After step 9, try adding a layer of a complementary color and pulling a new print.

• Whenever you see something you like on the plate, pull a print. If it’s dry, use the dry-pulling technique (see page 26). You can also leave designs on the plate to try to get something cool and surprising in the next printing.

BraYer BasiCs• Keep the edges of your brayers clean because that’s where paint

tends to collect and dry.• Use a light touch with the brayer to avoid leaving paint lines on

the Gelli plate.

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Printing With natural oBJeCtsCreate exciting prints with everyday found items such as leaves, string, thread and feathers. Take notice of all the textures you come across in your day to day. Many will be useful in creating dynamic prints when simply pressed into a painted Gelli plate.

2 Press some fresh, flat leaves onto the painted plate. Always

print the vein-side down to get the best texture.

3 Pull the first print (seen upper left). This print will just be a

mask of the leaf’s shape. Carefully remove the leaf. 4 Pull the ghost to reveal a detailed imprint print of the leaf!

1 Roll out a thin layer of paint on the Gelli plate. Here I chose a

natural brown color.

M a t e r i a l s l i s t• Gelliplateandbrayer

• acrylicpaints

• paperforprinting

• varietyofnaturalobjects

LEAVESFerns and botanical make beautiful natural prints. It’s best to use fresh leaves because dried leaves can crumble and may stick to the plate. OPEN acrylics really work best for this printing technique, but you can experiment with other forms of acrylics for different effects.

FEATHERSWhen working with feathers and other natural items, use an acrylic paint with a longer drying time, such as Golden OPEN acrylics. These will create the most sensitive, photographic ghost prints.

STRING, YARN AND THREADNovelty yarns with lots of fibers and texture can create particularly detailed prints and ghost images. String, yarn and thread can all be used to create a great variety of loops and lines. Thread will create very fine lines and can be used effectively. Apply a thin layer of paint to the plate for the best results with thread.

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2 Firmly stamp some texture into the

painted plate with your homemade

foam stamps. Don’t allow acrylic paint

to dry on your foam stamps. Clean them

right after use.

1 Mix together a thin layer of opaque,

metallic gold, turquoise and purple on

the Gelli plate in an interesting fashion.

3 Pull back the paper to reveal the

print! Images stamped onto a

painted plate will appear backward in a

monoprinted image—keep in mind when

printing alphabet and number stencils

and stamps.

Printing With FoaM staMPsCraft foam is a cheap and easy material to make your own unique stampsforprinting.NEEDMORETEXT...dolorsitamet,consectetur adipisicing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Lorem ipsum dolor sit met, consectetur adipisicing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Interesting textures are everywhere. The more you look, the more you’ll find.

M a t e r i a l s l i s t• Gelliplateandbrayer

• metallicacrylicpaints

• brayer

• foamstamps

Variations

Caption.

Caption. Caption.

Joan’s gelli tiPs• Bubble wrap is available in many sizes and they all make great

prints. Save as many sizes as you can find for making prints.• Try rolling toy cars onto a painted Gelli plate. The wheels make

great patterns.• Peel back the top layer of corrugated cardboard. It makes a neat

striped impression when pressed into wet paint.• The bottoms of foam flip-flops from the dollar store have interest-

ing textures. Cut them into various shapes, or use them as is.

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2 Arrange the cut pieces in layers on

the interfacing substrate. Make sure

to peel off the liner so that they will fuse.

1 Cut shapes from the interfacing and use your a punch to add

interesting hole designs.

3 Carefully cover the plate with parch-

ment paper.

texture Plates: FusiBle WeB interFaCingFusible web interfacing is ... The thick interfacing creates a high-relief texture plate that prints a halo effect around the raised areas. This gives the printed image a dimensional look. I prefer the brand Peltrex, though ... make sure to follow the manufacter’s instruc-tions before adding heat.

4 Press with an iron (on what setting?)

to fuse the pieces together and

complete the plate.

Materials for Fusible Web Interfacing PrintCut a piece of craft interfacing the size of your Gelli plate. The

interfacing comes one-sided, two-sided and with no fusible

sides meaning the number of sticky sides that will fuse when

heat is added. It’s okay to leave the liner on the back side.

M a t e r i a l s l i s t• Gelliplateandbrayer

• acrylicpaint

• paperforprinting

• fusiblewebinterfacing

• iron

• scissors

• craftknifeandcuttingmat

• xxxstep1toop

6 Roll a fair amount of acrylic paint onto the Gelli plate with

a brayer. Firmly press the interfacing plate into the paint.

Here you can see how I left the backside of the interfacing liner

on the texture plate.

7 Remove the interfacing plate and pull a print and a ghost

print!

8 Finished print from a craft interfacing

plate. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet,

consectetur adipisicing elit, sed do

eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et

dolore magna aliqua.

Joan’s gelli tiPsIf you are unable to find thick craft inter-facing, try using craft felt instead. Iron a fusible webbing to the felt before cutting the shapes as shown in the interfacing demo. The felt will stiffen after it’s been covered with acrylic paint.

2322

ConClusion

How you choose to develop your Gelli prints is as personal as your signature. From col-lage to stitching to doodling to encaustic ... it’s all a natural extension of where you want to take your prints. Whether in your art journals, book arts, cards, scrapbook pages, art quilts or jewelry, you will easily find a use for monoprinted papers and fabrics in your work.Remember, there are discoveries to be made at every printing session. Even the expe-rienced printmaker will find there always seems to be a new technique to explore. One print leads to another and before you know it, you’ve come a long way! Whether you prefer printing alone, with a friend or in a group workshop, I hope you find and enjoy the pure pleasure in pulling prints to reveal unique surprises and serendipitous results!

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Seth ApterCONTRIBUTOR GALLERY

Need brief caption from Seth ... Lorem

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ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute

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atat non proiden.

ThE ClimB

Adria Arch

I discovered the Gelli plate in 2012 and

love using it with Golden OPEN acryl-

ics for their long-drying time and the

outstanding color results. During my

2013 residency at the Vermont Studio

Center, I used a 12" × 14" (xxcm × xxcm)

Gelli plate to create a series of fifty prints

based on paint spills. I poured paint onto

sheets of paper then carefully cut out

the dried shapes to use as stencils. The

spills created ambiguous silhouettes

that can be read in many ways. Like a

Rorschach inkblot, viewers create their

own narrative.

lAvEnDEr Spill mAnGo Spill

SETh ApTErthealteredpage.blogspot.com

Seth Apter is a mixed-media artist, author, and instructor from New York City. His artwork has been exhibited in numerous exhibitions and can be found in multiple books, independent zines and national magazines. He is the author of two books from North Light, The Pulse of Mixed Media and The Mixed Media Artist. He has also produced twoNorthLightDVDsanddesignsstencilsforStencilGirl Products.

ADriA ArChadriaarch.com

Adria Arch is a nonrepresentational painter and mixed-media artist whose work features strong graphic elements and vivid color. Her recent work explores the representation of energy through the human mark, focusing in particular on the doodles we all make while in a state of revery. AdriaisatechnicalconsultantforGOLDENArtistColors. She teaches privately and at local museums and art centers. She lives with her family and dog in Arlington, MA.

26 27

Kate CraneI began this page by randomly spreading

bright acrylic paints on the Gelli plate

with my fingers to create a loose, messy

look. I picked up a print then repeated

the process several times with differ-

ent colors to build up multiple layers. I

then spread paint over a section of the

plate, placed a circular stencil on top

and pressed the print down to pick up

the circular patterns. When dry, I added

lots of doodling with a fine black marker

and a white gel pen. To complete the

page I added a stamp by Craft Stamper

magazine and a typed song lyric by The

Animals.

Don’T lET mE BE miSunDErSTooD

To create my mini journal, My Mini Book

of Gelli, I printed several sheets of deli

paper by finger painting randomly on

the Gelli plate with a variety of bright

acrylic paints building multiple layers. I

also used circular stencils on the plate

to extra pattern and texture. When dry, I

doodled around the shapes with a white

gel pen to add highlights. The prints were

then glued to sheet music and bound

into a book using patterned Duck Tape

and a Bind-It-All binding tool.

my liTTlE BookS oF GElli DEli

kATE CrAnEthekathrynwheel.blogspot.com

Kate Crane lives in the north of England, UK. She is passionate about mixed-media art, especially art journaling, and enjoys incorporating Gelli prints into her art journals. She teaches mixed-media art and art journaling in various locations and has also taught online. She has produced several art journalingDVDsandhasalsocontributestovari-ous art magazines.

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