Thursday, January 4, 2018

Gelli Arts� Gel Printing on Transparencies

Happy 2018! It�s Marsha here, and today I�d like to share an exciting way to create stunning, shiny Gelli� prints!

Have you ever tried Gelli Arts� Gel Printing on transparencies?

It differs a bit from regular gel printing on paper. Instead of layering back to front, you have to think about the star of your finished print first and then add everything you want to appear behind it next.

Think of it like reverse painting on glass: you apply paint to the transparency, and you view the image by turning the sheet over. You�re looking at the picture through the transparency.

Step 1

Place the transparency on the Gelli Arts� Gel Printing Plate. This will prevent the transparency from sliding. I�m using the 6�x6� sized plate, and I�ve cut my transparencies to match that size.

Roll Jet Black acrylic paint out on a sheet of parchment or palette paper. Dab a (hand carved) stamp into the paint and stamp the image onto the transparency. Repeat until you�re happy with the pattern.

Make sure the acrylic paint doesn�t dry on your stamp. Clean the stamp as soon as the stamping is done.

Leave the transparency on the Gelli Arts� Gel Printing Plate. Wait until the stamped images are completely dry before you proceed to the next step.

Step 2

Choose a lighter or contrasting colour paint. Make sure the stamped (paint) side of the transparency is still facing up. Paint over the stamped images.

Wait until the paint is completely dry before you proceed to the next step.

Step 3

Now you can start building layers behind the stamped images. You can do this by either gel printing or stenciling. When you print, the painted side of the transparency faces down, and when you stencil, you need the painted side of the transparency to face up.

You can alternate between printing and stencilling as often as you want. Just make sure the previous layer is completely dry before adding another one.

Pulling prints

The best printing result is achieved by placing the transparency directly over the paint on the Gelli Arts� Gel Printing Plate. So to pull stencilled images, it's best to apply paint to the printing plate through the stencil.

Start with a clean plate. Place a stencil or mask on top of it. Roll paint out on parchment or palette paper before applying it through the stencil to the printing plate.

Remove the stencil and pull the print (with the glossy side of the transparency facing you and the side with paint already on it facing the printing plate).

Take advantage of the fact that you�re printing on a see-through sheet: line up the transparency and the plate precisely the way you want the paint to print!

Leave the print to dry.

Ghost printing

Roll paint out on the printing plate. Place a stencil or a mask on top of the paint. Place a sheet of parchment paper (or other thin paper) on top to remove paint from the plate.

Remove the stencil from the plate. Remove more paint if needed.

Pull the ghost print with the transparency (again with the glossy side of the transparency facing you and the side with paint already on it facing the printing plate).

Leave the print to dry.

Stencilling

Place the transparency with the glossy side down (painted side up) on a clean Gelli Arts� Gel Printing Plate. This will prevent the transparency from sliding while stenciling.

Place a stencil or mask on top of the transparency. Squeeze a drop of paint onto parchment or palette paper. Dab a cosmetic sponge into the paint. Dab off as much excess paint as you can. Pounce the sponge up and down to apply the paint through the stencil onto the transparency.

Step 4

Once you are happy with the way the layers look, you can apply one last coat of solid colour to complete the print.

Place the transparency with the glossy side down (painted side up) on top of a clean Gelli Arts� Gel Printing Plate. This will prevent the transparency from sliding.

Choose a paint colour that you haven�t already used in your print. Roll it out onto the transparency on top of all of the other paint layers.

Leave the paint to dry completely.

The result is a striking print that you can adhere to cards, use for mixed media collage, or you can frame just as it is. No protective glass needed!

Have fun Gelli Arts� Gel Printing on transparencies!

Materials:

Gelli Arts�:

6" x 6" Gelli Arts� Gel Printing Plate

4" Pop-In Soft Rubber Brayer

Gelli Arts� Premium Acrylic Paint Set - Classic Colors (Chili Pepper, Jet Black, Snowbound)

Gelli Arts� Premium Acrylic Paint Set - Bright Colors (Freshwater, Mixed Berries, Snowbound)

Gelli Arts� Parchment Paper

Other:

Transparency film (Office Depot: 100 microns, A4 size cut to 6�x6�)

Stencils (Artistic Flair Crafts: Chevron 2, Cobbled Lane, Lattice, Polygon, Squiggled)

Hand carved stamps

Hand cut stencils