Thursday, September 27, 2018

Fall Birch Prints Using an Embossing Plate with Gelli Arts� By Catherine Tonning-Popowich

I am so excited to create my first blog as a member of the Gelli Arts� Artist team! Having been asked to join the team is an honor. I love all of their products!

I've always loved Birch trees and am obsessed with drawing and painting them! I wanted a project that was quick and not too complicated involving these trees. I think I have every stamp, die, and embossing plate of Birch trees so I decided to try printing with an embossing plate!

Make sure to check out the giveaway at the end of my blog!

It just so happens I had an embossing plate that was 6"x6" to match the size of one of my gel plates. I usually lay out two or more Gelli Arts� gel printing plates when I work on a project so I can get a couple prints at the same time.

Using Midnight Multi-Surface paint by Plaid�, I loaded my brayer and rolled the paint onto the embossing plate. I used the side that had the trees raised out. The brayer just catches the trees when you roll over them.

I then turn the embossing plate over and press it onto the gel plate. I used a clean brayer and rolled on the back of the embossing plate to push the paint onto the gel plate. Lift it off and the trees are left on the gel plate. Let this dry about 10 minutes.

Don't mind the difference in color of these plates, one plate has been used a lot more and seems to have taken on a color. This does not affect the prints.

When the first layer is dry, pick a color for the background layer. I used Plaid� Color Shift Orange and Yellow for the orange print. These paints are very translucent and sheer so choose your paper color accordingly. I used brown deli paper (ordered from Amazon) for the orange one and blue cardstock for the others.

As soon as you apply the colors for the background layer put your paper down over the gel plate and pull the print. Depending on how dry the black trees are on the gel plate you may have to leave the paper on for a minute or two and burnish the backside with your hand or an old credit card.

Sometime I get distracted and leave the room for a few hours, lol. Pull up a corner to make sure everything is coming up on the paper before pulling the print completely. If it is not completely pulling up the paint put the corner back down and burnish some more.

Happy Printing!
Catherine

Materials:
-6"x6" Gelli Arts� Gel Printing Plate
-4" Gelli Arts� Brayer
-Sizzix "Woodland" 6"x6" Embossing Plate
-Brown Deli Paper
-Blue Cardstock
-Plaid� FolkArt Paints: Multi-Surface Fire Opal and Midnight, Color Shift Yellow Flash, Orange Flash, Red Flash, and Aqua Flash
-Old Credit Card