Gelli� Combed Prints & Watercolor!

Playing with the NEW Gelli� PrintingTools is like taking a shortcut to finding your printmaking mojo! This video shows a painterly approach to a combed print � then takes it to the next level by adding watercolors! Take a look!

The mark-making potential of these great BIG Gelli� combs casts an addictive spell! Count on losing yourself in hours of play as you discover how compelling it is to create different and dynamic combed patterns. You know the feeling..."just one more" � right?!!"

You'll find ideas, tips and techniques for using these new combs on the blog post, "Awesome NEW Gelli� PrintingTools!!!" from August 20, 2015.

If you've ever dragged or swiped a comb across a painted gel plate, you know it's a wonderful subtractive process that removes paint to create your image.

This video demonstration is on an 8"x10" plate. But the Gelli� combs are great for designing patterns on ALL of the Gelli� plate sizes�large, small and round. It's amazing how many effects you can create!

Here's something to try! Instead of applying paint directly to the plate and rolling with a brayer, use a paintbrush to cover the plate with quick, loose brushstrokes � blending colors as you go! It's so easy to create an artful painted layer � and perfect for swiping your combs through!

TIPS:  

•  When brushing paint onto the gel plate, a thin layer will show the beauty of your brushstrokes.
• Avoid laying down thick areas of paint, as they'll squish and print as blobs.
• Use analogous colors (next to each other on the color wheel) to avoid making mud. A color wheel is great to have on hand � and helpful for making color selections.
• Work quickly so you can comb smoothly through the wet paint.

The paint used in the video is DecoArt Media Fluid Acrylics. This line of fluid acrylic paint is wonderful for creating combed patterns�and like any acrylic paint, will act as a resist to watercolor, producing impressive results. That's the technique we're exploring here!

Creating beautiful delicate colors is easily achieved by adding Media Tinting Base to any of the Media paints. And it adds body to the fluid paints. Have fun mixing your own colors and printing with soft hues.

But we're not stopping there! After the Gelli� prints are dry�make your prints sing by adding watercolors!

With this in mind, it's best to print on a paper that can handle that extra process. These prints are pulled on Fabriano Artistico Hot Press 140lb. watercolor paper. In case you're not familiar with the term�hot press paper has a very smooth surface (cold press has texture).

Rather than using traditional watercolors (although they work beautifully)�I'm experimenting with some incredible pigment powders from Lindy's Stamp Gang, called 'Magicals'. They're named so perfectly�these pigments contain mica, so they sparkle and shine! For watercolor effects, simply add water and mix the desired intensity of each color. The pale powders morph into rich, metallic colors when water is added. Magic! And perfect for adding pizzazz to a print!

Work wet-in-wet�letting the pigments run together into spontaneous color reactions. As the colors mingle, it's like watching a mystical transformation fill the blank spaces on your print!

Acrylic paint will resist the watercolors. If needed�to clean up watercolor from any printed areas�it's easy to wipe it off the acrylic paint with a damp cotton swab. So your original printed image stands out.

Something to keep in mind:  For this technique, the comb should remove most of the paint off the plate where you swipe it. That's what creates the unpainted areas on your print for adding watercolors. So it helps to start with a clean Gelli� plate. If there is dried paint on your plate, you may want to clean it first.

You'll quickly discover when you start creating combed prints with the 7" Gelli� combs � it's hard to stop!! The process is fast and fun!

So make a bunch of combed prints and add watercolor! It's a quick and simple way to make each print extra-special!

Combed prints are so easy to embellish � the lines to guide you are already there!!!

THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED!!!!

And now for our FANTASTIC GIVEAWAY!!! 

A fabulous kit for creating your own combed and watercolor prints!

One lucky winner will receive our prize kit including:

• 1 - 8"x10" Gelli Arts� Gel Printing Plate
• 1 - Set of Gelli� Printing Tools - 3 Round Edge Combs
• 1 - Set of Gelli� Printing Tools - 3 Square Edge Combs
• 1 - Lindy's Stamp Gang 'Magicals' Set- 5 colors (Tres Chic)
• 6 - DecoArt Media Fluid Acrylic Paint - 1 oz. bottles
• 1 - DecoArt Media Tinting Base (White) - 4 oz. jar
• 1 - Catalyst� by Princeton - Polytip� Bristle - Bright - Size 10
• 1 - Princeton Brush Co. - Round Watercolor Brush 4050R Size 8
• 1 - Pocket Color Wheel (The Color Wheel Company)

To enter the giveaway, click on the red "ENTER GIVEAWAY HERE" button below! (This will ensure that we can contact the winner and that entries are limited to one per person. One winner will be selected from all the entries via a random number generator to receive this very special giveaway!) Entries will be accepted until 12pm noon on Tuesday, September 29th EDT. Our lucky winner will be contacted by email and announced here on the blog and on our Facebook page no later than 5pm on Tuesday September 29th! 

THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED!!!!

Winner is Margaux W.

ENTER GIVEAWAY HERE!!

Remember, we now have Gelli� partners all over the world, so it's easier than ever to find a Gelli� retailer near you!

Special thanks to Lindy's Stamp Gang for generously donating their amazing 'Magicals' paint pigment set.

Have Fun and Happy Printing!

Materials Used in Today's Blog:

Gelli� 8x10 Plate

Color Wheel

Gelli� Square Edge Tool Set

Gelli� Round Edge Tool Set

Catalyst Polytip Bristle Brush -Bright Size 10

Fabriano Artistic Hot Press  Watercolor Paper

DecoArt Fluid Acrylics

DecoArt Media Tinting Base

Lindy's Stamp Gang"Magicals"

Round Watercolor Brush 4050R Size 8

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Awesome NEW Gelli� Printing Tools!!!

Sometimes bigger IS better! That's exactly what we discovered while developing our dream for the fabulous NEW Gelli^� combs! Watch this video and see our Great Big Gelli^� Combs in action!

It's a THRILL to introduce Gelli's^� first mark-making tools! Our goal has been to develop fun tools that enhance the Gelli^� printing experience � and we came up with these two sets of BIG combs. I love, love, LOVE them!!! All of us at Gelli^� do! And we know you'll love using them as much as we do!

Each set contains three combs � each with a different edge producing a different mark. They work beautifully together for creating a huge range of striped patterns and swirly marks, depending how you apply them. Lots of mark-making to explore!

One set has squared 'teeth'.

The other set has rounded 'teeth'.

Swiping a comb through paint is intuitive and easy � and watching amazing patterns emerge is mesmerizing! There's so much variation in the patterns you can create with these large combs. Pulling combed prints is as addictive as it gets � start combing patterns in the paint and you're in the flow! Such FUN! Just look at some of the possibilities!

To create a great print in one layer, try this:

1. Apply more than one color to your Gelli^� plate and roll into a smooth layer with a brayer.
2. Comb through paint in one direction.
3. Using a different comb � swipe in another direction. You'll see the dimensional result, as one pattern appears on top of another. It's fascinating!!

An easy way to create dynamic prints is to layer combed images. It never fails! The trick is to create a contrast in color and value in the layers. If you don't love the image you have � once your print is dry � print another combed layer over it. You can do this over and over on the same print � with the creative use of opaque colors or metallic paint � and end up with amazing, complex images.

There's usually enough wet paint left over on the plate, and you may find you'll have lots of second and even third pulls of combed prints. So keep layering!! It's so much fun to watch a print evolve this way from layers and layers of ghost prints!

You'll get beautiful color blends by applying several colors to your Gelli^� plate and combing through them. Using analogous colors (next to each other on the color wheel) helps keep your colors clean and avoids making muddy mixtures. But there are NO RULES! Here's an example of a multicolor print created with complementary colors (opposites on the color wheel) � and no mud :) Just use a light touch and take care not to over-blend complementary colors with your brayer.

All of the paint used in the video and in the prints shown here are Liquitex^� Basic and Liquitex^� Professional Acrylic Color Soft Body. The colors are vibrant and the paint viscosity is wonderful for combing. As a plus, you can usually get a great ghost print (second pull) as well � and sometimes a third!

After you've pulled two or three prints from the plate, there's often a thin layer of residual paint remaining on the plate. It's too dry to print at this point. But don't clean your plate! The dry paint will come up in the next combed print you pull! (I find this technique works best after the third pull) Simply apply fresh paint right over the dried paint on your plate, comb your design � and pull your print. Magical!

The ghost print after that first interesting print is often another great print. The negative space is usually free of paint in this pull � creating a great opportunity to work back into the negative space. For ideas on how to do that � take a look at this older blog post! 

If you're wondering if a single color produces interesting combed prints � the answer is YES! In fact, some of my favorite prints are done using black paint, resulting in beautiful movement with a lovely tonal range.

Aside from making amazing prints, these combs are sturdy and flexible � optimized for working on a Gelli^� plate. They're comfortable to hold and use. And they're so easy to clean!

While we designed the Gelli^� combs primarily for Gelli^� printing, you'll find they're perfect for any paint or medium application where you want to create interesting patterns! So keep them handy while you prepare a surface with gesso or molding paste � or for applying paint on your favorite substrate. Instant texture and pattern!!

Here I've added some textured sand paste with a palette knifeand scraped texture into it with a Gelli^� comb!

Using combs is a subtractive process � and that means you're removing paint from the Gelli^� plate to create your image. That also means you have a build-up of wet paint on your combs � so you'll want to have paper or other substrate handy for wiping off that paint and creating more fabulous marks!

What a great way to start an abstract painting!! Be free and go with the flow!

 

Eager to try our new Printing Tools?

THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED!!!!

Winner is Lori W.

We have an AWESEOME GIVEAWAY!

    One lucky winner will receive our prize kit including:

• 1 - 8"x10" Gelli Arts^� Gel Printing Plate 
• 1 - Set of Round Edge Gelli^� Printing Tools (3 combs) 
• 1 - Set of Square Edge Gelli^� Printing Tools (3 combs)   
• 1 - Liquitex^� Acrylic Painting Set includes:  
• 12 Tubes of Heavy Body Acrylic Artist Colors 0.75 oz.,  
• 1 Tube Titanium White 2 fluid oz.,  
• 1 Tube Gloss Gel Medium 2 fluid oz.,  
• 1 Palette Knife & 2 Brushes!!

To enter the giveaway, click on the red "ENTER GIVEAWAY HERE" button below! (This will ensure that we can contact the winner and that entries are limited to one per person. One winner will be selected from all the entries via a random number generator to receive this very special giveaway!) Entries will be accepted until Tuesday, August 25th at noon EST. Our lucky winner will be contacted by email and announced here on the blog and on our Facebook page no later than Wednesday, August 26th at noon EST.

ENTER GIVEAWAY HERE!!

THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED!!!!

Remember, we now have Gelli^� partners all over the world, so it's easier than ever to find a Gelli^� retailer near you!

Special thanks to Liquitex^� for generously donating their wonderful Acrylic Painting set!

Good Luck and Happy Printing! 

Materials Used in Today's Blog:

8x10" Gelli Arts� Printing Plate

'Square' Gelli� Texture Comb

'Round' Gelli� Texture Comb

Liquitex� Basic Acrylic

Liquitex� Professional Acrylic Soft Body

Liquitex� Natural Sand Texture Gel

Liquitex� Freestyle Palette Knife

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