Gelli� Printed Diamond Kite

Hi there! My name is Marsha Valk and I�m excited to share this simple diamond kite! It is easy to make, fun to create and also loads of fun to play with once it�s done!

Preparations:

First decide on how tall you want your kite to be. This determines the length of the dowels you�ll need and also the measurements of the paper needed to create the sail.

For a diamond kite you need two wooden dowels with a fixed size ratio of 3:2. The kite paper I used happened to be a little over 27.5� tall, so I used a small hand saw to trim my long dowel to 27.5� and then my short dowel automatically had to have a length of 18.33�.

Cut a little notch in each end of the dowels. This is where the string will be attached later on.

I trimmed my paper sheet down to slightly larger than 27.5� x 18.33�. Kite paper is a translucent glossy lightweight paper and you can easily substitute it with deli paper or even something like newspaper.

Mark makers and printing plates:

I wanted the kite to have stars and stripes. So I went to look for mark making tools that could make stripes or stars.

The stripes were easy enough: stripped corrugated cardboard, a handmade foam stamp and the  Gelli� Arts Square Edge Tools would do the trick. I also created a broad striped printing plate by adhering a couple of craft sticks to a piece of cardboard.

The stars were a bit harder to find, so I created my own stamps by drawing simple stars on thick craft foam and then cutting them out with scissors. The stencil was made by drawing stars on a transparency and then cutting the insides out with scissors. I found the stars roller stamp at a local store (HEMA), but you can easily make something similar yourself. The sequins will act as a mask.

Printing:

Apply acrylic paint to the Gelli� plate of your choice. I used the 5" x 5� Student Plate.

Make marks with the stars and stripes tools. You�ll only need a thin layer of paint for each print. Too much paint will buckle the paper. Be sure to clean the plate and the brayer when you switch to another paint color.

Watch my video to get a better idea of how I did it! 

Because of the translucent nature of the paper, it�s easy to see where you print and there is no need to turn the entire sheet over after each print. You can stamp off your stamps and stencils on the backside of the paper. These images will shine through to the front of the paper when it�s done!

Once you�ve got the whole paper covered, you can add some stenciling or more stamped images on top.

Assemble the kite:
Tape the two wooden dowels together with strips of duct tape, as tight as possible. The short dowel should be placed at exactly 1/3 of the long dowel (in my case at 9.2� from the top).

Run the string along the notches in the dowels. Start at the bottom and end with a little knot.

Reinforce the knot with tape if necessary. Place the kite frame on top of the paper. Cut the sail slightly larger than the kite frame. Add glue to the seam and fold it over.

Attach a flying line to the kite and add a tale made of ribbon, fabric or paper strips. Or add a length of string with paper or fabric bows every 16�.

The kite is ready to fly! Go outside and find out if it will sail!Not into diamond kites? Or do you want to make a different kind of kite? No problem! You can use Gelli� printed kite paper with any type of kite building method you want!

Materials

Gelli� Arts:

Student Plate 5" x 5�

Square Edge Tools - Set of 3

4" Pop-In Soft Rubber Brayer

Other:

Transparent paper (Folia) or deli paper

Acrylic paint (Galeria)

Wooden dowel or bamboo sticks 1/4� wide

Hand saw

Transparency

Craft foam

Cardboard

Star shaped sequins

Star stamp roller (HEMA)

Craft sticks

Scissors

Ruler

Glue stick (Pritt)

Cosmetic sponge

Duct tape

String

PS: Please�share your prints with us on our Facebook page, or on Instagram using the hashtag #gelliprint #gelliarts and #gelliplate. Tag us with @gelliarts on Instagram and Twitter too! We love to see what you're creating!!

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

     

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Gelli� Printed Planners & Travel Totes!

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More and more, we're seeing art journals and planners morphing into one creative entity�becoming a perfect place to consolidate your lists, goals, schedules and...art! Watch this video for ideas on monoprinting your own artful planner pages!

The key to keeping a planner/art journal is having it with you! That can mean keeping a special tote for your planner and supplies�and Gelli� plates fit right in. Whoever said "you can't take it with you" clearly didn't have Gelli� printing in mind! Gelli plates offer so many advantages as a printmaking tool�and among them is portability!

Gelli printing on-the-go is easier than ever! The convenience of stamping with Mini Printing Plates takes the fun to a new level. And you can create with them just about anywhere! They're great with paint and a brayer�or stamp pad inks. So be sure to include these essentials in your tote bag!

I had a ton of fun painting this canvas tote bag with DecoArtMulti-Surface Satin acrylic paint and decorating it with strips cut from Gelli prints! It's the sturdy Voyager 15" Riggers Bag from Harbor Freight�and it holds a LOT of supplies!

So the question becomes�what to pack! I'm partial to the StaplesArc Planner because the disc binding allows you to easily add and remove pages. The Arc Compact Punch turns any print into a page you can insert. It's slim profile and light weight make it a 'must-have' in my tote! But just so you know�punching through heavyweight paper with the Compact Punch takes some strength. Lightweight papers are a breeze to punch.

Working on single sheets gives you plenty of options for paper choices. Strathmore has a great selection of pre-cut papers and pads that are sized just right for packing in your tote. My favorites include their Mixed-Media paper, Printmaking paper, and Ready Cut Watercolor paper�hot press�for it's smooth surface.

A 5.5"x8" Strathmore Mixed Media Art Journal is another thing I keep in my bag. It stands up to wet media�and Gelli prints look so beautiful on the quality paper. And I especially love that it lays flat when open�it's such a pleasure to work in.

For paint, I'm always happy using DecoArt Fluid Media acrylics. The bottles are small and pack easily�and a few drops are enough paint on a small Gelli plate! Take your primary colors, white and black�and you can mix the rest. A color wheel is always good to have handy too.

Another wonderful source for color is Splash Ink by Yasutomo. It's a system of the three primaries (Yellow, Blue, Magenta) and black, designed for mixing any color. Inks are thin, so adding it to a medium or white heavy body paint can make it even easier to Gelli print with. Plus, you can alter any acrylic paint color by adding just drops of Splash Ink! Use a Niji Waterbrush with Splash inks to embellish any print. And add a special sparkle of color to your pages with Niji Pearlescent Watercolors. The Niji Water Brush is a 'must' in any tote!

Stencils and masks are so easy to pack�so I keep a bunch of them in my bag. There's always room for my favorite 'Bits', 'Fragments' and 'Remnants' by The Crafter's Workshop�along with some of their fabulous 6x6 stencils. I'm loving these stencils, designed by Rebekah Meier�so many images to use�especially with the Mini plates!

A selection of wonderful Andy Skinner stencil designs by DecoArt�as well as some fun 6"x8" Americana stencils�are in my tote too! Love them all!

I'm crazy for the Gelli Printing Tools�and regardless of the plate size I'm working with�I love combing patterns through the painted surface. So both sets of combs�Squared Edge and Rounded Edge�are in my bag! Aside from creating all sorts of swirly, wavy designs�they're great for adding lines to my planner pages! Perfect for creating original, artful 'List' pages.

Packing an art tote for Gelli printing is pretty straightforward. All you need are Gelli plates, paint, a brayer and some texture tools�plus whatever planner or art journal you work in. But that's just the beginning!

Then, there are supplies needed for journaling on prints and creating planner pages�and collage. This is where everyone's list starts to vary. We all have our favorite art materials to work with.

If you've discovered the total relaxation people are finding in adult coloring books�stick one in your bag for those moments when you're looking for a calm, happy escape. There's a reason these are bestsellers everywhere! I like to cut up colored-in sections and collage onto a Gelli print for that extra element of design and color. They're also a great source for design ideas!

THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED!!!!

AND OUR WINNER IS.... Lisa McGushion!!

And now...it's for time our GINORMOUS HOLIDAY GIVEAWAY

In this season of giving, all of us at Gelli Arts are brimming with excitement about our giveaway this month�with tremendous gratitude to our entire Gelli community.

I'm not a magician�but I'm pretty good at cramming things into a small space. HA! Even I can't fit ALL of the cool stuff in this giveaway into the tote bag.

Our lucky winner gets it all�and can decide what goes in the tote :) 

And yes, the tote I decorated is part of this prize!

Our HUGE prize includes the following:

• 1 - 8"x10" Gell Arts� Gel Printing Plate
• 1 - 5"x5" Gelli Arts� Student Gel Printing Plate
• 1 - Gelli Arts� Mini Printing Plates (Square, Triangle, Round set)
• 1 - Gelli Arts� Mini Printing Plates (Rectangle, Hexagon, Oval set)
• 1 - Gelli Arts� Printing Tools (Squared Edge 3 pack set)
• 1 - Gelli Arts� Printing Tools (Rounded Edge 3 pack set)
• 1 - Voyager 15" Riggers Bag - canvas tote decorated by Joan Bess
• 1 - M by Staples ARC Customizable Notebook - 8.5"x5.5" - black leather cover
• 1 - M by Staples ARC Expandable Discs - set of 12
• 1 - Staples ARC Compact Punch
• 1 - Strathmore Mixed Media Art Journal - 5.5"x8" - 64 pages
• 1 - Strathmore Printmaking Paper - Lightweight - 5"x7" - 40 sheet pad
• 1 - Strathmore Ready Cut Watercolor paper - 140b. hot press - 5"x7" - 25 sheets
• 1 - Strathmore Mixed Media - 140lb. vellum surface - 6"x8" -15 sheet pad
• 1 - DecoArt Media Fluid Acrylics - 10 color Assortment - 1 fl. oz. bottles
• 2 - DecoArt Americana Stencils - 6"x8"
• 3 - DecoArt Andy Skinner Mixed Media Stencils - 8"x8"
• 3 - The Crafters Workshop 6"x6" Stencils - Rebekah Meier Designs
• 2 - The Crafters Workshop 4"x4" Balzer Bits Mini Masks
• 2 - The Crafters Workshop 4"x4" Ronda's Fragments
• 1 - The Crafters Workshop 4"x4" Rebekah's Remnants
• 1 - Yasutomo Splash Ink - 4 color set - 1 fl. oz. bottles
• 1 - Yasutomo Niji Waterbrush - 12mm - Medium
• 1 - Yasutomo Pearlescent Watercolors - 21 color set
• 1 - Caran D'Ache Neocolor II - Water-Soluble Wax Pastels - 10 color set
• 1 - Derwent Inktense - 12 Ink Pencil Set
• 1 - Speedball 4" Soft Rubber Pop-in Brayer
• 1 - Inkadinkadoo Clear Block - Large
• 1 - Lesley Riley's Reverse Alphabet Stamps
• 1 - Recollections Alphabet Rubber Stamp set
• 1 - Ranger Archival Ink - Jet Black ink pad
• 1 - Tsukineko Memento Dew Drop Inkpads - 4 color set
• 1 - Faber-Castell - 4 PITT Artist Pens - black
• 1 - Faber-Castell - 6 PITT Artist Pens - Brush - Basic Color Set
• 1 - Tombow Dual Brush Pens - 6 pen set - Secondary Palette
• 1 - Sharpie Metallics - 4 pen set
• 1 - Elmer's Painters - Opaque Paint Markers - 5 pen set - Sherbet Swirl
• 1 - Uni-ball Signo - 3 pen set
• 1 - Sakura Pigma - Professional Brush - 3 pen set
• 1 - Sakura Glaze - 2 pen pack - White Opaque
• 1 - Sakura Quickie Glue - Pinpoint Roller Glue
• 1 - UHU Glue Stic - 40g
• 1 - EK Tools Cutter Bee Scissors with Security Cover
• 1 - Cedar Canyon - 6 Rubbing Plates - Curves set
• 1 - The Color Wheel Company - Color Wheel
• 3 - Tape Works - washi tape
• 1 - Avery Specialty Labels - 8 sheet assortment
• 1 - Tags Pack - 40 assorted tags
• 1 - Just Add Color - Botanicals by Lisa Congdon - 30 illustrations to color
• 1 - North Light Books - Gelli Plate Printing by Joan Bess - autographed by author

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 12/22/2015. Our lucky winner will be contacted by email and announced here on the blog and on our Facebook page no later than 12pm noon on 12/23/2015! 

ENTER GIVEAWAY HERE

THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED!!!!

Please�share your prints with us on our Facebook page, or on Instagram using the hashtag #gelliprint, #gelliplate or #gelliarts . Tag us with @gelliarts on Instagram and Twitter too! We love to see what you're creating!!

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

A special thanks to our fabulous friends at DecoArt, Strathmore Paper, The Crafters Workshop, Yasutomo and Lesley Riley for their generous contributions to our special Ginormous Giveaway!

Good Luck and Happy Printing! 

Best Wishes for a Wonderful Holiday Season from all of us at Gelli Arts to all of you!

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