Gelli� Printed Planners & Travel Totes!

More

and

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!

Read More

Gelli� Stamping: Layered Circles!

WOW! Gelli plates in three ROUND sizes!! Triple the fun for stamping circle prints! Watch this fast-paced video showing the 4", 6" and 8" round plates in action � on an art journal spread with layered, overlapping circle stamped images! 

Our round plate news is out! And the verdict is in! The new 4" and 6" round Gelli plates are irresistible! Use them along with our 8" round plate � and take circle imagery to a whole new level!

You may have already seen that Gelli plates function perfectly as stamps when placed on an acrylic block or acrylic sheet. 

Once the Gelli plate is on an acrylic block, apply paint to the gel surface and roll into a smooth layer with a brayer. Make your marks in the wet paint and press onto your surface to stamp your image. It's that easy!

When using a stencil, it's easiest to place it directly on your substrate. Stamp your painted Gelli plate right over it � then pick up your gel plate and remove the stencil. The stencil may stick to the gel plate, so don't be surprised if both come off together.

The real excitement in stamping with your Gelli plate is how easy it is to layer the printed images! Aligning each imprint is simple because you can see through the clear mount. 

There's no guesswork in overlapping images when you stamp your Gelli plates onto your surface. Place your circle imprints right where you want them! Overlapping circle prints create a dimensional appearance � with some in front and others in back.

Use your favorite acrylic paints � with any techniques and texture tools of your choice � to create dynamic stamped layers. Have a blast covering large areas with layered images using the 3 different size gel plates! Stamp up an entire spread in your art journal, or a piece of fabric, or a large art board or canvas. Go WILD!!!

In the video, I'm filling a spread in a Strathmore Watercolor Art Journal (7.75 in. x 9.75 in.) with layered, stamped circle images. The 140 lb. cold-press paper holds up beautifully to the layers of acrylic paint! It lays flat when open, so it's a great journal for Gelli stamping.

And, it's a perfect surface for adding watercolor or paint pen doodles � especially if you leave some blank (negative) space between some of your circles to work back into. Derwent's Graphik Line Painter 0.5 markers produce a juicy thin line of paint � and can also be used for splatter and drip techniques!  

Stamping circles is beyond fun � it's totally addicting! Each stamped circle is layered with another! And those are overlapped with more circles � and more layers! The journal spread gives me room to keep going! That's a good thing � because I CAN'T STOP!!!

Looking for a fabric project? Be sure to check out my previous blog post tutorial for making a circle-stamped pillow. You'll also find more information there about stamping layered circle prints.

THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED!!!!

Winner is Ami G!

Gelli Arts� is 'printing in circles' and we couldn't be happier! To share the joy, we have a thrilling GIVEAWAYto start one of you printing in circles too!!

The Prize Kit includes: 

• 1 - 4" Round Gelli Arts Gel Printing Plate 
• 1 - 6" Round Gelli Arts Gel Printing Plate 
• 1 - 8" Round Gelli Arts Gel Printing Plate 
• 1 - Strathmore Watercolor Journal
• 1 - Derwent Graphik Line Painter 0.5 - set of 5 paint pens 
• 1 - Speedball 4" Soft Rubber Pop-in Brayer 
• 6 - Liquitex Basics Acrylic Paint - 4 oz. tubes

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, March 24th at 5pm. Our lucky winner will be contacted by email and announced here on the blog and on our Facebook page no later than Wednesday, March 25th at 12pm. 

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! 

Good Luck and Happy Printing!

Read More

Gelli� Printing On-the-Go!

For those of you taking art supplies with you on-the-go, the small Gelli plates are essentials to pack in your art bag! Monoprinting beyond the studio has never been easier! Watch this video to see some fun portable printing supplies in action!

The list of 'must-have' supplies to pack in your travel bag are pretty individual. I'll show you what I pack in my travel art bag. Okay, maybe 'cram' is a more accurate word! But as you'll see, this bag provides for more than just monoprinting. Supplies for art journaling, collage, card making, stamping, doodling, and watercoloring are all included�for fun ways to work with Gelli prints!

The bag is the Voyager 15" Canvas Rigger Bag from Harbor Freight. This sturdy bag has a spacious interior and convenient pockets on the outside, so it holds a load of stuff! The strong handles make it manageable to carry�even when you load it up!

The bag is a blank canvas just waiting for your creative decorative inspiration! So have at it and make it your own!!

Here's how to decorate a bag like this one:

1.     Cut pieces of black felt to cover each of the outside pockets (only for the shorter pockets�there are two levels of pockets).

2.     Cut a piece of Gelli-printed fabric slightly smaller than each piece of black felt.

3.     Fuse each printed fabric piece to a piece of felt with fusible webbing, like Wonder-Under.

4.     If desired, work further on the printed fabric with colored pencils, fabric pens and paint markers.

5.     Apply red-liner sticky tape to the back of each felt piece. Remove the red liner and press each felt/fabric piece firmly into place on the canvas bag. If you prefer, the pieces can be glued in place with an adhesive, like tacky glue.

6.   If desired, you can paint the blank canvas bag before adhering the felt/fabric pieces.

Here's what's packed in the bag!!!

Gelli� Plates� The 3"x5" and 5"x7" fit easily into a travel art bag!

Acrylic paint � DecoArt Media Acrylics are convenient to pack � a little paint goes a long way!

Paper � Strathmore has fabulous papers just right for a variety of On-The-Go printing!

Brayer � it's a 4" Speedball Soft Rubber Pop-In Brayer for my travel art bag!

For mounting the Gelli plates to use as stamps�an Inkadinkadoo Clear Extra Large Block works well for the 3"x5" plate. And the 5"x7" Gelli plate fits nicely on a 5"x7" acrylic box frame!

The Crafter's Workshop small masks!!! TCW's Balzer Bits and Ronda's Fragments� designed by our Gelli friends, Julie Fei-Fan Balzer and Ronda Palazzari � are so perfect for printing with our small Gelli plates! And so easy to pack!

Derwent Inktense Pencils and Caran d'Ache NeoColor II crayons are both water-soluble. Great for adding more color and detail to your dry prints! And don't forget a pencil sharpener!

A Niji Waterbrush is an essential in any travel art bag! And Niji Pearlescent Watercolors add a sparkling touch to any print! Use the Waterbrush to blend colors and create washes with the Inktense Pencils and NeoColorII Crayons, too! A Ranger Mini Mister can come in handy when you want a spritz of water!

A set of fine point Micron Pens is another essential. Sharpie Water-based Metallic Extra Fine pens are a personal favorite for adding selective metallic details to almost any print!

For more doodling options, include Montana Acrylic Paint Markers! They're totally compatible with acrylic paint and great for working back into prints. Black and white are good for starters. And who doesn't love a Uni-Ball Signo White pen?!! A must-have, right?!! I think so!

Maybe alphabet stamps aren't on everyone's list, but they're such FUN! So toss in a set with a Ranger Archival Ink Black stamp pad and add some words to your prints, cards and journal pages!

The list goes on and on� a few more fun and handy things to pack in your art travel bag include plastic needlepoint canvas shapes and a piece of punchinella. They hardly take up any room! Rubbing plates are also great texture tools that are easy to pack!

Catalyst Contours are sized just right for travel�small and light. Roylco Paint Scrapers offer several more combing patterns and their flat shape makes them super handy to pack and easy to use!

For making collages with your printed papers, a few basics like a Cutter Bee Scissors with Safety Cover and UHU Glue Stick are great travel supplies! And throw in a few rolls of washi tape for the fun of it!

And let's not forget to include some Purell Hand Sanitizer and Wipes for cleaning things up!

There you have it! Enough cool supplies to keep you in Printmaking nirvana On-The-Go!!!

THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED!!!!

Ready for our HUGE Holiday Giveaway?!!!

We're stuffing ALL of these amazing supplies into a canvas bag for our most STUPENDOUS GIVEAWAY EVER!!! A Holiday Travel Art Bag Giveaway!!!

• 1-  5?x7? Gelli Arts Gel Printing Plate
• 1-  3?x5? Gelli Arts Gel Printing Plate
• 1-  Harbor Freight Voyager 15? Canvas Riggers Bag
• 1-  Harbor Freight Vogager 15" Canvas Riggers Bag decorated by Joan Bess!
• 1 - Strathmore Mixed Media Cards (Set of 10 - Full Size)
• 1-  Strathmore 5?x7? Printmaking Paper - Series 400 (20 Sheets - Heavyweight)
• 1-  Strathmore Ready Cut Watercolor Paper - Series 500 (25 Sheets�140 lb. Hot    Press)
• 1-  Strathmore Mixed Media Art Journal - Series 500 (64 pages - 5.5?x8? - 90 lb.)
• 1-  Strathmore Artist Trading Cards - Bristol (20 Cards - 100 lb. Vellum Surface)
• 12-  DecoArt Media Fluid Acrylics - 1 fl. oz. bottles
• 11-  The Crafter�s Workshop Stencil/Masks - Balzer Bits & Ronda�s Fragments
• 1-  4"Speedball Soft Rubber Pop-In Brayer
• 1-  Yasutomo Niji Waterbrush - Medium (12mm)
• 1-  Yasutomo Niji Pearlescent Watercolors - Set of 16 Colors
• 1-  Derwent Inktense Pencils - Set of 12 Ink Pencils
• 1-  Carand�Ache NeoColor II - Set of 10 Watersoluble Crayons
• 1-  Sakura Micron Pens - Set of 3 Fine Point (Black - 01, 03, 05)
• 1-  Sharpie Metallic Water-based Paint Markers- Set of 3 Extra Fine
• 2 - Montana Acrylic Paint Markers - Fine
• 1-  Uni-Ball Signo White Pen
• 1-  Faber-Castell Trio Sharpening Box GRIP (Pencil Sharpener)
• 1-  Recollections Alphabet Stamp Set (wood mounts)
• 1-  Recollections Crafting Tape - 2 Rolls
• 1-  Ranger Archival Ink Stamp Pad - (Black)
• 1-  Ranger Mini Mister
• 1-  Inkadinkadoo - Clear Extra-Large Block (use as stamp mount for 3�x5� Gelli Plate)
• 1-  Studio Decor (Michael�s) 5?x7? Acrylic Box Frame  (use as stamp mount for 5?x7? Gelli Plate)
• 1-  Tape Works Washi Tape - 1 Roll
• 2-  Catalyst Contour Combs
• 1-  Roylco Paint Scrapers - Set of 4
• 2-  Cedar Canyon Rubbing Plates
• 1-  EK Tools Cutter Bee Scissors with Safety Cover
• 1-  UHU Glue Stick (Net .74 oz.)
• 1-  Plastic Palette Knife
• 2-  Plastic Needlepoint Canvas Shapes (use as texture tools)
• 1-  Piece of Punchinella (use as texture tool)
• 1-  Purell Hand Sanitizer - 2 fl. oz. bottle
• 1-  Purell Sanitizing Wipes

THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED!!!!

Enter our Spectacular Holiday Travel Art Bag Giveaway below. Check out all the options for entering the random drawing and choose one OR choose all the ways to enter!

Multiple entries allowed!a Rafflecopter giveaway  

A special thanks to our wonderful friends at DecoArt, Strathmore Paper and The Crafter's Workshop for their generous contributions to our Holiday Travel Art Bag Giveaway!!!

Happy Holidays from all of us at Gelli Arts!!!

Happy Printing and Good Luck!!!

Read More