Gelli Printing with DIY Layered Texture Plates

Pressing a handmade layered texture plate into a painted Gelli plate is a fabulous way to create a unique image! Watch this video for a demonstration of this easy technique.

You can make texture plates to match the size of your Gelli plate, or make smaller plates that can be used as stamps. This technique is especially fun for making custom texture plates designed speci?cally for your Round Gelli Plate.

Texture plates can be made from many different materials. The material used in the video is...heavyweight fusible stabilizer. It's perfect for making quick layered texture plates that are ready to use right away.

I use Peltex 71F (by Pellon) � a heavyweight stabilizer with fusible adhesive on one side. It's a stiff non-woven polyester material about 1/16" thick. And so easy to cut!

Those of you who quilt or sew may be familiar with this stabilizer for creating fabric bowls, bags, postcards, ATC's, etc.

What makes Peltex so interesting for making layered texture plates is its dimensional quality. As you build the layers, you're creating a deep relief pattern.

When the texture plate is pressed into a painted Gelli plate and removed � a 'halo' effect

remains around the shapes. In other words, the surface of the texture plate removes some of the paint ... but there will be a line, or shadow, around the shapes. This can make wonderful printed images � with an almost 3-D effect!

Here's how to make the texture plate:

1. Cut a piece of Peltex to the desired size to use as the substrate for your texture plate. 
2. Place the cut substrate on a piece of parchment paper (on top of ironing surface)
3. Cut pieces of Peltex into desired shapes.
4. Arrange the pieces on the substrate with the fusible side down. (Layer some cut pieces on top of others to create dimension on the plate)
5. Cover with parchment paper and press with a hot iron to fuse the layers together.         (Follow manufacturer's instructions for fusing)
6. Remove the parchment paper and trim along the edge of the texture plate.

So fast and easy! Now your layered texture plate is ready to use!

Printing with these plates is like using a stamp.

1. Apply paint to the Gelli plate and roll into a smooth layer with a brayer
2. Press the texture plate firmly into the wet paint and remove
3. Place the printing paper on the painted Gelli plate
4. Rub to transfer paint
5. Pull your print

For a dynamic effect with layered texture plates � try printing on black paper with opaque white or metallic paint!

• Peltex is available at fabric stores, like JoAnn Fabrics...and many online sources.

• When cutting a full-size texture plate for your Gelli plate, add a half inch or so to the overall dimensions � for easy handling.

• To apply a layer of paint to the round plate with a brayer � start from the center and roll out to the edge.

• Press the texture plate firmly into the wet paint. Avoid moving the texture plate while you press it into the Gelli plate, as that can blur the image. 

• If you don't have Peltex, try making texture plates from sticky-back craft felt. You can find it at craft stores.

• Adhesive-backed craft felt can be cut into shapes and layered. Simply peel the backing off and stick the pieces together.

• Craft felt produces a slightly different image ... not quite as hard-edged as Peltex. If the felt plate becomes saturated with paint, stamping the felt plate on paper will give you a relief print of the image. 

• When making multiple prints from the same texture plate, wet paint from the previous print may transfer to the next painted Gelli plate image. This is a wonderful way to create multi-color images! So, it�s important to consider the sequence of colors used. It's easy for the prints to get muddy as you switch from one color to another.

• Using colors with a high contrast against the paper color creates very dynamic images. Likewise, dark colors on white paper make exciting prints!

• For those of you who scan your prints and enhance them in photo-editing software � this technique lends itself to very interesting digital prints.

FYI:  Materials used in this video:

• 8" Round Gelli Plate
• Deco Arts Multi-Surface SATIN�acrylic paint
• Strathmore Bristol (vellum surface)
• Strathmore Artagain (coal black)
• Speedball 4" Soft Rubber Pop-In Brayer
• Peltex 71F
• Scissors
• Parchment Paper
• Iron and ironing surface

This Contest is officially CLOSED

                And here's our awesome Giveaway to get you excited                       about making texture plates for Gelli printing on the       NEW 8" Round Gelli Plate!

• 1 - 8" Round Gelli Printing Plate
• 12 - Deco Arts Multi-Surface SATIN acrylic paints (2 oz. bottles)
• 1 - Pad (24 sheets) Strathmore Bristol (9"x12")
• 1 - Pad (24 sheets) Strathmore Artagain� coal black (9"x12")
• 1 - Speedball 4" Soft Rubber Pop-In Brayer
• 4 - Pieces of Peltex 71F (9"x12")

To enter to win, all you need to do is leave a comment here on the blog. Comments will be accepted until Tuesday, Feb. 25th at 12 noon EST. One lucky winner will be selected at random on Feb. 25th and announced here on the blog and on our Facebook page no later than Feb. 25th at 5 p.m. EST.

This Contest is officially CLOSED

And a special thanks to our friends at Deco Art and Strathmore Papers for their generous support for this giveaway!

Good luck...and Happy Printing!

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Gelli Monoprinting with Molding Paste Texture Plates

Create your own unique texture plates for Gelli printing with molding paste! Watch this video and see how easy it is!

Here's what you need to make molding paste texture plates:

• Canvas panel
• Molding Paste
• Palette knife, old credit card or scraper for spreading molding paste
• Stencil  
• Textured items to impress into molding paste

Here's how:

1. Place a stencil on your canvas panel (or other stiff substrate).
2. Spread molding paste over the stencil with a palette knife, spatula or scraper � then scrape off excess. 
3. Press textures on top of the stencil � into the molding paste. You have a little time before it sets up. If you want to make changes � just smooth out the surface and press your textures into the molding paste again.
4. Carefully lift and remove the stencil. 

IMPORTANT:  Allow your texture plate to dry completely before using. 

Plan ahead, as it can take a while for the molding paste to dry. While you're at it � make a series of them!

When you're done making the texture plates � it's a good idea to clean your stencils and tools. You don't want molding paste to dry on them :)

Printing with your texture plate:

1. Apply acrylic paint to your Gelli plate � and roll into a thin layer with a brayer.
2. Press the texture plate into your painted plate � and remove.
3. Place your printing paper onto the gel plate, rub to transfer the paint � and pull your print.

 

Next steps:

After you've pulled a print, quickly apply a new layer of paint to your Gelli plate and press the texture plate into it. There should be some paint left on the texture plate from the previous print. Some of that paint will transfer when pressed into the Gelli plate, creating a print with more complex coloring.

Experiment and PLAY! 

Here are a few ideas ...

• When you've made several prints, you'll get a build-up of wet paint on the texture plate. Without adding more paint, press the paint-covered texture plate directly onto the Gelli plate and remove � and pull a print. 

• Try rolling a loaded brayer over the relief surface of the texture plate. Then press the texture plate onto the Gelli plate � remove � and pull the relief image print. 

• Stamp the texture plate directly onto a previous print!  

• Combine texture plates with other texture tools and mark-making. Once you've pressed the texture plate into your painted Gelli plate, continue to make more marks in the paint before pulling your print!

• Try pressing sections of the texture plate into different areas of the painted gel plate.

• Layer prints, changing the position of the paper as you print each layer. Create areas that partially overlap previous layers. 

You'll get great effects using masks between layers, too!

Here are some prints made with overlapped layers and a simple mask!

These textured prints were created with a second layer of paint applied to just part of the plate.

This print is simply printed as two layers, partially overlapping.

And sometimes it's impossible to remember exactly how a print was made :)

 

TIPS for creating texture plates:

• Instead of using a stencil, apply a layer of molding paste directly to the substrate and make assorted marks and textures over the entire surface � or part of it.
• Food wraps (plastic, foil and waxed paper) and bubble wrap create great textures and patterns when pressed into wet molding paste.
• Draw into the wet molding paste with a soft-tipped tool or stylus.

• Use combs to create patterns in the wet paste.

• Press into an area of wet molding paste with a putty knife or palette knife �and pull it up. The suction creates beautiful organic shapes! The lines created this way make stunning, unique prints!

NOTE:  If the dry molding paste has any sharp areas, gently sand the points.

As the texture plate becomes covered in layers of paint, it can take on a wonderful patina. You may want to use it as a piece of art in itself � or as the beginning of a new painting or collage! Or how about book covers!

Creating your own texture plates with molding paste is fun and addictive! 

Explore the possibilities!

Good Luck and Happy Printing!

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