Monday 10 September 2012

Playing with Gelli


Just last week I became the proud owner of a gel printing plate by Gelli Arts, woohoo! I first saw this on Dina Wakley's blog where Dina showed some of her fabulous prints she made with this. Being a total background junkie I just HAD to have one of these and have a go myself.


The idea of mono-printing itself isn't new of course, as it is possible to make your own gel plate with gelatine (so I have heard!) although this always seemed like far too much effort for me, I like things that are INSTANT.

The print above was made following the tutorial on the Gelli Arts blog, and you will see that my print looks very similar to the one on the DVD tutorial.

I had another go with different coloured layers:


And then I threw caution to the wind and did my own thing just to see what I would get, taking inspiration from Dina Wakley, however Dina has mastered the art of looking effortlessly arty, whereas mine looks like a 5 year old could have done it!


But I can't even begin to tell you how much fun this is! I had a great (and very messy) time playing with this and I'm desperate to do more. I have learned something already .... here I used Golden fluid acrylics which are a probably a bit too thin, and too quick-drying for this. You need a bit of time to work on your layers before the paint dries .... I just about got away with it because of the cool climate I live in here in the north of  England, UK. So, perhaps something like Golden Open Acrylics, or maybe add a medium to my fluid acrylics to increase the drying time.

I also learned that it is really useful to have spare paper or card to hand because you need somewhere to roll off excess paint off your brayer and stencils etc, and then you end up with another cool background like this! This is just the mop-up card, how cool is this?


Watch this space for more Gelli adventures and experiments.

Talking of playing ... some of Donna Downey's super-large stamps fell into my shopping basket the other day while I was at Art from the Heart and as luck would have it I stumbled across a background I had made previously in my ledger journal which I had totally forgot about. Don't you just love it when that happens?! Obviously as I had new stamps I had to stamp them STRAIGHT AWAY, so I tried them out on my ready-made background. This is a double page spread measuring 12" by 18" so you can tell just  how big these stamps are.

Poppy and stem by Donna Downey
Ink sprays (Vibrant Turquoise, Fresh Lime) and stencils by Dylusions

A bit of gesso and liquid pearls, and a quote from an old book:




A close-up of the background using the gorgeous Dylusions ink sprays. I love the way that you can layer light colour over dark colours with these inks ... there isn't many things that you can do that with.


Right, I'm off to have a major tidy-up in my craft room so I may be gone for some time LOL! Byeee

34 comments:

  1. OH MY GOODNESS, Kaz! This is fabulous. Even your mop up page is glorious. Can't wait to see what else you come up with! (And I love it when crafty things "fall" off shelves into my cart!)

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  2. I want to get me some of the gelli! I've been playing with mono prints for a while but not with gel

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  3. I love these backgrounds!sounds like a really fun new technique to try! ;)

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  4. Great, I want to have it to, but I want so moutch:-(

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  5. Ooh, that looks great. On my way to find out where I can buy a Gelli plate. I am already dreaming up things to do with it

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  6. Wow Kte, something new learnt every day!!
    Still looking for a ledger, not sure where i should be looking!
    Love the New mahoosive stamps, they must really be big!
    Gorgeous backgrounds as always.
    Debbeix

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    1. Hi Debbie, Try e-bay or Etsy for a ledger. I got my first one on e-bay and I didn't pay a lot for it x

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  7. Mine came in the mail a few days ago...saw it on Dina's blog too...had to have it.
    Haven't played yet! Kate, your stuff looks great!

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  8. Absolutely LOVE your gelli prints! And I'm sorry, but the one you described as if a 5-year old could've done it? I think not! It's gorgeous!

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  9. Awesome Kate just awesome !!!!

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  10. Ooo I saw this too on Dinas blog, looks ace!! look forward to more inky/painty backgrounds xx

    Love it when stamps throw themselves at you......

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  11. Love your gelli papers. Did you buy your plate in the UK or did you send for it from the States?

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    1. Hi Deborah, I googled it and found it in the UK!
      http://intaglioprintmaker.com/

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    2. Thanks Kate :-) I've just ordered one.

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    3. Ha! I hope you like it, I'm sure you will :-)

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  12. I have to make my own monoplates because the Gelli is a bit too expensive for my poor budget. But I always love what you make and this is certainly no exception. You may think it looks childish, but I call it very artsy and artistic.

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  13. Hi kate, thanks for your comments on my stampingblog. I love these gelli work of you very much. I have never worked with it, but it seems marvelous. It's really great art work.
    Lovely greet
    Marja
    (My art journals are on: www.marjascreativity.blogspot.nl)

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  14. LOVE! Thanks for the inspiration, I bought a Gelli plate ages ago and haven't used it yet.

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  15. I made my own gelatine plate last Summer and it's easy and done fast... I LOVE the technique and I'm in no means done with experimenting yet... your backgrounds are marvelous too! Ain't it fun to play like this?! We do spend our time great don't we?!

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  16. What a great page. Love the colors and don't you just love it when stamps just fall in your basket and want to go home with you! Seeing as there is only one stamp store in the Seattle area and it's 20 miles away it hasn't happened too much in the last year or so, but it has happened in the past! Love the pig poppy stamp. Don't know that I have a journal big enough for them though. As per usual love your work!!!! Diane/Dlee

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  17. gorgeous! and I love the new donna downey stamps too :)

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  18. Oohhhh lovely prints. I've had one of these for a few weeks and I now have a ream of prints. It is so easy even I can do it and so very addictive!

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  19. Love your amazing colorful art works with the beautiful patterns.
    Hugs Anja

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  20. I've been after one of these for ages, glad you put a url in your comments. You've totally got to grips with it and made some wonderful backgrounds. I wonder what they will end up being in the future. I can see that you're having lots of fun with it. I hope you bring it with you on the 22nd so I can see it. Michelle xx

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  21. OOOH and AWWWW, I love that two page art journal spread in green with the awesome poppies on it. What more do you need? You could leave it just like that and it would be amazing enough.

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  22. That's such a fun playtime you've had Kate wonderful results :)
    Von ♥

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  23. Awsome your inspiring me to playxxxx

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  24. I bought one of these plates over the summer and it is SO much fun!
    jamiosh.blogspot.com

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  25. Gorgeous art play Kate!!! I have been seeing lots of wonderful creations and talk about the gelli plate and SO want to play too! It's #1 on my wish list. I too was especially impressed with Dina Wakely's papers and also Jane Davies'. The poppy pages are beautiful-that's a really nice stamp and I happen to LOVE poppies.It's so nice when you get something new and are able to play with it immediately!

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  26. fantastic backgrounds with the gelli plates, really awesome and the page with the large Donna flowers is superb, love them
    hugs
    Miranda

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  27. Oooh! This looks good - fabulous stamps and love, love, love that green! Chris

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  28. Appreciate it from Clogh ;)

    Here is my blog ... flyer printing company

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