Tuesday 16 May 2017

Getting creative with the gel plate



Tags, and Embellishments kits designed by me!
Available from Tando Creative

I just LOVE mono-printing, love it. It's unpredictable, surprising, and most of all messy :-) Today I decided to have a play with a small gel plate to see if I could print a background straight onto a greyboard tag, using fluid acrylics. I took  lots of snapshots as I was doing this so that you can see exactly how things worked out.

I began with a large tag, and some embellishments from the Tando kits, and gave everything a layer of gesso, and then I scribbled into it just for a bit of texture.


Next I selected my colours from the  DecoArt Media line of fluid acrylics because I really wanted to see how they would behave on the Gel plate, especially going straight onto greyboard. I think you can probably tell from the photo that these are my *favourite* colours and they are looking well loved and nicely messy! I also used the DecoArt Tinting Base, Gesso and Matte Medium.


I used a small gel plate and used a brayer to add thin, light, patchy layers of colour. I started with the yellow, and then built up the colours in layers:


I added Turquoise, Green Gold, Primary Magenta,  Quinacridone Red ...


...followed by Quinacridone Magenta:


So, then I had my mono-printed background but it still needed a lot of work. Here are a few more steps.

Paint through a variety of stencils:


Stamping using Archival ink pads:

Texture Cube 1 designed by me!
For Stampotique Originals

Stamp from Skulldoggery by Andy Skinner

Doodling with a white gel pen:



A bit of junk stamping with bottle lids and an old gift card with metallic Gold:



Now, back to the embellishments. I added some paint to these using co-ordinating colours, but when painting small embellishments like this I always aim to keep it a bit lighter in the centre which I do with a bit of help from the Tinting Base:


Finally I pieced it all together and added a quote and a hanger, I may keep this on the wall of my little art studio:


Or I may keep it in my Tando Divided Box which has all of my other tags and bits and bobs:

Divided box kit designed by me!
Available from Tando Creative







15 comments:

  1. Oh I love this. So many things to see in one place. It's simply lovely. Thank you for sharing it Kate!

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  2. Love this! You get the most amazing colors!!

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  3. Wow can't wait for Sunday after seeing this. I have 2 gelli plates bought at different times and never used them. Roll on Sunday xxx

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  4. You always use colour so beautifully, I love the gorgeous heart and banners, such lovely additions!

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  5. Absolutely love it! Like you, I love gel plate printing for all the same reasons too!

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  6. so wonderful!!! wish you would make a youtube for us one day! id love to try out how you actually get those textures and results.... thanks for sharing your beautiful work!

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    1. Ooh, thanks for your kind words :-)
      I have just done a video for Gel Press which can be found on you tube here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Hb7OB9dLuI
      I also have on-line classes in my Etsy shop: https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/TheKathrynWheel

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  7. wonderful inspirational projects xx

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  8. FUN, FABULOUS, FRIVILOUSLY FANTASTIC. What an inspirational creation Kate! Xj.

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