GELLI PRINT

Gelli printing is a relatively new form of mono printing that uses flexible printing plates to create textures and layers of colour.

Using a brayer roller coat the Gelli plate with a very fine layer of water based ink or paint. You can create textures and patterns using stencils and natural elements such as leaves.

This form of printing does not require a press, simply place a piece of paper over the prepared Gelli plate and using your hands smooth over the back of the paper making sure to make contact between the plate and the paper. Carefully lift the paper to reveal your print.

Prints can be very simple to very complex with lots of layers!

Artist Model - Hannah Klaus

Displaying multiple prints as a series.

Cutting and rearranging parts of prints into one new artwork [below]

Getting started with Gelli Printing

Gelli Printing workshop

Gelli Printing Materials

Newspaper or wipeable tablecloth to protect your work surface
Acrylic paints
Gelli Plate
Brayer [roller]
Sheets of paper (you can use a wide variety of types of paper, from plain to watercolour, to tracing paper, to old books)
Materials for adding pattern or texture to your prints [try leaves, stencils [bought or homemade] fabrics, stamps etc]

Diana garrison crooked little studio (8).mp4

How to make a Gelli Print

https://www.vickymyerscreations.co.uk/gelli-printing/

First, take one of the plastic protective sheets off the top of the gel plate. It is wise to keep the bottom side on so it doesn’t stick to the newspaper on the table.
Next, let’s squeeze dots of acrylic paint onto the gelli plate. You do not need a lot of paint, less is more (you can always add more if you put too little on to start with. [if your roller slips = too much paint - roll it onto a spare piece of paper [keep this to print on later]
Using the brayer roll the acrylic paint across the Gelli pad until it is fully covered with a thin layer of paint that is evenly spread.
Now for the fun part, add any texture or pattern to the ink, such as stamps, drawing with a soft-tipped tool, or one of my favourites removing some paint with a crumpled paper towel.
Place your sheet of paper over the top of the gelli plate (standard printing paper works well, or experiment and try tracing paper, watercolour paper, or old sheets from books)
Using your hand smooth the paper down gently and evenly across the gelli plate.
Slowly pull the paper up from the gelli plate then set aside to dry.
If you have used too much paint and have a small amount of paint residue left on the pad from your first print take a second print, this is called a ghost print. I love keeping these as a base layer to print on a second time once dry.
Roll your brayer on a spare piece of paper to remove any excess ink and you are ready for your second print.
If you have used too much paint and have a small amount of paint left on the pad from your first print take a second print, this is called a ghost print

How to clean your gelli plate

I like to wash my gel plate with cool water and gentle soap, such as washing up liquid. Simply soak the plate and brayer in soapy water and wipe off the remaining paint until you have a clean surface. You can use baby wipes as a quick method but this is not as good for the environment. CHECK EDGES.

Store the clean plate in its original packaging at room temperature. This preserves the sticky nature of the plate and helps prevent the surface from being damaged accidentally by a sharp implement.

ways to add texture and pattern to your gel prints

Think about what materials you have around your home, and what can you use to add pattern or texture to your print. Everyday objects provide endless resources to add to your gelli arts printing tools, the possibilities are endless.

Nature

Have you thought of gelli plate printing with leaves, feathers and petals? They make great natural stencils. I have been experimenting with leaves from the garden, and have some drying flat in books for further experimental prints. I suggest starting by creating lots of backgrounds and adding plants veins pointing towards the plate. Not all prints will work but it's fun experimenting.

Rubber Stamps

You can use rubber stamps across the inked gelli pad before printing. This takes a layer of paint off the surface of the pad.

Stencils

It is super easy to make your stencils out of paper or you can buy a huge variety of stencils.

For this tree print, I started with a dry-printed yellow background, inked up the gelli pad, placed the plastic stencil on and took a light print off the top. I then removed the plastic stencil and printed onto my first yellow print.

An alternative approach is to use the stencil as your negative space. You can have creative fun building layers of stencils prints. Be aware if you make your own paper stencils the paper absorbs the ink, therefore as you cut out your stencil remove the part of the stencil you wish to appear on your printed surface.

Everyday objects for texture

These can range from corks to bottle tops, to rubber bands, to buttons, to string, to leftover packaging such as bubble wrap. There are so many different things that create fun textures.

Crumpled fruit netting, kitchen towel, plastic

This is one of my all-time favorite methods of adding texture to a gelli plate print. Grab your material, crunch it up and dab the inked-up printing plate. You will achieve different effects from different surfaces. Kitchen towel has small circular indentations which I just love crumpled up, whereas plastic wrap will keep it simple with just the crumpled effect

Soft-tipped tools

The opposite end of the paintbrush makes a nice tool for drawing on the gel plate. You can create all sort of patterns simply drawing with the soft end (taking care not to press to hard!)

Layers and blocking

This is where the real fun starts, building a base layer, adding a second print over the top. Or building acrylic over the ghost print of the previous one.

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