Gelli Plate Printing: Mixed-Media Monoprinting Without a Press available at StorePrime.com

mixed-media monoprinting
without a press
Gelli
Plate
Printing
Cincinnati, Ohio
artistsnetwork.com
Joan Bess

Cleaning Your Gelli Plate
Gelli Plate Basics 5
Introduction 6
Pa r t 1
GettingStartedWithGelli 8
Pa r t 2
GelliTechniques 16
Conclusion 110
Contributor Gallery 112
Glossary 138
Resources 140
Index 142
About the Author 143

The Gelli Arts™ Gel Printing Plate is a unique and ideal surface for
monoprinting without a press! And like any studio tool, there are a
few basic things to know to keep it in good condition.
GELLI DO’S AND DON’TS
• The gel printing plate is made of a unique plastic that contains
mineral oil. It will leach a small amount of harmless mineral
oil when left sitting on an absorbent surface, so it’s important
to protect your work surface with a flat, smooth, nonporous
barrier such as a piece of glass or acrylic, a Teflon craft sheet or
a baking sheet.
• To keep the plate in place while printing, place the Gelli
plate on a piece of paper that’s taped to the barrier sheet with
painter’s tape.
• Acrylic paints are recommended. The gel plate can take on a
tint or stain from paint or ink, but it won’t affect your prints.
If desired, the stain can be removed by wiping the plate with
baby oil. Then wash the plate with dish soap, rinse and pat it
dry with a paper towel. This is also the recommended clean-up
whenever you use oil-based paint or inks on the gel plate. And
it’s the best way to remove pencil marks and newspaper inks,
which can transfer to the plate.
Pull Excess Paint With Paper
After pulling a print, areas of wet paint
may remain on the plate. Quickly pull
another print to remove residual paint
from the plate.
Spray With Water
Keep a spray bottle nearby! If you spritz
the plate with water immediately after
printing, the paint wipes off easily!You
can also use a mixture of water and
dish soap to wash off hard-to-clean oily
residue.
Wipe it Clean!
Use a paper towel to wipe the plate
clean. For stubborn paint, apply gel hand
sanitizer, then wipe with a paper towel.
Gelli Plate Basics
Contents
Visit gelliarts.com to check out the different sizes of
Gelli plates available!
• Do not use glossy paper, especially glossy photo paper, to pull
prints. It can stick to and damage the surface of the gel plate.
• It’s not necessary to clean the plate between prints. In fact,
paint remaining on the plate between prints can be pulled up
on the next print yielding the most exciting and unpredictable
results. However, it is recommended to clean the plate before
storing. I store my Gelli plates in the plastic cases they come in.
5

Introduction
Something exhilarating happened when I started monoprinting
on gelatin plates several years ago—the sheer FUN! Winging it
with an experimental attitude, playing with paint, color, texture,
not to mention the fast pace! Grabbing every textured surface in
sight and smooshing it into the painted plate. The adrenaline rush
pulling each print off the plate! And in no time—a stack of amaz-
ing prints! Everything about this printing process was magical ...
except the gelatin. Ugh! In my experience—it turned mushy, fell
apart, got moldy, and took up too much space in the refrigerator.
Worse yet—not always having a plate ready when I wanted to
print was, for me, an annoying creativity killer.
It was a small leap from thinking about the concept of a non-
perishable gel plate to becoming obsessed with having one. After
looking around and learning there was no such thing available,
I ran the product idea past my friend Lou Ann Gleason. Under-
stand, Lou Ann is a career businesswoman with an impressive
Fortune 100 résumé that does not include making art. So when
she came to my studio and had a total blast creating prints on a
gelatin plate, we knew we were on to something.
As a result of that eventful day of studio play, we joined forces,
formed Gelli Arts and went to work. After a year-long journey to
produce our dream printing plate, we hit the ground running by
introducing to the world a new, convenient and exciting mono-
printing experience. Thanks to our social media expert, Nancy
Kelley, word travelled quickly across the Internet. And the world
responded! Gelli printing has taken the art and craft world by
storm. Across all corners of the globe—artists and crafters, teach-
ers and students, men and women, seniors and children are taking
brayer in hand, rolling out acrylic paint, making their marks and
pulling incredible prints. It’s easy, fun and totally addicting!
If you’re experienced in monoprinting, you’re sure to find tech-
niques in this book that will send you off in new directions. If you
haven’t tried Gelli printing yet, this book will guide you through
the basics and give you the confidence to give it a go and get you
hooked!
After a brief overview of materials and a few tips, you’ll be
ready for printing. There’s no special sequence, so you can skip
around the techniques. The learning curve isn’t steep, but it does
take some practice to get the feel for how much paint to use ... and
how different paints work for you. The discovery process is part of
the fun.
Have no fear! You’ll make tons of prints. The good, the bad
and the ugly. Gelli printing is adventurous and experimental. And
there are no mistakes. If you don’t like a print, just add another
layer right over it! The thrill of pulling a print is hard to describe.
But the joyful “aha!” moment visible on the faces of people as they
pull prints tells the story!
One of the fascinating aspects of Gelli printing is incorporating
found textures. And you’ll start finding them everywhere! Before
you know it, you’ll catch yourself looking at an ordinary object
and saying to yourself, “That’ll make such a cool print!” Things
like textured wheels on toy cars, patterned bottoms of flip-flops,
a crumpled piece of waxed paper ... all will grab your attention.
You’ll look at commonplace things with fresh eyes. Suddenly,
nothing is safe from paint!
As you work through different techniques in this book, you’ll
find yourself intuitively combining them to create more complex
prints. Looking over your prints, you’ll wonder how you did
some of them—this can be a fast, spontaneous and multi-layered
process. It isn’t always easy to decipher or reconstruct some prints.
On other prints, you’ll know exactly how you achieved the result.
Each printing technique you learn will help take your art to a new
level. The more you print, the more discoveries you will make.
Looking for inspiration? On page 120, you’ll find a gallery of
art contributed by some of the most talented artists working in
mixed media today. How exciting to see these extraordinary art-
ists using their Gelli prints in the amazing pieces they create! Their
works bring to life the techniques you’ll find in this book and offer
us an impressive range of what is possible.
The objective of creating fine art prints is just one way to
approach Gelli printing. Many monoprints are simply good begin-
nings for a vast range of projects. It’s great fun to work back into
prints with various media, layer over them, journal on them, or
tear them up and use the snippets for collage. Follow your own
creative path and include Gelli prints in your mixed-media art, art
journals, card making, scrapbooking, quilting, fiber arts jewelry
and much more!
Happy Printing!
7

PA R T 1
Getting Started
With Gelli
Monoprinting with a Gelli plate is a simple process. All you need to do is apply
some paint to plate and roll it into a thin layer with a soft rubber brayer. Then,
make some marks in the wet paint and cover the painted surface with a piece of
paper. Rub the paper to transfer the paint and pull your print. Voila! It’s that easy!
People new to monoprinting often tend to use too much paint. A little goes
a long way. Practice will give you the feel for how much paint to use. Too much
paint will produce mushy prints with little detail. Too little paint is apt to dry too
quickly on the plate. And different paints can give very different results. You’ll see
when you start experimenting!
Most acrylic paints create good prints. But some acrylic paints dry very
quickly. There are many mediums available that can be added to acrylic paint
to extend the working time. Slow-drying acrylic paints specially formulated to
extend the ‘open’, or workable time are ideal for monoprinting. But inexpensive
acrylic craft paints work great too. Try different paints to find what works best for
you.
Before you know it, you’re pulling print after print. As you can imagine, you’ll
go through a lot of paper! Start with inexpensive copy/computer paper. Card
stock is another excellent choice. And deli paper (dry waxed paper) is a hands-
down favorite among many Gelli printers.
Expect to make plenty of prints that aren’t so great. Not a problem! Simply
print another layer right over them. You’ll be amazed at how layering images can
build fascinating prints!
The thrill of revealing each print keeps you totally in the moment. And don’t
be surprised if you actually gasp out loud!
9

My Set-Up
This is my basic set-up for Gelli printing to quickly pull multiple
prints. The Gelli plate sits on a piece of clean paper, which is taped
to a Teflon craft sheet protecting my work surface. A water dish
contains a folded paper towel saturated with water. A dry paper
towel is folded in half next to the water dish. My sketchbook is
open. A spray bottle of water and gel hand sanitizer are nearby.
And always, a supply of paper towels. You can copy my workspace
or figure out the system that what works best for you!
Mark-Making Tools
My Gelli Set-up
It’s important to have everything in place before starting.
Monoprinting is fast.You don’t want to start looking for the
spray bottle or art journal to roll the paint off the brayer once
you’ve started printing.
Stencils and Masks
The versatility of stencils and masks in
Gelli printing can’t be overstated!The
marketplace has exploded with new
designs. But it’s so easy to create your
own! Common found objects, like a
leaf or piece of string, make stunning
masked prints!
Mark-making tools come in many forms. Some are designed for
art use and some are appropriated from other purposes. Soft-
tipped tools like cottons swabs, pencil erasers and Colour Shapers
are perfect for drawing into a painted Gelli plate. Faux finishing
tools such as homemade combs and scrapers, commercial combs
like Catalyst Wedges and Contours, soft paintbrushes and various
sponges all make great marks. If you prefer making your own
custom texture tools, that’s easily accomplished!
A Paper towels
B Gelli plate on top of clean sheet of paper taped to work sur-
face with painter’s tape
C Spray bottle of water
D Brayer (never resting face down)
EWater dish with moist paper towel at bottom for cleaning
brayer between uses
F Art journal for removing excess paint from brayer
G Hand sanitizer for cleaning edges of Gelli plate
Subtractive Tools
As you press, swipe or draw with various tools into wet paint
on a Gelli plate, paint is removed from the plate.The subtrac-
tive process is commonly used for creating patterns and
designs in Gelli printing with fabulous results!
Additive Tools
Tools and objects, when coated with wet paint and pressed
onto a Gelli plate, add more paint to the plate. Stamping on a
painted Gelli plate with paint-loaded tools is an additive method
for producing interesting multi-color prints.
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
10 11

2Burnish with a bone folder, credit
card or other smooth object to flatten
the image.To make it more durable,
cover both sides with laminating film or
coat with matte medium.
1Cover an image from a magazine with
laminating film. Silhouettes of house-
hold objects, people and plants make
excellent subjects for masks.
3Cut out the image with sharp scis-
sors, or use a craft knife on a cutting
surface.
Printing With a DIY Mask
Create your own masks to block out areas on your prints to create
focal points and deliberate compositions. Any torn or cut paper
can work as a mask, even deli paper. As your masks become more
coated with paint they become more durable. Build a collection of
DIY masks to use in your prints and artwork.
4Roll out an even layer of pink on the
Gelli plate using a brayer. 5Affix your DIY mask to the paint.
1After you pull your first print, and before the paint dries, you
can pull a second print with the paint that remains on the
Gelli plate. Carefully peel back the mask using tweezers and
place another piece of paper over the plate. Rub firmly with
your hands to transfer the paint.
6Press a piece of paper on the plate
and rub with your hands to transfer
the paint. Pull back to reveal the print!
2Pull back the page to reveal the ghost print! Slow-drying
acrylics such as Golden OPEN paints are great for ghost
prints because the paint takes longer to dry on the plate, giving
you more time to pull a print.
M at e r i a l s l i s t
• Gelli plate and brayer
• acrylic paint
• paper for printing
• magazine cutout
• laminating film
• scissors or craft knife
Pulling a Ghost Print
When you print the residual paint that’s left on the Gelli plate after
a mask is removed, you create a ghost print. Lorem ipsum dolor
sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor
incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim
veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip
ex ea commodo consequat.
• Gelli plate with DIY mask
• tweezers
Joan’s Gelli Tips
• When the masking object has a finely textured surface, like a
feather or leaf, the ghost print can produce a delicate, almost pho-
tographic image. These ethereal prints can be especially beautiful.
• Be prepared to work quickly when pulling ghost prints. Some
acrylic paints dry too fast to produce a second print.
• A thin layer of slow-drying paint on the plate produces a finer-
detailed image, perfect when printing a low-relief image.
• When a mask is removed from a painted plate, there’s a layer of
paint on its underside. You can use the painted mask as a stamp.
Depending on how much paint is on the mask, this doesn’t always
work. Sometimes the paint on the mask is already too dry to
stamp off.
• Different paints and papers will produce varying results. There’s
always trial and error involved with printmaking, so experiment
to find what works best for you!
12 13

2Randomly place someTyvek freeform
triangle masks and drape a piece of
string over the plate just for fun.
1Roll out an even layer of transparent
yellow acrylic on the Gelli plate. Here
I used slow-drying acrylic paint. I use this
type of paint because it creates a nice
transparent layer that won’t dry too fast.
3Add some texture as desired. Here I
pressed on a piece of sequin waste,
but any stencils or found objects will
work.
Creating a Layered Mask Print
You can use masks and multiple printed layers to create a beautiful
complex image. In this exercise, I used masks cut from Tyvek, it’s
more durable than paper and can be used over and over again.
5Use tweezers to pull of the masks and string, and
before the paint dries, pull a ghost print with a fresh
sheet of paper.
4Press on a piece of paper and pull a print.
7Pull a print using the print from step
4. If you tape a piece of paper the
same size as your print, it will help you to
ballpark where to press the second print.
6Thoroughly wipe clean the Gelli plate
and roll out a layer of transparent red
acrylic paint. Lay out someTyvek masks
and add some more texture.
8Remove the masks and string and
pull a second ghost print using the
print from step 5.
10Pull a print using the same print
from step 7 to reveal the multi-
layered result.
11Remove the masks and string and
pull a third ghost print using the
print from step 8.
LAYER 1
9Clean the plate again for the third
layer. Apply a layer of transparent
blue paint and lay out theTyvek stencils
and string.
LAYER 2
LAYER 3
Final Layered Mask Print
• acrylic paint
• palette knife
• Tyvek masks
• textured tools
Final Layered Ghost Print
1514

2Cut out the stamped images. For this
exercise, I used two types of stamps.1Press a rubber stamp into an ink pad
and stamp onto the sticky side of a
sticky note. Make sure part of the stamp
covers the sticky side.
3Take the stamps from step 1 and
stamp onto a piece of paper or
cardstock.
Masking With Rubber Stamps
Integrating rubber stamped images into a monotype print is a fun
way to get dramatic print results. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet,
consectetur adipisicing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut
labore et dolore magna aliqua.
6Mix the paint together in a pleasing
pattern.You don’t need to totally mix
the paint with the brayer.
4Cover the stamped images from
step 3 with the masks.
7Press a piece of embossed paper
into the painted Gelli plate to add a
bit of extra texture.
9Press on the paper from step 4 and
pull to reveal the print! If the masks
stick to the plate, simply remove with
tweezers.
8Stamp on other cool objects for even
more texture and design.
5Add a dollop of two colors of acrylic
on the Gelli plate—pink in orange is
shown here.
• acrylic paints
• sticky notes
• ink pad and rubber stamps
• scissors
• stencils
10Final pulled print using masked rubber stamps. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet,
consectetur adipisicing elitcitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea com-
modo consequat.
Joan’s Gelli Tips
• You can also use low-tack frisket film or removable label stock
instead of sticky notes to create rubber stamp masks. Make sure
the removable adhesive will leave no residue on the Gelli plate.
• Always pull a ghost print just to see what you get! After step 9, try
adding a layer of a complementary color and pulling a new print.
• Whenever you see something you like on the plate, pull a print.
If it’s dry, use the dry-pulling technique (see page 26). You can
also leave designs on the plate to try to get something cool and
surprising in the next printing.
Brayer Basics
• Keep the edges of your brayers clean because that’s where paint
tends to collect and dry.
• Use a light touch with the brayer to avoid leaving paint lines on
the Gelli plate.
1716

Printing With Natural Objects
Create exciting prints with everyday found items such as leaves,
string, thread and feathers. Take notice of all the textures you
come across in your day to day. Many will be useful in creating
dynamic prints when simply pressed into a painted Gelli plate.
2Press some fresh, flat leaves onto the painted plate. Always
print the vein-side down to get the best texture.
3Pull the first print (seen upper left).This print will just be a
mask of the leaf’s shape. Carefully remove the leaf. 4Pull the ghost to reveal a detailed imprint print of the leaf!
1Roll out a thin layer of paint on the Gelli plate. Here I chose a
natural brown color.
• acrylic paints
• variety of natural objects
LEAVES
Ferns and botanical make beautiful natural prints. It’s best to use
fresh leaves because dried leaves can crumble and may stick to the
plate. OPEN acrylics really work best for this printing technique,
but you can experiment with other forms of acrylics for different
effects.
FEATHERS
When working with feathers and other natural items, use an
acrylic paint with a longer drying time, such as Golden OPEN
acrylics. These will create the most sensitive, photographic ghost
prints.
STRING, YARN AND THREAD
Novelty yarns with lots of fibers and texture can create particularly
detailed prints and ghost images. String, yarn and thread can all be
used to create a great variety of loops and lines. Thread will create
very fine lines and can be used effectively. Apply a thin layer of
paint to the plate for the best results with thread.
1918

2Firmly stamp some texture into the
painted plate with your homemade
foam stamps. Don’t allow acrylic paint
to dry on your foam stamps. Clean them
right after use.
1Mix together a thin layer of opaque,
metallic gold, turquoise and purple on
the Gelli plate in an interesting fashion.
3Pull back the paper to reveal the
print! Images stamped onto a
painted plate will appear backward in a
monoprinted image—keep in mind when
printing alphabet and number stencils
and stamps.
Printing With Foam Stamps
Craft foam is a cheap and easy material to make your own unique
stamps for printing. NEED MORE TEXT ... dolor sit amet,
consectetur adipisicing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt
ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Lorem ipsum dolor sit met,
consectetur adipisicing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut
labore et dolore magna aliqua. Interesting textures are everywhere.
The more you look, the more you’ll find.
• metallic acrylic paints
• brayer
• foam stamps
Variations
Caption.
Caption. Caption.
Joan’s Gelli Tips
• Bubble wrap is available in many sizes and they all make great
prints. Save as many sizes as you can find for making prints.
• Try rolling toy cars onto a painted Gelli plate. The wheels make
great patterns.
• Peel back the top layer of corrugated cardboard. It makes a neat
striped impression when pressed into wet paint.
• The bottoms of foam flip-flops from the dollar store have interest-
ing textures. Cut them into various shapes, or use them as is.
20 21

2Arrange the cut pieces in layers on
the interfacing substrate. Make sure
to peel off the liner so that they will fuse.
1Cut shapes from the interfacing and use your a punch to add
interesting hole designs.
3Carefully cover the plate with parch-
ment paper.
Texture Plates: Fusible Web Interfacing
Fusible web interfacing is ... The thick interfacing creates a high-
relief texture plate that prints a halo effect around the raised areas.
This gives the printed image a dimensional look. I prefer the brand
Peltrex, though ... make sure to follow the manufacter’s instruc-
tions before adding heat.
4Press with an iron (on what setting?)
to fuse the pieces together and
complete the plate.
Materials for Fusible Web Interfacing Print
Cut a piece of craft interfacing the size of your Gelli plate.The
interfacing comes one-sided, two-sided and with no fusible
sides meaning the number of sticky sides that will fuse when
heat is added. It’s okay to leave the liner on the back side.
• acrylic paint
• fusible web interfacing
• iron
• scissors
• craft knife and cutting mat
• xxx step 1 toop
6Roll a fair amount of acrylic paint onto the Gelli plate with
a brayer. Firmly press the interfacing plate into the paint.
Here you can see how I left the backside of the interfacing liner
on the texture plate.
7Remove the interfacing plate and pull a print and a ghost
print!
8Finished print from a craft interfacing
plate. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet,
consectetur adipisicing elit, sed do
eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et
dolore magna aliqua.
Joan’s Gelli Tips
If you are unable to find thick craft inter-
facing, try using craft felt instead. Iron a
fusible webbing to the felt before cutting
the shapes as shown in the interfacing
demo. The felt will stiffen after it’s been
covered with acrylic paint.
2322

Conclusion
How you choose to develop your Gelli prints is as personal as your signature. From col-
lage to stitching to doodling to encaustic ... it’s all a natural extension of where you want
to take your prints. Whether in your art journals, book arts, cards, scrapbook pages, art
quilts or jewelry, you will easily find a use for monoprinted papers and fabrics in your
work.
Remember, there are discoveries to be made at every printing session. Even the expe-
rienced printmaker will find there always seems to be a new technique to explore. One
print leads to another and before you know it, you’ve come a long way! Whether you
prefer printing alone, with a friend or in a group workshop, I hope you find and enjoy the
pure pleasure in pulling prints to reveal unique surprises and serendipitous results!
24

Seth Apter
CONTRIBUTOR GALLERY
Need brief caption from Seth ... Lorem
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Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud
exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip
ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute
irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate
velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla
pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupid-
atat non proiden.
The Climb
Adria Arch
I discovered the Gelli plate in 2012 and
love using it with Golden OPEN acryl-
ics for their long-drying time and the
outstanding color results. During my
2013 residency at theVermont Studio
Center, I used a 12" × 14" (xxcm × xxcm)
Gelli plate to create a series of fifty prints
based on paint spills. I poured paint onto
sheets of paper then carefully cut out
the dried shapes to use as stencils.The
spills created ambiguous silhouettes
that can be read in many ways. Like a
Rorschach inkblot, viewers create their
own narrative.
Lavender Spill Mango Spill
Seth Apter
thealteredpage.blogspot.com
Seth Apter is a mixed-media artist, author, and
instructor from New York City. His artwork has
been exhibited in numerous exhibitions and can
be found in multiple books, independent zines
and national magazines. He is the author of two
books from North Light, The Pulse of Mixed Media
and The Mixed Media Artist. He has also produced
two North Light DVDs and designs stencils for
StencilGirl Products.
Adria Arch
adriaarch.com
Adria Arch is a nonrepresentational painter and
mixed-media artist whose work features strong
graphic elements and vivid color. Her recent work
explores the representation of energy through
the human mark, focusing in particular on the
doodles we all make while in a state of revery.
Adria is a technical consultant for GOLDEN Artist
Colors. She teaches privately and at local museums
and art centers. She lives with her family and dog
in Arlington, MA.
26 27

Kate Crane
I began this page by randomly spreading
bright acrylic paints on the Gelli plate
with my fingers to create a loose, messy
look. I picked up a print then repeated
the process several times with differ-
ent colors to build up multiple layers. I
then spread paint over a section of the
plate, placed a circular stencil on top
and pressed the print down to pick up
the circular patterns.When dry, I added
lots of doodling with a fine black marker
and a white gel pen.To complete the
page I added a stamp by Craft Stamper
magazine and a typed song lyric byThe
Animals.
Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood
To create my mini journal, My Mini Book
of Gelli, I printed several sheets of deli
paper by finger painting randomly on
the Gelli plate with a variety of bright
acrylic paints building multiple layers. I
also used circular stencils on the plate
to extra pattern and texture.When dry, I
doodled around the shapes with a white
gel pen to add highlights.The prints were
then glued to sheet music and bound
into a book using patterned DuckTape
and a Bind-It-All binding tool.
My Little Books of Gelli Deli
Kate Crane
thekathrynwheel.blogspot.com
Kate Crane lives in the north of England, UK. She
is passionate about mixed-media art, especially art
journaling, and enjoys incorporating Gelli prints
into her art journals. She teaches mixed-media
art and art journaling in various locations and has
also taught online. She has produced several art
journaling DVDs and has also contributes to vari-
ous art magazines.
28 29

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