Maybe you’d like to include words in a Gelli® print? Watch this video and see how to do it!
Words can add meaningful visual interest to your prints. Especially on art journal pages!
But here’s the tricky part… words and letters written or stamped in paint on a Gelli® plate will print in reverse!
So, unless you’re proficient at mirror-image writing — OR, you’re willing to stick with X’s and O’s … and a few other letters with vertical bilateral symmetry 😉 — you’ll probably find the following step by step ideas helpful!
Below are two easy techniques for making your gel-printed words reader-friendly! These are subtractive methods — meaning paint will be removed to create the letters.
Technique #1 — Just follow these easy steps!
Step 1
Write a word (or words) on a piece of tracing paper with a Sharpie or other marker. You want BOLD writing!
TIP: You can also add some guidelines for your print composition! They’re especially helpful when you print multiple layers.
Step 2
Flip the tracing paper over — so the writing appears backwards. Tape your tracing paper in place to your work surface.
Step 3
Place your Gelli® plate on a clear protective substrate — such as Mylar, acetate, Plexiglass, DURA-LAR, glass, etc. (I’m using DURA-LAR for this demo)
TIP: Roll a clean brayer over the plate to squeeze out air bubbles.
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| Gelli® Plate on piece of DURA-LAR |
Step 4
Place the clear substrate on top of the tracing paper and position your Gelli® plate over the writing. Tape in place.
TIP: If you want your writing skewed to one side of the print, remember to place your Gelli® plate over the writing on the OPPOSITE side from where you want the writing to appear on the print. This compensates for the left/right reversal in the printing process!
Step 5
Apply a thin layer of paint onto the gel plate with a brayer. Avoid opaque paints, as you want to be able to see your lettering under the plate 🙂
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| Golden Open Acrylics Used in this Demo
Step 6 Trace over the lines using a cotton swab. It can help if the swab is slightly dampened with a drop of water first. **The writing in the paint will be backwards (mirror-image). Step 7 Use various texture tools in the wet paint to add another level of interest to your print. Step 8 Cover the painted plate with your paper. Rub gently to transfer the paint … then remove paper to pull your print.
TIP: This technique will work best with fairly transparent and slow drying paint … to allow time for tracing. Golden Open Acrylics are ideal for this! Or add Golden Open Medium or Acrylic Glaze to your regular acrylic paint to increase its working time while adding transparency.
Step 9 – Fun and Final Step! Add a second gel- printed layer using transparent pigments — to create wonderful mixed colors on your print!
Technique #2 – Three Easy Stepsfor Including Words in your Gelli® print!Use cut out letters! Ideally, with some dimension. This can include hand-cut letters, die-cuts, craft foam letters, and chipboard letters. Self-adhesive alphabets are available at art and craft stores — and they’re great for this technique! Step 1 Arrange the letters and adhere them to the substrate of your choice — to create a lettered printing plate. Adhering letters to craft foam gives you a flexible and reusable stamp for gel printing your favorite words! Tip: Do not reverse the letters. Your placement should be right-reading.
Step 2 Press the lettered plate into the painted Gelli® plate — and remove. The letters will remove paint and leave a mirror-image impression on the Gelli® plate. Step 3 Cover the painted Gelli® plate with paper, rub — and pull your print. So easy!
Have fun putting words in your Gelli® prints! And now… our GOLDEN GELLI® GIVEAWAY! Our Giveaway Prize Kit will get you started putting words in your Gelli® prints! Our GOLDEN GELLI® Giveaway Includes:
The three 8 oz. jars of Golden Open Acrylics included in this prize are:
To enter to win, just leave a comment here on the blog — or on our Facebook page! Share this blog post on your Facebook page, blog, Pinterest or Twitter … and we will enter your name twice! Just let us know 🙂 One lucky winner will be chosen by random selection on Tuesday, July 23rd!! We will announce the winner here and on the Gelli Arts® Facebook page! Special thanks to our friends at Golden Artist Colors for supplying the generous 8 oz. jars of Open Acrylics for this Giveaway! Our winner is getting a GIANT haul of premium paint!!! 🙂 Talk about LUCKY!!! Good Luck and Happy Printing! |
I would love to try out Gelli plates! So many ideas…….
Thanks for the great tutorial. Can't wait to give it a try.
What a wonderful idea! Can't wait t try it – thank you so much!
I have been stalking gelli plate tutorials for a while now. I think I'm ready to take the Gelli Plate plunge! Great tutorial using the words. Thanks for the chance to win such a great prize.
Great technique & video … and thanks for the giveaway … also pinned it since it's something I want to try *soon*.
Oh. My. Goodness. Wouldn't that be wonderful to received??! Loved the video!
Great tips! Ever hopeful of winning this one!
More fantastic ideas and a fabulous giveaway! Shared on my facebook page x
Confession time… I've not heard about both Golden Artist Colours Paints and Mediums and Gelli Plates… and I want them all!!!
I would share them, in small quantities of course, because they are all just too fabulous not to share… but only with my besties 'cos I really want to keep them all to myself!
Ohhh the possibilities!!!
Thanks so much for all the tutorials you continue to post. I get some great ideas from them.
please count me in! i have been doing this for some time and found it helpful to mount my foam letters onto acetate report covers found at the dollar store…you can see exactly where you are putting your words…thanks for such a great product…i received my 8 x 10 plate and haven't stopped printing!! would love to try those open acrylics! jean @ bluebirdslivinginthemeadow.wordpress.com
What a great giveaway, I always wanted to try Gellis Thanks for the opportunity, I also posted this on facebook!
Great video. Creating your own word stamps is an inspiration.
This was great help with using these fun tools to include words ! Thanks so much for the chance to win all these goodies ! Cheers !
I posted this giveaway on Facebook too !
Awesome tutorial! I can't wait to start gelli printing…so many possibilities!!
Well I had the sticky foam letters, now I know what to do. Planning to do some of my poetry with the gelli plate.
Thank you for this tutorial and the give away! I'm sharing this on Pinterest as well!
I am new to using mixed media in my artwork
I retweeted your tweet on twitter @misaacmom
I am outa control Gelli printing on EVERYTHING…gimme more !!!
Thanks for this opportunity…..I am going now to Tweet, Blog and Facebook…loves me some Gelli !!
Shared on my Facebook page!
Shared also on my Pinterest board!
The way to do the lettering was inspirational…..and I would love to win this.
Oh my gosh, I love love to win this. I am new to the Gelli Plate and got mine as an early birthday gift AND my birthday is July 22nd! I posted this on pinterest as well. Thanks!
What fantastic ideas you have showed us! It helps being a new Gelli printer and trying these techniques should give me the confidence to experiment. What a fantastic giveaway!!
What an impressive printing system. Endless possibilities! I have heard a lot about the Gelli process and cannot wait to try. Thank you for sharing a start to the millions of possibilities for the Gelli. I don't have much luck in winning contests but just maybe I'll be lucky. Can't wait to show my artist and crafter friends. Thank you very much for the demo's.
Mary
I'm so OPEN to winning this giveaway…it's a GOLDEN opportunity! (I've also posted on Pinterest)
Love this technique!
Thanks for this wonderful tutorial…..looking forward to try it myself
I LOVE your video tutorials! So simple and yet, they always open the door for so many creative possibilities. Thank you for your generosity and for inspiring more time with the Gelli plate. 🙂
Oooh, I'm so glad I googled gelli plates and your blog showed up. Hopefully, I'll be the lucky winner. Thank-you for the opportunity. Let the printing begin!!! Diane
Oh, do I love this. I'm an artist and a writer. Perfect.
Awesome! I love my Gelli Plates. Your videos are top quality. Keep making them!
Thanks for the great tutorial on printing words Joan! I'm pretty new to monoprinting and have had good success with homemade recipe gelatin pads. I would love to venture into gelli pad ownership and get even more creative! I have been following the gelliarts facebook page and have pinned your wonderful post also. Look forward to reading your blog regularly 🙂
Please count me in. I would love to win. Your tutorial was amazing.
LOVE, LOVE, LOVE, THESE PRODUCTS ARE THE BEST OF THE BEST. I SHARED THIS VIDEO AND CONTEST ON MY PINTEREST, AND FACBOOK, THANK YOU SO MUCH CLAUDIA NELSON
Wonderful tutorial on using words on the Gelli prints. The Golden paints look marvelous – hope you pick my random number!
This tutorial was great. I hadn't thought of using stick on letters on foam, terrific idea. Looking forward to trying this on my gelli plate this week.
Why not, I'd love a chance to win. Having fun with this process, love all the tips and techniques.
Amazing techniques and can't wait to try them out!!!! Thanks for the chance to win …
Love the video. Great ideas!
Would love to give this a try! Awesome technique. Also shared on pinterest.
Another great tutorial, thanks for the chance to win too!
Ex citing giveaway! Thanks for a chance to win these goodies. Gelli plate is such fun art making. I just posted some of my first attempts on my blog.
Great idea! I could really use these acrylics; I have been using the liquid kind and they're great for glazes but don't work as well for fuller bodied prints.
Entered this on my face book timeline in hopes of winning this fab giveaway..Thanks xx
Gelli Printing Plates and Golden Open are a match made in heaven. I love this combination!
This looks like an easy and fun way to explore the medium!
I just used my Gelli plate for the first time Saturday and it was great fun. I can't wait to try some of the ideas shown on this blog.
Jami Roux