Gelli Arts® Gel Printed Book Covers by Linda Brun

Hi! Linda
here and I’m so happy to share my first project on the Gelli Arts® blog.

Today I
want to show you a fun and easy way to create prints that can be used for
handmade books or any other project your heart desires. Make sure you check out the GIVEAWAY at the
end of my blog!

I’m
starting by creating backgrounds, aka the first layer, printing on a 9”x12” Gelli® printing plate.

Choose
the color paint you want to use.

I’m using
a piece from a cardboard box as a printing tool to create texture, here you
could use a stamp or another tool, it’s all up to you.

Press the
cardboard piece firmly down into the paint and lift up.

To remove
excess paint from the cardboard print tool, press it on another background to create a nice
pattern.

When you
are happy with the texture on the Gelli® plate, press the paper down. For the
book covers, I’m using scrap paper from a local distributor. I’m creating several covers in
various colors at the same time.

Now it’s time
to decorate your backgrounds with leaf prints.

Note – A drop of black Gelli Arts® paint is enough. If you use a paint that dries fast–use a few drops of an extender to keep your paint wet longer.

Roll out the black paint and place the
leaves down on the wet paint.

Cover the leaves with a sheet of parchment paper and rub firmly around the leaves.

When you
pull the paper off, the contour of the leaves will show on the paper.

Remove the leaves from the plate and press one of your backgrounds down on the printing plate, rub
firmly.  You will pick up what’s left of your leaf print.

This is
how it turned out on one of the covers.

Now it’s time to
add some collage to one of the backgrounds. Here you see various parchment
paper prints you can work with.

I’m
cutting and tearing the background papers – so they are the right size for the book covers.

I’m using
fluid gel medium to glue the paper down.

Another
way of picking up the leaf prints on your plate, is to let the leaf prints dry on your plate. Then add a thin layer of paint on top of the dry leaf prints. Then place one of your backgrounds on top of the wet paint and pull the print.  The prints of the dry leaves will be on your paper.

I’m using
a brayer to add some extra pressure to the print before pulling the print.

Your book covers and signatures are now ready for binding.

I’m doing
a long stitch binding, but you could do any kind of binding.

The books are all dressed up and ready for the art fair.

Thanks for checking out my blog! Check out this amazing Giveaway!

Good Luck!

Linda

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Materials

•      9″ x 12″ Gelli Arts® Gel Printing Plate

•      Gelli Arts® Premium Acrylic Paint, various colors

•      Gelli Arts® 12″ x 16” Parchment Paper

•      Brayer

Others

•      Some branches, ferns and leafs from the garden

•      Heavy cardstock to print on that will be used as book covers

•      Deli paper

•      Printing paper

Optional

•      Golden fluid gel medium to create collages on some of the book covers

•      Needle and thread for binding

•      Medium weight paper for signatures

•      Metal ruler and scalpel to cut the covers to desired size

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