Hi there! Happy 2019! Itās Marsha here today with a fun,
relaxing printing technique for you to try as the New Year begins.
After all the end of the year busyness, entertaining, and
partying, Iām sure we can all use some creative time to relax and focus. Thatās
why I was thinking of a mandala when I came up with the idea of a nested
design.
Think of it like completing a jigsaw puzzle. You need to
focus and keep the final result in mind when you want to create a print like
this.
You donāt have to stick to round shapes though! It works
with any shape you can think of, as long as everything fits together like a
jigsaw puzzle.
Step 1:
Take a sheet of paper the same size of the printing paper
you intend to use.
Cut nested shapes. You can sketch a design on your paper
first, or you can cut freehand. Try to keep it simple though. You can always
add details later!
Step 2:
Re-nest all of your shapes and mark them to make it easier
to align them later on.
Step 3:
Use tape to close the paper shapes if needed.
Step 4:
Set up your printing station.
Place the Gelli ArtsĀ® gel printing plate of your choice onto
a smooth, flat surface. My paper is 12āx12,ā so Iāve chosen to work on the
12āx14ā Gelli ArtsĀ® gel printing plate.
Choose the paint colors you want to use. I like to limit my
color palette to just 3 or 4 paint colors that mix well together.
Youāll also need an inking palette or a sheet of plastic to
roll out your paint.
Step 5:
Place your paper shapes on your gel printing plate. Start
with the outline shape. Align the bottom and right edges of your paper with the
bottom and right edges of the plate. Now itās easy to nest the shapes needed
inside.
Step 6:
Cover your brayer with paint and then roll out the color
exactly where you want it on the plate. I used bubble wrap to create texture in that section.
Remove the paper shapes.
Align the paper you want to print on with the bottom and
right edges of the gel printing plate and pull your first layer.
Step 7:
Continue until youāve printed your complete nested design on
your paper. Use your favorite gel printing tools in the process.
Once youāve covered your paper, you can print more layers on
top. A fun way to do this is to alter your paper shapes by cutting parts away.
Keep going until you are satisfied with the result!
Wishing you lots of Gelli ArtsĀ® gel printing fun in 2019!
Marsha
Materials:
Gelli ArtsĀ®:
12āx14ā Gelli ArtsĀ® Gel Printing Plate
Gelli ArtsĀ® Premium Acrylic Paint ā Cosmic Blue, Freshwater,
Kiwi, and Lemon Zest
Gelli ArtsĀ® 8″x10″ Flower Stencil
Gelli ArtsĀ® Mini Printing Tool
Other:
12āx12ā Paper
Scissors
Tape
Marker
Inking Palette
Small Brayer
Bubble Wrap
Tissue Paper
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Philadelphia, PA All rights reserved.