Tuesday, November 19, 2013

Gelli Jam with Kari McKnight Holbrook

If you are reading this post to learn all about gelli printing, you will be sorely disappointed! Patty can tell you much more and show you far better examples! 
Gelli printing is messy and tons of fun. I'd never tried it before, but after my gelli printing class with Kari McKnight Holbrook at SmittenDust, I can see why she loves doing it so much. (This is one of Kari's papers below!)
Gelli printing is essentially making monoprints on a plate made of gelatin (if you do it yourself) or what I suspect is some kind of silicone (if you buy a ready-made gelli plate).
Your supplies include paint -- relatively inexpensive acrylic paint is recommended. Yes, you can use your Golden fluids, but at $1.59 for a bottle of decent craft paint versus $5.99 and more for Golden, this heavy-on-the-paint technique works fine with the less expensive brands.
Your other supplies include a soft paint-spreading brayer and various items you can use for texture and pattern. These include stamps, cheesecloth, rubber bands, string, bubble wrap. You get the idea.
I'm oversimplifying this but basically, you mix your paint on a freezer paper palette (that's a Kari tip that some of you may already know and do. The shiny side of the freezer paper is easy to work with and inexpenive). Plus, when you are done, you can tear it up and use it!
Then bray it directly onto your printing plate.
Lay items on the painted plate for texture and design interest.
Then cover them with your paper and press to transfer the color and design to your paper.
Doing a second "ghost" print after allows you an even different look at what you just did.
When you have a bunch of papers (and you can use about any kind of paper), you can reprint over them with different colors and designs for extremely complicated patterns, like that first photo of Kari's.
There are other techniques, too, and as I said -- I am not the person to share them, for I am just learning.
The good thing about the class is that we are all learning. And we all learn from each other, too -- sharing stamps and stencils along with the supplies generously provided by Kari.
But I thought you might like to see a few of my cards showing how to use the papers. This one is pretty simple, done with a stamp.
I used one with a tree stamp as the background for this Christmas card.
 
And here are two using various papers highlighting my favorite spot! this one used some of the purples from the above tree...
And this one had more peach tones. (The purple on this one below is from a purchased paper.)
 
So, save all your oddly shaped, interestingly patterned flat things and give it a try!
Thanks to Kari's typically excellent instruction, this one was a great workshop -- and this is a technique I will be using over and over again! (Visit Patty for more inspiration on gelli printing -- just use her search tab to find her posts!)

19 comments:

The Artful Diva said...

gelli prints are a lot of fun!

Tracy said...

This was SUPER fun to see, Jeanie! I love your purple holiday card especially! It's been a while since I got my Gelli Plate out for some messy fun... I should do some as part of my Art Every Day Month challenge before it's over! The possibilities of this fun technique are endless. Happy Day ((HUGS))

~*~Patty S said...

Good Morning Dear Jeanie ~
Aren't you kind and generous ... thank you so much for the shoutout and lovely compliments ♥
Monoprinting is such fun with so many possibilities isn't it...
Your cards turned out beautifully using your prints...
Love the travel theme!
You make me want to get my gelli plate out ;)
oxo

Beth M. said...

That looks so great! SOOO creative & fun!! I love art that involves some kind of tactile involvement, something to hold or manipulate in your hands. It makes the finished product feel more like your own when you're that involved. :)

The Old Parsonage said...

How cool! You get to do all kinds of fun things!!! Love the cool image and colors. She seems fun - just look at the way that she dresses!

xo
Leann

Lisa from Lisa's Yarns said...

So beautiful! I love reading about all these different techniques that exist to make beautiful crafts. And I spy some cards that I will be owning soon. :)

Marilyn Miller said...

How fun to play with messy hands and learn a new technique. I always love seeing what you are up to.

Anonymous said...

Absolutely LOVE this. Messy is exactly what I need.
How are you, Jeanie? I've missed visiting. Been trying to stop by a few familiar pages to let blogging friends know I have a new page. It's been a slow process since I'm working a few days a week now with my husband at our office. Tried to recover Gathering at the Table but cannot no matter how much I've tried. Lost in google land somewhere. Save your images if you can.
Hope you'll stay in touch. I actually signed up for a local women's craft group last week and we have a dinner and craft night coming up.
Enjoy!
xoxo's

Linda Jo said...

I do love gelli printing. I think I may buy a permanent plate soon. I have only done it with the ones I make from gelatin...which works great, btw! Love seeing what you've done!

Friko said...

Apart from the finished object I think what I like best is making a bit of a mess.

And you can’t even be told off for doing it!

shoreacres said...

The only thing I've ever done with gelatin is grow mold for biology class! I've never heard of a gelli plate - what things you all do come up with.

The results are beautiful, though. That's what counts!

Bella Rum said...

Oh, wow! This is all new to me. It's beautiful, and like everything you do, it looks fun.

Shane Pollard said...

What fun you had Jeanie!!
I've always admired Patty's gelli posts too.
I'm so glad you're having fun with art - good for your soul.
Hugs
Shane XOX

The Artful Diva said...

don't forget to wash your hands before tackling the turkey - Happy Thanksgiving, Jeanie!

Naturegirl said...

After seeing the finished project the mess is well worth it Jeanie!
Nice for me to hear from you and many of my bloglandia friends!hugs

must love junk said...

This looks so interesting and FUN!:)
Susan

Jennifer Richardson said...

Your Christmas cards are gorgeous
and so creative, friend.
You are making retired look
exceptionally nice:)
-Jennifer

Arti said...

What a beautiful printing method! Creativity is limitless. Thanks for posting these colorful and interesting photos, Jeanie!

Joanne Huffman said...

It looks like great fun and I wish I could have gone. You make me want to get my gelli plates out.

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