Gel plate printing has been around a while, but I am just now "discovering" ways to use it. People use it to create papers for scrapbooking and collage, and just as an interesting stand alone piece of art. It is also used for photo transfers, which I'll talk about in the next blog.
Gel printing requires a gel press (plate) which you can make or purchase. There are a variety of mediums you can use: any type of acrylic, water color, or inks. (Inks, however, tend to stain the plate).
You can purchase one, about $26 from Amazon for an 8 x 10
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B01GOO7HL0/?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_plhdr=t&aaxitk=ea6c0f85b52da5c799e1a9eab234998e&hsa_cr_id=3439662520801&qid=1692557393&sr=1-2-9e67e56a-6f64-441f-a281-df67fc737124&ref_=sbx_be_s_sparkle_mcd_asin_1_img&pd_rd_w=tixmo&content-id=amzn1.sym.cd95889f-432f-43a7-8ec8-833616493f4a%3Aamzn1.sym.cd95889f-432f-43a7-8ec8-833616493f4a&pf_rd_p=cd95889f-432f-43a7-8ec8-833616493f4a&pf_rd_r=H3YJ8CWJ64G19100JVJD&pd_rd_wg=Qbekg&pd_rd_r=1445ac36-9499-4ea6-9b14-102c519c7a2a&th=1
Making your own is possible and cheaper. I tried it using the following directions:
https://www.google.com/search?q=make+your+own+gel+plates+youtube&rlz=1CATRIY_enUS965&oq=make+your+own+gel+plates+youtube&gs_lcrp=EgZjaHJvbWUyBggAEEUYOTIHCAEQIRigAdIBDjEwMjQ3NjUwNGowajE1qAIAsAIA&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8#fpstate=ive&vld=cid:efa94072,vid:sfifEFKjP7s
Here is The Frugal Crafter's version. You'll see lots of versions, some with alcohol, some with all glycerin. Hers is a bit cheaper bc glycerin is more expensive than alcohol.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h9taUh073vQ
The hardest part for me was removing it from the mold. If you have a nice silicon mold it will remove easier. I ended up taking my large one and cutting it up into smaller sizes. The 5 x 7 size will probably be most used in making cards. The larger sizes for making backgrounds for paintings.
Generally you use one with a brayer, acrylic paints, and stencils or other items to make impressions into the paint on the plate. You don't want to have very thick paint. Apply it with a brayer; add stencil on top; put your paper on top of it all and rub gently with your fingers. (Rubbing with fingers on a stencil gets more of the paint between the spaces of the stencil.) Then remove the paper...don't leave it on for a long time.
The first technique we tried was to brayer on different types of acrylic and use a stencil, print; then remove the stencil and print a "ghost" print. The top print is on regular copy paper with a stencil; the one below is after removing the stencil from the plate.
Below is inexpensive craft acrylic on tissue paper--first with the stencil on the plate; second after removing the stencil to get a ghost print.
Below is inexpensive regular acrylic used with stencils.
Below is on copy paper with leaf impressions.
You can purchase stencil or templates or "impressables" to use with gel plates.
You can make your own stencils easily by cutting them out of yupo or cellophane. You can use natural vine, leaves, plant parts. You can create texture with bubble wrap, saran wrap, baby powder, burlap, or anything you can think of.
Of all the paints we tried, I like the cheap-o craft paints for most things. But if I want to take my time to create textures, the open acrylics allowed more drying time.
Other than the gel plate, the supplies are simple. You need a brayer to apply the paint; paper towels to wipe excess paint from the brayer; some kind of paint or ink; any kind of paper you want to experiment with; and baby wipes or hand sanitizer to keep the gel plate clean.
Below are some examples (from the internet, not mine) of ideas to use.
Kim Herringe, printmaker
This tells what types of paints/inks to use, and emphasizes NOT to use glossy or printer paper.
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