Hello everybody, Kate Crane right here with you at this time.
I have been busy gel plate printing recently, though to be truthful I do quite a lot of gel plate printing on a regular basis! I regarded by means of my stamp assortment and picked out the closest factor to nature! Fishies chasing one another, and naturally the common-or-garden tree.
After I’m printing I wish to print fairly a number of backgrounds for a few causes. Firstly it may be a bit messy so that you may as nicely do a number of whilst you’re on, and secondly I like a number of color mixtures to select from. It stops me from overthinking about what goes with what. You probably have a number of prints you may simply seize and go, and typically end up creating one thing a bit totally different, one thing that you’d have by no means have considered.
I created a number of backgrounds on my gel plate utilizing a mix of alcohol inks and Frescos together with stencils. I like the serendipity of printing; you simply do not know what you’re going to get and also you by no means get the identical consequence twice!
In my tasks at this time I will construct up layered backgrounds, taking part in with color mixtures, after which add some enjoyable bouncing hanging stamped pictures, colored with Mattints.
Frescos: Cerulean, Aqua Duck Egg, Snowflake, Soiled Lime
Stencils: PS442, PS441, PS428
After I added my colors to the gel plate I used to be fairly cautious concerning the colors I put collectively to keep away from making mud. Should you select colors from the identical color household, or cool or heat color mixtures a you may keep away from making murky prints. Opposites on the color wheel will make brown (so blue and orange for instance) – tip to recollect.
I started my print-making session with alcohol inks and Frescos. Alcohol inks dry quick, so as soon as dry on the gel plate you want a layer of acrylic paint to select up your print. Previously I’ve used alcohol inks on my gel plate with stencils loads, however this time I did it slightly in a different way.
I started by splashing alcohol ink on the gel plate together with slightly mixing resolution which dilutes the colors slightly for a extra pastel consequence. I then put a protecting glove on and unfold the ink slightly on the plate with my fingers. Whereas it was moist I laid the stencil over this and the ink instantly flooded beneath the stencil making a sample. I then simply rolled kitchen roll excessive to take away a number of the ink after which let it dry for a short time (bear in mind alcohol dries quick!). Lastly I lifted the stencil and easily brayed a skinny layer of Snowflake Fresco over and took a print whereas the Snowflake paint was nonetheless moist.
I repeated this a number of occasions utilizing totally different color mixtures.
I then tried one thing else slightly totally different. I positioned my stencil immediately on the plate and brayered a thick layer of Snowflake Fresco paint. I lifted the stencil, let it dry, after which constructed up a number of mild layers of blues and greens with a brayer, letting it dry in-between. This creates a pleasant grungy look! As soon as the layers have dried a ultimate layer of white means that you can raise the sample.
I am actually proud of the assorted colors and patterns I’ve created right here, and this provides me loads of alternative for constructing my backgrounds. Generally prints can look messy and untidy whenever you first do them however when you trim them and begin utilizing them they tackle a complete new life.
Stamp: KC003
Subsequent, I wanted some colored pictures for my little tasks. I stamped, after which colored with Mattints. I discover Mattints are excellent for including color to your stamped pictures. They mix simply and you may construct up the layers to create sturdy color.
Backgrounds subsequent! I selected to layer a number of prints over one another every time getting slightly smaller. Right here I’m engaged on two little tasks on the identical time. That is when it’s so helpful to have a number of prints to play with, you may experiment simply with totally different color mixtures.
Stamp KC008
Earlier than I begin gluing issues down, these backgrounds and pictures want slightly extra work. I like so as to add depth to my stamped pictures with a Stabilo All pencil. The stamped pictures have micro dots for shaded areas so this information for the place so as to add the Stabilo shading. You’ll be able to go actually fairly darkish in these corners, it helps your pictures to pop! After which in fact, a white Posca paint pen is nice for including highlights.
However Poscas aren’t only for pictures, they’re nice for including good scribbles to your background too. I let the sample created by the stencil information me for this.
When you glue or tape your background layers collectively, a little bit of texture stamping excessive of every part appears to be like nice particularly in case you use corresponding colors and only a contact of black.
Stamps: KCM001, KCM002
In one thing like this, stitching is totally optionally available as it’s purely ornamental and never practical, though it’s an alternative choice to moist glue! I like the look of sewing although, so I simply use an everyday stitching machine with an everyday needle and add sew away!
My very ultimate background layers are at all times a contact of Stickles Glitter for a little bit of sparkle, and a contact of metallic paint, often by junk-stamping with masses and previous playing cards or lids. These ultimate touches do assist to convey the layers collectively.
So as to add my floating-bouncy hanging pictures I used Grafix DurLar clear movie, merely minimize into slender strips and glued to the reverse of my background panel.