Friday, September 12, 2014

The Living Tree, and Gelli Prints Pt. 2


  The theme at Art Journal Journey is "Living Beings", at Mix It Monthly the theme is "Trees" and at Mixed Media Monthly the theme is to be inspired by the colors of this photograph:


 I do love to combine challenges  whenever I can and in this case it wasn't difficult given the themes and colors! The background is a deli paper gelli print I had glued into my journal. The face images were stamped on tissue paper so the background colors would pop through. Some of the circles are from gelli prints. Other circles were punched from tissue papers.

 Also linking this to Art Journal Every Day and Paint Party Friday.

 In this post I shared some new gelli plate prints and said I'd be back with some techniques I've come up with to get more use out of just one gelli plate (the 8" x 10"). I LOVE my plate but cannot justify the expense of buying every size or shape available. SO, I have come up with a way around that after some experimentation.  Be forewarned, the remainder of this post will be photo laden!

 I thought the circle plate was very interesting but wasn't confident I'd use it very much so here's my alternative to buying it:
 Simply die cut a circle from card stock-or use a bowl to trace around and cut. You can add your colors etc. on the plate before putting the card stock cut out on and/or add colors as you print. the card stock will last for numerous prints-and the paint actually makes it stronger. These are some of my prints:



Don't want a circle? Perhaps you want smaller prints though:

 Die cut or measure and cut  the size you want to print-same as above using card stock. Sometimes when you make a large print with larger stencils and stamps you lose the details when cutting it down to a smaller size. Here you can use smaller stencils and images-without buying a small plate!

 since I have been asked about how I begin this is what I do. I add several drops of different colors of acrylics then brayer them around the plate.

                            In this case I put a stencil down first then placed my cut out on top.
 A piece of trimmed cardstock is placed over top. After I pulled that print I removed the rectangle cut out and the stencil and made a ghost (2nd) print. And these are those two papers:

  In many instances the 2nd print is the better of the two, but don't throw them away! If you don't like a print either use it to clean off the brayer or add stamping and ink sprays and I can guarantee you, you will be pleased.

 I recently found some old plastic templates so I thought I'd play with them on my plate too:

                                           Place your paper over top and this is what you get:


  How cool is this?? Sorry for some off colors and photos-I know you understand how difficult it can be to continually stop and photograph when you're in the zone:)

 Here's another:





 and some more:





           Deli paper was placed over the prepared plate and a brayer was used to pick up paint.

    After I took the deli paper off I placed one of the plastic templates down, pressed a paper on top and this was the resulting print:


 This was just one of the papers I used to clean off my brayer and take some paint off the plate:

                                                     I see possibilities even in this one!

 I do hope I've given you some new ways to use your plate. Feel free to share this! All I ask is that you do not take credit for my work -it is so important to give credit where it is due. Please let me know if you've tried any of these techniques-and if you'd like - I can put your posted link  here on my blog:) If you have any further ?? email me-I'd be happy to help. We all learn from each other and I am so grateful for what I learn from YOU!

 There is a Pt. 3 in the works-and I will have some finished projects to share as well (using these papers) in the near future.

" What works for one artist doesn't necessarily work for another- try anything and everything and go with what works for you."     Paul Dixon































39 comments:

  1. Your monoprinting experiments are all brilliant and make perfect sense too!
    I applaud you also for taking photos along the way as that certainly is a tricky thing with all things considered!
    I have been thinking alot about trees and really Love what you created for two of my favorite challenge blogs.
    Happy Friday dear Linda.
    Thank you for sharing and always being such an inspiration ♥
    oxo

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  2. Looks like you have had a lot of fun with your gelli plate, love those little shapes, great idea. Your art journal page is wonderful, thanks so much for joining in again at AJJ! Valerie

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  3. Yummie prints and lovely art - I adore this tree! Amazing! Thank you so much for sharing all this with us at Art Journal Journey!
    xxx
    Susi
    Happy weekend to you!

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  4. Love the quote and the wonderful journal page! You have been busy with your gelli plates - I often find the ghost prints are the most interesting...
    Happy PPF :)

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  5. Wow your tree looks gorgeous and funny with all its beautiful faces and colorful fruits :) I also enjoy watching all your gellyprints with all its amazing effects..very inspiring...thanks alot! Mix It Monthly ♥ Conny

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  6. Wonderful art work of you, very inspirering. I wish I could do something like this!

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  7. Love it! Nice to see another Gelli Pad user too :D

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  8. have a nice Friday, the tree is quite interesting

    much love...

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  9. All your art looks so very happy and cheerful and many thanks for all those great tips!

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  10. I like the tree with the faces, lovely background! Your printing looks like a lot of fun. I also use my gelli plate a lot and like you I mostly like the 2nd print better. Nice work!
    Cheers
    Gabriele

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  11. You've been having way to much fun with your gelli plate, young lady - LOL! I love all your experimentation, especially the idea for the round gelli plate print. Blessings, my friend!

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  12. How creative you are! These are just beautiful. I am inspired.

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  13. Very interesting and wonderful compositions, I love the tree!

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  14. Linda thank you for this little geli plate lesson... I loved it!! They all so pretty...I love the little circles shapes... Also love your tree really good! Thanks for sharing!!

    Hugs Giggles

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  15. Love your prints, Linda. I haven't got a gelli plate...yet!

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  16. I love how you mixed up the three challenges and made the cool family tree. Your gelli prints are wonderful too!

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  17. Lovely and inspiring prints, Linda. fantastic and creative work!

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  18. So many great ideas in this post! I love how you stamped the faces on tissuepaper, so that the background shines through. And so clever of you to use those cut-outs to make circular and small gelliprints. I'm always happy with tips regarding the gelliplate :-)

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  19. Love your living tree!!! You tempt me to go ahead and buy a gelli plate .... my resistance is getting weaker :)

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  20. Wonderful!! I love the prints you've made. I have a gelli plate too but barely use it. This post is inspiring and helpful. The tree page you made is gorgeous! Really nice art :)

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  21. Oh, this was so interesting and inspiring to read! Gelli prints is unfamilair to me, but I got lots of tips from your post. And true, never throw anything away, almost anything can be re-used, I've noticed it and love to recycle all kinds of things in my art.

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  22. Gorgeous journal page. Love seeing the process. Thanks for joining us at The Mixed Media Monthly Challenge.

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  23. dear linda, I am visiting with my boys in boston on the way to see Frieda in Scotland and Google+ sent me a link to your blog! So happy to be reminded, I am sorry I have not visited for so long . . . your new cover design is so beautiful and I love reading about your gelli plate experiments. Inspiration for me! Take care and I will catch up with you when I return :)) So excited to visit frieda, wish I could pop you in my suitcase!! xox

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  24. Hi Linda your tree is amazing and thank you so much for the inspiration you have given me to move forward with my gelli plate

    x Hilda

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  25. wow! love all this creative work ~ perhaps it will help me to get motivated again to collage ~ thanks, Linda ~ xoxoxo

    artmusedog and carol (A Creative Harbor)

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  26. Loved all the prints!!! Great to see how it all turned out with those gorgeous colors :)

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  27. Loved seeing your process for this art journal page!!! Great techniques and colors! Thanks for joining us in this month's Mixed Media Monthly Color Challenge!

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  28. lovely again ...
    it's part trois I don't want to miss either ;-)
    oxo

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  29. You make so wonderful works. Playing with the template I also love very much!

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  30. Lovely prints- great instructions......Thank you!

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  31. Thanks so much for your comment Linda, you would have enjoyed my trip to Scotland as much as I did! I have been working on some journal pages, which I will post soon. So glad you were able to look at my blipfoto posts :) sending much love, lenna

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  32. Love your page! And don't you just love gelli printing? It makes the best backgrounds!

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  33. I love the purity transmits these prints, exquisite colors. Wonderful !

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  34. how pretty! and i love all your gelli priints!! Thank you so much for playing with the Mixed Media Monthly Challenge!
    -Rachel
    rwkrafts.com

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  35. That awesome tree is the bomb! SO lovely!

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Thank you so much for your comments; it's a pleasure to connect with you!