Hello everybody, Kate Crane right here with you as we speak.
I have been busy gel plate printing currently, though to be honest I do numerous gel plate printing on a regular basis! I seemed by 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 couple of backgrounds for a few causes. Firstly it may be a bit messy so that you would possibly as nicely do a couple of when you’re on, and secondly I like a couple of color mixtures to select from. It stops me from overthinking about what goes with what. If in case you have a couple of prints you possibly can simply seize and go, and typically end up creating one thing a bit completely different, one thing that you’d have by no means have considered.
I created a couple 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’ll get and also you by no means get the identical end result twice!
In my tasks as we speak I’ll construct up layered backgrounds, enjoying 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. When you select colors from the identical color household, or cool or heat color mixtures a you possibly can keep away from making murky prints. Opposites on the color wheel will make brown (so blue and orange for instance) – a great 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 choose up your print. Previously I’ve used alcohol inks on my gel plate with stencils rather a lot, however this time I did it a bit in another way.
I started by splashing alcohol ink on the gel plate together with a bit mixing resolution which dilutes the colors a bit for a extra pastel end result. I then put a protecting glove on and unfold the ink a bit on the plate with my palms. Whereas it was moist I laid the stencil over this and the ink instantly flooded underneath 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 (keep 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 couple of instances utilizing completely different color mixtures.
I then tried one thing else a bit completely 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 gentle 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 closing layer of white lets you elevate the sample.
I am actually proud of the varied colors and patterns I’ve created right here, and this provides me loads of selection for constructing my backgrounds. Typically prints can look messy and untidy if you first do them however when you trim them and begin utilizing them they tackle an entire 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’ll construct up the layers to create sturdy color.
Backgrounds subsequent! I selected to layer a number of prints over one another every time getting a bit smaller. Right here I’m engaged on two little tasks on the similar time. That is when it’s so helpful to have a couple of prints to play with, you possibly can experiment simply with completely different color mixtures.
Stamp KC008
Earlier than I begin gluing issues down, these backgrounds and pictures want a bit 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 a great 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 thing seems to be nice particularly when 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 useful, 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 closing background layers are at all times a contact of Stickles Glitter for a little bit of sparkle, and a contact of metallic paint, normally by junk-stamping with hundreds and previous playing cards or lids. These closing touches do assist to deliver the layers collectively.
So as to add my floating-bouncy hanging pictures I used Grafix DurLar clear movie, merely lower into slim strips and glued to the reverse of my background panel.