Caring for your Gel Plate: Tips and Advice

I hope that this video answers some (if not all) of the questions and comments I get about looking after your gel plates. I am sharing tips and advice about storage, cleaning and conditioning, as well as a few handy do's and don'ts so that you get the best results when printing!
Music: In Spite of All - Ten Towers
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[@begosanchezfotografia9304]

Excellent tutorial and tipos. Thanks from Spain. ❤

[@francesking5853]

Really interesting and useful. Thank you 😊

[@jogriffiths4797]

Thank you! I’ve had my 1st plate for a few months, but haven’t used it yet because I was worried about damaging it. This has given me the confidence to break it out of its shell and have a go!

[@margaretpinsent6388]

I've only just started using my Gelli plate (languishing on a shelf for maybe 3+ years!), and finding your channel has been great. These tips are exactly what I needed. No instructions on the clamshell padding, I've been placing it back , after washing, between the plastic sheets as it came. Bubbles all over! I tried pressing them out, but that didn't work. I find, too, that my paper sticks to the painted up plate, leaving patches of torn paper, so I'm wondering if I've damaged the plate somehow. I'll put some baby oil on it next time I use it. Thanks for your tips and advice, it's been really helpful. Now, back to discover more of your videos. Mx

[@kathleenwhite6161]

Just purchased a set of gel plates and I found this video very helpful! Thank you for posting!

[@ruthscott5166]

Thank you. I just received my first Gel Plate yesterday and appreciate finding your care and storage tips. NOW, to begin 😊

[@kryssygee4814]

So helpful! Thank you for sharing your experience!

[@anneroberts9431]

Thanks for the hints and tips Theresa x

[@dreamartoriginala1014]

Thank you for this information and tips! Very much needed!

[@ellenschmidt3005]

Very valuable tips, Teresa! Thanks so much for sharing them!

[@reginahonore9717]

Thank you for your gel plate care tutorial. I learned so much!

[@kandrews6356]

Thank you Teresa, great tips and suggestions/advise.

[@jerryf1790]

This video was so helpful. Thank you so much.

[@rosaliefunk1629]

Thank you. This has been very helpful.

[@stampinsueduffy]

Great tip about the paper. Never thought of that. Thanks!

[@michelegourd5742]

Thanks so much for sharing!! It was very helpful as I am new to this!!!

[@crislanacrafts1022]

Thank you so much for all the excellent tips! Excited to try my first newly acquired gel plate! 😍😍😍

[@coolstamper]

WOW you gave some GREAT advice here that I never knew or would have thought of!!! TY SOOOOO MUCH!!! 💕🌸💕

[@judyconstantino7035]

Thank you so much for sharing your tips. Much appreciated! Judy from Arizona, USA

[@Abbie7301]

BRILLIANT❣️ this was a much needed video - thank you for sharing your gel plate care tips 🤗

[@kristinnajar8089]

Great tips, thanks for sharing; take care!

[@emilynelson5880]

Extremely helpful! Thank you!

[@bconsilio3764]

Thanks for the information. Very informative and useful.

[@ishka28]

Exactly the information I was looking for. Thanks.

[@erikaalbert-johnston4426]

Thank you, I found this information helpful.

[@karenlusby6230]

Your video helped create great value when every crafting dollar counts to me! Thank you!

[@corbatel]

Thank you, very useful and informative

[@kellyskardsfl]

Perfect timing of This video. I just bought my first plate this week. Thank you!

[@audreyaitken1037]

Thank you for this awesome video for us beginners and experts using gel presses ❣

[@RecraftedByCarol]

This was such a great video brilliant tips, thank you so much Teresa, I had mine in the original packaging, I even put them in new acetate !I have now put them in paper and oiled them, really appreciate your advice today :)

[@robinsutton4952]

Thank you. My first plate got bubbles. It made some interesting prints. But had to get another and started using the paper, no bubbles. My problem is I can’t build up grungy bits, except on the side where the paints run over. Well back to the gel plate. On a side note: it was one of the best crafting investments I ever made!

[@elizabeththomas8657]

Great tips-never thought to condition with baby oil! Thank you!

[@kevintuituu8108]

Thank you for such valuable knowledge. It was great to watch ad learn from. Thank you for your channel. Really inspirational. Blessings, Kevin - Australia.

[@Valkennestblogspot]

Thank you for all these good tips! I just bought my first plate and also just discovered your channel. Great tutorials! Thank you for sharing. Greetings from the Netherlands Maia

[@lindalambert3077]

Thank you I’m new to this so all tips help

[@doreethorpe4800]

Very informative and helpful! Now off to watch your other videos!❤

[@sheilaghwhite6701]

Thank you Teresa, great advice. I hadn’t heard of using baby oil before. I will get my plates out and do a maintenance session using your advice.👍

[@9liveslisa]

I never knew that air bubbles would create a problem. Great video. Thanks for sharing this information.

[@wordscrafter]

Baby oil! Never thought of that! What a great idea. And pulling off grungy bits with tape and reusing on mixed media, brilliant. LOTS of great tips here, thanks so much for sharing this 😀!!!

[@1mammalee]

Thank you! I can't wait to try this having had nothing but disappointment with image transfering. :)

[@murielwhite9472]

Hi Teresa, Thank you for this video. I've got 2 gelli plates which have those circle marks and yes I've been storing them in the original packaging. I've just ordered another plate so I will certainly use a paper covering with my new plate. Thanks for the tip

[@chrissiebury5339]

So useful, thank you! 😊

[@noleencreates]

Thank you for this. Just got your first plate, didn't know about the bubbles, and knowing how to condition it with baby oil will help too.

[@lesleybell541]

Super helpful!

[@michellemybelle22]

This explains the marks on my plate! TY

[@SDcatlover1]

Just had to comment on the mineral oil advice. WOW…what a difference that made. I am a somewhat meticulous cleaner of my gel plates, so imagine my surprise when I took two of my already cleaned/stored gel plates and applied mineral oil. I couldn’t believe that the mineral soaked paper towel piece pulled off a considerable amount of black…WOW!! I next took your advice and spritz them with water to clean off the mineral oil. My gel plates look great 👍. Thank you sooo much.

[@jimandpegzeleznik19]

Hello again! I've missed you! I hope you are having a wonderful holiday and enjoying yourself and that nothing is wrong. I so look forward to waking up to your wonderful videos every Saturday morning. I've learned so very much from you. Again, thank you for all the wonderful videos and I hope we will see you again soon. (Peg)

[@TeresaMorgan]

Thank you. I will be back creating again soon, I promise x

[@cartoline9404]

Thank you !!!

[@gracebullen5584]

I ve been cleaning mine with baby wipes but will switch to water and occasional baby oil. Great suggestion about using paper instead of the Mylar. Thank you!

[@lollymom87]

I hope you’re doing well. You’ve been in my thoughts.

[@bl0tt44]

very useful, thank you x

[@NoitArt]

Great informative video.

[@marie-lauredechauton6756]

Excellent tuto clair et précis!!! Merci pour vos précieux conseils et votre bienveillance à l'égard de cette assiette "magique"!!! Je m'abonne donc avec JOIE!!! Merci pour votre partage!

[@Reneesfun]

Very helpful

[@lyndaholloway5469]

All wonderful tips. I am wondering what to do about a plate that has become very sticky. I have had the plate for a number of years and took care of it from advice from other KZbin artists and some was way wrong. I am trying to do better now. Thanks for your video. The best to you.

[@jesseb5112]

I use mineral oil on my plate, but I thought paper pulled the oil out of the plate.

[@mariettlinger8965]

Thank you!!

[@Ahoneywell]

Thanks!

[@lynnebutler9350]

Thank you 🎨❤️

[@gigidtx]

Thank you so much! I found your video while looking for a gel plate conditioning tutorial. Fabulously helpful 🌼 Have you ever tried the dylusions gel plate conditioner?

[@barbarajeffers4223]

Appreciate this just changed the plastic for paper on my new plate. Having fun with this. Are there any recommendations for brayers, mine leaves lines.

[@Craft-Addict]

Thank you for the super tips! Where else can we store the gel plates?

[@SlappingPaintonPaper]

Thank you so much for this video, I totally got an air bubble on my plate so I will try to do what you suggest to fix it...

[@TeresaMorgan]

Glad it helped

[@CraigsOverijse]

Thanks for the tips I had been using the Mylar and it does have a small mark that looks like a circle with in the gel and I’m wondering if this is the reason now it doesn’t indent though. I have washed mine in a sink before and it’s easy to do.

[@jennrowsell7868]

❤

[@danaboswell216]

You for helping is take care of our gelli plates

[@michellesmixedmediamadness]

Thanks for the tips. I'm still very new to gel prints so I'm happy to have found your channel. I'm finding that I'm getting little flakes of paint from my brayer when I'm working with the acrylic paints. I have a Speedball soft rubber brayer. I wonder if I am doing something wrong? Any tips?

[@LigeiaInOctober]

Without looking at your brayer it sounds like it has build up of acrylic paint. Without a proper cleaning i found that it was building up. I found a video on KZbin with how to remedy and also online. Two choices (I do the 1st one and have not done the second one but am going to try it out soon): after you finish gel plate printing session soak the brayer in water with some liquid dish soap (I use Dawn). Let it soak for about 15-30 minutes. Then use a soft brush like the kind you use for cleaning nails and gently scrub it and voila! It removes ALL the acrylic paint layered up. The colors might stain the brayer but I don’t mind that especially if the brayer roller is black. (Be careful you don’t submerge your brayer if it has a wooden handle) 2nd option is to get some Murphy’s Oil Soap - large bottle. Pour into a container that can hold a good amount of the soap and you can submerge fully your brayer roller (again careful with your wooden handle ones as it may damage your handle). Don’t put several at same time if they can’t fit without the brayer rollers touching. Leave it overnight and next day the layers of paint will slide off. Supposed to leave them looking like new. You can keep the Murphy Oil Soap in container and re-use it again for future clean offs. I did read that you could just mix some with water and has similar results and throw out the soapy water afterwards. First one works for me because that’s the first thing I start of in my clean up of my area and tools. So by the time I’m done with that area clean up my brayer has soaked long enough and I can easily remove the acrylic built up by gently brushing them with a nail brush. Hope that helps you! (I’m a newbie on this too and am just sponging up everyone’s tips and knowledge as I experiment. It’s been loads of fun that it’s all I think about doing when I get home 😅. It was my thing to do in my 1.5 week stay-cation over this holiday.)

[@dawnarobertson9577]

OHHHHHHH! I have the air bubbles and haven’t touched my gel print since 😩 If only I had known . . .

[@dreamartoriginala1014]

Can you use India ink on the plate? Thanks for this information!

[@susanstern6303]

What about plates that don’t have a clam shell? I can’t find a box container big enuf either.

[@GitteHB]

I Love this video (as much as all of your videos)! I specifically looked for this cleaning topic as I have big issues cleaning my Gelli Plate. It looks so easy when Teresa clean the plate after each use. When I do the same I need almost a whole kitchen paper roll... Any ideas please? I have used baby oil (again, not just some drops but tablespoons! of it) and that helped but still spending SOOO much time cleaning that I don't really use my Gelli plates anymore. I love Teresas videos and would so much like to try them out. Please, can you help with some tips and tricks?

[@TeresaMorgan]

I really don't know. If your plate is very dirty it may be worth spending some time to get it as clean as you can, and then it should be easier to keep it cleaner. If a lot of paint is left on the plate after pulling a print, use paper to try and pull more off before cleaning. If the paint has dried on, add a very thin layer of wet paint and then use paper to pull most of it off. However, you could learn to love it, some people choose to leave leftover paint on the plate as it adds texture and pattern to future prints. Hope this helps x

[@GitteHB]

@@TeresaMorgan Thank you very much for your advice. I have tried you 'guide' on the smaller plate and it seems to work. I think I will try to use a paint that doesn't dry as fast as the one I'm using now (Golden Fluid) . Looking forward to viewing more of your videos :)

[@megtravis1218]

I rinse my plate in the sink when I am done painting for the day. It cleans up easily that way. Dry and store for next time.

[@maureensea4753]

Hello Theresa, can you use both sides of the plate?

[@galezimmerman8323]

Have you every used procion dyes on cloth using your gelli plate? If so, how/? Thanks for your videos, I'm about to try your leaf prints on cloth with procion dye paste, but it presents its own challenges. Thank

[@timeenuf4200]

You can buy non-alcoholic wet wipes too. I can't get rid of a rough texture after first use. Anything for that? I'll try the paper and the weights. Thank you - lots of good ideas.

[@TeresaMorgan]

Wet wipes are convenient but I try to avoid them unless they are biodegradable. I haven't had a rough texture on my plate so can't advise you on that, sorry.

[@Lijanah]

My plate is stained even though I never used anything else than acrylic paint on it. I think that MAYBE the clear tape cleaning method has removed a kind of protective film. Did not have baby oil at the time to restore the condition. Could this be the issue ? Performance is not altered, just annoyed that ma brand new plate is not crystal clear anymore, so soon.

[@patsykillingsworth9549]

Thank you. Just starting. I have a question...when people are painting they roll their brayer on something next to the geli plate to clean brayer. Is that just plain paper?

[@vintagemovielover4511]

How do you treat plate from drying out the paper sucks out all the oil ?

[@dianesutton9282]

Thank you 😊 I had stored it back with the original plastic and just checked it now & there are bubbles on it plus a strand of my hair 😂 how long do you think it will need out for it to smooth out?

[@TeresaMorgan]

I guess you should see improvement after a couple of weeks. Use the plate and clean/condition/store as I suggested and it should settle unless the bubbles are very severe.

[@dianesutton9282]

@@TeresaMorgan thank you for your help 😊

[@margorudder6781]

Did yours ever smooth out?

[@dianesutton9282]

@@margorudder6781 Hi Margo, I have had a break from craft and card making so not sure 🤣

[@katewalton6350]

can you use mineral oil to wipe off plate?

[@melissasmith3297]

Just got a new gel plate. Immediately tried to do some prints using just copy paper and acrylic paint. I don't have a brayer yet but just spread the paint around with a plastic tube I have laying around. Nothing really transferred to the paper, but instead paint stuck to the gel plate immediately. The paper kind of shredded sticking to the paint like it had been glued down. I ended up frustrated and just cleaning the paint off with baby wipes. What am I doing wrong? Should I have done something to condition it first?

[@TeresaMorgan]

I am sorry you are having problems. What brand is your plate?

[@melissasmith3297]

@@TeresaMorgan stampendous, creative pallette

[@TeresaMorgan]

@@melissasmith3297 I haven't used that myself but have seen several posts in the Gelatin Printing Enthusiasts group about it. It seems that you have to add an extender medium to the paint to stop it drying so quickly. A lot of people have been disappointed with it for the reasons you stated. My advice would be to try and return it and by a Gel Press plate instead. I know it isn't good news, but at least you are not alone in having this issue - it is the plate at fault, not you.

[@teresamazotti1315]

I was told to never store your gel plates in paper. The paper draws the oils out and ruins them

[@darlenerusso5968]

Never put your gel plate on an absorbent surface like wood or paper, it sucks out the mineral oil and dries it out.

[@vintagemovielover4511]

What do use then with the plastic sheets being a no no for air bubbles ? Either way it's bad news mine is only newish so worried about maintaining an investment for me.

[@Sierra0209]

pour les non anglophones , ce n est que du bla bla bla bla bla

[@Lijanah]

vous pouvez activer les sous-titres dans les paramètres youtube, puis choisir l'option traduire automatiquement et choisir la langue. La traduction est approximative car générée par un robot mais ça aide quand même

[@bonniesmith1886]

Thank you for this informative video.