Printing with Gelli Arts® Gel Plates and Pigment Ink Pads

Today Birgit is showing us how to create colorful prints using pigment ink pads! The biggest advantage of using pigment inks instead of acrylic paint is that you can use your rubber stamps to create texture without ruining them. Make sure to leave a little bit of space between the different colors when applying them to the gel plate to avoid contaminating your ink pads. Now press texture plates or rubber stamps into the ink to create patterns and texture. The inks don’t dry on the plate which gives you a lot of time to work and create texture. If you like to have more variety in your prints you can create a “collage.” Apply the inks in blocks and blend the colors. Then add texture in small areas, you can even let them overlap if you like, until the whole plate is filled with texture. Now, instead of placing the whole piece of paper on the plate, print in parts. Print different areas of the plate on the same piece of paper. Continue until the whole piece is covered and then move on with the next piece of paper until all the ink has been lifted up from the gel plate. Now you have some beautiful colorful prints that you can use as backgrounds, but the inks are water soluble so the backgrounds are not permanent. Birgit likes her backgrounds to be permanent so she found a way to solve that “problem.” She applied a thin layer of gel medium to the gel plate and placed her print on top. She carefully rolled over it with her brayer. She dried the print with her heat gun and then repeated the process to make sure the whole surface was well covered with gel medium. When the gel medium is dry the inks will no longer be reactivated by water or other media. We hope you enjoyed this tutorial and would love to see what you create! Happy printing!
Read the full tutorial at the blog: gelliarts.blog...
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[@Iamedsmum]

Given a gel plate, a brayer, a few tubes of paint, a stencil, a couple of stamps, a piece of paper and a video camera, you produce miracles and I spend hours watching you weave your magic. Dear Birgit, you are my lock-down star and an absolute GENIUS. Thank you for everything. Marion, North Somerset, UK

[@Sick1982]

Omg, that gel medium on the plate to make it permanent is genius 😮

[@cassfonnesbeck8057]

I just started using gel plates and want to learn as much as i can. This is a very helpful tutorial, thanks!

[@rubenmchaffie3413]

First time seeing the artist plates used, love them

[@bethmiller4266]

This is pretty genius .Love working with ink pads. They’re so much less messier than paints! Thank you so much 👍🌻

[@NicieIbarra]

Awesome idea, can't wait to try it!

[@findelasedades1779]

Wow! this is amazing. Thank you so much for share it!

[@lindaepstein7736]

I love this technique, and the tags turned out so beautifully. Thank you so much for sharing this. Oh, and making them permanent was a real bonus. Thanks again.

[@encouragementclub1448]

Wow, Birgit! You never cease to amaze me! Thanks for a great tutorial. ~Bo

[@heatherherrmann1777]

What a nifty trick at the end! I'm expecting my 12x12 gelli plate today and I too prefer my backgrounds permanent so I plan to use this on all of my water soluble products now! Especially since I do a ton of watercoloring! Awesome video!

[@thelasonj]

So creative! I love watching your videos. Thanks for posting. Love the patchwork aspect of those tags.🧡💜🧡

[@timeenuf4200]

Clever idea on rolling on the gel medium. Much easier than hand. Thank you.

[@rebeccagable9629]

Beautiful tags!!

[@missprissokla1]

absolutely fabulous video and I love the great tip about the gel medium, now I can use my distress inks alot....Thank You!!

[@bananashaveice]

You're a creative genius! These fun techniques produce gorgeous art! Thank you for the tip on how to preserve the prints. I need to dust off my GelliArt plate & play! Hugs!

[@Cyrilmc222004]

I really and absolutely love 💕 those beautiful and stunning tags 🏷. Thank you so much xxx Mags

[@fairydustlight3489]

Fabulous techniques. Gorgeous results. You come up with the best ideas. TFS.

[@suefalls1600]

Love that idea!!!!

[@carlenejake]

TFS, beautiful tags and great tip for sealing.

[@bonniekitt1]

Wow! I really love this technique! It’s brilliant. Thanks. 😁

[@CouzCat]

Thanks so much. I think this printing is so fun, however, as a card maker I have a ton of inks but no acrylics. This is a great technique that lets me leverage what I have. I like the tip. Gel medium is considerably more affordable as a sealant than the Tim Holtz micro glaze

[@ScrapbookingManiabyNuria]

I learn so much from your videos! THANK YOU 😍

[@cindycreateforlife]

Excellent tutorial, thank you for sharing and inspiring us!💕🇨🇦

[@wendymallas4755]

Brilliant idea with the gel medium, Birgit! Prints are also beautiful. 😍

[@waukonstandard]

Love your idea for applying a protective layer!!!

[@jillkent6134]

Love this technique would also look lovely with more subdued colours for a vintage look.

[@3607Mario]

You are a genius in design and application! TFS

[@traceybartlam5940]

I LOVE these! I don’t have pigment inks anymore however I’m going to try oxide inks later. Thanks for the inspiration.

[@janetvisochi-baum7572]

Hi Birgit - thank you for this wonderful video and the tip at the end. Your work is beautiful and inspiring!

[@suerichardson1207]

Great video. Thanks. Can’t wait to try it,

[@allthumbs3792]

Love this look! Must try it and thanks for the tip about the gel medium to seal the colors.

[@miracleartinspirations8919]

As always a joy and inspiration! Thanks for sharing

[@FDwife153]

fantastic solution on how to make the inks permanent without smudging -- thinks to self..."why didn't i think of that?!" LOL

[@didiroche8432]

So clever! I can’t wait to try this!

[@mixedupmargie]

The colors 😍💚❤💖💛💜

[@beckyswartzlander9923]

These are great. Another technique I’m gonna try. TFS

[@julaiesummer9293]

Whouaw!!!👏👍😍😍 Magnifique!!

[@sylviacostello2979]

just order those ink pads today cant wait until they arrive x

[@Pila426]

So pretty!

[@pamela6636]

Always so inspiring!!

[@GmaReezScrapShack]

i gotta get me a jelly plate looks like FUN!

[@christianedahl2967]

Wonderful! 😊 Thank you!

[@andreamaiorana8490]

Just beautiful, thank you!

[@shardarao]

Wow!

[@HelenGullett]

Thank you for sharing the tips how to apply the gel medium on them. LOVE all the vibrant colors. Also... have you tried Gelatos with Gelli Plate?

[@mariemaksud8636]

waouhhh so wonderful beautiful...

[@KiwiJane1]

This is great!! However, I'd have to roll that inked brayer (and rubber stamps) on sheets of white paper and save as backgrounds for printing on later. Ink is precious...must not waste ;-)

[@sallycain3716]

Fab! Now I get to use my pigment inks too. Would Tim Holtz Distress Glaze work to waterproof too?

[@quirkycat2489]

I found this video very helpful as I am new to gelli printing, so new the plate is still in the pack! I notice you use pigment ink pads, can dye ink pads be used as well? Think that's the correct term, I know one ink can be used with alcohol paints and the other with water colour pens etc. My worry is that I use something that melts the plate!

[@VElaineA]

I love this!

[@beatriceleclercq8933]

good morning, I have a little question. How do you clean the Gelli between 2 projects. Thanks in advance for your answer. Béatrice . Belgium

[@tashalee4294]

Had to slow this down to .25 to see she is using versafine ink pads!

[@dianekohl9179]

Beautiful! Can you use collage medium or a matte medium or microglaze?

[@suerifenburg3688]

I tries this and for some reason my distress ink just beaded up any suggestions. It didn't work for me.

[@valeriehofmann2615]

I had that same problem. Did you find a better way?

[@suerifenburg3688]

@@valeriehofmann2615 not really.

[@SusanneRose]

This didnt work for me. The Distress Oxides do not "stay" on the plate. And I am using an original from gelli arts. 😔

[@ibkristykat]

my plate is REALLY gunked up and my Oxides worked fine. idk if a really pristine clean plate maybe encourages oxides AND regular distress ink to bead up, and not give good impressions. but it worked well for me and my plate is no longer tacky like the gelli plate used to be when I got it.

[@MimiBondi]

Love this Birgit however my distress oxides kind of ''bead up'' on my gel plate (ie it's not sticking smoothly like yours) so I'm not getting good results... I have tried on both gelli arts and gel press plates, same blotchy results. Any idea what is going on and how to fix it??

[@KaileyB616]

Mimi Bondi are you using a brayer to smooth the ink out? It sounds like it has to do with some kind of oil used in making the plate maybe...?

[@valeriehofmann2615]

Mine did that too. I even used a brayer to smooth it out. Maybe my ink pads are to dry

[@MimiBondi]

@@valeriehofmann2615 I think it was because I used a baby wipe to clean my gel plate back then 😉

[@valeriehofmann2615]

@@MimiBondi you mean that caused the beading? Mine beads when it was brand new. Im thinking of cleaning it as the surface is to slick?

[@MimiBondi]

@@valeriehofmann2615 I think wiping with something wet might have been left some moisture on my pads, I'm not 100% sure though. But I tired different pads and it seems OK 😊

[@jeanmichaels8686]

Can you transfer these colors to fabric instead of paper?

[@suzannecgwynne8498]

Cool!

[@jennifers8843]

My inks bead up on my Gelli plate????

[@WendysCraftDen]

Hi Brigit. I saw video yesterday with using a Gel Press and had to order one so should have it today. My question is. What colours should I avoid so that I don't get a muddy look? I am slightly colour blind so I need a rough guide. I have ink pads from Tim Holtz and a couple of others not named. Can I also use emulsion paints, I am making a Den/Playroom and have loads of tester pots as I cant decide on the colour. Thank you. Hugs xxx

[@donnal.hanrahan2824]

❤️❤️❤️

[@jcmamet]

if my pigment ink pad is not as juicy as the ones you are using is there a way to get the ink back ?

[@KaileyB616]

Judith Cassel-Mamet apply glycerin to the ink pad

[@jeanmiskimon4018]

Wow

[@Sierra0209]

c est quoi le papier que vous appliquez à l envers ?

[@jennywilliams6905]

Looks like I'm alone here, but I hate videos with no voice and only music, trying to read the printed word and follow what you're doing is nearly impossible. The music is extremely annoying. It looks like you're techniques are probably terrific, but I'll never know.

[@Iamedsmum]

Turn the sound off.

[@lynnedove9163]

Wow!