I have discovered yet another rabbit hole. I know. I have stopped counting. I sometimes feel like Sisyphus, but rather than being condemned to forever pushing a boulder up a mountain, it seems I have been condemned to forever try new things. I am OK with that. And although my life sentence does involve work, it’s a lot more fun, I imagine, than that rock-pushing thing. So what, do you ask, is the new thing this time? It’s called “gel printing”. It is a derivative of printing, and that is how I came across it. I think I first saw a gel (or gelli) plate at an online art supply store, but I had no idea what it was. I was undoubtedly looking for materials to use as carving blocks for printing. I remember thinking that these gel plates were much more expensive than their linoleum or vinyl counterparts, so I quickly dismissed them. But it turns out they are not meant for carving a design into just once, but rather as a reusable surface from which to print. Confusing, I know. The best would be to see one in action. And where could you do that? YouTube, of course. So I watched a few videos of the gel plate in action, and I had pretty much come to the conclusion that it was more for “craft” or “scrapbooking” types of art, until I found Mark Yeates, of the “Yeates Makes” YouTube channel. I had definitely underestimated the power and potential of the gel plate. Mark is an experimenter. A true experimenter. I am nowhere near as bold and fearless as he is. He tries anything! And doesn't mind sharing the process, warts and all! I have to admit that it is comforting to see that there are other artists out there who are a lot more experimental than I will ever be! Makes me feel normal! Anyway. If you haven’t already gone off to see a few videos of gel plates, let me explain how they work. A gel plate is a flexible clear silicone mat, about ½ inch thick. They come in various sizes, from about 3 inches square to a bit over a foot square. You create an image on the surface using a variety of mediums or techniques, mainly involving acrylic paint. Then you transfer this image to a surface, usually paper. You can transfer images or parts of images from magazines or laser prints, you can build layers of images, either right on the plate or by accumulating multiple transfers to the receiving surface (paper). Mostly, paint is applied to the plate with a roller or brayer, but you can also paint directly on the plate, you can use objects or stencils to add designs to the paint on the plate, and as my new friend Mark Yeates has shown me, you can even transfer your original artwork to the plate, which in my mind raises this technique beyond somewhat random colors and patterns to bona fide original art. I am still learning. It looks so easy when I watch them do it. So many variables can affect the result, not the least of which in my case is my lack of experience with acrylic paint. Most of the resulting prints have an imperfect, slightly grungy look, which I am also not used to, but which I quite like in others’ work. I just have to give myself permission to produce it. Pacify the perfectionist. Who knows? Maybe this will help me loosen up a bit in my other painting! What about you? Have you ever heard of gel printing? Have you tried it? I would love to know how you use it and see what you have done! Let me know in the comments.
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AuthorMy name is Claire Bureau. Archives
March 2023
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