A

Gelli Printing Adventure

By Mahe Zehra Husain

Copyright Mahe Zehra Husain, 2014
All rights reserved.









A Gelli Printing Adventure - A Beginners Guide to Making your own Gelli

Plate, Texture Tools, Prints and Projects

Copyright by Mahe Zehra Husain. First Edition. All rights reserved. The projects, patterns, designs,
instructions and all art in this book are for the inspiration and the personal use of the reader. It is not
to be republished or reproduced/ resold under any circumstances. It is permissible for the purchaser
to create the projects outlined in this book to sell but no other part of this book may be reproduced
electronically or by mechanical means, without permission from the author. The publisher/author
does not accept responsibility or guarantee results of the projects. Many tools and supplies used to
create the projects are not meant for children. The author/publisher does not accept responsibility for
any injury occurred while making the projects in this book.
Copyright 2014 - Mahe Zehra Husain

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Contents

Introduction
Chapter 1: The Journey
Chapter 2: The Toolbox
Gelli Plate
Brayer
Acrylic Paints
Texture Tools
Texture Plates
Stamps
Masks
Found Items
Stencils
Paper
Foam
Acetate
Plastic Plates
The Shopping List
Chapter 3: Make your Gelli Plate
Gelli Plate Recipe
Chapter 4: Make your Tools
Texture Tools
Texture Plates
Stamps
Masks
Stencils
5

Chapter 5: Techniques
Simple Printing
Second Prints
Adding Texture with Tools
Using Texture Plates
Using Stencils
Masking
Paint Splatters
Stamping
Adding Two Colors
Metallic Overlay
Sponging
Printing on Dictionary Paper
Double Prints
Using String
Using Corrugated Card
Bubble Wrap
Water Spritz
Doodle on the Plate
Use Frames
Use Doilies
Use Stamping Ink
Print on Acetate
Print on Black Card
Videos and a Workbook
Chapter 6: Projects
Journal
Little Houses
Notebooks
6

A Gelli Printed Abode

Cards
Notecard Set
Envelopes
Tags
Bookmarks
Frames

Introduction
I have been fascinated by printmaking for a long time now and when I started
reading up on it I found it to be a very friendly and forgiving craft form. Each
print you pull of the plate has a sense of surprise and mystery and ninety five
percent of the time the surprise is good. I fell in love with Gelli printing the
moment I saw how colorful the prints could be and how I could use items found
around the house as wonderful printmaking tools!
Here was a craft that understood the importance of being green and reusing
materials that were otherwise destined for the trash.
For those of you who know my work, you know that I am forever trying to figure
out how I can make use of old boxes, soda cans, plastic packing and more.
Imagine my joy at being able to use all the things I had gathered and saved over
time to make beautiful prints.
Join me as I use bottle caps, paper towel rolls, bubble wrap, old card, corrugated
card boxes and more to make beautiful gelli prints.
Grab a pen and paper and go through my lists of things to shop for and others to
look out for and start your own little gelli print factory! You will be totally
addicted to this art form before youre done with the book and youll have prints
enough to make art journals for all your family and friends this Christmas.
If youre looking for a fun art form that is perfect for both advanced and beginner
crafters, good for adults and children, and relaxing too, youve picked up the right
book and chosen the right craft to pursue.

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Chapter 1: The Journey

Before I start any journey or embark upon any artistic adventure I always like to
know the route and a little bit about what Ill be doing while on the journey. I
assume youre the same, if so read on, if not, feel free to skip this Chapter and
start assembling your printing toolbox in Chapter 2.
Gelli printing is very hard to teach in a set format. There are so many things that
happen along your print run that are fun but not necessarily a technique in their
own right. That is why I have tried to add structure to the book by sticking to a
few basic techniques and tools that you will need yet I end the Chapters I feel
need more explanation using a video. This makes this book a text, picture and
video guide to help you along your print making journey.
That said if you ever feel the need for more explanation or clarification, feel free
to drop me a line at thecraftycan@gmail.com. I love to get mail and am forever
running to mailbox and hitting my inbox refresh key when I am not writing books
or chatting with yall on Facebook
So to start our adventure we will talk about the tools and materials needed for the
journey. Isnt that the case with all journeys though? One must know what to pack
and take along to make the most of the adventure. Chapter two will list some
items that we will be using in our printmaking adventure so that youre well
prepared for the creative roads ahead.
Chapter 3 will introduce us to the most important tool needed for printmaking
The Gelli Plate. Now you can choose to make your own, like I did, or buy one
from the market. I have read rave reviews about the Gelli plate that is now
available in several sizes. I find them a little too expensive for moi, but you might
like to try them out.
Chapter 4 is full of fun tips, tricks and tutorials for making your own tools for
printmaking. From texture combs to plates, masks and more. Dont throw out that
cardboard box just yet! Youll need it for the plates.
Chapter 5 is full of techniques that I have tried on my Gelli plate to date. This is
by no means an exhaustive list. It is just meant to be a guide or I guess it would be
better to say, a diving point for you into the beautiful waters of printmaking. I
end this Chapter with a video of what one of my print runs looks like. I really
want you to get a feel of how we might start our print run with a few set ideas of
what we want to achieve but the colors on the plate and the tools around us have
ideas of their own and may take us quite another way. The best way I could see
11

for you to follow along as I embarked upon this trip was to take you along via
video. You will find a link at the end of Chapter 5 that will take you to a special
webpage set up just for you to access the video as well as a pdf that accompanies
this book. If the link doesnt work for you please try the Free Today section of
www.alteredupcycling.com.
The pdf is an album of some of my best prints and the basic steps I used to get it.
Now that does not mean your print will look the same if you follow the steps and
that is part of the beauty of this process. Even if I followed the exact same steps I
would get a different print but what it will do is give you an idea and a path to
follow to get something similar. Feel free to print this pdf for your reference.
Chapter 6 is the last Chapter in this book and will give you a few ideas on what to
do with all your gorgeous prints. I have turned my prints into everything from
notecards, envelopes, cards to napkin rings, journals, ATC backgrounds and even
framed prints. What will you do with your prints?
After reading this book I am quite sure you will be as in love with printmaking
using a Gelli plate as I am. Dont forget to share your love with a friend or family
member. Do try to bring creativity in the lives of those you love for living an
artful life is a wonderful thing!

12

13

Chapter 2: The Toolbox

14

Gelli Plate
Well be making our own Gelli plate and for that we will need Knoxx Unflavored
Gelatin, Glycerin, Rubbing Alcohol and water.

15

Brayer
Invest in a good quality brayer. It will last you a very long time and is essential
for printmaking.

16

Acrylic Paints
The more the merrier! The quality doesnt really matter and I have used the some
of the most inexpensive brands with amazing results.

17

Texture Tools
We will make some and buy some. I got an awesome little pack at Walmart. It is
supposed to be used for kiddy art but was exactly what I needed and at the price I
like inexpensive! To make our own texture tool we will need some hard card
and some silicon baking tools from the dollar store.

18

Texture Plates
Ill show you how to make your own texture plates using corrugated card and
funky foam.

19

Stamps
Use the ones you have at home and then see if you want some specific designs.
Word stamps are best made at home using foam alphabet and card. You need to
make them differently to store bought ones or else they will print opposite. See
Chapter 4 and 5 for more information.

20

Masks
Store bought ones are great and youll find some awesome ones by Tim Holtz but
you can make your own too! All you need is some plastic packaging.

21

Found Items
I cannot tell you how fun it is to around the house looking for stuff to print with.
Pick up a small bag or box and lets go! Look for:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.

Bubble Wrap
Doilies
Bottle Caps
Magazines
Plastic Mesh
Embossed Card
Diecuts
Paper Towel Rolls
Plastic Packaging
Combs
Stiff Card
Old Corrugated Card Boxes

22

Stencils
Store bought ones are awesome as more and more companies start making stencils
for mixed media artists. You can also try to make your own using plastic
sheets/packaging and a craft knife. I use both, homemade and store bought ones.

23

Paper
I love printing on different kinds of paper. Copy paper and dictionary paper are
my two favorites.

24

Foam
Need lots of funky foam in sheets and shapes and alphabets you can make a lot
of word stamps, texture plates and other stamps using this fun and inexpensive
material.

25

Acetate
You can buy acetate sheets from the store or use plastic saved from packaging.
This is awesome for making stencils and masks and even to print on.

26

Plastic Plates
We will need slightly larger pieces of plastic which are very rigid, almost glass
like to hold our gelli plate. The plastic/glass makes an awesome base for the plate.
For your easy reference here is a list of the stuff we need. There are two lists, one
of stuff to buy and another of stuff to look for in the house. It may be that some
of stuff I found at home youll have to buy and some that I bought you already
have but I thought it would be easier for you to see the different lists. This list can
also be downloaded here to print and take with you to the art store. If the link
doesnt work for you please try the Free Today section of
www.alteredupcycling.com.
Want to peek inside my toolbox? Click here.

27

28

The Shopping List

Look for at home
Bubble Wrap
Bottle Caps
Paper Towel Rolls
Magazines
Plastic Packaging
Combs
Diecut Shapes
Corrugated Card Box
Stiff Card
Scissors
Glue
Flat Baking Dish
Dictionary Paper
Corrugated Card
String

Trip to the store

Brayer
Acrylic Paints
Knoxx Unflavored gelatin 7 packets
29

Glycerin 1.5 cups

Rubbing Alcohol 0.5 cups
Stencils
Masks
Stamps
Stamp Pads
Texture Tools from Walmart
Doilies
Paper
Thick Funky Foam
Acetate Sheets
Plastic Mesh
Woven Placemat from Dollar Store
Silicon Spatula from Dollar Store
Black Card

30

Chapter 3: Make your Gelli Plate

Gelli Plate Recipe
Making your own Gelli plate is super simple and fun!
To make your own plate you will need:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

1 Cup Glycerin
Gelatin Unflavored Knoxx 7 packets
0.5 Cup Rubbing Alcohol
1.5 Cups Boiling Water
A Flat Dish

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The first time I made my plate I didnt use the right dish to set it and my prints
looked funny. All I did to fix it was cut it up, throw it into a bowl and into my
microwave for 30 seconds. Then I poured the mixture into a flat baking dish A
glass Pyrex one and set it in the fridge for a while.
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If you want you can exchange the alcohol for the same amount of glycerin. I still
have to try and make one without the alcohol in it. I think it might be stronger
and better.
This recipe can also be downloaded here to print. If the link doesnt work for you
please try the Free Today section of www.alteredupcycling.com.

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34

Chapter 4: Make your Tools

Texture Tools
It is really simple to make your own texture tools using some simple supplies. I
love making my own designs and in this section you will find how easy it is to
make all sorts of printing tools. From texture tools, texture plates to stamps and
masks. Lets start with some texture tools.
In the previous chapter you saw that I found some pretty awesome tools for quite
a reasonable price at Walmart. I love those tools but I still want to make my own
too!
To make your own texture tools you will need:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Silicon Baking Spatula from the $ Store

Card Slightly stiff card will work
Scissors
Decorative Scissors
Comb A thick plastic one

Procedure:
1. Take the $ Store silicone baking spatula and cut some notches it in as shown
in the picture below. This will turn it into a texture tool. You can drag the
spatula across your gel plate to make designs. You can make straight lines
or waves for different effects.

The awesome thing about Silicone baking goods is that they wont really
hurt your plate. Try buying a basting brush too and see what sort of designs
you can make with those!

35


2. Use some stiff card and your decorative scissors to make some more tools.
All you have to do is take a piece of card mine is usually index sized and
cut one of the longer ends using the decorative scissors to get a designed
edge. When you drag these tools across your gelli plate they will all make
different marks. You can use both a straight or wavy motion to make
different designs. Be careful to not scratch your plate. Some artists prefer
making these tools using funky foam but I like the sturdier versions using
36

cereal box card.

3. A thick comb can also be used on the gelli plate to make designs and add
texture to your finished print. Just be careful while dragging it across.
Dont apply too much force and make sure the comb has rounded edges.

37

38

Texture Plates
Texture plates are like embossing folders, they have a raised pattern. You can
choose to make your texture plates on a base of funky foam or corrugated card
board. I am a super green crafter and so I like to use card cut out from packing
boxes to make the base of my texture plates.
To make your own texture plates you will need:
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.

A $ Store Raffia Placemat

Corrugated Card Packing Boxes Mail Boxes
Scissors
Thick Funky Foam Preferably sticky backed
Glue
Funky Foam Stickers
Bubble Wrap

We will be making three kind of texture plates in this section. One will be based
on Funky Foam stickers and shapes, another will use the raffia placemat and the
third will be a simple bubble wrap plate.
1. Measure your gelli plate and cut out card pieces of the same size. These are
the base for your plates. You can make as many plates as you want.

2. For the bubble wrap plate all you do is glue some bubble wrap to cover one
side of the card sheet. To use this plate press it down on your gelli print to
remove some paint and add an impression.

3. The Funky Foam plates are also very simple. Use the stickers and shapes to
make a composition/design on your card base. This plate is used the same
way as the bubble wrap one.

4. The placemat plate is possibly my favorite! The texture of the raffia shows
in the prints and makes them look super cool. All you do is cut the placemat
down to the size of the plate and use some clear drying white glue like
Elmers to glue it down. I saved the rest of the pieces to make some long
stamps for borders etc.

39

40

41

This is what I did. This list is by no means exhaustive. You can use drawer liners,
textured cardstock, embossed cardstock and even ribbed corrugated card to make
many more plates.

42

43

Stamps
Like we made the texture plates above, we can also make stamps. Stamps are
basically smaller versions of texture plates. You can also use any rubber or foam
stamps you have in your crafting stash.
To make some stamps of your own you will need:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.

Corrugated Card Board

Scissors
Leftover Raffia Place Mat
Thick Funky Foam
Shaped Buttons
Foam Letters
Elmers Glue
Felt Shapes or Cutouts
Shaped Grommets

44

Making the stamps is simple enough. Here are instructions to make a batch like
mine.
1. Making word stamps is possibly one of my favorite techniques. To do this
all you need is a card base the size of your word and some sticky backed
foam letters. Make sure the foam is thick or else the impression made will
be very faint.

Stick the letters to spell the word you need. My favorites are Dream
Create and Explore

2. I also used the leftover bits of my placemat to make some longer stamps as
shown in the last section. I try to make sure my longer stamps are at least as
long as the longer side of my plate. That way I can have a continuous print.
Once again all you do is stick the leftover pieces in the shape you want to
45

3.

4.

5.

6.

the cardboard using white glue.

You can use the thick funky foam to trace and cut out any shape you want.
The internet is an amazing resource for shapes and silhouettes that are
simple to cut. Or you can use your die-cutting machine to cut out some
shapes using the foam. These in turn can be mounted on the cardboard to
make awesome stamps.

I also like to adhere buttons to the card base to make some stamps. I get
pretty interesting images from them. Brads work the same way. I used
flower shaped grommets and stuck them into some cardboard to make a
cool stamp.

Felt shapes and coasters also work well. The work much better as actual
stamps than at removing paint from a plate. To make them, all you do is
use white glue and stick your felt shape to some corrugated card.

Interesting looking boxes make great stamps too! My craft buttons came in
this awesome plastic box that has the shape of a callout. I just cut the box
and use it to add interest to my gelli prints now.

Once again these are the stamps I have made to date. You can experiment and play
as much as you want.

46

47

Masks
Masks are oh so fun to do! I use all sorts of images from everywhere! Masking
will help you to add lots of interest to your print by blocking of areas in cool
shapes and images. Lets get started.
To make your own masks you will need:
1. Scissors
2. Fun Images from Junk Mail, Catalogues, Magazines and Online Clip Art
Galleries
3. Die-Cut Shapes
4. Plastic or Acetate Sheets
The procedure is super simple.
1. I use die-cuts cut from plastic or acetate. I try to use bits and pieces saved
from packaging. I use all sorts of images from flowers and birds to
Victorian Silhouettes

2. Images found in junk mail and magazines are also great but they need to be
traced out on plastic and then cut them out. Dont use cardstock because it
will soak all the paint up and you will have no paint left on the plate to play
with. When you use plastic masks you can use it to block out certain areas
of the plate and lift a print and then when you remove the plastic mask you
will also have the option of lifting the paint that was left beneath the mask.
When you use a paper mask all the paint that should be left behind is soaked
up too.
You will have an immense library of masks before you know it!

48

49

50

51

Stencils
Use acetate to cut these out using scissors, cutters and die-cutting machines!
Once again the possibilities are endless and this is such a fun way to save pieces
from plastic packaging.
Here is a stencil I cut using a craft knife.

52

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Chapter 5: Techniques
Before we get started on techniques you need to gather all your tools store
bought and homemade. Gather your plate, acetate sheet, printing paper, brayer
and paints. Lets get started!
Throughout this section I will show you some basic techniques I use to make Gelli
Plate prints. Each technique is followed by a description and sample images. At
the end of this chapter you will find a link to a really long bonus video that will
show me doing all these techniques (plus a few more) so that you have
instructions in text, pictures and video!

54

55

56

Simple Printing
We will start with squeezing out some paint on our Gelli plate. Use the brayer to
move the paint around and cover the plate. Lift the brayer after every roll. That is
the most effective way to move the paint across the plate.
Take a sheet of paper and press it down on the plate. Gently rub your palms on
the paper to make sure the print is transferred. Lift up carefully to see your print.
The print you see here has been done using some yellow paint rolled onto the gelli
plate. As you can see it lifted off some pink paint from the last printing run as
well. To add some visual interest I used a homemade word stamp right across the
bottom of the plate before I pulled the print.
For details on printing procedures please do see the bonus video referenced at the
end of this chapter.

57

58

Second Prints
If there is paint left on your plate you can use another sheet of paper and lift a
ghost print. Sometimes though I dont have a lot of paint left on my plate and I
add a thin layer of new paint. Then I lift off the print. Usually all the paint comes
off, but what is super cool is that the paint that was left behind is also lifted,
giving me a super funky look.

The print above is a ghost print. For the print below I had some yellow and pink
paint left on my plate but not enough to pull a full print. I took my roller and
some navy paint and added a new thin layer of paint. When I pulled this print off,
not only did I get the new paint off but also the remnants of the last printing run.
I love this look and mostly dont clean my plate between runs just so that I can get
this look.

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60

Adding Texture with Tools

We made some awesome texture tools in the last chapter and I also told you about
some I bought from Walmart.
I use a few tools I bought from Walmart, a few I cut out of cardboard, some
plastic mesh and my silicone baking/texture tools. If you want to learn how to
make these please read Chapter 4.

The print you see above was made using the following steps.
I added some green, pink, yellow and orange paint to my gelli plate. Since I had
so many colors I used a little of each to make sure I did not end up with too much
paint.
61

I used round shaped plastic mesh and bubble wrap to make the first impressions
and then I used my homemade silicone spatula tool to run waves across the plate.
Some pink dots were added using the eraser end of my pencil.
I lifted this print and fell in love! I have since been using a lot of bright colors in
my printing, they do turn out quite well.
I also lifted a ghost print off this printing run since the colors were bright and I
had a moderate amount of paint left over.

This print was done in much the same way. I added some bright colors to my
Gelli plate and used my brayer to spread them. I then used a simple texture tool
that I had cut using card and dragged it across the plate horizontally and
vertically.
This print was lifted off and the remaining paint was left on the tray. You will be
able to see what happened with the rest of the paint if you scroll back to the
Second Print section. The blue print in that section was made using the pink and
62

orange paint left on the plate after pulling this print. I added some blue paint and
then pulled another print. That way I got the new blue layer and the pink and
orange ghost layer too! Here is the print again for easy reference.

63

Using Texture Plates

If youve read Chapter 4: Make your own Tools, you know that I created some
texture plates using various materials.
The print you see below is made using one of my texture plates. I found an
amazing table mat at the Dollar Store and brought it home with me knowing I had
to turn it into a plate. You can see the instructions on how the mat was changed to
a texture plate in Chapter 4.
This print began as small blobs of paint pink and orange on my Gelli plate.
The paint was then spread using my brayer and the texture plate was pressed in to
lift the paint off.
This print was lifted off right after. You can see that even the woven texture of
the placemat came through! Such simple steps to follow and such amazing results.
I love Gelli Printing because it really appeals to the green crafter in me. I can take
so many items found around the house or in inexpensive places that can be turned
into wonderful tools that can be used again and again for making beautiful prints.

64

This next print was made in the same way. This time though I used blue paint on
my Gelli plate and used a plate I had made using Funky Foam cut in different
rectangular frames. Instructions can be found in Chapter4. After I used the foam
plate to make an impression on my plate I also used a long thin stamp I made
using the leftover placemat pieces and pressed that down before I took my print.
That is why you can see two kinds of prints. The frames in the background and
the lovely placemat texture along the middle in the forefront.

65

66

67

Using Stencils
Stencils on Gelli plates wield some amazing results and can be used in a variety of
different ways.
I laid the stencil on my Gelli plate and rolled over some pink paint. When I lifted
the stencil I had a perfect design waiting to be lifted. I pulled the print on some
plain white paper and the print you see is what I got.

68

69

When I lifted off the image as is usually the case some paint was still left on
the plate. Instead of wasting the paint or cleaning the plate I took another print.
Another way to use the stencils is to cover your Gelli plate with paint and then lay
the stencil on top. Lift the print and youll get something similar to what we saw
before.
But this time youll be able to lift the stencils and like we saw with our masks,
some paint will be left over. When you pull that print youll get what you see
below.

70

Keep playing with your stencils and youll find many different and fun ways to
use them.

71

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Masking
In the last chapter we made a few plastic masks. In this section I will talk about
both plastic and paper masks. As a general rule I dont use too many paper masks
but there are some uses for them too.
In the pictures below you can see that I have used a cake shaped paper mask. This
die-cut shape was one of a pack of 10 or 12 that I bought for a dollar at the Dollar
Tree.
I mixed some light and dark blue paint on my Gelli plate and laid the cake mask
on top. I then pressed a piece of white paper on the plate and lifted off my print.

74


After I lifted my diecut I saw that it had been printed too.
75

76

What was left on the plate was just a slight outline of the plate and so I lifted that
onto an already printed piece. In this way I was able to do three different things
using one application of paint on my plate.

77

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Using a plastic mask I did the same thing. Here is the print that I pulled with the
mask on the plate and a sheet of paper applied on top.

Here is the print I got after I lifted the mask.

79

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83

Paint Splatters
I wanted to try making small paint splatters on my plate and lift those off in prints
too.
I started out with a base of paint on my plate spread using a brayer. I then
dropped very small drop of paint in a random fashion on my plate. I pressed down
some paper and lifted off the print you see below.

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85

Stamping
Using stamps on your Gelli plate can be a lot of fun. As you can see in the picture
below I used my felt coaster stamp and used my brayer to cover it with paint. I
then stamped the image onto my clean Gelli plate. Then I lifted off the stamped
images on a light yellow plain print. I think the contrast looks awesome!
When using this technique with store bought stamps be careful since this will not
work with word stamps.
When we use word stamps on the Gelli plate they are made wrong side around,
when we stamp them on the plate they look right, but when we lift the print they
are mirrored again and so are the wrong way around. Whenever you need words
you should make your own stamps. Make them as you would write them not
mirrored.

86

There is another way to add stamped images too!

Take some paint and roll it out onto your plate. Now take your stamp and use it to
stamp over the paint. Every time you stamp an impression will be made in your
print. Here are the ones I did.

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88

89

90

91

Adding Two Colors

There are a couple of ways to add two colors to your prints. The first way is to
add a couple of colors to the plate and then randomly mix them up using your
brayer. Another way is to add paint to different sections of the plate and use the
brayer to roll out lined sections. These sections are blurred along the edges and
look super cool. The first two prints shown below are examples of the section
technique while the last one is an example of green and aqua just mixed in
together.

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95

Metallic Overlay
Another fun technique to try is the metallic overlay.
Take some metallic acrylic paint and use your brayer to spread it across your Gelli
plate. Use any texture technique or tool to add some pattern to the plate. Then
take a print that has dried completely and use it to pull of the metallic layer.
The print you see below was done in the same style. The print sheet was pulled
off a pink plate with a texture added. The second metallic layer was added after
the first pink layer had dried. I used a texture tool to add some waves to the
metallic paint on the plate before pulling the print.

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Sponging
I love love this super simple technique.
I start by squeezing some paint colors onto my palette and then use a make-up
sponge to sponge them onto my Gelli plate as shown in the picture below.
The two prints you see have been lifted off the plate shown below. The prints will
differ depending on the extent to which you cover the plate. I like to let some
white show through.

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Printing on Dictionary Paper

Try printing on different kinds of paper to get different results.
Try craft paper, deli paper and more! Here you can see some prints I pulled using
old dictionary paper.

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Double Prints
Once you learn simple Gelli printing technique you can add them to one another
to get a countless number of amazingly complex looking combinations.
Let me describe the prints below and break them down into easy steps.
The print on the left below started out as a multicolored print with some texture
tools used to add dimension. The print was then dried and another layer was added
using a stencil.
The print on the right was done in exactly the same way only I used a texture
plate on top of the purple paint for the first print. I added a second layer in
exactly the same way as for the print on the left the only difference was that this
stencil print was actually the second one I pulled off from the same paint so its a
little lighter.

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The print below is done in the same way and following the same steps. It started
out being a multicolored print with some doodling added to the Gelli plate before
I lifted the print. After it dried I used it to pull off some leftover paint from a
blue print run. This is why you can see some really thin blue lines. Cleaning the
plate is no fun at least not for me. I keep adding layers to old prints or using the
leftover paint to add some interest to the next print run.

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Using String
What do you think happens when you bring some string and your Gelli plate
together? Magic!
I started off with some bright paint and rolled it onto my plate using my brayer.
Then I took some string and laid it down on my plate in a pretty haphazard way as
you can see from the picture below.

The print below was the first I pulled from this plate.

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Then I removed the string and pulled another print! Can you see my word stamp
showing through? I used it to add some additional fun to my print.

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Using Corrugated Card

Part of the reason I love Gelli printing so is that it helps me to create tools out of
junk. Here are some prints that were pulled using corrugated card to add some
interest. The wonderfully straight and fine lines in the paper make it awesome to
add some geometric fun to your prints.
The card can be used as a texture plate. Just cut some to the size of your plate and
press it down into your painted plate whenever you want to add some lines to your
prints.

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Bubble Wrap
Bubble wrap is another junk item that adds amazing interest to Gelli prints. Here
are a couple of prints I did using bubble wrap. For the first print I added some
pink paint to my plate which already had some yellow paint leftover from a run
and then pressed down some bubble wrap to add texture. I pulled the print
immediately after.

For this print I took some paint and squeezed it out into a palette. I then used my
brayer to cover the bubble wrap in the paint and pressed it down into the plate.
Then I pulled a print.

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Water Spritz
This is a very subtle effect but I like it a lot.
After you have added some paint on to your plate and blended it using a brayer
try spritzing some water on to the plate before you lift your print. You will be
able to see white dot areas in the print where the water washed the paint away.
The effect is very fine. And looks quite cool.

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Doodle on the Plate

Yup you can! Just take a blunt drawing tool, like an eraser at the end of a pencil
or a rounded dowel and draw to your hearts content!
I love adding spirals!
Here is the first print I lifted off my plate. The leftover paint was lifted on a
previous light blue print to give it some life.

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Use Frames
You can use cardboard frames to print neat little notecards using your Gelli plate.
As shown in the image below, I added some yellow paint to my gelli plate and
spread it out using my brayer. Then I added the word fun using my home made
word stamps. I took an old piece of card and used it to cut out a small frame. I
laid the frame on the plate, highlighting the part I wanted to print and Voila! I
had perfect little tags printed with the word fun.
I can use these tags in art journaling, scrapbooking or card making!

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Use Doilies
I also love using doilies on my Gelli plate to make some fun prints. I use paper
doilies but you could use fabric or plastic ones too.
There are a couple of ways to use the doilies. The first is as shown below. Lay the
doilies on the plate and then roll on the paint using your brayer. Then lift the
doilies off before pulling a print.

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The other option would be to roll some paint onto the plate and then press the
doilies down and lift them off before taking a print, just to add some texture to
your finished Gelli print.
I prefer the first method as it gives me a crisp image and some white space to play
with.

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Use Stamping Ink

Stamping ink and pads work well with the Gelli plate as well!
In fact you can brayer on some ink onto your Gelli plate and get some awesome
prints.
In the example below I used some small ink pads and just stamped them all over
my plate. I used a few different colors.
The colors will be much lighter on the plate and youll barely be able to see them
but when you lift the print youll see quite vibrant colors.

You can also stamp some images onto your plate and lift those up too!
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Print on Acetate
Printing on acetate is the same as printing on paper. Yes your Gelli plate will let
you do that!
This is the simplest print possible and looks amazing. All I did was add two
different colors to my plate and blended them a little using a brayer. Then I laid
my acetate over the plate and pulled this print.
Ghost prints work very well on acetate too. Just take care when printing multiple
layers and let the previous one dry out before adding another. Also avoid using
too much paint.

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Print on Black Card

Use light colors or white to print on black paper and youll get some awesome
results.
I like using stencils to block out certain areas when printing with black paper. The
area that has been blocked out with a stencil or mask helps the black base to show
through and the contrast is awesome.
Here is a rough print I did on black card.

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Videos and a Workbook

This link will take you to a special webpage set up just for you to access a pdf that
accompanies this book. If the link doesnt work for you please try the Free
Today section of www.alteredupcycling.com.
The pdf is an album of some of my best prints and the basic steps I used to get it.
Now that does not mean your print will look the same if you follow the steps and
that is part of the beauty of this process. Even if I followed the exact same steps I
would get a different print but what it will do is give you an idea and a path to
follow to get something similar. Feel free to print this pdf for your reference.
We also have an awesome video for you outlining some of the techniques I use a
lot in my prints. Here is the link to the video!

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Chapter 6: Projects
Journal
Materials:
1. Gelli Prints I used about 10 A4 prints
2. Glue Stick
3. Cutting Tool
4. Black Card
5. Acetate Print
6. Some Decorative Tape
Instructions
To start off I cut my prints to remove all the white margins. I wanted my
pages to be one full print, no white.

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Then I folded up the pages with the printed sides inside. I stacked them up
as shown and then glued the white sides together to form a booklet.

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By gluing the white ends together I reinforced the paper and had a lovely
book.

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I finished my journal with the black card cover that was covered in one of
my favorite prints. I cut some printed acetate and used some decorative
tape to secure it to the cover and added some tags to the pocket.

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Little Houses
Materials:
1. Gelli Prints I used 5x7 prints done on card
2. Clear Tape
3. Cutting Tool
4. Pen
Instructions
Draw a house template onto the back side of your print. I used a
5x7inches print I had done on card. The house shape is super simple to
draw as you can see in the picture below. Alternatively you can also
choose to download a template from the web.

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After you cut out the house shape use some card to cut little roofs. Make some
windows in the houses using a craft knife.

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Glue the house together using some clear tape. Lay the roof on top and you are
done. I did not glue my roof down but you can if you want to.

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Notebooks
Materials:
1. Gelli Prints I used a 5x7 print on card
2. Plain A4 Paper
3. Cutting Tool
4. Wire
5. Ribbons
6. Crop-A-Dile or a Hole Punch
Instructions
To start off I cut my A4 size paper into quarters. I then took about 15 of the
quarter A4 sheets and centered them on my 5x7 card.
I punched a hole through the entire bunch along the spine as shown.

I used a ribbon to tie up my notebook. I like trying different kinds of binding and
so I used wire as well as ribbon. You can see some examples of the different
binding I did in the pictures on the next page. You can also choose to just cover
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some store bought notebooks.

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A Gelli Printed Abode

Materials:
1. Gelli Prints I used 4 prints on Dictionary Paper
2. ModPodge Glossy Finish
3. Brush
4. Wooden Birdhouse
Instructions
To start off I layered some mod podge onto the birdhouse and started decoupaging
the gelli prints to the wood.

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I used different colored prints for the different sides of the birdhouse and I also
did a patchwork of sorts on the roof. It is very important to seal this project well
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as it will have to stand outdoor weather. I used 3 coats of glossy mod podge to
seal my project.
I could have used several embellishments on the house but refrained from doing
so just so that this birdhouse could actually be used in the garden. If you want to
use this as a decorative accent then go ahead and add some flowers and other
embellishments to add even more color to this gelli printed abode.

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Cards
Materials:
1. Gelli Prints I used a 5x7 print on card
2. Prima Flowers
3. Ribbons
4. Glue
5. Washi Tape
6. Stick on Gems
Instructions
For this project I used the frame technique and printed some cards that said
FUN.

I added some washi tape and ribbons to the side of the card. I layered them for a
rich look.
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I finished up with some flowers layered in different colors and topped them off
with stick on gems. These cards would be lovely to use as invitations and
announcements. Using the techniques taught in Chapter 4 and 5 you could make
any word stamp and then use it to do your own personalized cards.

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Notecard Set
Materials:
1. Gelli Prints I used a 5x7 prints on card
2. Buttons
3. Stamps
4. Glue
Instructions
Fold the card prints to create little notecards. Decorate with stamps and buttons.
Tie up a set with ribbons to give to someone as a gift.

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Envelopes
Materials:
1. Gelli Prints I used A4 Prints
2. Envelope Template from the Workbook
3. Glue Stick
4. Scissors
Instructions
Download your workbook from here. Use the template provided to cut your prints
into envelopes templates. Fold the tabs and glue down to make lovely gelli printed
envelopes.

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Tags
Materials:
1. Gelli Prints I used a 5x7 print on card
2. Ribbons
3. Crop-a-Dile or a Hole Punch
Instructions
I cut my card into 4 pieces. You can even use print scraps leftover from other
projects to make these tags. Then I punched a hole along the top and added some
ribbon.
I used these tags as inserts for my art journal project shown earlier. I also use
these tags in my scrapbooking and art journaling and of course in my gift giving
too!

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Bookmarks
Materials:
1. Gelli Prints I used 4 5x7 prints on card
2. Glue
3. Ribbons
4. Crop-A-Dile or a Hole Punch
Instructions
To start off I took each piece of printed card and folded it down the middle. I
wanted double sided bookmarks and folding the card made them double sided as
well as reinforcing them.
I glued them together and punched holes in the top.

Then it was just a matter of adding some ribbons and I had a lovely set of
bookmarks.
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Make many of these and have them handy to use as little gifts. Slip one in every
present you give this Christmas. You can also add stamped images, rub-ons and
other flat embellishments to your book marks!

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Frames
Materials:
1. Wooden Frames
2. Prima Flowers
3. Buttons
4. Glue
5. Gelli Plate
6. Paints
Instructions
To start of rolled on some green paint onto my gelli plate. Then I took my
wooden frames and started pressing them into the plate. I kept rotating the frames
till I was happy with the coverage I got.
Then I took a stencil, laid it on the plate and rolled on some pink paint onto my
plate .I lifted the stencil and pressed down my frames. Once again I kept rotating
them till I was happy with the coverage and design.
You will notice that some areas are double printed. I like that effect and it is the
result of the random placement of the frames.
Then I got out some flowers and buttons and laid them on my frames. I played
with the layout till I was happy. I then glued them down. Voila!

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