If you want to create unique items at low cost, you can try the gelli printing. With gelli printing, you can achieve creative processing of the substrate without a printer. In this blog, we will provide a detailed explanation of gel printing, including what gelli printing is, the specific printing steps, its advantages and disadvantages, etc.
Table of Contents
- What is Gelli Printing
- Step-by-Step Guide to Gelli Printing
- Common Substrates for Gelli Printing
- Advantages and Disadvantages of Gelli Printing
- Frequently Asked Questions about Gelli Printing
What is Gelli Printing
Gelli Printing, also known as gel plate printing, is a a relatively trendy printing technique. It is often used to create artworks rich in texture and layered depth. And it is based on printing on a special gel plate. This kind of plate is similar to soft rubber. It does not require as much pressure as traditional woodcuts or metal printing plates. By applying a relatively light pressure, the ink on the gel plate can leave unique textures on paper or other substrates.
The popularity of gelli printing is closely related to the promotion of modern DIY and the artist community. Especially on social media platforms, an increasing number of artists are beginning to share the works they create through this technology.
Step-by-Step Guide to Gelli Printing
Here is a operation video. And we will also provide more detailed operation steps.
1. Prepare Items:
- Plastic Board or Paper: To ensure a clean printing process, you can place a larger plastic plate or paper under the gelli plate.
- Gelli Plate: You need a gelli plate to finish the gelli printing. The gelli plate can be purchased in stores or made by oneself with gelatin.
- Substrate: Prepare the substrate according to your needs, such as paper, fibers, canvas, etc.
- Pigment: The most commonly used pigment is acrylic pigment, which is bright in color and dries quickly. You can also try other pigments as needed, such as water-based pigments, etc.
- Brayer: You need to use a brayer to evenly roll the pigment onto the surface of the gelli plate.
- Design Materials: You can use materials such as leaves, combs, and bubble wrap to make your design more textured.
2. Make a Design:
- Place a large plastic board or paper on the table to prevent the surface from getting dirty.
- Lay the clean gelli plate flat on the plastic broad or paper.
- Squeeze an appropriate amount of pigment onto the surface of the gel plate according to the size of the plate. Roll the pigment evenly with a brayer until a thin coating is formed.
- If you need to mix colors beforehand, you can also do it in the color palette first. Then, dip the brayer in the pigment and roll it evenly on the surface of the gelli plate.
- Place your chosen design material on the painted gelli plate to add a sense of texture. Be careful to apply moderate force to avoid completely scraping off the paint.
3. Perform a Print:
- Place the substrate on the gelli plate.
- Gently press the substrate with your palm or a clean roller, working from the center outward to ensure thorough contact between the substrate and the pigment.
- Slowly lift the substrate from one corner and you will get a unique monoprint.
- There is often a layer of pigment remaining on the gelli plate, which can be covered with another substrate for ghost printing. The colors of ghost printing are usually light, but it often achieves unexpected artistic effects. More importantly, this can play a role in cleaning the gelli plate.
Common Substrates for Gelli Printing
As we mentioned before, Gelli printing is applicable to many types of substrates. Common substrates include paper, fabric, canvas, etc. Gelli printing on different substrates will produce different printing effects.
1. Paper:
- Regular Paper: The regular paper we commonly use in daily life is relatively thin. During the gelli printing process, regular paper can clearly present the textures and patterns on the gel plate. However, it is prone to damage. In addition, the regular paper absorbs pigments at a relatively fast rate, resulting in a more intense color.
- Thick Paper: Thick paper includes cardstock, watercolor paper, etc. These thick papers are not prone to deformation and can withstand considerable pressure. The patterns printed on thick paper are rich in color and have clear edges, making them suitable for making greeting cards, decorative paintings, etc.
2. Fabric:
- When fabric is used as the substrate for gelli printing, the natural texture on the fabric surface will blend with the printed pattern. The final presented effect combines the texture of handcrafted craftsmanship with a soft and mellow feel. To ensure the design is firmly attached to the fabric, it is best to choose acrylic paint that is suitable for the fabric.
- In addition, fabrics of different materials have different ink absorption effects. Thickness, fiber structure and the absorbency of the fabric will all affect the printing effect. Natural fibers such as cotton cloth and linen are usually suitable for gelli printing, while synthetic fibers such as polyester may not be easy to absorb ink.
3. Canvas:
- Primed Canvas: A primed canvas refers to a canvas whose surface has been treated with a primer material before painting. This primer can make the canvas better accept the pigment to enhance adhesion and improve the durability and appearance of the final painting. Therefore, when the substrate is canvas, the paint will adhere to the canvas surface more quickly. And the printed design will be brighter and more full. You can take a small piece of canvas for a trial print to adjust the amount of pigment needed.
- Unprimed Canvas: A unprimed canvas is soft in texture and has a certain degree of translucency. When performing gelli printing, the pigment penetrates into the canvas fibers, giving the design a hazy effect.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Gelli Printing
1. Advantages:
- Unique Printing Effect: By printing on the gelli plate, various patterns and textures can be easily created, bringing different visual effects to each one.
- Applicable for a Variety of Substrates: Gelli printing can be carried out on different types of materials, such as paper, fabric, wood boards, etc. Therefore, its application range is very wide and suitable for various artistic creations and handicraft projects.
- Simple Operation: The operation process of gelli printing is simple and very suitable for beginners. Even those without professional printing experience can create unique artworks through this technology.
- High Tolerance for Design Errors: Compared to designing on engraved plates used in other printing techniques (such as screen printing), designing on gel plates offers greater flexibility. You don’t need to replace the gel plate if you’re dissatisfied with your design. Wipe the design that needs to be modified with clean water and dry the gel plate with a lint-free cloth. Then you can redesign it.
2. Disadvantages:
- Difficult to Achieve Consistent Printing Results: During the gelli printing process, each substrate needs to be operated manually. It cannot be ensured that the design on each substrate is consistent. Therefore, it is also difficult to achieve large-scale and high-efficiency production using gel printing technology.
- Limited Fineness: Due to the softness of the gel plates used to carry designs, gel printing is not suitable for creating designs with high fineness. When creating designs with fine lines and complex details, problems such as blurred edges and pigment smudging are prone to occur.
- Tool Dependency: If you want to achieve diverse printing effects, you often need to prepare various texture tools, templates, etc. This will increase the cost of your material input.
Frequently Asked Questions about Gelli Printing
1. How long does it take for a printed work to dry?
The drying time of the work is affected by factors such as the type of ink and environmental humidity. Generally speaking, the work will basically dry within 30 minutes to 1 hour. If you want to store it for a long time, it is best to wait for more than 24 hours before framing or storing it.
2. How many times can the gelli plate be used?
The gelli plate is designed to be reusable and can be used countless times as long as it is properly maintained. Regular cleaning and proper storage can keep the plate in good condition for a long time. You need to clean the gelli plate with paper or water. It is important to centrally treat the sewage and not directly pour it into the sink to prevent it from clogging. And it is normal for pigment deposits to appear on the gelli plate after multiple uses.
3. Why does my paper stick to the gelli plate?
If too much acrylic paint is applied to the printing plate, the paper may stick to the gelli plate. At the same time, very thin paper is also prone to sticking to the gelli plate due to excessive water absorption. You can solve this problem by reducing the pigment on the gelli plate or using thick paper.
Conclusion
Gelli printing is a very creative printing method. Both adults and children can enhance their innovation and have fun through gelli printing. As long as you follow simple steps, you can exert your great creativity and practical ability. You can use this printing method to make gift labels, greeting cards, custom short-sleeved shirts, etc.
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