Sunday 4 August 2013

Gelli plate fun

Well it's been an exciting, and alarming Sunday. it started off as normal, boring, me ironing and watching Barbara Gray.   Then just after lunch as I was about to start my craft session someone was banging on my door.  I used the intercom but no-one was there, so I thought it was kids.  I then (luckily) took a look through the kitchen window and... yikes, the car next to mine was on fire.  I rang 999,  then moved my car.  Which was just as well as the fire had soon spread to the back of the car and I could see flames getting ominously near the petrol tank.    Then the fire brigade arrived and the panic was over, the fire was soon out.  So it was back to crafting.



Yesterday I watched In The Classroom with Barbara, and she was giving a lesson on the gelli plate.  I've not used mine much,  and when I have it has been a bit hit and miss.  So I did watch very carefully.   With the lesson over I got out my gelli plate, paints and stencils and set to. I just did some simple stuff yesterday, using one colour.   Today I became a bit more adventurous. For this stencil,  I used a plain cream background, then applied orange paint,  and the stencil and took a print,  a positive and a negative.   I was sort of on a roll...




So for this one I used a black paint,  just brayering the paint over the gelli plate and taking a direct print.   Then I used some purple paint,  put the stencil on and took the second print, but the purple didn't show up. So I did it again this time using red and got this print. 

I did a fourth print, again using black, and then white, with two stencils.   Using the 4th Gelli plate print I went on to make a picture.




I first stamped the pen image, using a watermark stamp,  and white detail powder.  Then on the other side I used the writing stamp, again with white detail powder. 

Then came the hard bit, what to put on it!  First I went to check on the burnt car, the fire was well and truly out and the firemen were trying to figure out what caused it.  Finally the owner turned up,  quite a few neighbours had been out trying to find him.  The poor guy looked shell shocked,  all the windows had been smashed, it was pretty much burnt out inside.  The firemen also checked the VIN number,  I heard them say it was procedure.  With everything under control I went back to crafting.

So here is the finished piece.   I stamped the flower twice,  one using just ink, the second I used embossing powder.  the music score was something I'd stamped a couple of weeks ago and not used.  So I cut round it,  then made a tage and used the sentiment.  I mounted it onto some canvas paper, having fixed the flower on with a brad.    I'll finish the other 3 prints tomorrow. 

But I do seem to have at last cracked the Gelli Plate mystery thanks to Barbara.  I know now where I was going wrong, too much paint, and the wrong sort, and not working quickly enough.  You do need to work quickly or else the acrylic dries and you then have to start over.


So my tips, well Barbara's:  gather all your materials.   You will need card,  acrylic paint, copy paper, stencils, a brayer (any brayer will do) and a plan.   It is best to know what you are going to do so you can put things in order.   The first thing to do is apply the paint, you need a large pea sized dollop, more like a marrow fat pea,  spread this over the gelli plate with the brayer, lift the brayer as you spread the paint, and don't faff too much,  place the stencil on,  using a piece of copy paper, place it over the gelli plate, smooth down, remove paper and stencil,  apply card and again smooth it down firmly, then carefully lift up the card and you should have your print.  You can see all this on the C&C site,  go to their site,  click on the button for craft tools,  then go to the highlights box and look for In the Classroom,  click on that,  it will take you to a new page, and look for lesson 19.  It isn't up there yet but will be in the next few days.  Failing that go to the Clarity website and you'll find the video there.   One other essential tip,  keep your gelli plate in its original packing,  only use it on glass or a craft mat, and never leave anything on it for very long, or leave it on top of something.  The gelli plate has a memory and will pick up any pattern.  

I always clean my gelli plate, in fact I keep a spritzer bottle handy and some kitchen towel.   You can wash it with warm soapy water, or a baby wipe.    And if this klutz can do it, then anyone can. 

All for now folks, thanks for stopping by, have a lovely week.

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