Sunday Gelli Print Magazine Image Transfer Practice

Sorry these posts come in bunches, but I tend to create in spurts, then take a break and post what I've been experimenting with. I've learned to not be afraid to try any technique that I find interesting!

I saw this technique on transferring magazine images somewhere online and found a video on youtube, and I'm sorry, but I don't remember the lady's name. In fact, I watched 2-3 videos from different ladies before giving it a try.

I have three different sizes of gelli plates, plus a set of the minis, but the 5" x 7" is the one that was handy, and is the one I used for these, the previous and next posts, printing sessions. These transfers are on mixed media paper torn out of my journal, and I included the Vogue magazine images that I used.

I found a high contrast, glossy, black and white image, rolled a thin layer of fluid acrylic color (they used cheap acrylics like Americana) onto the plate, layed the image face down on the plate and rubbed the paper quickly, but good, and pulled it up. If it's left too long it doesn't work. The image acts as a resist and pulls the paint off the plate with it. Let the plate dry with the rest of the paint on it, then roll another layer of paint (I used open acrylic) over it, lay a clean sheet of paper over it and press really good, before pulling it up.

The one on the left, dark pink, is what I came up with. I'm very pleased with my first attempt! The dark spots are where the paint didn't come off the plate with the image. It left white spots on the image, so I learned to watch for places like this and make sure to get the paint off the plate in unwanted places before doing the transfer. Hope I didn't leave a step of what I did out!

The one on the right, the pale one, would have been a good one, but I forgot to roll the second layer of paint over where I had pulled the image up, so it transferred onto the clean paper, but not dark, or plain, enough. I can use them in art journals or collage though, it was fun, and I'll doing more, because it was fun!

I also watched a video and tried transferring a black and white glossy photo and an inkjet printed  image via the gelli plate, but they were total failures. I'll have to re-watch the videos!

I'm having more fun with art than ought to be legal! And I'm not even that good at it! But one doesn't have to be a pro to love doing something! 😀