My own experience of working with gelli plates includes single and multi layer printing and a failed attempt at image transfer using ink jet printed photos – I can’t get image transfer to work at all and in fact the information I have found states that only laser printed images work with transfers. Below are two of my attempts at multi layer method. Using flora from my local park. Image transfer is where you transfer a printed photograph onto the plate and use it as the base for an image. There are lots of tutorials on youtube on this method.
Gelli plates are about half an inch thick and have a soft surface on which is rolled Acrylic paint with a soft brayer/roller. It is an excellent medium for making prints if you don’t have access to a press.
The size of my plate is 10 x 8 ins. Acrylic ink is rolled thinly and evenly onto the plate using a good quality rubber roller, don’t use those cheap school type rollers, they are too hard. Then leaves or other surfaces such as paper strips and shapes, etc. can be laid on the colour and a print taken. You can use plastic or paper stencils or work into the painted surface with soft scrapers.
Paper: the paper can be quite thin Japanese paper or cartridge which is laid on the plate and then you can press down with your hand or use a baren, which I use for a more even print.
Ghost prints: once a print is taken you can remove the stencils and take another print, in this way you get a nice ghost print which works well with other layers. Try to use colours that complement each other.
The prints dry very quickly. Clean the plate of excess paint; then apply the second colour and continue in this way. I don’t tend to water clean the plate in between colours but you could, as long as you make sure the plate is dry. For final plate cleaning I use washing up liquid and water with a sponge.
Leave to dry overnight and store between tissue paper. One of the most interesting uses for gelli prints is that if you print on a thin enough paper you can collage them into new designs. Or, as I do laminate them with pva and use them for book covers.
Gandha Key, zyarts2011@gmail.com