Mask It!

I tried a new technique on the Gelli-Plate last week that I learned from Carla Sonheim.  You can find out more about my mask series here, Making Masks!

I did this technique on a 5 x 7 inch Gelli-Plate using Golden Fluid Acrylic paint.

I created my pattern by folding a piece of copy paper in half and cutting the paper with scissors.  I laid it directly on the Gelli-Plate without applying paint first.  I have always put paint on the Gelli-Plate before my pattern so this was a new concept for me.

Next, I placed about a quarter-sized dab of paint directly on top of my pattern used a brayer to spread the paint evenly over my design.  Note:  The copy paper pattern ripped when I applied paint on the top of it so I learned to use thicker paper such as cardstock to mask it for future projects.

After I let the paint completely dry in about 10 minutes, I removed the paper pattern carefully from my Gelli-Plate.

Next, I added a contrasting color of acrylic paint directly on my printing plate with the brayer and and placed a 9 x 12 inch sheet of Fabriano hot press, 90 lb paper on top, pressing over the paper with a clean brayer on the back of my paper.

Important step:  Let paper rest until the paint dries for an additional 10 minutes.

After the paint dried, I pulled my print slowly from the Gelli-Plate:

I decorated my print with Posca paint pens, Uniball Signo white pen and a black Micron pen.

I’m not sure that I’m done decorating this one, but I thought you may enjoy seeing it.

I hope you enjoyed seeing my process.  I made other masks with this technique that I hope to share with you soon.

Cheers! 🙂