Monoprinting with the Gel Plate

August 22, 2024 3:43 PM

Monotypes have been around for a long time and have been invented and re-invented several times. Lasting Impressions: The Monotype Medium from Edgar Degas to Elizabeth Peyton. Currently they're undergoing a revival of sorts thanks to the Gel Plate which has made it very easy for the beginner (like me!) to make their own prints and papers.

If you haven't been exposed to Gel Plates yet, they're similar to traditional monotype plates made of Gelatin and but are vegan, durable, reusable surfaces for printmaking.

The revival may have started with the ladies at Gelli Arts creating an easy to use, long lasting plate that moved it from something that mainly specialist had heard of to something everyone can use. https://www.gelliarts.com/
Now several different companies make the plates and you can buy them at your local craft store or online.

You can make your own with gelatin, but they'll need to be refrigerated and won't last as long.
https://fromvictoryroad.com/2020/02/10/gel-plate-history-and-recipe/

https://www.skillshare.com/en/blog/a-guide-to-gelli-plates-make-a-monoprint-and-more/

There are a ton of instructions out there on it, but here are some to start with.

https://rableygallery.com/education/gelli-plate-printing-for-monotype-by-katherine-jones/

https://einatkessler.com/basics-gelli-printing/

You can also use them to print on fabric
https://www.mokuartstudio.com/blog/how-to-gelli-print-on-fabric

or do image transfers
https://www.craftspace.se/post/how-i-started-with-gelli-transfers

Some fun results
https://www.reddit.com/r/printmaking/comments/lfnyq0/monotype_prints_with_leafs_using_a_selfmade_gelli/

https://www.artbyvonalda.com/collections/157752

https://www.peonyandparakeet.com/gelli-plate-fine-art/

https://www.reddit.com/r/printmaking/comments/1etgwr5/new_to_gel_printing/

https://thegraphicsfairy.com/diy-easy-gel-printing-technique/

https://www.artisbasic.com/2015/02/monoprint-hearts-gelli-plates-1st-graders.html

Don't use photo paper(like me), for some reason it'll stick to the Gel Plate and you won't be able to peel it off.

This post is brought to you by the fun I had today playing with my Gel plate and making some prints.

posted by Art_Pot (20 comments total)

Mod note: Links have been fixed!
posted by travelingthyme (staff) at 4:07 PM on August 22 [3 favorites]

I've enjoyed this guy's work, and his videos; he has a very nice low-key, genuine, and unassuming manner.
https://www.youtube.com/@yeatesmakes
posted by Sing Or Swim at 4:41 PM on August 22 [1 favorite]

Hah! I'm currently taking a break from cutting a linoleum block, so this is interesting to me.
posted by ChurchHatesTucker at 4:43 PM on August 22 [4 favorites]

This is great. I have always loved monotype/monoprinting, and it's cool to see a cheap and accessible way to do it!

As an aside, this guy, Grady Gordon is a great monotype artist.
posted by deadbilly at 4:58 PM on August 22

It's really neat seeing all the cool stuff people are making with their Gel Plates. It's a very flexible and forgivable medium. Plus if you don't like how something turned out you can just use it as collage paper later. Ghost prints can be really cool to, something about the reduced amount of ink opens up the potential.
posted by Art_Pot at 5:41 PM on August 22

I have a gelatin hectography plate I made about six years ago, and it's never needed refrigeration. It's gone almost totally purple with all the indelible pencil marking I've put into it, though
posted by scruss at 6:01 PM on August 22 [3 favorites]

Thanks for this! I picked up a plate recently and haven’t gotten my thumb out to try properly yet!
posted by Iteki at 7:55 PM on August 22

The reason you don’t want to use photo paper is that the photo paper’s surface is gelatin… so you’re bonding gelatin to gelatin…
posted by aldus_manutius at 9:55 PM on August 22 [1 favorite]

Awesome first post, Art_Pot!
posted by evilmomlady at 3:58 AM on August 23 [3 favorites]

Like Iteki, I bought one of these recently but it is still in the box.
posted by jacquilynne at 4:33 AM on August 23

So, I feel I have to mention that all these links are just ones I pulled off google on the fly, so there's probably a ton better ones out there (like the guy sing or swim posted).

It's also going to be interesting to see how/if ease of access changes perception of this art form.

A Gelli plate, a cricut and knowing how to make stencils makes it an easy side hustle for crafters or teens.

Previously I would never have considered making custom t-shirts as I would have a hard time getting the amount of paint right and they would have come out horrible. But with a Gelli plate, I can buy a custom stencil or make my own and create decent looking(maybe) family vacation shirts. (beware family beware)
posted by Art_Pot at 5:03 AM on August 23

As for the Gelatin plate, I think it's really interesting that the hectography interest group knew how to make them longer lasting and not need refrigeration, but that the early recipes spread among the Gel plate people were basic ones that did require it.

It looks like the newer recipes spreading through the gel plate crowd are getting better and no longer require refrigeration.

I've only used the store bought plates. The person I knew who made one just grabbed a random recipe and it was one that needed refrigeration and was finicky, so she wasn't too impressed with it.
posted by Art_Pot at 5:13 AM on August 23 [2 favorites]

This is something very cool that I did not know about before but must check out now. Thank you for posting, Art_Pot!
posted by kinnakeet at 5:33 AM on August 23

I have tried and tried to get consistent mage transfers but the magic eludes me. Different printers, different papers, different inks, different amounts, different humidity, different drying… it has actually rendered me kind of grumpy about gelli printing, because I’ve spent so long doing failed experiments. (I will frown at anyone who asks me to embrace my failed experiments as legitimate creativity or fodder for upcycling into other products: you are correct but it is unhelpful to know that 😉). I want to love gelli printing because I really do love monoprints in general.
posted by aesop at 6:42 AM on August 23 [1 favorite]

I’ve had a lot of fun using these to make painted paper for collages. I’ve been trying to get myself confident enough to make some T-shirts. Excellent first post!
posted by Nancy_LockIsLit_Palmer at 1:50 PM on August 23

Mod note: [Thanks for the post, Art_Pot! We've added it to the sidebar and Best Of blog!]
posted by taz (staff) at 2:43 AM on August 26 [1 favorite]

Thanks for the round-up! I did a class where I got to play around with these and it was a lot of fun. I managed a few prints that look artistic. Incorporating leaves is fun. I've been low-key trying to make holiday cards, with unimpressive results to date but it's a decent excuse to fiddle with paint.
posted by mersen at 6:34 PM on August 27

What Aesop said. I bought mine for image transfers and I have never managed it. I ended up really liking it anyway though and I’ve done a lot of other stuff with it, even a kind of mangled gyotaku. Thanks for this post, I missed it somehow and I’m really looking forward to rummaging through all the links. Maybe I’ll get that image transfer yet!
posted by mygothlaundry at 6:53 AM on August 28

I've been playing around some more lately and finally dug up the one I'd bought a couple of years ago and never used(whoops). Found out it was a speedball one and it's going to be fun seeing how it differs and compares. Haven't tried it yet, that'll be tomorrows treat.

I did get the golden opens and since they don't dry as fast I'm finding them much easier to use, plus the colors are gorgeous laid over each other. Just made a card with a purple background with mixed green and yellow leaves from a stencil that turned out much better than I expected!
posted by Art_Pot at 2:17 PM on August 28 [1 favorite]

I took a class and learned gelli printing and I have become addicted. My dining room is overrun with paint, prints, stencils, brushes, etc. It makes me so happy.

aesop, if it makes you feel any better, even the teacher said it's hard to get consistent results with image transfer. I've had the best results with glossy magazine (e.g., Vogue) pictures, and even then... sometimes it doesn't work out.

I would love to see everybody's prints!
posted by tuesdayschild at 3:58 PM on August 28