Gel Arts and Mono Printing

Monoprinting is a form of printmaking that has images or lines that can only be made once, unlike most printmaking, where there are multiple originals. There are many techniques of monoprinting. Examples of standard printmaking techniques which can be used to make monoprints include lithography, woodcut, Gelli Art Plate, and etching. A monoprint is a single impression of an image made from a reprint able block, but with the Gelli Arts plate, stamping and "ghost prints” are also an added addition to the traditional mono printing process.

The beauty of this medium is also in its spontaneity and its combination of printmaking, painting and drawing media. With this process, no two prints are alike; although images can be similar, editioning is not possible. Each piece is original.

This is a mixed media piece where I’ve created a background using templates of dots and the inside of torn apart cardboard. The print dries quickly when you use acrylic paint so you need to work quickly. Etsy shop

Moose on dictionary paper- Mixed media - mono print, ink

Brayer to roll out the paint

1 - old rolling pin with strips of foam in various widths glued onto it. 2- paint foam roller. 3 - brayer with foam wrapped around it. 4 - foam paint roller with the foam cut into three pieces and slid back onto the roller. 5 - brayer with cord twisted around it. 6 - brayer. 7 - small foam roller.

So many different material can make unusual and interesting marks on you rolled out paint. For instance wide toothed comb, empty toilet roll, potato masher, templates, vegetable wrapper, styrofoam dots…. Be creative!!

Here are some tips and tricks I've learned while using the Gelli plate.

Moose on map gelli prints

#1 - The best tip I can recommend is to take good care of your Gelli plate. READ the instructions and follow care instructions carefully and the Gelli plate will last for years. You can purchase the Gelli Plates at most crafts stores. I’ve found them at Micheals, Joanns, Blick Art Supplies and online. Gelli Arts cautions not to use any glossy paper stock, including photo paper. It can stick to and damage the surface of the gel plate. In addition, the gel printing plate has an extremely sensitive surface and will imprint any texture it is siting upon. It is recommended to always keep your gel printing plate laying flat on a smooth, flat, nonporous barrier such as a Teflon baking sheet, baking tray or piece of glass. I simply use the sheet of thin, rigid plastic that came with the Gelli Plate. Read the instructions from your Gelli plate. Your Gelli Arts plate can be expensive to replace especially if you have the larger 12 x 14" which is roughly $62.99.

#2 - The substrate matters. (substrate is the base material onto which images will be printed). Paper (lightweight, heavyweight, coated, uncoated, paperboard, cardboard, etc.) including parchment. You can also use fabric, foils and wood. I've found a medium weight paper around 120 lbs hold up well and can be used in other projects like collage or jewelry. But the parchment papers transparent quality make amazing and interesting collage additions as well. The exciting part of mono printing is the experimentation because even with careful planing your will always get surprises and most are happy surprises as in the mono-print below.

Paper

Hollander carries a wide selection of papers coated and uncoated (surface coat is added). Coated papers can often resist paint but don't simply discount this paper if you have it on hand. It's just needs to dry a little more between coats of paint. The surface may have more sheen as well and doesn't really work with the Gelli Arts plate. It can also possible damage the surface so I recommend starting with computer paper or card stock as you learn and then graduate to printmaking paper. Our local craft and art stores carry the heavy Bristol paper and Staples #110 Cardstock for an economical heavy paper is another great choice. Rives BFK (about $7.50 a sheet) or Rising Stonehenge ($3.25 for 22" x 30") are excellent printmaking papers for fine prints. For collage, I love using deli paper (here's a blog that has images of prints on deli paper. I found Costco carries dry waxed paper sheet in bulk and they work very nicely. Also here (dry waxed paper). The deli paper is wonderful for it's thin, translucent properties. Paper is such an individual preference, and your end purpose will be a factor in your paper choice but I would note that a smooth-surfaced paper gives a more detailed print.

Fabric- Gelli printing is perfect for monoprinting on fabric. Tight-weave fabrics, such as PFD cotton and muslin, give great results.

Paint

Acrylic paint is stellar for gel printing! Although a little warning that it dries quickly and forces you to make quick decisions about pattern. I recommend sorting out your templates and mark making tools in advance of rolling out the paint. Laying the paper on top of the design, pressing with your hands to make the design stick to the paper and then and pulling it off the plate is quite exciting but if the paint dries to much before this effort is accomplished the paint won't all adhere to the paper. However, do despair too much because you can spread more paint thinly and bring up a ghost print of the previous design. That can often be where the gel prints are the most interesting.

Liquitex Basic acrylic paint has a great color selection and is relatively inexpensive. Some of the colors are more saturated than others like the Quinacridone Magenta which runs about $4.49 for one and for 3 or more $3.44 in a 4oz tube at Blick Art Supply. I've also found a variety of paints in the clearance section at my craft store that are priced around $.25 for a small 2oz tube. Sometimes they need to be revived with a little water as the paint has sat a little too long and has started to coagulate. At those prices the paint can be a wonderful source of experimentation as you can mix the colors to create additional shades.

The creative and fabulous artists at Gelli Arts have made some wonderful video instructions and I've included the one above that creatively uses the smaller Gelli plate in the 3" x 5" size for stamping $11.69 at Blicks. 

Drawing with graphite

Most of us remember the bright yellow pencil we started with to make marks and learn writing and arithmetic skills. It had the handy little eraser on one end and my favorite part was being able to sharpen it. Sticking the pencil into the sleek chrome pencil sharper with the crank on the other end and winding it around and around, periodically checking its sharpness is a fond memory.

This TED video on YouTube "Why the pencil is perfect" might ignite the artist in you and perhaps bring new light to the ordinary pencil.

Kneader eraser

Rather than a permanent mark like a pen the sweet little pencil allows mistakes and corrections to occur. The  eraser on some pencils is such a weird color like -hmmm pink, flesh color, puce (what's that color?) and sometimes it just makes the erasure worse leaving behind impossible to remove graphite streaks. So pick up a kneader eraser when your creating you drawings to remove any errors, works much better and you will like the silly putty feel of it and kneading process. 

I find the octagonal shape of the pencil to be a plus and a minus. The many facets of the octagon help hold the pencil firmly but lets not grip so hard we create calluses so loosen the mind and loosen the grip. 

Ever wonder which pencil is best for your needs? Lets examine a few options starting with the hardness of the graphite inside the pencil. 

Historically, pencil manufacturers use a numeric score and a letter on their pencils. The number indicates the hardness of the graphite (how much clay is added) and the higher the number the harder the core which equates to a lighter mark.

The second graphite grading scale is known as the HB scale (H, HB, B 2B etc). Most pencil manufacturers outside of the U.S. use this scale, using the letter “H” to indicate a hard pencil. Likewise, a pencil maker might use the letter “B” to designate the blackness of the pencil’s mark, indicating a softer lead. The letter “F” is also used to indicate that the pencil sharpens to a fine point.

Source: Pencils.com

GRAPHITE SCALE COMPARISONS

Generally, an HB grade about the middle of the scale is considered to be equivalent to a #2 pencil using the U.S. numbering system.

I like to use either a Tombow 4H or the Staedtler/Mars-lumograph drawing pencil 3H

In reality however, there is no specific industry standard for the darkness of the mark to be left within the HB or any other hardness grade scale. Thus, a #2 or HB pencil from one brand will not necessarily leave the same mark as a #2 or HB pencil from another brand. Most pencil manufacturers set their own internal standards for graphite hardness grades and overall quality of the core, some differences are regional. In Japan, consumers tend to prefer softer darker leads; so an HB lead produced in Japan is generally softer and darker than an HB from European producers.

Because H pencils are harder, they will leave a lighter graphite trail on the paper.

• On the other hand, B pencils leave a darker trail, because they are softer.

• F stands for Fine. It is a type of pencil that’s easy to keep sharp, but also one that’s hard. It’s rather difficult to draw with this type of pencil if you’re a beginner (but also good for tracing or pre water color painting.

• HB pencils are right in the middle of the scale. They are also considered to be hard for drawing.

• The number that comes with the letter is also an important hint that will tell you a lot about the darkness/lightness of a pencil. For example, a pencil that has more Hs is harder compared to one with less Hs, which also means it’s lighter. In other words, the 9H pencil is the hardest one out there, but also the one that leaves the lightest trail.

• Consequently, if a pencil has more Bs, it is softer, and will, therefore, leave a darker trail. That means that a 7B pencil will leave a darker mark compared to a 3B one.

Staedtler/Mars - Lumograph Drawing Pencil - 3H - good for drawing out your water color painting.

The best type of pencil to use for watercolor painting is a sketching pencil with hard lead, generally between 9H and 4H (according to the figure above) , or to avoid sketching at all. If you choose a pencil that is too soft, it will be hard to erase before water coloring. If you choose a pencil that is too hard, it could damage your paper.

Finding what works best for your own artistic and writing needs is generally a matter of personal preference and experimentation with different brands of pencils.

At first, you’re eager to draw and will use just about any piece of paper you can get your hands on to do so. However, you should know that the texture of the paper you use has a huge impact on the final result. Certain effects are easier to achieve when the paper has the right texture. The paper’s texture is often known as the tooth of the paper. A rougher tooth is more visible, so the paper will best catch the graphite from your pencils. If the texture of the paper is smooth, your pencil will have less grip.