Gelli Printing--So Easy a 5 Year Old Can Do It!!

Good morning! Melissa here with a special post to share about creating Gelli prints with my 5 year old daughter, Sophie. :)

You may be wondering "How easy is Gelli printing?" Well, easy enough for a 5 year old to learn in an afternoon! And now she is just as addicted as I am to making prints. I think I may have created a monster.....

If you have ever had the pleasure of watching a child explore and experiment while making art, you know that it can be a very enlightening experience. Once I explained to her about how to use the gelli plate, she was off and running. What I found so fascinating about her process is how she was able to work intuitively, selecting paint colors and combinations that she liked and not worrying about if they "worked" together. Adding texture was one of her favorite parts of the process as well.

Here are some of her favorite things about gelli printing:

Favorite Paints:

A little video of her talking about her favorite stencils:



Showing off her recent prints:



And a video presentation of her creative process, start to finish! I hope you enjoy! :)

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Bring On The Color! - Featured Kit and LTD Kit

This month's kits inspired me to the max!  I like bold, jewel tone or tropical colors!  I do like earthy colors but the tropical colors make me happy.

Here is the September kit.  Look at all the goodies you receive!!!  I especially LOVE the Faber Castill Pitt Stamper's Big Brush!  Along with the stamps, the Big Brushes are permanent on paper, but on non porous surfaces, the color stays wet - so perfect for stamping with.  The Dylusions spray let me get playful and add splatters to my art.  The items I didn't use in this post, will be showcased in my Playful Musings post on August 25.

Here is the Limited Edition Kit!  I adore creating with the Gelli Plate!  The brayer you receive is soft and perfect for making mono prints.  The Stencils and other goodies has your imagination going on overdrive not wanting to stop designing prints!

This art infuses 2 Gelli Plate prints,  the Big Brush Pens, and a graphic image I computer generated.

A little paint goes a long way on the Gelli plate.  For best results, use water-based paint and inks.  Oil based may be used but they are harder to work with and clean off the plate.

An even motion back and forth, side to side is used.  Sweep upwards at the top, and downwards at the bottom lifting the brayer off the end of the plate with each pass.  The brayer in the kit is a soft brayer which is perfect for mono printing with the Gelli plate. Harder brayers won't work as well.

Here are photos of the two Gelli prints I made.  I took the first print, and adhered the second print on top for contrast.  I enhanced the second print - the circles, by using the  Big Brush Pens.  The circles were originally white.

The graphic is printed on vellum and adhered to the art after using the  Big Brush Pens, black pen, and white ink to add contrast, dimension and color.  3D elements added for further contrast and texture.

Here is the finished art.  After printing with the Gelli plate, I added more ink, stenciled numbers, collaged, add more ink from the Big Brush Pens, and 3D embellishments.  See how the pink lacing adds a perfect divider from the two prints.

This art is using the featured kit, no Gelli plate.  I die cut the background paper and watercolor painted cardstock.  To enhance it, I took crumbled plastic, and scribbled on it with the Big Brush Pens.  These Big Brush Pens stay wet on stamps and any non- porous surfaces (see my Playful Musings at the end of the month for more detail).

The white Dylusions spray is a dream!!  I was able to spritz and splatter (from the bottle) the paint.  Also added white to the UmWow Chipboard elements.  The sun was stamped using the Big Brush Pens  and painted/enhanced with a gel pen.  The black "amazing" was made more dimensional with the black paint pen.

3 different types of art, done differently but from the Featured Kit and the Limited Edition Kit!!!  Too many ideas to show here, once I started creating, I couldn't Stop!

Gelli Plate Tips:
- Fabric paints like Lumiere's will work with the Gelli Plate.  You will get beautiful results.

- Watercolors are not the best for the Gelli Plate. The viscosity (thin) will bead up on the Gelli Plate.  It can be done, especially with Gouache watercolors.  Experiment and see what you can come up with.

- Do your monoprinting on dry paper - do not wet or soak paper first.  Glossy does not work as it will stick to the plate and damage the surface of the plate.

- If your paints bead up on the surface, there might be a film build up, easy to remove by washing plate surface with dish soap like Dawn.

- If your paper is sticking to the Gelli Plate, there is too little paint on the surface.  A slight learning curve as you print, to see how much paint is required.  You want a thin coat but not too thin.


Cre8tivelea Yours - Lea

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September Special Guest - Ronda Palazzari!

Hello and Happy Monday!  We have a very special guest with us today!  I am super excited that she has joined us this month and is able to share her amazing creativity and inspiration with our Frog Dog Studio friends!  

I would like to announce Ronda Palazzari as our Special September Guest! Welcome Ronda!

Before we get to her first September Limited Edition Kit project, let's get to know her a little bit better.  

Ronda Palazzari is a Mixed Media Artist, Author, Craft & Scrapbook Designer, and an Instructor living in the burbs of Denver.   Her first book Art of Layers with North Light Publishing/F&W Media was released in March 2012. She has published in several magazines and idea books including Artful Blogging, CPS Studios, Creating Keepsakes, Memory Makers, Scrapbook Trends, and Somerset Magazines.  Ronda is currently a license designer for The Crafter’s Workshop releasing stencils that exemplify her own unique style.  She has been a contract designer for many manufactures including Fancy Pants Designs, Lily Bee Designs, Crate Paper, Purple Onion Designs, My Mind’s Eye, Maya Road, Sizzix, Ranger Ink,  as well as Guest Designing for many other leading manufactures.  She’s best known for combining her mixed-media techniques with bold bright colors.  Ronda is one to follow because you never know if she will be art journaling, scrapbooking, sewing or getting messy with paints; her art changes day-to-day.  She continues to teach worldwide as well as providing inspiration and telling her dorky stories on her blog HelpMeRonda.

Let's get right to her project!

Altered Notebook

I love texture so when I saw the texture kit, my creative heart exploded with joy.  I am always in need of a place to keep notes so I decided to give the composition notebook a texture make over. 

I started by giving the top of the notebook a coat of gesso.  Before I began I added a piece of deli paper just inside the cover so I didn’t drip onto the interior pages. 

While the gesso is still wet, I pressed one of the pieces into the notebook.  I love the texture it adds the notebook.

I added another coat of gesso.  Using the catalyst blade I scrapped into the gesso creating more texture on the cover. 

I repeated the process again using punchinella to create more texture. 

Next I cut up some of some of the pieces from the texture kit and added it to the cover.  I also added a title using leftover chipboard pieces and gessoed over the whole notebook. 

After the gesso dried, I painted the cover using my favorite colors.  I scrapped into the paint using the catalyst blade.

Next using the gelli printing plate and paints, I used all the different items including my stencils to create texture. 

I lifted the prints using deli paper knowing I was going to transfer those prints to my notebook.  I love how the colors looks on the paper along with the patterns. 

I took the pieces of deli paper and tore them to add to my notebook.  I love how the papers have a transparent look when glued down with matte medium.

After adding all the deli paper colors to the notebooks, I added in some more touches of white and texture. 

I finished the notebook off with touches of black spatters and doodles around the cover.  I love the way all the textures come through the paint and layers.  Now I am ready to fill my notebook with all my ideas!

 

Gelli Print Cards

Ohh and since I already had deli paper prints leftover, I decided to make a few cards.  Simply take the deli paper and glue it to neutral cardstock.  Trim the paper down and use it on cards, tags, etc.  

Thank you for the inspiration Ronda!  Your projects are simply beautiful!  I loved Gelli Plates before, but love them even more now! 

Be sure and stop back later in the month for another project by Ronda!  Please stop by Ronda's blog and say Hi!

Here's another peek at the September Limited Edition Kit.  It is currently SOLD OUT, but we are looking at getting more kits in, so if you would like to be put on the waitlist, please email me at frogdogstudio@hotmail.com.

 

Thank you for stopping by today!  Have a wonderful week!

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September Kit(s) Reveal!

Hello and Happy Friday!  Today, we would like to announce our September Kit(s)!

The September Mixed Media Kit is full of fun, funky, and fresh!

The September kit is full of color, fun, and bright neon colors!  Here is what you will receive:

(1) Frog Dog Studio Exclusive 4x6 Stamp Set
(1) Dylusions Ink Spray, White Linen
(1) Faber Castell Big Brush Pen, Pink Madder
(1) Faber Castell Big Brush Pen, Light Blue
(1) Viva Decor Paper Pen, Graphite
(1) Viva Decor 0.7mm Detailer Tip
(1) 5x7 Canvas Paper 18 sheet paper pad
(1) Sharpie Fine Point pen, Orange
(1) Hero Art Neon Ink Cube, (color will vary)
(1) Stampendous Fragments, Hot Blue
(1) Rexlace, Hot Pink
Neon Reinforcement Sticker Sheet
Price Sticker Sheet
Paint Chip Samples

Kit Valued at over $45

If you are a current Kit Subscriber or if you subscribe in the month of September, you will also receive the Frog Dog Studio Exclusive 4x6 Stamp Set Icon II, FREE!

Here's a peek at what is in store for you this month!  :)

 

WOW!!


In addition to the amazing September Mixed Media kit, we are also offering a Limited Edition kit for September.  Keeping with the theme of fresh, fun and funky, the Limited Edition Kit is a Gelli Plate lovers mecca!

 The Limited Edition Kit includes these amazing products:

(1) 8x10 Gelli Arts Gel Printing Plate
(1) Frog Dog Studio Exclusive 6x6 Stencil
(1) Full size Catalyst Silicon Wedge
(1) Speedball Soft Brayer
(1) Frog Dog Studio Texture Pack
(4) 2 oz DecoArt American Acrylic Paints, Sour Apple, Bright Orange, Bright Yellow & Carousel Pink
(5) Foam Rectangles (great for creating your own textures and shapes
(1) Composition Book

The September Limited Edition kit is $55 (plus shipping), with a total value of over $65!

For those of you who are new to Gelli Plate Printing, the Design Team will be sharing the basics for using a Gelli Plate and will be providing some great project ideas.

Kits are available at the Frog Dog Studio store or if you are interested in subscribing to Frog Dog Studio Mixed Media kits, please email me at frogdogstudio@hotmail.com.  Subscribers are guaranteed a kit each month and advanced peeks of Add On's and Limited Edition kits. Don't miss out!

Hop on over to the Frog Dog Studio website to see the entire reveal, and be sure and stop by every day for a new Design Team tutorial and how-to!  This month is PACKED FULL of instruction, tips, and how-to's!  What a great deal!

Thanks for stopping by!  Have a great day!

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