Tuesday, February 12, 2013

Foam Printing with Gelli Plate

While prowling Michaels the other day, I came across these neat fun foam kits.


They were, as fun foam usually is, in the kid's aisle, but I have no clue how children use these- to me, they scream, "printing plates," so I snatched up two of the kits.


Inside the kit are two cut fun foam sheets and four uncut sheets. The sheets measure 8 1/2" x 11 1/2", the largest I've found so far with designs cut into them. The two sheets in the photo above are from two different sets. The really cool thing about them is that they are self-adhesive!


I peeled off the backing and stuck them to a couple of the plain sheets from the kits. Then it was time to play- I knew these would work beautifully with my GelliArts printing plate!

I inked up the first fun foam plate with Hansa Yellow Medium acrylic paint and set it aside.


Working quickly so the paint wouldn't dry too soon, I then inked my gel plate with magenta.


I gently mushed the fun foam plate and the gel plate together...


 ... and just as gently- so as not to smudge the pattern- peeled them apart...


Then it was time to print. Using a sheet of white copy paper, I pulled my first print.


There was quite a bit of paint left on the gel plate, so using another sheet of paper, I took a "ghost print".


Lovely the way the paints blend on the plate, isn't it?

Then to be sure I didn't waste any paint that might still be on my fun foam plate, I pressed it once more into the gel plate.


Lots of workable paint! I got one more print.



Leaving the faint residue of paint on the gel plate, I changed to another color...



... some deep pthalo blue. I reinked my fun foam plate with more yellow...


... pressed the two plates together gently and then peeled them apart...


... and took a print.


I once more pressed the foam plate into the gel plate...


... and took another print.


I switched back to the magenta, leaving the blue/yellow paint residue on the plate...


... reinked the foam plate with more yellow...


... and pressed the plates together...


I got a great print, with all three of the colors mixing on the plate.


And finally, took one more ghost print to clean my gel plate.


Until next time, happy creating!

19 comments:

Bev said...

You always manage to take something so simple and create from it something amazing.

angela recada said...

What a great idea! Your prints turned out great - thanks for such a wonderful tutorial! :)

elle said...

Nothing kiddish about them. They are wonderful!

Roberta Warshaw said...

Great idea! Love those colors!

Mary Helen-Art Saves Lives said...

I hope our Michaels will get these in real soon...your works are wonderful!!!!!! Mary Helen Fernandez Stewart

Unknown said...

I love the prints you got. They looks so cool, I have to do this myself soon. I made my own printing plate from foam, but I haven't had a chance to use it yet. Thanks for the inspiration.

Jeannie said...

I see a trip to Michael's in my future! LOL! I love the prints you created. Fun!

Nancy Kelley said...

Great prints Judi! Love the repetitive strategy and how beautiful the prints turned out! Thanks of sharing :)

Kathi said...

Very cool results. I'll have to hit Michael's to see if they have any left!

Patti Tolley Parrish said...

Awesome find and gorgeous papers!

Debbi said...

Love those foam plates...and you used them so well! I see a trip to Michaels very soon!

Joanna said...

I've popped over to read this post from the Gelli Arts FB page. Great post - great blog! I am your newest follower :)

Eyeleeeen said...

Thank you for sharing such a wonderful, yet EASY technique. I have been gelli plate obsessed lately, and this adds to my repertoire. Only proves that in searching for supplies, we have to think outside the box. No more bypassing the kiddie aisle for me!

queenopearls said...

GREAT post Judi! I love your color combinations as always. How fun it would be to put writing on these as well...
Say, do you use "open" acrylics when you print? I ask because, when printing, my acrylic dries lickety split.
Thanks!
Christina in Cleveland

Lynda said...

Judi, It's funny that I was in Michaels the other day and also saw these while looking at the foam. I thought they'd be great as stencils but was on the hunt for something else. I'll have to go back and pick them up. Thanks for the inspiration.

Vicki W said...

I wonder how many of these you have sold for the cradt stores? I know I will be looking for them!

mary said...

fabulous technique! Thank you for sharing.

Jan said...

I'll have to more carefully peruse the kids aisle next time I'm at the craft store. So many times I find they have cheaper funner stuff there! Thanks for sharing your projects.

nomzam said...

You are an expert in colour matching. Really nice work hey share your stuff at some online art gallery.