This is great and you are a wonderful teacher! I’m an artist and a former printmaker (had my own press my husband built for me) and I just started playing around with Gelli printing and love it. Having just turned 90 I’m still working on things, mostly watercolors but playing with printing again is a thrill!
That's fantastic! Printmaking is so cool because there are so many different ways to do it-- always more to learn :) Thank you so much for tuning in! - Mia Rozear, Art Prof Staff
Wow! Amazing technique... Also loved the young man in the red shirt, he had great questions and seemed so engaged. At 8:20 you'll hear an enthusiastic "Hmm!" from him - That's just how I was feeling ! It's like he says what I'm thinking. I can't wait to see more of him on this channel in the future, or possibly just a compilation of his comments? Please oblige!
That's Owen Rival! He was a guest TA for a short period of time and still is a friend of Art Prof. He's an excellent painter too! You can see more of his work on his Instagram here: instagram.com/owenrival/ -Lauryn, Art Prof Teaching Artist
Wow. Top notch great video. I could not totally understand WHY to do gel plate printing, rather than just direct painting because so much of what I've seen with gel print videos & art just looked no different than direct painting. No one was explaining such issues. This was so valuable. I especially love the unique suggestions, like light box idea & 'wiping' to paint as a 1st step; I never heard that anywhere & found it to be really great ideas. I've really been wanting to try printing & this helps so much.
We're so happy you feel this way!! Gelli printing is truly very cool. You might enjoy some of our other printmaking videos, feel free to check out this page to learn more: artprof.org/?s=printmaking - Mia, Art Prof Staff
you can explore, but then use the monotypes, on extremely thin Japanese paper, which later can be used as Chine Cole in an etching or a woodcut, not only that but you can use them as jumping off point for larger paintings, I have projected them onto a piece of art paper which is stiff and been gessoed, sketched in from the monotype then done an oil painting! This process is so freeing!
Perfect.... as usual. Clever use of the light board. I will mimic you in all areas with my own flair of course.. Thanks for sharing your expertise - once again. Love and peace xx
I've taught many groups printmaking oh many kinds without a press. I've rarely used one for my own monotypes. I love this tutorial, and there's no need to say you need a press if you don't use gelli plates. I
Having been a print maker for some 40 years, yes, I am am an Oldstr! I started to use the jelli plate but found I was doing crafty sorts of things but wanted to cross back over to the sort of strange printmaking imagery. I wish to be clear here, I am not putting down card or craft journeying, not at all! I just make some rather strangely Bacon-esque sorts of images and I wanted to produce them using gelli plates. I need to have an ink which was stiff body, I wanted to endulge my love of stiff oil ink. I found this video to be very helpful. Wonderful demo. Now I am on the discover journey of whether I could combine the Akua over acrylic inks and paint. Thank you. The Old Print Maker!
We are so honored you feel this way!! Thank you so much for watching. It is so wonderful to try out new mediums-- I hope to practice different ways of printmaking soon as well! - Mia Rozear, Art Prof Staff
I am very honored as well. I try to keep a very low profile. Most likely you will not find me hardly at all on the net but here I am to support you any way that is humanly possible, you are a joy, everything an Art Instructor should be!
Thanks! You might like this new oil painting tutorial we released, similar techniques with the rag are used in this tutorial: artprof.org/courses/oil-painting/
This is one of the best tutorials on using a Gelli plate that I have seen. Lots of good tips. This one is done from an artist's perspective rather than from a crafter's (not a knock on crafter's by the way). I have done some work with Gelli plates and am looking forward to doing more.
Awesome, I'm happy to hear you got a lot out of it! We also did this Gelli Plate tutorial on how to do acrylic image transfers: th-cam.com/video/WP6vtTS9kT4/w-d-xo.html -Lauryn, Art Prof Teaching Artist
Hi Clara, Wondering what advantages and differences a gel plate has compared to using plexi glass as your plate (esp as related to this reveal/rubbing out process)? Thanks.
The difference is that if you use plexiglass, you have to print on a printing press. The gel plate is handy because you don't need a press! Printing on a press with plexiglass will get more accurate results, but most people don't have a press. -Prof Lieu
Great tutorial! What type of paper would you suggest?? Is it possible to use sanded paper? I am a pastel artist and I have heavier paper on hand. Thank you!
You can transfer charcoal drawings easily to the gelli plate and then roll acrylic medium or acrylic paint over the charcoal transfer on the plate and pull it on a sheet of paper
If oil based inks are used, would the solvents damage the gel plate? Both during cleanup and thinning out ink on the plate with a brush. Thank you for the videos!
If you use oil based inks I would recommend using baby oil instead of solvents. I'm actually not sure if the gel printing plates would be damaged by solvents. Either way, oil based inks are a pain for this process and much harder to clean than the Akua inks. Glad to hear you are enjoying our content!
It wouldn’t, the only way to do a mono type on something like that would be to use plexiglass and print it on a printing press. That wouldn’t work with glass, as the press would shatter it. So plexiglass would be the way to go! I have seen people use a pasta maker, but I don’t have experience with that. -Prof Lieu
Clara, Would you ever consider doing a demo of the process you used for The Waders? Maybe on a smaller scale? Etching ink on Dura-Lar, litho crayon… It seems so intriguing!
I would love to, it's just about getting the budget to make it possible, as I have a lot on my hands keeping us afloat. Here is info on how to sponsor a video: artprof.org/learn/sponsor-a-video/ -Prof Lieu
I used bone black for the mushroom monotype! You can get all the product info from this video and links on the course page on our main site: artprof.org/courses/monochromatic-monotypes/
Question -- I usually use acrylic paint when making gelli prints and find that the paint dries on the plate pretty quickly, so I was surprised and impressed (no pun intended) when I saw that you were able to pull a well defined print even after such a long time went by after you inked the plate... Is this due to the type of ink you are using? Or could it also be related to the temperature of the environment? (I am in a very hot dry apartment....)
@@artprof Open acrylics are a good alternative as far as getting a longer drying time, but in my recent very limited experiments with the gelli plate, I find the open acrylics make the surface even more slippery and difficult to control than the ink. The Akua ink has a bit of thickness and tackiness to it that I think is a bit easier to control.
I am looking for this mono printing video that I watched when Professor Lieu demoed how to do a mono print of Cherries on a window? But I can't find the video anywhere!? Can somebody send me the link to that video?
Hey Prof Lieu, Thank you for wonderful tutorial! I have a question , I used the same ink and gelli place , why did the texture of my brush stroke disappear in a few seconds . I will go constanltly go back to redo the texture
@@artprof thanks prof lieu , I took your advice and the result is much better. Thank you thank you! However , when I transfered the image to a paper , even though I very very gently glided the my hands over the paper to make sure the image is fully transferred. I noticed the ink has moved , the image turned out much more blurry than what I saw in the Gelli plate. Is this the nature of the ink ? Is the ink supposed to move around when you press the paper ?
Yes, give it a try, monotypes are so much fun to do! You can get more info on supplies, etc. on the course page: artprof.org/courses/monochromatic-monotypes/
Clara, I am thinking about trying gel plate in my college level intro to print class. As a monoprint surface that's easier for hand printing. We are using the speedball oil based block ink for the class and I have had trouble figuring out if it would be compatible with gel.
It should work; I've used oil based inks on gelli plates before and it's worked well. If you want to use acrylic, I recommend adding slow dri medium, otherwise (at least in my experience) I found that it dried too fast. -Prof Lieu
@@artprof Thank you. I'm an old school printmaker and the idea of acrylic monotypes makes me cringe. I also want to use one kind of ink for the whole semester. Since this is an online version of our regular class.
@Hannah Skoonberg, I don't know if you ever tried using acrylic but it does have some benefits for monoprints in that you can build up layers before you print. Oil based ink takes a long time to dry, but with acrylic you can add textures in subtle layers and create really interesting patterns that way. You can also use pastels because the binder in acrylic sticks it to the paper. I've also achieved some really interesting textures printing with gouache. Definitely worth experimenting with 😌
Hi, I've made my own gelli plate. I use acrylic paint to make prints, but I find the roller gets "sticky" after using it a few times. I also experimented with oil paint, and it makes beautiful prints. No problem with the roller. Only with acrylic. Should I thin the paint with water a little? Amanda from South Africa
What I've done in the past is use an acrylic retarder (a medium that slows the drying process for acrylic) and that worked great! I don't know what specific brands you have access to, but here is a link to that item: amzn.to/2zlWoRJ -Prof Lieu
Hello Prof Lieu! Great video, demonstrations, and lastly...teaching! I do have a question about dry time. How long does it take to dry? I made a few prints 2-3 weeks ago, and I can still rub paint off. Obviously the the thinner the paint, the faster it'll dry, but it still dries rather slowly. Are there papers that are more absorbent and dry faster (smooth vs. tooth, 100% cotton vs. mixed media paper, etc.), and can wetting the paper make it dry faster? Any tips on drying time?
It’s takes a looooong time for the ink to dry, just let it sit there, it will eventually! I don’t think a different paper will make a noticeable difference. -Prof Lieu
Clara, I am new to gelli printing. This is great. I absolutely love the series of figures in water that you show around the 4 minute mark. Are they yours and done on a gelli plate? They are awesome. I find it difficult to paint on such a slippery surface and all the while to create, delineate, and define images by wiping/brushing off the ink.. Those images seem so complex to get on a gelli plate. Any advice? I am so inspired by those images.. I want to be able to do that.
Hi! The figures wading in water was actually a monotype that I printed on a printing press on a sheet of plexiglass, another version of monotype with different materials. On a press you get waaaaay more detail that isn't possible on a gelli plate. But, I have really embraced the textures that you get on a gelli plate you can't get on a plexiglass sheet! See here in this 1 min short: th-cam.com/users/shortsvfgdWO8jMoI?feature=share -Prof Lieu
@@artprof Thank you, Clara, that’s great. In the short you soak the paper, but in this vid you use dry paper can you clarify that? Btw, since I do not have a press I will be embracing the gelliplate textures as well. They do offer very interesting effects.
Hi! You'll find our paper and ink recommendations in the video description below, and the supply list is here on our main site as well: artprof.org/learn/gelli-plate-monotype-prints/
Hi, I don't know if you'll reply but.... does intaglio ink dry slower? Do i need to put retarder in the regular water-based ink to keep it from drying fast?
Yes, if the intaglio ink is oil-based, it will dry slower. You don't need to add retarder to the water-based ink, but if you're printing a lot over several hours, you may find it helpful when it comes to cleaning your plate and brayer. -Lauryn, Art Prof Teaching Artist
Hi Art Prof, I have two sizes of Gelli plate, in fact tbh I have a LOT of art materials accumulated during a very long spell of being bed bound, now I am not, but do have certain limitations to what I can do, one of those is being the owner of an elderly pure white cat who loves my work space, the other is being in a power chair that hates anything to do with water. I have looked at the Akua inks and don ‘t think I could get a brayed clean that easily, I would have to cleanup after the cleanup, aargh! I have worked a bit with acrylics, funnily enough using the green you used, but the consistency seemed all wrong. I wonder if you have any recommendations for this that would both dry reasonably quickly and give the high contrast and range of tones that a printing ink gives? I have tried extenders to ordinary acrylics and really disliked the slippy feel to them. Is there something in between or a medium to add that will help? That’s a great tip about the light box by the way! Especially as I already have one!
Hello 😌 I use System 3 Acrylic Printing Medium by Daler-Rowney. You add it to acrylic to turn it into printing ink. You can vary the amount you add to get different consistencies and it doesn't have a glossy/plastic texture like some mediums do. It's easy to clean as well, it doesn't leave things 'inky' even though it works like ink. I love it because I can mix up interesting colours from my acrylics then turn them into inks for printing, so it gives me a lot of options to play around with. Might be worth checking out, just thought I'd share it with you
Akua inks stay active for a really long time. A good substitute for Akua inks would be any water soluble printmaking ink, Speedball is a good brand if that's available to you. Another option is you can use acrylic paint and mix in acrylic retarder into it, that works too!
I used "Nature's Promise" baby wipes, although I don't think the brand should make the difference. My guess is that the ink you are using isn't as easy to clean; also I know some acrylic paints are tough to clean off gelli plates too. I don't know if you have access to the Akua intaglio inks, but those work great.
Art Prof I’ve been using Akua Intaglio Inks. I have to use baby oil to get the wipes to clean the way yours did. My biggest issue is that the wipes seem to leave behind a fluffy residue. It’s been driving me nuts!
It's possible that maybe you put on the intaglio ink really thick, making it extra stubborn. The akua ink doesn't come off easily, but you might try taking the gelli plate and running it under hot water and soap while wiping with baby wipes at the same time. -Prof Lieu
After research, I learned a couple critical things. I wouldn't recommend making your own gel plate, which is made from water mixed with gelatin- a food source- like the kind used in labs to nourish bacteria experiments & will fall apart fast, after a lot of trouble to make. Commercially available gel plates are actually made from plastics & mineral oil & extremely more durable. Regarding Akua inks- they are a mysterious new ink, said to dry only with absorption into the paper, so I would use caution to use a thin layer that can be fully absorbed, as any ink not absorbed into the paper, by the nature of the product, will never dry.
I'm using Akua intaglio inks, which are water based. You can see images and links of the full supply list here: artprof.org/courses/monochromatic-monotypes/ -Prof Lieu
So I still don't know the difference between monotype and moniprint. It seems to all depend on what year it is and who is talking...seriously. Can you shed any light on this? I'm having difficulty with describing my pieces without knowing the true definition difference. Thanks.
I've been making monotypes/monoprints for years and also use the words interchangeably. Printmakers might be more strict about which is which and shed better light on the difference between the two. I think in the painting world we use monotypes more to talk about images made on a sheet of plexi and run through a press. I hope that helps in some way! -Lauryn, Art Prof Teaching Artist
Thanks for answer. I use a gel plate for my prints and all prints made from the same plate are "one offs"...all different in one way or another.Do I call them montypes?@@artprof
See our linoleum printmaking tutorial! th-cam.com/video/EBHhZGOMojo/w-d-xo.html
This is great and you are a wonderful teacher! I’m an artist and a former printmaker (had my own press my husband built for me) and I just started playing around with Gelli printing and love it. Having just turned 90 I’m still working on things, mostly watercolors but playing with printing again is a thrill!
That's fantastic! Printmaking is so cool because there are so many different ways to do it-- always more to learn :) Thank you so much for tuning in! - Mia Rozear, Art Prof Staff
Soundswonderful I want to be an artist into my 90yies too
By far the best printmaking instructional video teacher!
That is so kind of you to say! ❤️ -Lauryn, Art Prof Teaching Artist
Wow! Amazing technique... Also loved the young man in the red shirt, he had great questions and seemed so engaged. At 8:20 you'll hear an enthusiastic "Hmm!" from him - That's just how I was feeling ! It's like he says what I'm thinking. I can't wait to see more of him on this channel in the future, or possibly just a compilation of his comments? Please oblige!
That's Owen Rival! He was a guest TA for a short period of time and still is a friend of Art Prof. He's an excellent painter too! You can see more of his work on his Instagram here: instagram.com/owenrival/ -Lauryn, Art Prof Teaching Artist
Just did some monotypes at art school and it was really cool. The gelli plates seam to make the process a bit more convenient. Thanks for sharing!
It's such a cool way to make art! Thanks for watching :D - Mia, Art Prof Staff
Wow. Top notch great video. I could not totally understand WHY to do gel plate printing, rather than just direct painting because so much of what I've seen with gel print videos & art just looked no different than direct painting. No one was explaining such issues. This was so valuable. I especially love the unique suggestions, like light box idea & 'wiping' to paint as a 1st step; I never heard that anywhere & found it to be really great ideas. I've really been wanting to try printing & this helps so much.
We're so happy you feel this way!! Gelli printing is truly very cool. You might enjoy some of our other printmaking videos, feel free to check out this page to learn more: artprof.org/?s=printmaking - Mia, Art Prof Staff
you can explore, but then use the monotypes, on extremely thin Japanese paper, which later can be used as Chine Cole in an etching or a woodcut, not only that but you can use them as jumping off point for larger paintings, I have projected them onto a piece of art paper which is stiff and been gessoed, sketched in from the monotype then done an oil painting! This process is so freeing!
That sounds like such a cool way of working!! Thank you so much for sharing your process, and for watching :) - Mia Rozear, Art Prof Staff
Really like the more arty use of the gelli plate. Very inspiring. 👏👊🤸♀️
Perfect.... as usual. Clever use of the light board. I will mimic you in all areas with my own flair of course.. Thanks for sharing your expertise - once again.
Love and peace xx
You're so welcome, thank you for watching with us!! - Mia, Art Prof Staff
Finally, a great use of gelli! Thanks for the video!
Thank you! You might like our tutorial on making your own rubber stamps: th-cam.com/video/3Z4SM5E_hY0/w-d-xo.html -Prof Lieu
Really inspiring video showing an alternative, more painterly, approach to gelli-plate printing. I like it very much. Thank you for sharing this❤️
Glad you liked it! -Prof Lieu
I've taught many groups printmaking oh many kinds without a press. I've rarely used one for my own monotypes. I love this tutorial, and there's no need to say you need a press if you don't use gelli plates. I
There are tons of different ways to make prints, so much to learn! - Mia Rozear, Art Prof Staff
The final product was INSANE!!
Having been a print maker for some 40 years, yes, I am am an Oldstr! I started to use the jelli plate but found I was doing crafty sorts of things but wanted to cross back over to the sort of strange printmaking imagery. I wish to be clear here, I am not putting down card or craft journeying, not at all! I just make some rather strangely Bacon-esque sorts of images and I wanted to produce them using gelli plates. I need to have an ink which was stiff body, I wanted to endulge my love of stiff oil ink. I found this video to be very helpful. Wonderful demo. Now I am on the discover journey of whether I could combine the Akua over acrylic inks and paint. Thank you. The Old Print Maker!
We are so honored you feel this way!! Thank you so much for watching. It is so wonderful to try out new mediums-- I hope to practice different ways of printmaking soon as well! - Mia Rozear, Art Prof Staff
I am very honored as well. I try to keep a very low profile. Most likely you will not find me hardly at all on the net but here I am to support you any way that is humanly possible, you are a joy, everything an Art Instructor should be!
Wow! The mushrooms are amazing!! ❤️❤️
GREAT VIDEO!! Thank you!
The student is really cute too!
Love the more 'arty' use of the Gelli plate. Thanks for sharing; hope there will be more.
Thanks! You might like this new oil painting tutorial we released, similar techniques with the rag are used in this tutorial: artprof.org/courses/oil-painting/
Wow! I have my Gelli plate sitting in a drawer! Never knew I could create these nuances and details! Thanks for your inspiring video!
You are so welcome!-Prof Lieu
Love it! What a super idea, it’s like oil painting!Thank you for sharing!
Yes, monotypes and oil painting are often taught together! They're good mediums to mix. :] -Lauryn, Art Prof Teaching Artist
This is one of the best tutorials on using a Gelli plate that I have seen. Lots of good tips. This one is done from an artist's perspective rather than from a crafter's (not a knock on crafter's by the way). I have done some work with Gelli plates and am looking forward to doing more.
Awesome, I'm happy to hear you got a lot out of it! We also did this Gelli Plate tutorial on how to do acrylic image transfers: th-cam.com/video/WP6vtTS9kT4/w-d-xo.html -Lauryn, Art Prof Teaching Artist
Thank you for your excellent tutorial! I just got my first gelli plate and wasn't completely sure how to get started.
You are so welcome! Good luck with your gelli plate :) - Mia Rozear, Art Prof Staff
Hi Clara, Wondering what advantages and differences a gel plate has compared to using plexi glass as your plate (esp as related to this reveal/rubbing out process)? Thanks.
The difference is that if you use plexiglass, you have to print on a printing press. The gel plate is handy because you don't need a press! Printing on a press with plexiglass will get more accurate results, but most people don't have a press. -Prof Lieu
Thank you Clara.
This was both instructive and inspiring. Thank you.
You are so welcome! - Mia Rozear, Art Prof Staff
this is the most civilized comments section i've ever seen
Yesss l learn from those comments so much
That gel pad looks so fun to use (and play with!)
The gel printing plates are super fun! And they're unique in that they work well for adults and elementary kids.
Excellent. Very helpful and thanks for including resources and supply list.
You're so welcome, thanks for watching! - Mia Rozear, Art Prof Staff
Great tutorial! What type of paper would you suggest?? Is it possible to use sanded paper? I am a pastel artist and I have heavier paper on hand. Thank you!
I think that paper should be just fine! I like using printmaking paper pads & rice paper :) - Mia, Art Prof Staff
Great tuition, wonderful prints. Thank you
You are so welcome! Thanks for watching :) - Mia Rozear, Art Prof Staff
You can transfer charcoal drawings easily to the gelli plate and then roll acrylic medium or acrylic paint over the charcoal transfer on the plate and pull it on a sheet of paper
Yessss, I love this method! -Lauryn, Art Prof Teaching Artist
The prints shown at 4:06 are absolutely stunning! Who made them? :)
Those are actually drawings, I made them! You can see more here: claralieu.com/portfolio/wading/ -Prof Lieu
If oil based inks are used, would the solvents damage the gel plate? Both during cleanup and thinning out ink on the plate with a brush. Thank you for the videos!
If you use oil based inks I would recommend using baby oil instead of solvents. I'm actually not sure if the gel printing plates would be damaged by solvents. Either way, oil based inks are a pain for this process and much harder to clean than the Akua inks.
Glad to hear you are enjoying our content!
Hello Prof Lieu! If I use glass as a replacement for the gelli plate, will it produce the same quality? Thanks
It wouldn’t, the only way to do a mono type on something like that would be to use plexiglass and print it on a printing press. That wouldn’t work with glass, as the press would shatter it. So plexiglass would be the way to go! I have seen people use a pasta maker, but I don’t have experience with that. -Prof Lieu
@@artprof Thank you, Prof. Very helpful 🙏🙏🙏
Cleaning charcoal ir graphite transfers off the gelli plate you use baby oil or mineral oil.
Thank you for the tip! -Lauryn, Art Prof Teaching Artist
Clara, Would you ever consider doing a demo of the process you used for The Waders? Maybe on a smaller scale? Etching ink on Dura-Lar, litho crayon… It seems so intriguing!
I would love to, it's just about getting the budget to make it possible, as I have a lot on my hands keeping us afloat. Here is info on how to sponsor a video: artprof.org/learn/sponsor-a-video/ -Prof Lieu
that is one enthusiastic student!
For sure! - Mia Rozear, Art Prof Staff
This is a very good tutorial. I enjoyed it and learned quite a bit.
Glad you enjoyed it!
Very nice !! What kind of black color do you use for the mushroom monotype, please ? I'll see there are many kind of black AKUA
I used bone black for the mushroom monotype! You can get all the product info from this video and links on the course page on our main site: artprof.org/courses/monochromatic-monotypes/
Really great tutorial and beautiful work!
Thank you! Should I moist the paper in this tech
That could make for some pretty cool results! Try it out, experimenting with printmaking techniques is super cool :) - Mia, Art Prof Staff
Question -- I usually use acrylic paint when making gelli prints and find that the paint dries on the plate pretty quickly, so I was surprised and impressed (no pun intended) when I saw that you were able to pull a well defined print even after such a long time went by after you inked the plate... Is this due to the type of ink you are using? Or could it also be related to the temperature of the environment? (I am in a very hot dry apartment....)
Yes! It’s absolutely the Akua inks. When I have used acrylic I have to add tons of retarder. The Akua inks are a great solution. -Prof Lieu
@@artprof Open acrylics are a good alternative as far as getting a longer drying time, but in my recent very limited experiments with the gelli plate, I find the open acrylics make the surface even more slippery and difficult to control than the ink. The Akua ink has a bit of thickness and tackiness to it that I think is a bit easier to control.
Thanks for this - so many useful tips!
I am looking for this mono printing video that I watched when Professor Lieu demoed how to do a mono print of Cherries on a window? But I can't find the video anywhere!? Can somebody send me the link to that video?
Here it is! th-cam.com/users/shortsvfgdWO8jMoI - Mia, Art Prof Staff
Hey Prof Lieu, Thank you for wonderful tutorial! I have a question , I used the same ink and gelli place , why did the texture of my brush stroke disappear in a few seconds . I will go constanltly go back to redo the texture
It could be that your Akua ink wasn't mixed; often with a new can the ink settles to the bottom and the oil is on top. Try that! -Prof Lieu
@@artprof thanks prof lieu , I took your advice and the result is much better. Thank you thank you! However , when I transfered the image to a paper , even though I very very gently glided the my hands over the paper to make sure the image is fully transferred. I noticed the ink has moved , the image turned out much more blurry than what I saw in the Gelli plate. Is this the nature of the ink ? Is the ink supposed to move around when you press the paper ?
thank you
Interesting tutorial, very well presented thank you I might venture into doing monotypes. :D
Yes, give it a try, monotypes are so much fun to do! You can get more info on supplies, etc. on the course page: artprof.org/courses/monochromatic-monotypes/
Clara, I am thinking about trying gel plate in my college level intro to print class. As a monoprint surface that's easier for hand printing. We are using the speedball oil based block ink for the class and I have had trouble figuring out if it would be compatible with gel.
It should work; I've used oil based inks on gelli plates before and it's worked well. If you want to use acrylic, I recommend adding slow dri medium, otherwise (at least in my experience) I found that it dried too fast. -Prof Lieu
@@artprof Thank you. I'm an old school printmaker and the idea of acrylic monotypes makes me cringe. I also want to use one kind of ink for the whole semester. Since this is an online version of our regular class.
@Hannah Skoonberg, I don't know if you ever tried using acrylic but it does have some benefits for monoprints in that you can build up layers before you print. Oil based ink takes a long time to dry, but with acrylic you can add textures in subtle layers and create really interesting patterns that way. You can also use pastels because the binder in acrylic sticks it to the paper. I've also achieved some really interesting textures printing with gouache. Definitely worth experimenting with 😌
So, I do not need to put gesso on plexiglass first. I was confused since others on youtube says it's better to apply gesso before adding ink.
I think it's best to add gesso on paper/canvas that you'll print onto, but the glass doesn't need it! - Mia Rozear, Art Prof Staff
One question! How do yo clean the plate?
Baby wipes work great! -Prof Lieu
Hi, I've made my own gelli plate. I use acrylic paint to make prints, but I find the roller gets "sticky" after using it a few times. I also experimented with oil paint, and it makes beautiful prints. No problem with the roller. Only with acrylic. Should I thin the paint with water a little? Amanda from South Africa
What I've done in the past is use an acrylic retarder (a medium that slows the drying process for acrylic) and that worked great! I don't know what specific brands you have access to, but here is a link to that item: amzn.to/2zlWoRJ -Prof Lieu
Hello Prof Lieu! Great video, demonstrations, and lastly...teaching! I do have a question about dry time. How long does it take to dry? I made a few prints 2-3 weeks ago, and I can still rub paint off. Obviously the the thinner the paint, the faster it'll dry, but it still dries rather slowly. Are there papers that are more absorbent and dry faster (smooth vs. tooth, 100% cotton vs. mixed media paper, etc.), and can wetting the paper make it dry faster? Any tips on drying time?
It’s takes a looooong time for the ink to dry, just let it sit there, it will eventually! I don’t think a different paper will make a noticeable difference. -Prof Lieu
@@artprof Thanks for the quick response. I will just have to learn to be patient! :)
very excellent soft roller is quite helpfull!
Clara, I am new to gelli printing. This is great. I absolutely love the series of figures in water that you show around the 4 minute mark. Are they yours and done on a gelli plate? They are awesome. I find it difficult to paint on such a slippery surface and all the while to create, delineate, and define images by wiping/brushing off the ink.. Those images seem so complex to get on a gelli plate. Any advice? I am so inspired by those images.. I want to be able to do that.
Also, curious what size gelli plate was used for those figures.
Hi! The figures wading in water was actually a monotype that I printed on a printing press on a sheet of plexiglass, another version of monotype with different materials. On a press you get waaaaay more detail that isn't possible on a gelli plate. But, I have really embraced the textures that you get on a gelli plate you can't get on a plexiglass sheet! See here in this 1 min short: th-cam.com/users/shortsvfgdWO8jMoI?feature=share -Prof Lieu
They were 18" x 24", you can see more on our website in this section: claralieu.com/portfolio/falling-figures/ -Prof Lieu
@@artprof Thank you, Clara, that’s great. In the short you soak the paper, but in this vid you use dry paper can you clarify that? Btw, since I do not have a press I will be embracing the gelliplate textures as well. They do offer very interesting effects.
Oh, is that because you need damp paper when using a press but dry without a press? That just occurred to me!
great friendly video!
Thank you! We have many more videos on our main site: artprof.org/courses/
Thanks a lot!
You're so welcome! - Mia, Art Prof Staff
Great! I didnt know about monotype. Love it!
Love the technique...I use my plate with acrylics and had wondered about inks. Have you found it worthwhile to make ghostprints?
My feeling about ghost prints is “why not?” Nothing to lose, either it doesn’t look good, or you get a nice surprise. -Prof Lieu
Never thought to put my gel plate over a light box!
Great demo! What kind of printmaking paper do you recommend?
I like Rives BFK! -Prof Lieu
What kind of paint and sheet should I use?
Hi! You'll find our paper and ink recommendations in the video description below, and the supply list is here on our main site as well: artprof.org/learn/gelli-plate-monotype-prints/
Hi, I don't know if you'll reply but.... does intaglio ink dry slower? Do i need to put retarder in the regular water-based ink to keep it from drying fast?
Yes, if the intaglio ink is oil-based, it will dry slower. You don't need to add retarder to the water-based ink, but if you're printing a lot over several hours, you may find it helpful when it comes to cleaning your plate and brayer. -Lauryn, Art Prof Teaching Artist
Hi Art Prof, I have two sizes of Gelli plate, in fact tbh I have a LOT of art materials accumulated during a very long spell of being bed bound, now I am not, but do have certain limitations to what I can do, one of those is being the owner of an elderly pure white cat who loves my work space, the other is being in a power chair that hates anything to do with water. I have looked at the Akua inks and don ‘t think I could get a brayed clean that easily, I would have to cleanup after the cleanup, aargh! I have worked a bit with acrylics, funnily enough using the green you used, but the consistency seemed all wrong. I wonder if you have any recommendations for this that would both dry reasonably quickly and give the high contrast and range of tones that a printing ink gives? I have tried extenders to ordinary acrylics and really disliked the slippy feel to them. Is there something in between or a medium to add that will help? That’s a great tip about the light box by the way! Especially as I already have one!
Hello 😌 I use System 3 Acrylic Printing Medium by Daler-Rowney. You add it to acrylic to turn it into printing ink. You can vary the amount you add to get different consistencies and it doesn't have a glossy/plastic texture like some mediums do. It's easy to clean as well, it doesn't leave things 'inky' even though it works like ink.
I love it because I can mix up interesting colours from my acrylics then turn them into inks for printing, so it gives me a lot of options to play around with. Might be worth checking out, just thought I'd share it with you
@@tigs6639 thanks for sharing this tip. But since it's acrylics, it dries fast, right? Or the system 3 medium extends the drying time?
Nowadays instead of big chunky light boxes you can buy light pads which range in many sizes and which are portable and can be quite inexpensive.
This looks like fun
It is!! - Mia Rozear, Art Prof Staff
How long does the ink stay active, not dry out? Can't get Akua inks in Israel what would be a good substitute?
Akua inks stay active for a really long time. A good substitute for Akua inks would be any water soluble printmaking ink, Speedball is a good brand if that's available to you. Another option is you can use acrylic paint and mix in acrylic retarder into it, that works too!
There’s a water cleanup oil based on blick that’s great
Thanks for the tip!! - Mia Rozear, Art Prof Staff
Can I use linoleum oil based ink?
Yes, that should work! -Prof Lieu
What brand baby wipes? I’ve tried two so far and neither cleans the way yours did...
I used "Nature's Promise" baby wipes, although I don't think the brand should make the difference. My guess is that the ink you are using isn't as easy to clean; also I know some acrylic paints are tough to clean off gelli plates too. I don't know if you have access to the Akua intaglio inks, but those work great.
Art Prof I’ve been using Akua Intaglio Inks. I have to use baby oil to get the wipes to clean the way yours did. My biggest issue is that the wipes seem to leave behind a fluffy residue. It’s been driving me nuts!
If you're using the Akua inks I guess it must be the baby wipes you're using?? Sorry it's been a hassle!
It’s definitely the wipes. Thanks for letting me know your brand. I’ll see if they work for me.
I used AKUA intaglio ink on my gelli plate and now I can't get it clean. Used baby wipes and soap and water.
It's possible that maybe you put on the intaglio ink really thick, making it extra stubborn. The akua ink doesn't come off easily, but you might try taking the gelli plate and running it under hot water and soap while wiping with baby wipes at the same time. -Prof Lieu
After research, I learned a couple critical things. I wouldn't recommend making your own gel plate, which is made from water mixed with gelatin- a food source- like the kind used in labs to nourish bacteria experiments & will fall apart fast, after a lot of trouble to make. Commercially available gel plates are actually made from plastics & mineral oil & extremely more durable. Regarding Akua inks- they are a mysterious new ink, said to dry only with absorption into the paper, so I would use caution to use a thin layer that can be fully absorbed, as any ink not absorbed into the paper, by the nature of the product, will never dry.
Thank you so much for these tips, and for watching! - Mia, Art Prof Staff
There are instructions for a gel plate made with gelatin and glycerin. These last much longer.
@@blossompetal784 and alcohol
that brayer has a elevated center...oh oh!
It’s oil paint ?
I'm using Akua intaglio inks, which are water based. You can see images and links of the full supply list here: artprof.org/courses/monochromatic-monotypes/ -Prof Lieu
So I still don't know the difference between monotype and moniprint. It seems to all depend on what year it is and who is talking...seriously. Can you shed any light on this? I'm having difficulty with describing my pieces without knowing the true definition difference. Thanks.
I've been making monotypes/monoprints for years and also use the words interchangeably. Printmakers might be more strict about which is which and shed better light on the difference between the two. I think in the painting world we use monotypes more to talk about images made on a sheet of plexi and run through a press. I hope that helps in some way! -Lauryn, Art Prof Teaching Artist
Thanks for answer. I use a gel plate for my prints and all prints made from the same plate are "one offs"...all different in one way or another.Do I call them montypes?@@artprof
Funny enough my mom's name is Akua. Great video!
I made my light table by installing LED strip lights into a clear storage box.
Ooh SO SMART! - Mia, Art Prof Staff
You can print with a pasta-maker, much cheaper than a traditional printing press, but you'll be restricted by the size of the pasta machine.
Such a cool idea!!!! - Mia, Art Prof Staff
I would say a series, or a body of work is exploring a concise idea.... not variations on a theme.
I think there are tons of avenues you can go down when exploring a series of artworks! - Mia Rozear, Art Prof Staff
He is so cute omg
Thanks for watching! - Mia, Art Prof Staff
🌹👍
Awesome tutorial but that guy needs to scale back his "yeah"s.
Every day we try to tackle our filler words, haha! It's a marathon, not a sprint... sadly. Thanks for watching! - Mia, Art Prof Staff