Storing your Gelli Arts & Gel Press Prints

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When you get into creating your own background papers with monoprinting, whether you are using a homemade gelatine plate,  a GelliArts plate or a Gel Press one, once you get started, the prints start flowing!

Before you know it you have  H-U-G-E pile of gel prints!

Storing your gel press monoprinting gelli arts gel press gel prints

When it comes time to use your some of your beautiful papers, it gets frustrating when you have to shuffle through a large pile of printed paper and deli papers. Here Michelle talks about her approach to sorting and storing her gel prints, as inspired by Julie Fei-Fan Balzer.

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I hope you find this simple concept easy to adapt to your own gel prints storage. It can even be adapted to all of your scrapbooking and ephemera papers. You can always create more categories to sort but remember that if you make your system too complicated then, you’ll be less likely to use it, so keep it simple when you are getting started with sorting and storing your gel prins. You can improve on your storage system once you have a simple system that works for you.

If you are looking for ideas on using your lovely printed papers, see What to do with your Gel Plate Prints for inspiration. Having your own, unique gel prints allows you to create simple pieces that will always have a personal touch, because the printed papers are originals.

Happy creating,
Michelle

Filed Under: Mixed Media Art Tips Tagged With: , , , ,

Turn your Gelli Prints into Inspiring Framed Gifts

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This article is written by Michelle G. Brown

Mono-printing with GelliArts Gelli Plates has become one of my favourite mixed media art techniques for creating backgrounds (you can see some of my first attempts and step-by-step guide here and once you get into the swing of things, the prints pile up quickly! So I decided to take a second-hand photo frame and up-cycle it into an inspiring piece of mixed media art.

Use background papers into a handmade gift

Materials

– Background papers or Gelli prints

– Photo frame; here I used a 5” x 7” frame

– piece of cardboard to fit frame

– glue; PVA or Gel Medium

– Washi tape

– Black Marker; here I’ve used my Golden Black pen Montana Marker with Golden Fluid Acrylic

Create your Framed Gift

1. Gather your materials and a few pieces of background paper in colors that work well together

Using Gelli prints to make handmade gifts

2. Take the back off your photo frame and use it to cut a piece of cardboard to size so it will fit into the frame. I used a piece of cereal box cardboard. Check that it does fit into the frame and trim if needed.

Gelli prints to create mixed media gifts

3. Use the cardboard to cut a piece of background paper to size.

Gelli prints to create mixed media gifts

4. Use a piece of scotch brite or sandpaper to rough up the cereal box cardboard. Then stick the background paper to the cardboard. Flatten out any wrinkles.

Gelli prints to create mixed media gifts

5. Cut two contrasting background papers into strips and thin triangles. Stick these to the background piece. Leave to dry and trim the ends to size.

Gelli prints to create mixed media gifts

6. Add a strip of Washi tape and write in your inspiring quote with the black marker. Seal with Gel medium or varnish. Leave to dry.

Gelli prints to create mixed media gifts

7. Place your mixed media art into the frame, replace the back and your gift is ready to give!

(I forgot to take a final photo of my piece in the frame but here it is finished!)

Gelli prints to create mixed media gifts

I hope this has inspired you to get out those Gelli prints or dive into your stash of background papers and put them to good use!

Happy creating,

Michelle

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Michelle G. Brown is passionate about mixed media art and enjoys sharing her knowledge and techniques with you to allow you to express your own creativity. Michelle understands that many of us have an inner need to create. By learning a few basic techniques the amazing world of mixed media art is accessible to everyone!

Michelle lives with her husband and two boys in Melbourne, Australia. When she is not creating or on Facebook, she’s at karate training. Just to make sure she’s properly busy, she has also adopted the From Picture to Page Scrapbooking and Papercrafts Show

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Filed Under: Mixed Media Techniques Tagged With: , , , , , ,