Stay Home and Make Stuff

These are uncertain times that’s for sure. The news of COVID-19 changes every minute of the day and the possible scenarios are very scary. The plan is to stay home and hunker down until things settle down a bit. The good news is, I’ll have time to make more stuff! I have plenty of art, craft and sewing projects that I have been wanting to try, and now I’ll have some time to do them. All I know is we all need to be prepared for the worst, and hope for the best.

Gel Printing and Origami

The project I want to share today is perfect for beginners who want to try gelatin printing for the first time. It’s a simple technique using just four basic colors and a few metallics to achieve super-rich colors and textures with only a layer or two of printing. The finished papers are amazing for torn paper collage, card making, and they make beautiful delicate die cuts as well.

Recently, I have been working with a colorful, heavyweight origami paper known as TANT in the origami world. They perfectly sized for origami, collage and other paper projects. They make wonderful prints and have a great texture for all kinds of media. I’ve been making colorful papers this way for a while now, and it’s a lot of fun!

Supplies

8″ x 10″ Gelli Arts® printing plate
Yasutomo Art Paper Squares in assorted colors
Fluid acrylic paints (Golden) Hansa Yellow, Pthalo Blue, Quinacridone Magenta, and Titanium White.
Metallic accent paints: Golden, Folk Art Color Shift (I got these at Walmart)
Brayer
Baren
Bubble wrap
Die-cut machine
Tim Holtz Skeleton Leaves Die set
Copy Paper
Hand Sanitizer for cleaning (I have a recipe!)

Let’s Make Some Prints!

Drizzle a few drops Pthalo blue and Titanium white and roll with brayer directly on the plate several times to mix. Be sure to work quickly in this process unless you have added a slow drying medium or retarder to the paints.

Press a piece of bubble wrap firmly onto the plate and lift it straight up and off the plate.

Place the origami paper onto the plate and lay a sheet of copy paper on top. Use a baren or the palm of your hands to burnish the surface, and press the paint into the paper.

Carefully remove the paper to reveal the print.

Keep adding new colors and repeat the process on several sheets of paper. Use the metallic inks to create highlights which look great on the darker papers.

Spend some time to create a number of prints using the bubble wrap only. Create new color combinations by adding yellow to the blue to create green, magenta to the blue to make purple, etc. The circles of color in the bubble wrap will look more interesting as you add more paint. Once you have finished printing, allow the papers to dry thoroughly. Then you can have fun folding, collaging or die-cutting your beautiful papers!

Pretty Paper Coasters

I made these modular coasters designed by origami master Tomoko Fuse, with two sheets of paper, and they are very easy to put together! To make them more water-resistant, apply a bit of Micro glaze, clear shoe polish or Rennaisance wax to seal. The coasters make a beverage look more elegant, and they protect your furniture. They make great hostess gifts too! Be sure to watch the video for instructions on how to make the coasters, and don’t forget to subscribe to my Youtube channel for more creative ideas and projects!

DIY Gel Plate Cleaner

Gelli Arts printing plates are usually cleaned with hand sanitizer and baby wipes. I figured out a way to make an effective cleaner using vegetable glycerine and rubbing alcohol. If you don’t have glycerine, aloe gel will work as well. I mixed about equal parts and put them in a small squeeze bottle. Apply the cleaner directly on the plate and use a soft rag to remove dried paint. My gel plates are now clean and ready for the next use!