2016 #17 Gelli Print ATCs{ by Alison Hall}

2016 Topic 17: Making Marks

Hi everyone Alison (Craftytrog) here. Tonight I'd like to share with you a post about using a variety of tools to make interesting marks on your Gelli Plate prints.

I adore my Gelli Plates! I have 3. I love the fact that you can never make the same background twice. I never throw anything away if I think it will make an interesting texture for a background. I used my Gelli Plate print with some PaperArtsy Ink & the Dog stamps to make some ATCs.

Step One: I've used a 10x8 inch Gelli Plate, and I began by adding small dots of Fresco Finish Paint in Blue Oyster, Smurf, China, Lavender, Wisteria, and Purple Rain.

Step Two: I used a brayer to roll out the paint, trying not to blend the colours too much.

Step Three: Here are the tools I used to make marks in the paint. There's bubble wrap, table protector, corrugated card, a piece of Lego, a small plastic tube, a wooden coffee stirrer, and some plastic aida.

I randomly used the tools all over the painted Gelli Plate until I had an all over abstract pattern.

Step Four: I used White Smoothy Stamping Card to take my print. As the sheet of card is larger than the Gelli Plate, I didn't just lay the card down. I pressed the card into the paint many times, until the whole sheet was covered. Below you can see two prints on the left that I made this way. On the top right is a ghost print that I made with the paint that was left on the Gelli Plate each time.

At the end, I brayered Snowflake Fresco Finish Paint onto the plate, then took a print, which removed all the tiny bits of blue and purple paint leftovers, and created the lovely muted print that you can see bottom right.

Step Five: I cut three ATC size pieces from one of my prints. They are each 3.5 x 2.5 inches. I used Jet Black Archival Ink to stamp the faces from Ink and the Dog 'Kids' Plate 6 onto White Smoothy Card. I also stamped the words background from 'Petals' Plate 1 three times onto White Smoothy Card and cut them out. I gathered some torn music sheet and gold paper trim to to use on my ATCs too.

 'Kids' Plate 6 

'Petals' Plate 1

Step Six: To assemble my ATCs, I first used a black pen to add some scribbly circles on the backgrounds. Next, I added a little background stamping with the numbers from 'Gentlemen' Plate 4. 

 'Gentlemen' Plate 4. 

I inked the edges of the cut out stamped words with Vintage Photo Distress Ink, cut out one of the faces, & glued this on top, then layered this with a piece of Vintage Photo inked music paper onto the ATC. 

I added some gold paper trim, stamped a phrase from 'Gentlemen' Plate 4, inked the edges of the ATC with Vintage Photo, then matted it onto black card to finish.

I had so much fun making my ATCs, that I made a little bonus one!

To finish, I stamped the Ink and the Dog ATC mini 21 onto the lighter Gelli Plate print four times, cut them out and attached them to the back of my ATCs. After adding my details, they're all ready to swap!

 Ink and the Dog  mini 21

There are so many things you could use to make marks on your Gelli prints, have a look around to see what you can find. Just don't use anything sharp that will permanently mark your plate! Lace, bottle caps, corks, string, and fancy yarn are some other things you could use. The sky's your limit! I hope I've inspired you today. Anyone up for an ATC swap?!

Alison x

Blog: craftytrog's inky adventures

Facebook : Alison Hall

Twitter: @craftytrog

Fabulous Alison, I think Gelli plates and mark making go so well together. The unpredictability is so exciting and the bold blackness of Ink and the Dog stamps adds so much punch on top of those backgrounds. ~Darcy

We would love to see how you interpret this Making Marks topic by linking what you make to our 2016 Challenge #17: Making Marks, on this page HERE

All of our bloggers love to see your twist on their ideas, particularly if you were inspired directly by their post.

All links go in the draw to win a £50 voucher to spend on products of your choice from the PaperArtsy online store. The Making Marks link will close 17:00 (London Time) Sunday, Sept 18th 2016. The winner will be announced 2 hours later at 19:00.