It's Technique Tuesday again here at Design Memory Craft and I'm here to share a technique using the Gelatos. This is such a fun way to create artwork! I am an elementary art teacher as well as an artist. Many of my techniques are inspired by things we are doing in the classroom. One of my favorite projects are those with printmaking supplies! I love the idea of making copies of artwork that are unique and magical. There is little that is as magical as printmaking. It's just amazing to kids and adults alike. This technique is one that makes "one of a kind" work! Monoprinting (mono= one) is one of those techniques that has magical qualities! You create an artwork on a slick surface and pull a print or two of the artwork. Each print is unique and cannot be reproduced the exact same way again! I love using Gelatos to create these unique art prints.
I start with a clear piece of plexiglass (you can use glass, acetate, or thick plastic too).
Draw directly on the glass using Gelatos to create shapes, images, and textures. I also like to use templates, stamps, and found materials to create interesting textures/ design. For this project, I drew freely on the plate and then stamped with bubblewrap, corregated cardboard and toilet paper rolls. I wanted an abstract design.
Once, I created my base design, I could take a Q-tip and draw into it for some negative space. The beauty of this kind of monoprinting is that the Gelatos give you unlimited work time! No worries about ink drying too fast! You can work on this for days if you want. They are water-soluable so they will work no matter how long they sit!
Finally, I spritz a sheet of heavy watercolor paper and lay it over the design careful not to over saturate the paper. It should be damp with no puddles. Puddles or too wet paper will create a blurred image. Slightly damp paper will allow you to capture details more clearly. I use a wooden spoon or a printmaking baren to rub over the back of the paper to transfer the design.
Peel the paper back by the corner carefully. You can then pull a "ghost" print with the remaining color or add more details prior to pulling another print for another unique artwork!
Kids love this technique and even my 2 year old can do this! It's super exciting to see what we get when we reveal the artwork! Try doing this over newspaper or other printed papers. I'd love to see what you try!







