Welcome to Quick Tip Tuesday! I’m always learning right alongside you — here are some tricks I recently discovered in my own process.
This spring, I joined the 100 Day Project with one goal: finally get to know my 16" x 20" gel plate — lovingly named Gertrude.
I thought I was prepared. I wasn’t. 😅
I started with handmade poster board masks since large prints need large tools. My plan was simple: just one or two layers each day. That sounded totally manageable… until the reality of Big Gel Plate Energy hit.
The Challenges I Didn’t See Coming
- Paint dried too quickly
Thin layers = crisp texture… but half the plate would dry before I could pull it. I tried rolling on thicker layers of paint to keep it workable, which introduced new challenges. - Thick paint caused warping
Switching to heavier mixed media paper solved that, but… - Thick layers take longer to dry
Sometimes hours. I’d test by touch — if the paper still felt cool, it wasn’t ready.
What Helped Along the Way
Using some Golden Open paints was a game-changer. Their slower drying time let me use thinner layers again, which made the workflow easier.
Toward the end, I shifted focus:
- More botanicals
- More transparent colors
- Less perfection, more instinct
- Pulling prints on sewing pattern tissue
By then, Gertrude and I had found our groove.
So… Would I Do It Again?
Not like that. Printing on such a large plate every day for 100 days was intense. But sticking with it taught me so much about workflow, layering, and patience.
I’ll definitely keep printing with Gertrude — just not every day for 100 days straight!
Big Takeaways
- Big plates require patience
- Drying time is a real factor
- Workflow matters
- Growth comes from experimenting, even when it’s messy
Lessons from Gertrude will continue to influence my gel printing adventures — and I hope they inspire you, too!
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