Hey everyone! In today’s Quick Tip Tuesday, I’m sharing a reel from back in October where I was figuring out how to add a piece of collage to a gel print directly from the plate. As you can see, I struggled with it. 🙃
So here’s what I learned: I had a thin piece of tissue paper and didn’t let the first layer of medium dry before adding the next one. The big takeaway? Let that first layer dry completely.
Whatever medium you’re using—gel, matte, or gloss—press your collage piece onto the wet surface (front side down) and let it dry thoroughly. Once that first layer is dry, add your second layer of medium, then firmly press the paper onto the plate to make sure it’s adhering well. You might want to put a book on top for a bit until it’s completely dry before you lift the print. That way, everything stays in place perfectly.
Give that a try and let me know how it goes! I’d love to hear what medium you like to use for this.
Music Credit:
A shout out to Marvin Gaye - Got to Give It Up (Pt.1) - for the awesome vibe. It’s the perfect energy for this piece!
Have you tried adding collage directly from the plate before? Let me know what’s worked (or not!) for you in the comments.
I’ve done it that way as well and sometimes still do, especially when placement is critical.
When I transfer collage from the gel plate instead, it’s because I can get a more even layer of medium by rolling it out with a brayer. Since I use a brayer constantly in my process, it gives me more consistent coverage and fewer dry or overly thick spots than applying medium directly to the paper.
It’s not a “better” method, just a different one that fits how I work.
:-(