Hey everyone! In today’s Quick Tip Tuesday, I’m sharing a reel where white quietly did a lot of heavy lifting.
This print started with a really dark background—a blend of burnt sienna and ultramarine blue. On top of that, I collaged a piece of deli paper that was printed with mostly white.
When it came time for the final layer, I knew that using either ultramarine or burnt sienna straight out of the tube wouldn’t work. Those colors would have gotten lost in the darker areas where the background was still showing through the collage paper.
So instead, I added white to the ultramarine to make a lighter blue. That one decision made all the difference.
Adding white to the ultramarine made it visible against both the dark background and the white collage paper. Instead of getting lost—or taking over—it landed exactly where it needed to.
This is one of those moments where white isn’t just about lightening a color. It’s about helping a color do its job.
If you’ve ever had a final layer that should have worked—but didn’t show up the way you expected—this is a good thing to experiment with.
Give it a try and see what happens. I’d love to hear how adding white changes things for you.
I'm a great fan of your beautiful work and thank you for all the content you deliver to artists all around the world. I have an A4 gelli plate which I love but I'm wondering what size do you use for these informative videos? I may need to purchase a smaller one .... oh dear what a problem to have :)
This is my 3" x 5" plate from Gel Press. I love the size because I can create prints fairly quickly with it. 😊
Can I ask, what is the reason you use the Gel plate to add collage, rather then just sticking the paper straight onto your printed page. I haven't done much collage, so lots to learn.
Thanks Maureen
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. 🙂