Kitchen Surface Design: Printing with the Gelatin Plate

Yesterday, we made the gelatin printing plate. Today we learn how to print with it.

First you will need to gather some supplies. You will need opaque and/or transparent fabric paints (I use Setacolor), plastic spoons and containers to mix paints, a Rollrite foam brayer, a glass palette (or a smooth surface) to roll out your paints, a plant mister with water to occasionally clean the surface of the gelatin plate, paper towels, and fabric (I use Prepared for Dyeing cotton) cut into 10" x 10" squares.

You will also want to have lots of textured materials such as: screening, net bags, needlepoint canvas, burlap, yarn, string, etc. I often use print blocks or stamps. You can also use cut or torn paper, plastic wrap, aluminum foil. Look around your kitchen or workspace and gather up interesting textures.

Since I want to print with my weed friends, I stepped out into the not-yet-weeded garden and had an ample supply.

Mix up some paint colors. You can either use the transparent paint right out of the bottle, or slightly diluted or you can use the opaque paint or you can even mix both together. I would suggest starting with a light or bright paint color so you can add more than one layer to your fabric.

Spoon a small amount of the paint onto the gelatin plate.

Use your Rollrite brayer to roll out an even coat of paint.

You can now do a number of different things. In this case, I am laying a piece of needlepoint canvas on the wet paint and pulling it off. It will leave a design on the paint's surface.

Next,  put a piece of fabric on the gelatin plate. Smooth the fabric with your hands (a sensuous sensation!).

Pull off the fabric. The textured paint has now transferred to the fabric. This will make a great first layer.

Take a look at all your textures and just image what you can do!

You can create beautiful nature prints with the gelatin plate. See the March 19 post, Back in the Weeds.

Roll some paint out on the gelatin. Lay down some of the weeds you've gathered. Be sure that the more textured side of the leaves and flowers are facing down in the gelatin.

The silhouette of the violets were printed over another silhouette  

Lay a piece of fabric on the plate and smooth out. Try not to move the weeds as you are doing this. Pull off the fabric. You will see the silhouettes of the weeds.

Take another piece of fabric and lay it  down on the gelatin to pick up the remaining paint that has been textured by the plants. Pull off the fabric. This is the ghost print. It is usually quite beautiful, like a botanical illustration.

Silhouette of dandelions and yarn

If you set aside the time and have an ample supply of textured materials and fabric, you can get happily and completely lost in the process of experimenting and layering with the gelatin plate. My Exploring Surface Design students tell me that playing with the gelatin printing plate is their favorite class session. Have fun!

Kitchen Surface Design: Making a Gelatin Printing Plate

A gelatin printing plate

This past weekend, I spent a playful afternoon printing with a gelatin printing plate. I first found out about this technique from Rayna Gillman's book, Create You Own Hand-Printed Cloth. If you don't have this book--go out and buy it immediately! Rayna has a very creative, experimental approach to surface design. Her book is loaded with helpful step-by-step photos and beautiful examples. I refer to her book frequently.
The recipe that follows is from Rayna's book.

Here is what you need to create your own gelatin printing plate: A box of Knox Gelatin, a liquid measuring cup (that holds at least 1 cup of liquid), a metal whisk, an aluminum foil pan (8" x 8" approximately), access to water (and preferably a way to boil water) and a refrigerator.

Empty all four packets of the gelatin powder into the aluminum pan.

Add 1 cup of cold water.

Stir with the wire whisk until the powdered gelatin is dissolved.

Add 1 cup of boiling or very hot water.

Stir the gelatin until the bubbles disappear and the gelatin is clear.

Put in the refrigerator for 30 minutes or until the gelatin has set.

Once the gelatin is set, bring it to your work area. You will also need a knife (preferably not serrated) or a Popsicle stick, and  plastic to place under the gelatin. For plastic you could use a trash bag, plastic wrap, a piece of a plastic drop cloth or plastic film (acetate). You could also use a piece of aluminum foil or even freezer paper with the waxy side facing up. I'm using an old piece of acetate that has some paint on it.

Place the plastic on your work surface. Carefully slide the knife or Popsicle stick around the edges of the gelatin to help release it.

Flip the foil pan over onto the plastic and tap the back of the pan with your hand or the knife. This should release the gelatin onto the plastic.

If the bottom of the pan has a design or embossing, that will be embedded in the gelatin. If you don't wish to have that as part of every print you make, you will need to flip the gelatin over to the smooth side. Don't worry if the gelatin didn't release perfectly. As Rayna says, "It's not supposed to be perfect." (pg. 34)

Now that the gelatin has been flipped, you are ready to use it as a printing plate. More on that tomorrow.

If you'd like to see some of the prints my surface design students created with gelatin printing plates, take a look at the March 2 post: The Wonders of Gelatin.

And for those of you who were wondering about the outcome of the thickened dye fabric sample from my visit with Floris Flam, here it is!

La Primavera

It's finally official--the first day of spring. This is a piece I named Primavera. Her fabrics are all hand printed (my original designs) and her face is an inlaid polymer clay technique that I devised.

Enjoy your equinox.

Back In the Weeds

Gelatin ghost print of wild strawberry flowers and leaves

Gelatin silhouette print of wild strawberry flowers and leaves

I'm back to my weed friends again (see October 2, 2011 post Of Weather and Weeds). I decided to do some gelatin printing with them yesterday afternoon. These are a couple of teaser photos. I hope to talk about gelatin printing this week. In the meantime, it's a beautiful, sunny Monday morning and I'm off to sell some beads at Star's!

Cat Mola: Printing the Block

The cat mola block is carved--time to print!

I use Pebeo Setacolor Opaque Fabric Paints for printing. Since many molas use a deep red fabric as part of their designs, I decided to mix up a red combining Sienna Brown and Cherry Red.

After mixing the paint thoroughly, I put a small amount onto the glass palette and roll it out with my Roll-Rite foam brayer until it is evenly coated with the paint.

I then roll an even coat of paint on the block.

The block is turned over onto the fabric and pressed to release the paint.

I did some test prints on muslin to see how the block looked. The first print is never the best. It usually takes a few prints to get the crispest impression. I like to call it  warming up the block.

Here are some prints on other fabrics. I was trying to work out some pattern ideas.

This block is a good start for the Latin American Influences: Textile Inspirations class. Off to work up some more designs.

Cat Mola: Carving the Block

With the design transferred to the block, it's now time to start carving.

I use a linoleum carving tool made by Speedball. You can buy this as a set with different sizes of carving tips that insert into the handle. I also use an X-acto knife with #11 blades.

Before I start carving the block, I darken some of the areas so I know what and what not to carve. I tend to darken in the areas that I'm not carving. For this block, I am leaving the face details as is even though I will be carving those away.

I've also decided that I want to make this a shaped block so I'm drawing an extra outline around the design.

I always start by carving along the outlines of the areas I am leaving uncut. This acts as a guide so I don't accidentally cut away parts of the design I want to remain on the block. For this block, I'm starting with the #1 tip, which is the finest tip.

This is how I hold the block while I am cutting. I try not to aim the carving tool at my hand (for obvious reasons). I can also use this hand to swivel the block to make it easier to carve curves.

Sometimes there are tight spots where it is easier to use the X-acto  knife to cut a small wedge away from the design.

Here is the block with the outline carved away. Carving the interior details comes next.

Once the cat design is completely carved, I carve around the extra outline I added. I use the #2 tip for this.

Now it's time to cut away the excess parts of the block. I use the X-acto knife once again.

The completed block, ready for printing on fabric.