Art, Paper, Prints and Painting

  Which Paper for Gel Printing? How to chose the Right Paper for Printing? A4 copy paper is fine for starting off with or as cheap paper for tryouts and taking ghost prints. But if you want to pull several layers of paint in one go then, you’ll need a tough paper which won’t tear. You can sometimes get mixed pads of paper but go for 160 grams to 190 grams or more if you want to make cards. I have bought synthetic paper also called Yupo paper. It’s   made for alcohol inks watercolour, acrylic, oil, felt tips, etc. it’s   also UV lightfast and can be recycled. It’s tough and very resistant to tearing.  Paper is all around you. You can print on old books, old maps, sheet music. Newspaper too, but it has limited keeping qualities. And is prone to tearing when you pull the print. Magazine paper is stronger. If you want to invest in high quality paper, you can get beautiful hand made paper made with 100% rags or cotton or linen. Silk can also be used to make paper, althoug...

 Textures make great subjects for your Gel Printing  Texture. This is what give a print some “life” and helps it standout from all the other gel prints. Make your texture from stencils, leaves, f lowers, petals, clothes pegs, combs, old toothbrush, flattened soda cans, (no sharp edges please) old jeans, feathers, round plastic containers, scissors handle, old tools, carton, stamps, lettering, string, knitted fabric, credit card cut outs, tissue or bits of other prints. Balloons. Fabric. Brushes. Plastic packaging from biscuits and chocolates, Think outside the box. Try anything with texture or a raised design.  When you begin to print for the first time, I would suggest starting with some leaf print which can be fun and give a good result on the first or second try. After that packing carton gives nice textures as does crushed up paper. Dampen one side of the carton and after a few minutes the paper...

Which paint for Acrylic painting on Gel Plates? Liquitex? Pēbeo? Amsterdam? Inexpensive Brands?   Choose the Best you can afford.  Acrylic paint can be cheap or expensive depending on the quality available. If you think you are going to like gel printing then go for a medium range of paint. I have bought cheap paint but I find it can be made with chemicals that smell or it contains mediums which take a while to dry or don’t mix well with other paints. Eventually I decided cheap is more expensive in the long run. I personally find Liquitex paints are good quality, reasonably priced, dry quickly and mix well. They also make all sorts of mediums and all their products are guaranteed to mix together. This is important as I have had issues before with certain brands of paints not mixing with other brands and I had to throw out a whole batch of paint. Now I stick with Liquitex. But if you find other brands for example Pēbeo or Amsterdam paints, no worries. They are good quali...

Ideas for Using Gel Prints One of the most exciting ways to use gel prints is by turning them into unique collages. Gel printing produces layers of texture, colour, and pattern that are perfect for cutting, tearing, and reassembling into new works of art. Because each print is different, your collages will always have a one-of-a-kind look. When making collages with gel prints, start by experimenting with different papers. The list is endless, textured or plain paper, all sorts of prints, different fabrics, packaging carton, shells, old buttons, various wools, old magazines, old newspaper, coloured tissue paper, textured paper, wallpaper, old maps, old books or photographs, stamps, coins, old banknotes, in fact just about anything you can find. Remember to use a suitable base, card stock works well but for a small collage strong paper will suffice.   You can use bold, bright prints for a statement background, or tear softer pastel prints into strips to create depth and atmosphere. T...

Create unique collages with gel prints. Fun ideas for journals, wall art, cards, and mixed media projects. I first started making collages with gel prints because I couldn’t bear to throw away all the little scraps of colour and texture I had pulled from my gel plate. Over time, I discovered that collage is one of the most rewarding ways to use these prints. Every torn or cut piece, every overlapping layer feels like building a puzzle where the pieces don’t quite match but somehow still fit together perfectly.  What I love most is the freedom—there are no rules. Sometimes I cut bold, bright prints into chunky shapes for a striking effect. Other times I cut softer pastel scraps, layering them to create depth and mood. The unexpected combinations always surprise me, and that’s where the magic happens. Here are a few ways I use my gel print collages: As wall art, creating big abstract pieces that feel both playful and expressive. I ofter start with a screen print or lithographic print...

I love paper. Ever since I started printing I love the feel and texture of paper. There are so many varieties of paper. Hands made, machine made, papers for different purposes, art, printing, tracing, watercolour etc etc. I love pepper with a texture. So many papers have a texture. Sometimes you won’t realise it until you touch it.   I have a lot of respect for paper. It is a natural material. Mostly made from wood pulp, but also from linen, cotton, grasses and so forth. I don’t like to waste paper. I keep scraps and use them for lists, for collage, just not throw paper away even if it’s   going to be recycled.   I started making boxes and books to go in the boxes. I used to buy beautiful sheets of decorative paper to cover the books and the boxes.   I still make books and I cover them in my own prints.   I also have a stock of screen prints that were not good enough to sell. (No waste please!) So I started cutting the unwanted printed paper up to make books and...

  One of the things I love most about gel printing is the element of surprise. You roll on some paint, maybe add a stencil or press in a texture, pull the paper off the plate—and suddenly you’ve got something completely unexpected. Sometimes the print is gorgeous on its own, but a lot of the time I end up with papers that feel more like “hmm, interesting.” And that’s where collage comes in. Why They Work So Well Together Gel prints make the best collage material. All those textures, smudges, and layers of color become these beautiful little building blocks. Even the “not-so-pretty” prints take on new life when you rip them up and layer them with others. It’s like every scrap has potential—you just need to find where it fits. Here’s how I usually do it. Grab your print papers – The more variety, the better. Tear or cut – Sometimes I go for rough edges, sometimes clean shapes.  Play around – I move pieces around on my base until it starts to look reight. try to get a balance. I...

AI is making it easier than ever to create unique, eye-catching pictures. With tools like MidJourney , you can type in a simple prompt—“a neon city floating in the clouds” or “a cat dressed as a pirate”—and get back detailed, professional-looking images in seconds. You don’t need drawing skills or expensive software, just your imagination and a few words are enough to spark incredible results.  The fun lies in experimenting, seeing unexpected outcomes, and letting AI help you capture ideas you might never have been able to sketch by hand. But the magic doesn’t have to stop with a still image. MidJourney now lets you animate those creations directly into short video clips. With a single click on the Animate button, your static picture can turn into a living scene—a camera slowly panning through your neon city, or your pirate cat swaying as if caught by the wind. You can keep it subtle with gentle motion or go bold with dramatic shifts, creating clips up to 21 seconds long. In just ...

  In recent years, creative practices have become increasingly recognised for their role in supporting mental health. Among these practices,  g el printing  — a playful and versatile form of mono-printing using a gel plate—has gained popularity not only for its artistic possibilities but also for the therapeutic benefits it offers. Unlike traditional printmaking, Gel printing requires minimal equipment and expertise, making it accessible to beginners and seasoned artists alike. Beyond creating vibrant textures and layers, the process can nurture emotional well-being in powerful ways. The tactile nature of rolling paint, placing stencils, and pulling prints from the gel plate invites us to fully engage in the moment. Much like meditation, Gel printing draws attention away from rumination and into the present. The rhythmic actions—rolling, layering, lifting—can help calm the nervous system and promote a sense of flow, where worries temporarily fade. Unlike traditional art f...

 I have lots of acrylic prints so here is a suggestion for using the prints to cover inexpensive recycled boxes made from carton. So long as your box is not too big, most standard gel prints will be big enough to cover a small box. I usually use a second print for the inside or some nice paper like old music sheets.  For example, choose your print for the outside and if you are careful with your measurements you will have enough for the whole box.  Sometimes you might need to add a little piece here and there, but if you choose well it will not be noticed. As for the inside you can have either a similar colour or pick a contrasting colour which makes the insides pop a bit.  I don't even throw out the scraps of paper, unless of course they are too small to do anything with. I have used up lots of cut up bit to make a sort of patchwork cover for bigger boxes. If I need a larger print, well, I make two prints using exactly the same colours, that way I know they will mat...

  I am not completely convinced that a web page will be worth the time and effort not to mention the cost! No matter what they say about AI making a web page for you in 20 seconds, it's  just not true.  Yes, it will generate a web page but it's  not actually any good as it still needs you to input your information, your thoughts, your style, influences, techniques and all the photos of your work. That, my dear readers is what takes time, effort and money. Yes, money. As a web page is not at all free. Even if you spend hours & hours creating a page with the help of AI, you still have to buy your domain, pay for hosting, pay for extras, so it is not free at all. After that you have to spend hours posting your work on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, linkedin and any other social media that you can think of.  It doesn't mean you will sell anything either. In fact your ideas and style can easily be copied. And it's  very difficult to control and police your wo...

  Gel Printing for Beginners: Unlocking Creativity with Colour and Texture Gel printing is an exciting, beginner-friendly art technique that blends colour, texture, and creativity into a single process. Using a gel plate—a soft, flexible surface—you can easily create unique prints for cards, scrapbooking, or mixed-media art. Here’s how to get started!   Materials You'll Need  Acrylic paints and alcohol inks are perfect for gel printing. Acrylics offer bold, opaque coverage, while alcohol inks create translucent, vibrant effects. Other essentials include a brayer (roller), paper or fabric to print on, and tools to create texture.   Creative Stencil Ideas Stencils are a must for adding pattern and depth. You don’t need expensive ones—make your own! Cut shapes from card stock, repurpose plastic packaging, or use household items like lace, leaves, or bubble wrap for unique patterns.   How to Gel Print  1. Squeeze a small amount of acrylic paint onto t...