Gelli Arts Gel Printing Plate – Standard Monoprinting Surface

🖨️ SNP Wiki | Which Monoprint Plate Should You Choose?

The plate you choose affects your result more than the paint itself.
Not all printing plates behave the same — and they are not designed for the same techniques.

At Scraps n Pieces, we offer three different types of monoprint surfaces. Here’s what each one does and how to decide which one fits your workflow.

🟢 Flexible Gel Plates

What they are

Soft, flexible surfaces that hold paint on top and allow multiple layers.

Work best with

• Acrylic paints (fluid or soft body)
• Block printing inks
• Stencils and textures

What they offer

✔ Layering
✔ Ghost prints
✔ Organic backgrounds
✔ Texture transfer

→ Choose this if you want mixed media backgrounds, art journaling, scrapbooking, or experimental prints with depth and texture.

⚫ Speedball Gel Plate (ideal for block printing inks)

What makes it different

It performs exceptionally well with water-based block printing inks.

Result

✔ More controlled surface
✔ Cleaner, more graphic prints
✔ Less layering chaos, more contrast

→ Choose this if you mainly want to work with block printing inks and prefer sharper, cleaner pulls.

🟣 Rigid Monoprint Plates

What they are

Rigid, smooth plastic plates. They are not gel and have no elasticity.

Work best with

• Block printing inks
• Thin layers of acrylic paint

Ideal for

✔ Subtractive techniques (drawing by removing ink)
✔ Clean, graphic prints
✔ Traditional monoprinting
✔ Printmaking-focused work

→ Choose this if you want precision, strong contrast, and a more traditional printmaking feel.

🎯 Quick Decision Guide

Want layering and ghost prints with acrylics?
→ Choose a Flexible Gel Plate.

Want clean results with block printing ink?
→ Choose a Speedball Gel Plate.

Want traditional monoprinting with subtractive drawing?
→ Choose a Grafix Rigid Plate.

📌 SNP Conclusion

All of these plates allow you to create monoprints.
They simply do not behave the same way.

Your choice should be based on:

• The medium you plan to use
• The level of control you want
• The final visual style you’re aiming for

Understanding the surface is the first step to getting the result you expect.

🖨️ SNP Wiki | Gel Printing

What It Is, How It Works & How to Approach It

Gel printing is a press-free monoprinting technique where paint remains on the flexible surface of a gel plate and transfers onto paper through pressure.

The result is influenced by four main factors:

• The type of medium you use
• The amount applied
• The working time before it dries
• The surface you print on

Understanding how these interact is far more important than the brand of plate itself.

Gel printing is not about mechanical precision.
It is about layering, reaction, and controlled unpredictability.

🎨 The Medium – Not All Paint Behaves the Same

🟢 Acrylic Paints (Fluid & Soft Body)

Acrylics are the most versatile option for gel printing.

They form a thin film as they begin to dry, which allows:

✔ Layering
✔ Ghost prints
✔ Texture transfer
✔ Organic, mixed media backgrounds

Fluid and soft body acrylics provide even coverage and reliable transfer.
Highly pigmented acrylics can produce bold layers but require slightly faster working time.

In warm environments, adding glaze, gel medium, or retarder can extend the working window.

Acrylics tend to create softer transitions and more painterly depth.

⚫ Water-Based Block Printing Inks

Block printing inks behave differently on a gel plate.

✔ Slower drying time
✔ Extended working window
✔ Smooth, even coverage
✔ Crisp, graphic impressions

Because they do not form a surface film as quickly as acrylics, they remain workable for longer. This allows for more controlled application and cleaner separations between layers.

Layering with block inks often appears more defined and structured, with stronger contrast and clearer edges.

Fabric block inks can also be used on gel plates, particularly when printing onto textile surfaces.

🛠️ Tools – How They Shape the Outcome

A brayer distributes paint evenly across the plate.
Silicone tools or flexible scrapers can remove or shift paint to create texture.

The gel surface is flexible but not indestructible.
Metal or sharp tools can permanently mark the surface, and those marks will appear in every future print.

Control comes from pressure, paint thickness, and timing — not from excessive tools.

📄 Printing Surfaces – Often Overlooked

The absorbency of the printing surface directly affects the clarity of the transfer.

Ideal choices include:

• Bristol paper
• Mixed media paper
• 200gsm+ paper
• Cotton fabric

Coated or glossy photo paper does not absorb paint properly and may result in uneven transfers.

💡 Core Techniques

Layering

Build successive layers to create depth and complexity.

Ghost Print

Pull a second print from the remaining paint for a softer, atmospheric result.

Subtractive Approach

Remove paint before printing to create negative space designs.

Image Transfer

Using gel medium and laser prints, images can be transferred onto the surface.

🧼 Cleaning & Storage

Clean with:

• Water and mild soap
• Baby wipes

Avoid alcohol-based cleaners.

Store:

• With protective sheets in place
• Away from direct sunlight
• Away from heat sources

High temperatures can affect the elasticity of the gel surface.

🔍 Acrylic vs Block Ink – A Clear Perspective

Acrylics
→ More organic layering
→ Strong ghost print potential
→ Painterly depth

Block Printing Inks
→ Longer open time
→ Cleaner separations
→ Higher graphic contrast

Neither is better.
They simply produce different visual languages.

🎯 The Nature of Gel Printing

Gel printing rewards experimentation.

Paint thickness, pressure, timing, and surface choice all interact. The more you test combinations, the more predictable — and expressive — your results become.

It is a technique built on rhythm, layering, and understanding material behavior.

And once you begin exploring it, stopping is rarely easy.