gelatin print tips

©2012 linda germain getting ready for gelatin printing

So most of the time I burnish the gelatin plate with my hand.  That is usually enough to transfer the ink from the plate to the paper.  But sometimes I use the door knob or the block of wood above.  Burnishing is just the printmaking term for rubbing the pack of the paper to transfer the ink.  If you have done some gelatin printmaking then you know how fragile the plate can be in hot weather.  So don’t rub too hard or you will have those wonderful cracks in all your prints.  Happy printing!

Quick video on the basics of gelatin printmaking

Gelatin printing artist trading cards – a short video

48 second slideshow of gelatin prints by linda germain and why she loves it.

Or Take the next gelatin printing workshop

©linda germain 2012 tape edges for gelatin printmaking

Yesterday, I taped the edged of 8″ x 10″ paper, with regular masking tape and then set out to make a series of gelatin prints.  Today when I peeled the tape off it lifted off tiny bits of paper from the edge of the print.  Bummer.

I can still use the prints.  I will have to cut them or mat them. My goal here was to end up with finished prints that I don’t have to mat or other wise fuss with.  So I went to the Home Depot and got some Scotch Blue painters tape for delicate surface #2080.

I think one roll should do about 60 prints, so I won’t complain about the price.  I started thinking about how with traditional printmaking there are several steps that often go into preparing the paper for printing – tearing, soaking and blotting are a few that I can think of.

©linda germain 2012 gelatin plate  prints with taped edges

©linda germain 2012 gelatin print with masking stencils and stamping marks

Of course you don’t have to tape the edges of your paper for gelatin printmaking, but I like this option of having a nice clean edge and a print that is standard size that I can just pop into a frame or mat.

Happy Printing.

a stack of inspiration from Sandra Golbert

A fiber artist friend of mine, Sandra Golbert gave me a stack of Cloth Paper Scissors magazines.  I can’t wait to flip through the pages for piles of inspiration.  I am on the Cloth paper scissors mailing list and it is one of the few bulk emails that I read.  They are so generous with tutorials, information and ebooks.
But before a look for more inspiration, I am doing some gelatin printing.  Today I used the Daniel Smith Water Soluble block printing inks.  The weather is perfect for them.

I also tried something new.  I taped off the edge of my papers with masking tape.  I did this to create a clean edge and a finished product.  I had some resistance to trying this but  it really helps create a professional looking finished print.  You know I like to play and not worry about the product.

©2012 linda germain  –  gelatin prints in process – taped edges to create neat border

©linda germain 2012 – gelatin monotype print with taped edges and small plate