Getting started with a gel plate

You can get started having fun using a gel plate with a few items:

  • a gel plate

  • a brayer

  • some acrylic paints and medium

  • paper to print on

  • and a few materials to help you set up and clean up.

Here are some suggestions that I hope you will get started based upon my experience and that of my students.

Your gel plate

  • A gel plate is a soft, synthetic surface that can be used in a wide range of creative multi-media activities. A gel plate is reusable and will last a very, very long time with basic care and cleaning.

  • I use gel plates from Gelli Arts and Gel Press in my work. I strongly recommend that you buy a high quality, reliable gel plate from one of these suppliers. You might start with a 5 by 7 plate to get started as this plate is a good size for making small prints and cards. The smaller size also may easier for you to learn how to roll out paint and pull prints as you get started. You could also ahead and invest in a larger 8 by 10 plate, if you prefer.

Please consider these warnings/considerations:

  • You need a gel plate that works with acrylic inks so I strongly recommend that you do not buy the Speedball gel plate. Read the fine print on the Speedball gel plate packing and note that it only works with their inks. A gel plate from the two suppliers I recommend will work with acrylic paint, printing inks, and many other mediums.

  • I also highly recommend that you do not purchase a no-name/off-brand plate that you might find for what looks like a inexpensive price online. I got a plate with no brand name packaged with a kit sold by a craft store that was going out of business. Paper stuck to it and I was never able to use it. If you read online forums you will find similar stories from people who thought they were getting a good deal on a gel plate online but instead found they had wasted their time trying to get it to work (along with their money). If you decide to buy another brand of gel plate online that the two I recommended, I hope that you really do your research before buying to make sure that you are getting the product you expect.

Your brayer

  • A brayer is a roller tool that you use to spread paint on your gel plate. If you already have a brayer, you probably should use it to get started. I have a number of different brayers from different sources, including one that came with a kit. Over time I have found that there is one specific brayer that I really prefer over other choices because it is: 1) very, very easy to clean, 2) it is designed in a way that makes it easy to use, and 3) it holds up well over time. So, if you are going to get a brayer that helps you enjoy the process and do you best work more easily, consider getting a:

    • Speedball 4 inch soft rubber brayer - Note: I find the heavy duty steel frame makes it easy for me to rest the brayer on it’s back when I am working. And, most importantly, I have found that when I need to clean accumulated paint, I can simply pull the dried paint from the roller (vs. the scraping and soaking I have had to use to try to get dried paint off of some other vendor’s brayers). I like the 4 inch size for working with the size gel plates I use, but it comes in a variety of sizes (which I have found to be useful over time).

Your acrylic paints

  • I have found that using good quality acrylic paint is very helpful when you are learning to use a gel plate. Good quality acrylic paints are typically referred to as student grade paint and two brands that I use and recommend are: 1) Amsterdam standard acrylic paint and 2) Liquitex basics acrylic paint.

  • If you already have some acrylic paint available to use, I think it is a good idea to start using the paints you have before you start purchasing new paint. However, based upon my experience, your exploration of different paints may help you decide (as I did) that student grade acrylic paints work well as a middle ground between craft paints and more artist grade acrylic paints.

    • Craft paints are economical and you will see them used in some gel printing videos and tutorials. Personally, I found that the craft paints that I had were not very pigmented and seemed thin/watery and weak when I used them to pull a gel plate print. Since I did not get the the vivid colors and print quality that I wanted with craft paints, I don’t use typically use them in my work. However, if you already have some craft paints, you may find them helpful for getting started rolling out paint and pulling prints and useful for what you want to do.

    • Artist grade acrylic paints have some very desirable qualities and so some teachers and artists recommend them. I use artist’s grade paints from Golden, for example, when I want my paint to be workable longer and for the colors and transparency they provide (e.g., Golden Open paints and fluid acrylics). However, artist grade acrylic paints are typically much more expensive then student grade paint and so I do most of my work (and especially my exploratory work) with Amsterdam and Liquitex student grade acrylic paints.

    Recommendations for student grade acrylic paint to get started

    Amsterdam and Liquitex sell kits of student grade paint tubes. I suggest you review these options as I have found they are an economical way to get started with a basic set of paint colors that you will enjoy using. In the USA, I have found that these paints are usually available in art/craft stores and online and, if you are able to wait and watch, you can usually find sales that will reduce your expenses.

Start with one of these sets and, over time, add the other set or additional paints that you feel are needed/desired for your work

In addition, I strongly recommend that you get a

Something to consider as you review your options

I use both Amsterdam and Liquitex paints and, if you have the resources, you might consider trying both brands as your interest and experience in gel plate work grows to see what option/combination works best for you. Personally, as my work has evolved, I have become more and more interested creating multiple layers that explore/experiment with transparency in my prints. As a result, I have purchased more transparent paints from vendors (vs. opaque alternatives) in order to achieve the kind of transparency and luminosity I desire. The information provided below shows that the recommended Amsterdam Standard 12 color set includes more transparent paints than the comparable Liquitex 12 color set and so I tend to recommend it as a first purchase. However, there are a number of factor that might influence your choice of what set of paints to start out with (such as a local vendor). Also, as you gain experience, you can learn ways to increase the transparency of any of your paints, if desired.

Your paper

  • A brayer is a roller tool that you use to spread paint on your gel plate. If you already have a brayer, you probably should use it to get started. I have a number of different brayers from different sources, including one that came with a kit. Over time I have found that there is one specific brayer that I really prefer over other choices because it is: 1) very, very easy to clean, 2) it is designed in a way that makes it easy to use, and 3) it holds up well over time. So, if you are going to get a brayer that helps you enjoy the process and do you best work more easily, consider getting a:

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