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Drawing challenge: Plate (gelatin plate)

Since Joke announced her lovely drawing challenge: plate, I thought and thought about “plate” as art.

And, you all know me, I’m not happy with an actual plate, although I wondered about going to one of those “decorate your own pottery while we fire it for you” places, and, while I’ve done that before and really liked it, time wise it wasn’t something I could do right now.

So I thought about plates and kept coming back to printing. Printing plates. What kinds of printing plates could I do with limited time and my three little granddaughters under foot?

Gelatin plates!

001 copy copy

I made one in a very shallow tray using my old favourite Oetker gelatin sheets right out of my kitchen. I just made the gelatin a little harder by keeping 1/2 cup of water out of the normal recipe. Then I went outside and got some grass and a piece of sword fern from the garden.

026 copy copy

The first colour I chose was blue. Cerulean blue acrylic, squished out on the gelatin plate and spread with a paint roller.

027 copy copy

Then I spread out a few grasses on the blue paint, lay a sheet of smooth watercolour paper on the gelatin plate and pulled a print.

028 copy copy

Then I rolled a light green paint on the gelatin plate and pressed a piece of sword fern down, and placed the paper back down.

030 copy copy

I love the second print on the first. I love this! How is it that I’ve never done gelatin plate printing before…omg?!? πŸ˜€

033 copy copy

Mind you, it’s 30 degrees here today, I did this printing in my studio under the roof, where it’s 35 degrees, and I ruined the gelatin plate after the two prints. But it was so worth it!

034 copy copy

I took the print to my dining room table, (where it’s not so hot), and decided to draw some grass and Queen Anne’s lace on it in ink.

Love it. I can see more gelatin plate prints in my future.

040 copy copy

Pop on over to Joke’s for a big plate full of fun when you have a chance. πŸ˜€

Comments: 19

  • June 26, 2015
    reply

    oh, so, you mean, the gelatin melts of course, in higher temps. how extraordinary. it seems so fetching you’d come up with gelatin printing, since i’ve been researching the exact process for months now and still have cold feet to actually make a plate. so i’m gonna do that this summer and see how it goes! i’d like to make mine a permanent one, at least i have my actual tray ready already!
    the effect is quite stunning, is it not? i think it makes great backgrounds to further work on like you did.
    great, v. thxs for the first hand info! n?

  • June 26, 2015
    reply

    Wow, brilliant idea, the finished pro t is beautifully especially with the Queen Anne lace! Exactly what I grew up calling it! πŸ™‚ I’m away staying with my family, seeing my tiny granddaughter this weekend, but I’d like to catch up on the plate DC… mxx

  • June 27, 2015
    reply

    I’d never heard of gelatine prints before today!
    It’s not something I keep in the cupboard – but I might just go and raid the shops for a packet now.
    I love your print too Veronica – perfect colours πŸ™‚
    xx

  • June 27, 2015
    reply

    A new plate is born! and that at 35 degrees. I’m glad it worked out. it fits well together. Thank you for joining in.

  • June 27, 2015
    reply

    such a grand thing to do for our them. your print/drawing is beautiful Veronica!

  • June 27, 2015
    reply

    Neat technique!

  • June 27, 2015
    reply

    I love these How do you preserve them? Will it eventually harden or did I miss a step? c

  • June 28, 2015
    reply

    Hey V .. you are just too clever! Love the Queen Annes Lace to finish. I don’t have a creative bone in me! Damn πŸ˜€

  • June 29, 2015
    reply

    LOVE this!
    never made gelatine prints
    but it looks like fun!
    and instand results, also nice ;^))

    fine week (and safe travel!) to you
    xx

  • daryledelstein

    June 29, 2015
    reply

    clever miss!

  • July 2, 2015
    reply

    Wow!!! Excellent!!!!!!!!!!!!

  • July 7, 2015
    reply

    Just beautiful I really enjoyed your presentation and you kept me very interested thank you so much

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