Alcohol Ink and Acrylic Paint Gel Plate Images through a Stencil

This piece is one that I created at the recent Clarity retreats.  I have used alcohol inks and a stencil on a gel plate before (see HERE), but this was a two part printing technique that was slightly different.  Thanks Barbara Gray!

Create a thin layer of alcohol inks on Gelpress using felts (Butterscotch, Meadow, Stream and Wild Plum). Allow to dry, then apply a second layer of colours and allow to dry.
Attach the large panoramic vista stencil to a piece of 7” x 7” stencil card. Roll out a small amount of acrylic white paint onto a craft mat, then spread this onto the dry alcohol ink with a brayer. Whilst the paint is still wet, flip the Gelpress and press down onto the stencil attached to the card. Press firmly until the stencilled image is clear, then lift away. This is print 1 which I didn’t use for the card.

Remove the stencil and allow the image remaining on the Gelpress to dry. Apply a layer of white paint to the dry image in the same way as before and press down immediately onto a second piece of stencil card. Burnish the back of the card with the Gelpress still attached and pull the second print. I didn’t use quite enough paint in one area but decided I could rescue the print as I liked it so much.

Use the fourth smallest nested circle picot die to cut out the area where the print is lighter.

Use watercolour pencils to add colour to that area of the print to tie in with the surrounding areas.

Neatly cut away the picot edge. Trim back the print on all four sides and mat it onto a piece of the Toscana Clarity designer paper measuring 6.75” x 6.75”.  Mat this onto the front of a 7” x 7” black card blank.

Using the same nested picot die as before cut a piece of black card and glue it into the aperture.

Add the piece which was removed earlier on top, lining up the images and leaving a narrow border of black all round.

To finish, add one of Barbara’s word stickers.