Catherine's stories: Birch Trees using embossing folder on Gelli Arts® Printing Plate

Birch Tree Monoprints

I've always loved Birch trees and I am obsessed with drawing and painting them!

I wanted a project that was quick and not too complicated involving these trees. I think I have every stamp, die and embossing plate of various trees so I decided to try printing with an embossing plate. Just so happens I had a plate that was 6” x 6” to match the size of one of my gel plates. I usually lay out 2 or more Gelli Arts® printing plates when I work on a project so I can get a couple prints at the same time. Don't mind the difference in color, one plate has been used a lot more and seems to have taken on a color. This does not affect the prints.

1) Using Sequin Black Metallic paint by Plaid I loaded my brayer and rolled the paint onto the embossing plate. I used the side that had the trees raised out. The brayer just catches the trees when you roll over them. I then turn the embossing plate over and press it into the gel plate. I used a clean brayer and rolled on the back of the embossing plate to push the paint onto the gel plate. Lift it off and the trees are on the gel plate. Let this dry about 10 minutes.

2) When this is dry pick a color for the background layer. I used Plaid Color Shift Orange and Yellow for the orange print. These paints are very translucent and sheer so choose your paper color accordingly. I used brown deli paper (I order from Amazon) for the orange one and blue cardstock for the others. As soon as you apply the colors put your paper down and pull the print. Depending on how dry the black on the trees are you might have to leave the paper on for a minute or two and burnish the backside with your hand or an old credit card. Pull up a corner to make sure everything is coming up on the paper before pulling the print completely.