Gelli tapes

Making gelli tapes is my favourite Gelli Plate technique. It was actually the reason why I bought the plate.

These are some of my tapes – washi tape addict’s dream!

Unlike the “regular” techniques, this one works backwards. Normally, the first layer you put on the plate ends up being the top layer on the paper. Here, what you see is what you get – so you can add layers upon layers till you’re satisfied with the result.

The only rule is to WAIT. You need to wait till one layer dries on the plate (no, don’t panic, it won't hurt your plate!). If you don’t wait, you will lift the paint from the plate.

You can use stencils, masks, you can even stamp on your plate, paint with a brush, pretty much anything - but always remember, the surface you are working on has to be completely DRY. 
[and... this is important - don’t use your heat gun!!! just wait patiently]

Here is one example of the process:

And here is another:

Once you’re satisfied with the result, take a regular adhesive tape and start sticking it to the plate, one strip next to another. Use your bone folder or a brayer to remove any bubbles and smooth the tape properly.

[note on tapes: the tapes come in various widths, or even in big sheets]

Then, start peeling the tape off. If some of the paint remains on the plate, just stick the tape back on, brayer it, and then continue removing it.

[this is also a nice trick to remove paint from your dirty gelli plate]

The back of the tape may remain a bit tacky so you can stick it on something right away. Or you can apply a bit of Perfect Pearls or some glitter – it will then shine through at the front. I usually store my tapes for future use so I prefer to go over it with some medium to stop it from sticking.  

So, now you have your drawer full of tapes and you are thinking what to do with them. I like to use them with my regular washi tapes to create backgrounds. 

If you have wider tapes or if you made the whole sheet, you can run it through your die-cutting machine. Here, I die-cut some leaves. 

Or, you can make your own Project Life cards.