Can't possibly get into yet another technique?  You might well think again after you watch artist Lucy Brydon transform shrink plastic into art jewelry using the gel printing technique. 

Gel printing is known as a monoprinting technique as you can only get one impression as opposed to say, a rubber stamp where you can use it to print many times.  Gel printing is a wonderful way of creating prints without having to use an expensive printing press. 

The artist adds paint to a gelli or gel printing plate which is a soft sticky type of polymer. She uses many ordinary objects like yarn, stencils, even cotton buds to add different elements to the rolled on paint. Small sheets of shrink plastic (the rough sides) are pressed on the plate to ink it. She sometimes adds more layers of paint to the same shrink plastic sheet to build up a unique design.  Lucy is amazingly creative and talented as you can see from her demonstration.  




But you can also make your own from gelatin and glycerine.  There are many tutorials on Youtube and the internet. Here is a gelli plate making tutorial from CraftTestDummies who demonstrates how to make both permanent and disposal ones:


One great tip from one of the commenters on this video:
Check in the pharmacy area at Walmart for glycerine. I made my gelli plate with glycerine, gelatine & water, didn't refrigerate it, & it's still going strong after 6 months. If you need to remake it due to scratches or whatever, & if you don't want paint flecks in it, use several layers of damp cheesecloth to filter it. Works like a dream!

Amazon sells bulk glycerine.  Groceries stores and Walmart also sell gelatine but you can also try Amazon for that too.  

You can use large paper punches or use stencils. For example, Little Windows sells 2 1/2 inch heart ones (15% discount code : BG1516). Stencils are the more economical options.  Or you can draw your own shapes. The starting sizes have to be big because shrink plastic will reduce in size - approximately 1/3 - once heated. 

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This blog may contain affiliate links. I do receive a small fee for any products purchased through affiliate links. This goes towards the support of this blog and to provide resource information to readers. The opinions expressed are solely my own. They would be the same whether or not I receive any compensation. 
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Original Post by THE BEADING GEM