First Fabric Experiments with the Gelli Plate

Lessons Learned So Far

1.  How do I like my fabric?
I have read several blogs and watched even move videos and almost all of them comment on the difficulty of working with fabric since it is not stiff like paper.  I thought, well, I can correct that by making the fabric stiffer. So my first experiment was to print on just plan fabric and on fabric ironed onto freezer paper.

Decision: I like just the plain fabric over the fabric attached to the freezer paper.  First, it is easier to work with.  Second, I can put a piece of paper over it when I rub it so that when the paint bleeds through the fabric, it begins a print on the paper.  No wasted paint!

2.  What type of paint?
I tried fabric paint and regular acrylic paint.  I thought the fabric paint might leave a softer hand.

Decision:  I prefer the regular acrylic paint.  The fabric paint seemed to dry faster and not transfer as well.  Because the paint is applied in thin layers, the acrylic paint did not seem to cause the fabric to become too stiff.

3.  Clean between prints and colors?
I have seen instruction to clean the plate between prints and to not clean the plate between prints.

Decision: I don't clean between.  I like the surprise of a little mixed paint.  And I hate to waste paint!

4.  How to clean the plate when  all done? 
Remember the three methods I described in the last post?

Decision:  I love making the "last print" to clean the plate.   I was not sure that the "last print" technique would work with fabric but it does.  So,  first I  like the effect and second, it doesn't waste paint like the other two techniques do.

 So far all I have are the backgrounds.  Tomorrow I will use some masks and stencils and try for a focal point.

Here are the pictures.   I apologize that the pictures aren't good; they were too dark without the flash and too shiny with it.  I'll try again during daylight.