While following up links I found in the context of my research on Barbara Schneider, I came across the website of Linda Germain, who provides a very hands-on tutorial and videos about using gelatine plates for monotype printing. She makes wonderful, simple prints using techniques I had already seen on printmaking students’ blogs: Using cut-out forms (stencils) and found objects as masks, then taking prints off these.

What intrigued me most was the gelatine plate. It is a real do-it-yourself product, made from household gelatine and water. The gelatine is used in higher concentration than for food, resulting in a printing surface that is sufficiently firm to roll on ink with a braider. The gelatine surface seems to have a property that helps the ink transfer easily to the paper without the need to apply much pressure. So to make a print, the paper is gently wiped with the flat hand, no press is needed.

The gelatine plate lasts for some time until it eventually degrades. Then it can be recycled by melting the material in the microwave and pouring it out again. There are also recipes adding glycerin to make the plate more durable.

In short, I was fascinated and wanted to try this out as soon as possible. I thought to move on quickly in the course materials and apply the central technique of the next project, using masks, to the gelatine plate. I wasn’t overly happy with the glass plates I used for the first project and hoped gelatine would be more pleasant to handle.

Luckily I had some gelatine available, and so made my first gelatine plate today. The basic recipe is two heaped tablespoons of gelatine for one cup of water. These are U.S. measurements to which I’m slowly getting accustomed… one cup of water is slightly less than 0.25 litres. One half of the water is boiled, and the gelatine is dissolved in the cold other half of the water. Then the hot water is poured into the gelatine mass and gently stirred so that everything dissolves. Then the liquid is poured into a mold and put on a leveled surface to sit.

My result was quite foamy initially, but then it settled. I took off the foam with a spoon first and then cleaned the surface with the edge of a paper, following tipps in Linda Germain’s videos.

I used a small plastic produce tray as a mold. I let it first sit on the kitchen countertop and later put it in the refridgerator for around 6 hours, and it became quite firm. Then I warmed up a knife and cut the plate out of the mold, and placed it on another plate, covered with plastic, and back it went into the fridge – ready for its first use.

References

Linda Germain, Printmaking without a press: Gelatine printmaking tutorial http://www.lindagermain.com/workshops/gelatin-printmaking-tips/