Tutorial: tips for successful gel plate magazine transfers
TUTORIAL
Yes, you can make successful magazine transfers on a gel plate!
It can be finicky, I know… it only happens about 50% of the time for me. BUT, you can increase your success rate by following some simple tips.
Let’s get started…
HOW DOES IT WORK?
“Image transfer” is a misnomer... what’s really happening is a resist... the black/darker areas on the magazine page resist the paint on the plate and leave it behind. The white/lighter areas on the magazine page pick up the paint off the plate. What's left on the gel plate is a resist of what was on the magazine page.
Fashion and decor magazines with glossy pages have the most consistent results for me. Magazines like Vogue, Bazaar, Interior Design, Architectural Digest, etc., have worked well.
Concerning copyright… I use these magazine transfer gel printed papers for collaging in my personal sketchbooks. They are for personal use only.
CONTRAST IS YOUR FRIEND
Choose magazine images that have high contrast. Black and white images work really well.
PAINT ISSUES
Too much paint can prevent the page from creating the image resist on the plate. There’s too much paint on the plate if you see ridges, like the image on the left.
Roll on a thinner layer of paint until it’s smooth.
Paint quality matters. Here you can see the image didn’t transfer because of the quality of the paint.
Liquitex BASICS work best for me. Inexpensive craft paints won't work. Also, fluid paint doesn't work as well.
PLACING MAGAZINE PAGE ON PLATE & PULLING THE PRINT
Use a light touch when laying down the magazine page... don't press super hard like you would with a regular piece of paper.
Let the magazine page sit for a bit. I usually let it sit for at least a minute. Pull back a corner to see if it’s ready.
Once you pull off the magazine page and have an image on the plate you can either pull the print right away or let the paint dry, then add more paint to pick up dry paint off the plate.
TIP: I like using matte medium to pull dried paint off the plate because it makes a translucent background. You can use regular acrylic paint.
Let paper sit until mostly dry to the touch before pulling the print.
If you can’t get it work right away, experiment with different magazines, different acrylic paint, etc. Remember, the success rate is relatively low, so remember to have fun with the process.
Happy printing!🎨
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