Peaceful Fish Gelli Collage- WOYWW #317

Hello Friends and Fellow Desk Hoppers :)

It has been several Wednesdays since I last desk snooped with all of you :(. In order to show an interesting desk..I must actually be doing something on it. AND..I must blog about the interesting thing I am doing. So, the conclusion is..I have too been busy or too lazy. It is actually the first one :) For those of you who are not sure what desk snooping is..check out the linky party at Stamping Ground blog and join in the fun and adventure! So here is my desk as of late Tuesday night right before I finished my peaceful fish project.... quite horrible...and if you could see the floor...oh my...


But here is my finished project ..much prettier to view! :) I am quite in love with it and it does look better in person due to the shimmery bits that just won't show up in a photo.


So, let me tell you a bit about what happens in my brain. I got a new toy...a 4" round Gelli plate and I wanted to play with it. So I was doing that...making these gorgeous circles. I had a new texture toy I had made using bits left over from trimming a rubber stamp set and I decided to try it out on my Gelli plate. Well, once I had tried it the image it made reminded me of bamboo...which made me think of Asian stuff. Then..I thought of Japanese koi fish. I had made a trout last Saturday for my Kraaft Shaak Design Team post so I guess I have fish on the brain. And so off I went :) 


The first thing I did was to make some bamboo looking Gelli printed deli paper. I decided to use my 5" X 7" Gelli plate instead of the round because bamboo seems long and tall. I used several colors of green and teal acrylic paints, and even some shimmery Pebeo Dyna acrylics
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I planned to use a 12" X 12" canvas that is prepped in white...but after watching the Kraaft It Live 6/30/15 , I changed my mind to working on black instead. So I prepped my canvas with black gesso.


Then I started to make my collage using my Gelli printed paper. I tore it into long strips and glued it down using Matte Gel Medium. I kept putting on strips until I was satisfied with the way it looked. It reminds me of water weeds in a pond where my koi fish might live.


Now for my fish. I used deli paper again and a graphite pencil. I looked at some Japanese koi fish drawings on a tattoo site online and decided I liked the look. So I sketched some in that style onto my paper. I also looked up the Japanese symbol for 'peace' and printed it out. I laid out my design onto the canvas until I was happy. I cut out and painted over the symbol to make it darker with black gesso and then attached it to the canvas using matte gel medium.


Now for some more Gelli printing! I got out colors of yellows, oranges, reds & golds from my acrylic stash. I also looked for any stencils that had round shapes on them. This time I used my 4" round Gelli plate. I layered colors and stencils and printed and layered some more until I got some prints that reminded me of koi fish scales.


Next I took my sketches and cut them in to sections where I wanted different colors of the prints. Then I simply flipped the prints to the back, flipped the pieces over, and glued them onto the prints using matte liquid medium. This way, I could cut out the pieces once the medium was dried, and piece together my fish. I used matte gel medium to attach the pieces to the canvas.


Once my fish were assembled onto the canvas and everything was nice and dry, I used Posca pens to add details. I also outlined the symbol with a fine copper Sharpie poster pen.


My final step was to use my QuickCuts tiny die cutter to cut out letters from black cardstock. I attached the word 'Peace' on the lower right side of the canvas using matte gel medium and then outlined it with copper to match the symbol.


I hope you enjoyed my project and are inspired to get out a Gelli plate and make something!
Oh and don't forget to order your Kraaft Shaak Mixed Media Kit with my coupon SAVE5SHEL before July 15th :)
<3 Shel




Comments

  1. I was just explaining to Mary Anne that my Gelli got a raised spot on it and now gives me a circle when I try to print. Have NO idea what it is, because that was only my second time using it. I’ve practically given up and am ready to throw it away. I would if I hadn’t paid so much for it. It's the BIG one, too. I am sick about it, so Gelli is not my favorite word today. However, I love what you made. Those fish look very happy! Happy WOYWW from #3.

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    1. This is gonna sound pretty weird, but I CUT my big 12x14 inch Gelli Plate into 3 plates. I loved the super huge size, but realized I didn't use it often BECAUSE of its size. Now I have 3 plates that I use all the time.one plate is 9x12 which is great for standard paper, plate two is 5x7 which is fantastic for cards, and the last is 5x5, which is my goto plate. This might help you salvage yours, and remember, you can use both sides, so maybe that annoying circle just might "vanish". But by all means, DON'T throw yours away. .. it is salvageable, and you can cut to any size that works for you. Good Luck. .. Sylvia

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    2. Thanks for visiting and grats on #1. I agree with Sylvia's comments on how to salvage it... but also Gelli Arts is a nice company and I am sure if you contacted them they would get you a replacement :)

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  2. Not having anything interesting to share never stopped me joining in lol! Love the results of your gelli printing; those fish are fabulous. Happy WOYWW Helen 8

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    1. Thanks Helen :) Sometimes when I don't have a post to share..I skulk around and look at everyones desk anyway..shocking! :)

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  3. As a non papercrafter, I found your step by step explanation of how you created the canvas very interesting indeed! I love it all and think that the black gesso was an inspired choice as it makes the green weeds stand out more!
    Hugs, LLJ 7 xxx

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    1. Thanks Jan :) You could do a similar wall hanging with fabric piecing. My Aunt Nancy does some pretty awesome quilts that I think look like collage!

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  4. oh my golly what a piece or is it PEACE? I am in love with your fish obsession!! I want to sit and watch these guys swim for hours.
    Yes! The black was the way to go - for both of us!! ;)

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    1. Thanks Heather :) You are right..it must be a 'peace' ! And thanks for the show and just the right time to remind me I can change a canvas to black if I want..lol

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  5. That is a gorgeous piece Shel. Must get my Gelli papers out and do something with them. Have a great crafty week and happy woyww, Angela x27

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    1. Thanks so much Angela..YES! If I inspired you to get those papers out and do art..then my post was worth it :)

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  6. That is exquisite, I love how you have shared the process, it makes it so real
    Bridget #2

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    1. Thank you so much Bridget. I come from a long line of teachers..I can't help but try and teach..lol

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  7. What beautiful artwork. I enjoyed reading how you did it. I threw away rubber stamp trimmings last week! Barb #36

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    1. Thank you Barb :) My friend Sylvia says never throw anything away...and I have a huge pile of toilet paper rolls to her credit..lol

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  8. I am going to try gelli prints for the first time this month. Your koi and creation process are inspiring! Diane #34

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    1. Thank you so much Diane :) I am glad and humbled to be inspiring you.

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  9. Amazing Shel, as always. So inspirational! Love the fish and the Chinese characters - and ALL of it, really! The colours work beautifully together and the outlining made the fish come alive. Just perfect!

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    1. Thank you so much Zsuzsa my friend :) Glad to see you back on G+ and looking forward to some of YOUR inspiring art!

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  10. Shel, I just keep saying the same thing all the time: I'm in awe of your ideas and creations. Your creative process simply amazes me and inspires me. You are the one who actually nudged me to art journaling. It's lots of fun, but mine doesn't come anywhere near the beautiful creations that you produce. Good stuff, and thanks for sharing your talents. :) Nann4 #38

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    1. Oh Nann..thank you so much. I have seen each of your kind comments and I am so glad to hear you are art journaling. I really just share my stuff to help another along their way to doing art. I love art and the messy process of making it! Your kind comment brings a tear to my eye!

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  11. Really love this piece of art!!!!! I enjoyed reading the steps you took. The background is amazing as are the koi, they look real! love love love this!!!

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    1. Thank you so much Patty :) I am so happy you are enjoying my fishies!

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  12. Amazing project, gorgeous fish and the BG looks very realistic, how clever using your gel I plate, I've yet to master mine!
    Jan no 41

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    1. Thank you Jan :) I am not sure you can really master a gelli plate...it is just so darn FUN to play with it! I could do it for days with only milky tea and peanut M&Ms to sustain me!

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  13. Well..my post just disappeared, vanished, gone.. Loving all the inspiring photos you have shared and great info. I've no clue about Gelli plates etc. can hardly keep up with what I have, but will read up on it as I really like the backgrounds. Have a fun WOYWW and Enjoy the 4th of July. Thanks for the visit.

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    1. Thanks for coming by Sylvia :) Once you do discover mono printing with a Gelli plate...you will be hooked. It is so fun!

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  14. Shel!!! I absolutely positively,without reserve, adore this canvas!! What are your plans for it? My dear friend, you are so very talented, do you know that! I really loved the trout from your last project, but my mouth hit the desktop on this canvas!
    Gorgeous,dear Shel! xoxo

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    1. Thanks so much Jackie <3 You are such a wonderfully positive force out here in the art ether! I don't have specific plans for the canvas. I have been asked if it is for sale and it can be. I just have a terrible time pricing my art!

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  15. Oh that is so beautiful! Thank you for showing the process. Fascinating! I love the bamboo effect. And the koi are amazing!
    Have a great week,
    Lisca#29

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    1. Thanks for stopping by Lisca :) I sure had fun making this and it seems very popular :)

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  16. Your Fish look wonderful and love that you showed the steps on how you made it to great way to make the reeds with paper :) hugs Nikki 6

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    1. Thank you Nikki :) I always try to share the process so others can enjoy making the project if they wish.

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  17. Now this came up just when I was wondering if I should do something with the gelli plate for a change... Obviously I should! Thanks for the inspiration, happy woyww!
    Kristiina #19

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    1. Yes! Whip out that Gelli plate and make something awesome :) Thanks for stopping by Kristina :)

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  18. I love the explanation of your process as much as the art! Lovely work. And as to the felt coasters? I'm betting a $store will have something like this. Or maybe a felt placemat that you could cut up? Cheap stores have great printmaking stuff - my total fave was a bath mat with a pebble effect. Made GREAT prints... :)


    Happy (late) WOYWW! again.....
    Mary Anne (4)

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    1. Thanks Mary Anne :) I will have to take a look around for something like that next time I am in a dollar store :)

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  19. I thought I had posted on this beautiful composition! I LOVE everything about it! I think the creative background is very interesting, the fish are absolutely amazing and placed perfectly and I love the Japanese symbol/word for Peace and the word Peace, I always enjoy your comments or 'story' that comes before your detailed explanation of the process which is always interesting, too. Excellent!

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