Have you ever mixed a monoprint with clean and simple design? Monoprinting is not only super easy, it’s fun, quick and I’m always amazed at the results. I highly encourage you to give it a try. And most of us LOVE clean and simple, so why not mix them together?

It’s snowing here today in the Black Forest – hard to believe it’s almost May! Seems like a good day to work with my Gelli Plate.

In the spirit of creative card making, today we’re going to mix it up a little – for the CAS Mix it Up Challenge. I’m addicted to this challenge, and although it’s in it’s infancy – just two months old…it has a HUGE following already with some amazing card makers.

It’s the brain child of Bonnie Klass and Loll Thompson. You probably have crossed paths with one or both over the years, as they are avid card makers, have designed for numerous teams and both have distinct styles each their own.

This challenge is all about mixing clean and simple stamping/design with mixed media. Now the words mixed media get one of two reactions – interest and terror. But today’s project is hoping to not only peak your interest, but dispel the myth that all mixed media is intense, takes a long time and is only for artists who love to art journal.

Both projects today were from the creation of one monoprint. To make a monoprint you need three things – a printing plate (I use a gelli plate), some acrylic paint and a tool to spread the paint – I used a brayer.

Gelli Plates are inexpensive tools that give you the ability to make your work looks masterful, unique and will definitely leave the recipient of your card wondering…how in the world did you do that?!! Here are just a few prints I made quickly one day to give you an idea of how fun this artform is:

Today we’re going to use a 6×6 inch plate by Gelli Arts. And for this challenge, we’ll incorporated a few stencils as well – after all, that is the theme of this month’s challenge! I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised to see there’s not much else to it.

Why don’t we get started. I filmed the process for you, wrote a step by step tutorial below and added some detailed pictures. The video has three distinct parts – the monoprinting (first five minutes – yup…that’s it), card specifics and why, and lastly (final 2 1/2 minutes) – all about clean and simple design and the rules I live by – don’t miss that part!

Click Here to watch in HD on YouTube

What do you think? Of course you can always use stencils in the traditional way too – I just thought it would be fun to bring a little monoprinting into the mix.

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CAS Monoprint Tutorial

• Start out by gathering up all your supplies. Monoprinting goes fast – and there’s nothing worse than not having your paper right there and your paint drying up on you!
• Spread out your background color with a brayer and the rubber attachment.
• Clean off your brayer on a piece of scrap paper and immediately roll over your gelli plate to “lift” some of the paint you just laid down. You want to get the look in the video – lots of color still, but a bit subdued. TIP – Don’t “lift” more than twice – you’ll remove too much paint.

• Place your Latticeworks stencil by Tim Holtz over your paint and pull the positive print. TIP – if you want it to be a bit random, only pat the back of your paper in random spots. Try to leave a little paint behind, I chose to pull most of it.
• Lift your stencil, and place your white card stock on the pattern left behind. Burnish the back of your paper with your hand (I like to add a piece of copy paper if my paper is shorter than my plate as in the video) to transfer as much of your print as possible.
• Lift your print and try and pull a ghost print with copy paper if you can – I was unable to.

• Clean your gelli plate in-between if you desire, for me that always depends on how much is left behind and what my goal with the project is.
• Add the Bloom Silhouette stencil by Artplorations to your plate and add a dark color with a brayer to the desired flowers. I chose to add Paynes Grey. You want a contrasting color to your first color. Brown or Dark Purple with Yellow, Black with Blue or Red, etc…
• Lift your stencil and pull the print onto your second print (the negative), if you have a ghost print – pull that as well onto another piece.

• Add some marks to your Gelli Plate with more Paynes Grey and the inside of a Starbucks Cup Wrapper. The corrugated inside is great for texture.
• Add the lines in three spots – if I could do mine again, I’d add the last one a bit higher. I remember thinking not too high, but my original spot in my mind would have been better. TIP – Lesson learned – go with instinct in art, not the mind.
• Trim your positive and negative prints down. Measurements are below.

CAS Monoprint Card #1 – Black

• Stamp Thanks from Mini Thanks (Create a Smile) in bold with Versafine Black ink (Tsukeniko) and emboss in clear.
• Add the negative print to black card stock leaving more space on the bottom than the top (Rule of thirds). Add five sparkling clear sequins.
• Add a little paper piercing to the top and bottom around your print and you’re set with Card #1

Dimensions:

• Black card base – 5 1/2 s 4 1/4″ Folded
• Monoprint –  5 1/4 x 2 7/8″ (trimmed down)

CAS Monoprint Card #2 – White

• Stamp Thanks from Mini Thanks (Create a Smile) onto a scrap piece of black card stock with Versamark (Tsukeniko) and emboss in White. Trim it down as in the photo leaving more space to the right and left and just a hair top and bottom.
• Adhere print to black card stock, making sure it’s centered and the black comes out left/right.
• Adhere to white card base.
• Add greeting, popping it up with fun foam.
• Add five sparkling clear sequins.
• Paper Pierce three holes top and bottom as in the photo.

Dimensions:

• White card base – 4 1/4 x 5 1/2″ Folded
• Monoprint – 3 1/2 x 4 1/2″
• Black Matte – 3 5/8 x 4″

In the video at the end, I go over my rules for design and clean and simple cards. It’s the last 2 1/2 minutes.

That’s it! What do you think? Don’t let mixed media scare you. It’s just combining different mediums on a project. This project used Acrylic Paint, Stencils, textured surfaces, stamping and heat embossing. We added a little sequins for bling and you’re all set – easy peasy!

Now it’s your turn to get those fingers a little inky. The challenge is coming to an end today, but there will be a new one on the 1st. There’s still time to get one last project in though!I’m also going to play along in some never ending challenges as well…I love all the companies products I used today, and can’t say enough about them. I purchased them all on my own….they are products that I use over and over again.

Playing along with – Stamplorations Anything Goes Challenge for my Bloom Silhouette Stencil, April’s Project Share over at Create a Smile , and Happy Little Stampers Stencil Monoprint challenge – how perfect is that!

Leave me a comment and let me know what you think! Have you tried a little Mixed Media before? I’d love to know!

Till next time –

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