…what a weekend! Let me start off with my annoying project of the week that I am bound and determined to complete this weekend…tearing out the kitchen vinyl floor. It all started Tuesday night when I thought the dishwasher was leaking, some of the cheapo vinyl tiles we installed many years ago were lifting and since we planned on replacing the floor this year anyway I thought it would be a great time to rip them all out. Well, the wet tiles came up as easy as can be but the rest of the floor was another story. I figured that pouring boiling water over the tiles then scraping them up was the best route as the heat loosened the adhesive and the indestructible 1970’s toganol underneath would protect the sub-floor…oh did I mention we were going to go back the the glitter infused togonal until I decided what to replace it with? Oh yeah, baby, it is gold, black, brown and glitter, sweet! At lease muddy dog print don’t show ha ha! Well, the tiles were coming up but the floor has been so sticky with the adhesive from the tiles so now I am goo-goneing the entire floor (did I mention that the kitchen is my least favorite room?) so I had to take a break, I took the boiling kettle I had been using to heat water for the floors and made myself a cup of tea and went to my studio and made a card:
My son has a birthday party to go to this afternoon and I did not want to buy something the kid would not like (read: Lindsay is too lazy to shop) so in the card it says “Here’s a birthday ‘stashe’ of cash” and a mustache cutout with some money. Clever. Well, not that clever but I did use some the the gelatin print papers I made the other day AND I came up with a way to plasticize your gelatin so you can make a non spoiling gelli plate, yay, science! Here is the video:
Here is the permanent gelatin plate recipe, remember if you damage the plate you can nuke it on high in the microwave for a minute and reset it!
7 packets of gelatin (6Tablespoons)
mix into:
1 cup of alcohol mixed with 1/2 cup glycerin (room temperature)
1.5 cups glycerin
then add:
1.5 cups boiling water and pour it into a shallow pan to set.
Well, it is back to the floors for me then I need to get cleaned up to take the boy to the party AND later my hubby is taking me to see the new Star Trek movie! Yay, science fiction! I’ll let you know how it is!
BTW, the dishwasher was not leaking, I found the leak under the sink when I was looking for the goo-gone, that’s a project for another day. Thanks for stopping by and til next time happy crafting!
The Frugal Crafter Blog 
Lindsay it is probably too late from the sound of it but a heat gun works great for loosening stuck on vinyl kitchen tiles. I had to do it to a floor we were replacing once and it worked like a dream.
Excited about the permanent gelatin plate…I ran to the store to get gelatin yesterday after watching your awesome video and had so much fun printing paper last night! (I ran out of places to put the drying ones, lol….).
The perishable plate is residing in my fridge right now but I would love to have a permanent one around so thank you!
Love your videos!
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I have tried the go go away things but they never worked for me. If it won’t go I use eucalyptus oil (that I buy in the cold and flu isle – not the alternative mystical expensive store lol) – just keep pets, children and husbands from licking the floor – its poisonous. You will clear your sinus at same time 🙂
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What a frightful job for you, Lindsay, ripping up your kitchen floor! I don’t envy you this AT ALL. Hope you soon get it finished and it’s all nice again soon.
The gelli plate idea is brilliant! I love your enthusiasm and all the sound effects you made when you were dragging those brilliant combs across it, and the singing too! Way to go! This is definitely something I’d like to try, and I was interested in one comment on Youtube where you answered that you didn’t have to use the alcohol – just the glycerine would do it. I’m not sure we can get rubbing alcohol here in the UK. You can get some stuff called surgical spirit which may be the same thing but it smells horrible!
I left a comment on your Youtube and asked how you would store the plate when it’s not in use. It must have a rubbery sticky sort of surface that would soon get dusty, I should think.
Also, when you’ve finished using it, how do you clean off any remaining paint? You must have to wash the brayer and stencils etc. etc. pretty quickly after using them, too, because acrylics dry really quickly and once they’re dry, that’s it – permanent!
Shoshi
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I roll what I can of the brayer (I don’t want it going down the drain) then I use dish soap to wash off the rest (with water like cleaning a brush. The homemade tools and stencils I don’t clean LOL! The extra layers of acrylic make them more durable;) I spritz the plate with water and rub it around with my fingers and use a couple of sheets of paper to blot it dry. You can place a peice of plastic wrap on top to keep it clean and dust free;)
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Are you still storing your permanent gelli plate in the refrigerator?
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nope, I put it in the clear frame I made it in and put the plexiglass sheet over it so it would not dry out and put it on a shelf;)
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After putting the mixture in a pan to cool are you placing it in the frig to set up? The alcohol seeped into my strawberries (uck).
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Michelle, I found a spot on my workbench where it would not be disturbed and let it set up there for a few hours. You don’t need to refrigerate it;)
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hhhmmm….I tried this last night….left on kitchen counter (didn’t use the alcohol) and it didn’t work 😦 I didn’t put any covering on it and left the alcohol out.
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put it in the fridge and see if it sets, if not put the liquid in a saucepan and bring it to a boil and repour, then put it in the fridge.
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Same for me. Tried printing and the gelli just got stuck on my paper. Left it for 24 hours 😐
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I so want to try and make my own permanent gelatin plate.I just have a question about the glycerin,I see vegtable glycerin ,can I use that? Thanks Donna
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that’s the stuff;)
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Sounds like what goes on at my house. I had the vinyl replaced with lamlinate and it looks great and I can mop up the dog tracks.
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Well, you are further along than I am — now I’m gonna have to try your recipe and make my own prints too! Sounds like you were having fun in the kitchen too! NOT! *smile*
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After all that, you deserve a good movie. Our son says it it really good — he saw in in 3D at an IMAX. Hope you enjoy it.
Thanks for your brilliant sharing!! I love your exuberant presentations. Thanks for all your great tips and tricks, and for the inspiration!!
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The kitchen is my least favorite room, too, so I feel your pain. I don’t like having to use it on a day when everything’s OK! I think the cards turned out great, and I know the kid getting it will love it. I still have paste papers to use that I made years ago, so don’t think I’ll be making a gelli-plate, but I sure enjoyed watching you make it and having so much fun with it.
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the prints kind of remind me of paste paper too!
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Thanks so much for the gelatin plate recipe. I’d love to try it but just wondering if you would tell me what the volume of the cup you used is please? I am in Australia and I think that your cup measurement is different to ours, which holds 250 mls or 8 ozs. Thanks so much for all you share, I love what you do. Feeling for you about the kitchen floor.
Rob
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a US cup is what I used and it is 8oz
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Thanks so much Lindsay, I know that you said it’s not precise, but seeing as yours looks so good, I’d like to do it as you did.
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You are amazing! You are so good at figuring this stuff out! Thanks for all you do.
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On YouTube a viewer mentioned making stencils out of plastic pocket type folders… If you know somebody who works at that great big fast food chain that has the golden arches… many of the posters they put up in their windows, etc. are made from plastic. They throw them away when they take them down! Get someone to save a couple for you and you have FREE plastic to make extremely durable stencils! I’m sure you can shame them into letting you recycle their trash!
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Another great video Lindsay!!! Someone asked how to store the Gelli Plates…I have purchased one and it says to store it FLAT…Also it comes with twos peel off pieces of thin plastic – one on the top and one onthe bottom of the Gelli Plate…these need to be replaced for storage and then placed back in the plastic container it comes in…these two thin pieces of plastic are removed when you want to use the Gelli Plate again…to use the Gelli Plate, you need to place it on a non-porous – clean craft mat, glass, smooth surface, etc. DON’T use plastic wrap or wax paper to cover and store! Clean with mild soap and water, rinse and gently pat the printing plate dry with a paper towel. A gel hand sanitizer may be used to remove paint residue on the Gelli Plate..wipe clean with a paper towel. I would think the same would apply for your plastic Gelatin Plate. Hope this helps.
Paper Hugs,
Jan
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why not plastic wrap? will it meld together or something?
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I use plastic wrap to cover my homemade gelatin plate that I store in the fridge and it works fine. Maybe the Gelli Arts Gelli Plate doesn’t get along with plastic wrap but it sure plays nice with the homemade gelatin plates.
I am so excited by your recipe. Of course I had just made a new gelatin plate the day before your video came out! I’m going to add glycerin and some more gelatin and reset so that it’s permanent. I may end up with two plates. Oh well, double the fun.
Question: do you still store your perma-plate in the fridge?
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nope, it is on my workbench, it think it will be fine;)
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Because the plastic wrap might leave permanent texture marks on the gelliplate.
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I used plastic wrap on the plates that I made with just gelatin( ala Linda Germain) and there was some condensation on top of the pates under the wrap. I just wiped it off and it didn’t do anything to the plates. I am trying the glycerin recipe next sans the alchohol. I did have a question about when to add the glycerin but looks like you just combine it all, do you need to whisk it then before pouring into the frame?
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I love Linda Germain’s work!) I don’t think you need to wish it, just stirring should do the trick:)
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Hello Lindsay,
Seen this plate at the Art Specially stamp convention last April, but did not buy it. Yours sounds great ;o)
Hope you enjoyed the new Star Trek movie. I have to wait till the 6th of June that’s when is is in Holland…grrrrr…
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Awesome Lindsay! Thanks for taking the time to find the science to make this permanent. Can’t wait to try it! Hugs,
~Deb~
CDAC DT Member
A Look Through My Eyes
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Thanks Lindsay for figuring this out before I made mine, lol. For once being a procrastinator paid off, ha ha. Good luck on the floors, we laid hardwood so we took up the subfloor with our laminate to make all the surfaces even. Love the description of your floor, I will have to send you a pick of my backsplash that sounds like a perfect match! ~Diane
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Hi Lindsey love your blog and your videos
I want to make the plate to make your our paper please clear on video i thought you said two Tablespoon gelatin to to the water and but under video you posted 6 Tablespoon which should i use.
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Hi Derenda, you need 2 Tablespoons gelatin for every cup of liquid you use so if you have 1.5 cups of water, 1 cup alcohol and 1/2 a cup glycerin that is 3 cups of liquid total so you need 6 tablespoons of glycerin;)
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That you Lindsey for the info i thought it was just for the water my mistake that’s why i wanted to double check with you so i would not mess it up you are a God sent I have been wanting to do one of these or about a month or more so again THANK YOU SO MUCH for the how to for the plate. Keep doing what you do LOVE your blog and the videos. and may God Bless you
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I would love to know what size of pan you put this recipe in. This gelly stuff looks interesting and I would rather try a made-by-me version before I drop my cash for one. Also, where do you find inexpensive glycerine?
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I used an 8″x10″ acrylic box frame, is is basically a smooth plastic tray but you can use a flat cookie sheet with sides or a baking pan. I got my glycerin at a health food store but soap supply companies online have it cheaper! I have bought from the chemisry store before and they do have it: http://www.chemistrystore.com/Chemicals_G_R-Glycerin.html I think their shipping is reasonable too!
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Just thought I’d share where I found my glycerin. I first Googled a few places, and found they sell it at Walmart. What I read said it was near the rubbing alcohol, but when I got there, it wasn’t on the shelf. I asked the pharmacy counter, and they had it.
It is a 6oz bottle, and it was $3.88. I’m sure it can be found cheaper, but for those who don’t want to wait to have some shipped, this could be an alternative. I this helps someone!
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thanks, not a bad price though when you figure shipping if you are just ordering 1 thing;)
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Dear Lindsay, as I’m in Europe I had to do some maths to adopt the recipe. I took 150ml of 70% alcohol (the camphor they put inside to prevent you from drinking it is very smelly) and half a bottle (75ml) of glycerine. In the supermarket they only had gelatine sheets. I was not sure how much to use. I put 12sheets (20gr) plus one extra sheet (1,7gr). I put it in the fridge and after ca. 3 hours I took it out. It looked good, but was a little sticky. But as I had no patience I started printing. Some prints were great but with the last bit of color part of the gelli plate came off. I put it in the micro and added some more gelatine sheets. Will leave it in the fridge for the night. What do you think? Did I use it too early? or was it not enough gelatine?
thanks for that cool tutorial!
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Ok, that was still not enough gelatine. At the end I put 80gr of gelatine sheets with the total of 450ml. now it seems less jello and more plastic consistency. holding finger crossed that it works finally 🙂
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I have never heard or gelatine sheets, if it seems sticky put in the refrigerator for a couple hours, it will be a bit sticky and it is OK:)
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mhh I still have the problem that as soon the color on the plate gets a little bit drier, pieces of the gelli plate come off and stick on the paper…
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hmm, maybe the gelatin sheet in the problem, can you get powdered gelatin? Maybe try making a regular gelatin plate with the sheet stuff to make sure it works then try with the glycerin. I did not have any gelatin peel off, that is weird.
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I think I was just not patient enough. On wikipedia I read that for making jello with regular gelatine, it takes between 12 and 25 hours until it is really cohesive. Now it already looks much better. I think I will just clean it, reheat and wait longer until I try again
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HI LIndsey,
Well, I went to Michael’s and bought a 9 x 12 acrylic box frame (costs a little over $2 with coupon) made the mixture and poured it into the frame. I didn’t realize that the frame was kind of concave so the plate isn’t level (it sinks in the middle) Will this make a difference? I tried to make some prints but the paint dried out really fast. I could only get one or two very light prints. It was a bear cleaning the plate. Can you give me some insight into whether I have to go buy a more perfect frame and to how I can get the paint to stay wet longer. Maybe I need to put more on at first? Thanks for all you do.
Carolyn
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a little uneveness will not matter if the surface is smooth, if you can brayer on the paint and it covers you should be good;) What paint are you using? I would use the acrylic paint in bottles or the student grade in tubes, avoid paint that is really thick such as Liquitex heavy body. You could try misting the plate with water if it seems dry, I have not had that problem but it is quite humid here, where are you? Have no fear, we’ll get you sorted out:)
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THe paint I’m using is Americana and Deco Art…the cheap stuff. It’s kinda old though so I bought some Acrylic Glazing Liquid to make it not dry as fast. That seemed to help but that concave in the plate is still a problem. THe brayer leaves marks when I brayer over the plate. I may just reheat it and put it in some other mold. I looked at the other box frames at Michaels and they all are kinda concave in the center. Thanks for your help. It’s fun to play around with all you teach us. I went out and bought the mat cutters and still have to venture into that!
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Hi Lindsey,
Made my first prints and wow! Thank you! I decided a 9×12 plate is too big for me so I melted it in the microwave right in its plastic tray at half-power, only took 10-20 sec. and poured it into a 6×9 plastic drawer divider. It’s all firmed up just like before and I’m ready for more creativity!
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great! have fun!
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hi Lindsay just realised had not told you that put my recipe up too it does nt o have alcohol in it as you may see, just gelatine, glycerine sugar and water.. but lasts for years even in our warm weather here in Oz..
here is the link if you want to compare the recipe. I did not do any magnificent samples as my paint supply is very limited! Shaz in Oz.x
http://calligraphycards-shazinoz.blogspot.com.au/2013/05/how-to-make-gelli-plate-or-jelly-pad.html
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Thank you Lindsey for the great gelatin plate recipe. I used the recipe with the alcohol in it. As I was cleaning it it tore. So I put it in a large glass measuring cup and melted it down and repoured it in my mold. This morning when I got up it was good to go. I did misted it water before I started added paint and it work very well. Right now I am using up the little bottles of craft paints and having a ton of fun.
I am thinking the next one I make I will add a few more packs of gelatin as my is a bit wobbly. So enjoy your blog and how informative it is. Thank you for your bubbly personality and share your knowledge of crafting.
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Hi Lindsay,
Just wanted to let you know that I have made up my Gel Plate although I haven’t used it as yet. It is firm and seems to be just what is needed, thanks again for all your help and the recipe. Regards, Rob
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I’m a bit late to this party, I know, but I have a question about the glycerin…..the only glycerin I have been able to find is a 6 oz bottle of “pure” or the solid bricks at the craft store. Can I use this? And, what does the alcohol do? THANKS for your help!
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Get the liquid. The brick is for soap. It is cheaper to buy it Online from a soap supplier like thechemisrtystore.com. you don’t need the alcohol, you can use pure glycerin but I did not have enough so I stretched it with glcern, I experimented! Sorry for typos, I’m typing on a kindle 🙂
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THANK YOU so much! I will check out the on line store, too! CAN’t WAIT to get this made! I made one that had to be kept in the fridge (gelatin and water recipe). It lasted about a month and then was nasty and had to be thrown away! I will be using the new one(s) during our Vacation Bible School for printing on T-shirts next month, so I want to “play” first! 😀
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With the shipping costs, it doesn’t save me any money to buy from the online store, but thanks for the suggestion.
I do have another question………..since you don’t need the alcohol, does that change the amount of glycerin that is needed? Or do I use more water to make up for the alcohol?
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thank You for such a great tutorial for the permanent plate – I created my first one today and am so thrilled – can’t wait to roll on some acrylics and start printing – never heard of this technique until a couple of days ago – looked all over the internet for a plate and when I saw the price – I said no way! But thanks to your daring creativeness and great tutorial I have one now – large enough to do my scrapbook pages on and of course, my cards – I’m looking to really expand in that area. Oh, I could go on and on and on.
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I am SO going to try the plate recipe–I bought the supplies to make a gelatin plate, but was put off by the whole mold/storage thing, then Gellis came out and I bought one of those, which is fabulous, but now I can make a giant one!
Thank you, LIndsay!
🙂
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Hi there….I ran out tonight to get everything I needed to make the permanent plate. Just finished it. Can’t wait to see if it works tomorrow.
I had so much fun with the regular plate I made but it finally had to be thrown away. I kinda let it get yucky around the edges because the prints were coming out so cool looking. Thank you so much for the directions! I’ve now a fan of yours on YouTube too.
Thanks,
Pat
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After a week of storing around 75F, mine has started to mold. Any ideas as to why this has occurred?
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it probably needs more glycern, in the mix, I’ve seen some people add sugar which must preserve it and alter the PH level too. I think more glycern then wipe it with alcohol after use to clean any contaminants that might get on there when you are working. Also cover with plastic to keep anything off it. Was it humid where you stored it? A reader from Australia told me she used to make them with glycern, sugar, water and gelatin and they lasted for years in hit, muggy OZ so there might be something to that, she did a post on it here: http://calligraphycards-shazinoz.blogspot.com/2013/05/how-to-make-gelli-plate-or-jelly-pad.html
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Thank you for the information! It’s pretty humid here so I may try that one as well.
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Hi Lindsay. Thanks for the recipe. After watching your video and reading through the comments I noticed you said you could eliminate the alcohol entirely. Could you tell me what the altered recipe measurements would be without the alcohol?
Stay inspired!
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use equal parts glycern and water, so if you yesed 3 cups water, use 3 cups glycern and 12 teaspoons gelatin
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Thanks for your quick response. :).
Stay inspired!
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Ooops. I believe you meant 12 tbsp as each packet contains 1 tbsp.
Thanks again. I can’t wait to try out the two plates I made, but I’m going to be patient and let them set overnight to make sure they are good and firm.
Stay inspired!
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My first plate failed because I cheaped out on the gelatin and used only 4 envelopes. I melted it down, used a smaller container, and added 2 more envelopes dissolved in cold water.
Second attempt total success! Works GREAT. Thank you thank you thank you!!
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My first attempts are currently setting on the kitchen table. I just used the glycerin, water and gelatin method. No alcohol. They look good so far, we’ll see how they firm up. I’ll be blogging about it once I see they turned out okay ;). I’ll be sure to link back to this post.
Stay inspired!
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Lindsay, After my plate set up, the side that was the bottom of the pan was plasticky and seemed to be the right way this is supposed to feel. But the side that was on top is…. slick and sticky like.
I let it set for 12 hours and after it still seemed too sticky, I let it set for another 12 hours in the frig.
Can you tell me if I need more gelatin or more glycerine? I used your recipe exact (without the alcohol).
Thank you so much!
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try melting and repouring it, some water will evaporate and that will help i think;)
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If I want to make a 8.5 by 11 plate….will the recipe above be enough? What if I also wanted to make smaller ones — 4×6 or 5×7 what amounts should I use?
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I used the recipe for an 8×10 plate and it was about 1/2″ thick, I;d use half the amount for 4″x6″;) just remember 2 Tablespoons (or packets) gelatin for every cup liquid.
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Dear Lindsay, I didn’t get what kind of colors do you apply on this recipe?
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do you mean what kind of paint did I use? Acrylics;)
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Lindsay I am very pleased to have come across your research and development with the focus on making a more permanent gelatin plate. It’s truly remarkable………….Congratulations.
I really don’t like to bother you as you obviously have many people who look to you for help with so many things.
Unfortunately after reading through peoples comments in response to your post here I am now quite unclear as to the recipe.
I am so glad that the isopropyl alcohol is not needed as yes it really does emit unpleasant fumes……… ugh
So its the gelatin sachets (the “Dr Oetkers” brand, is probably best for us U.K. residents) then the water and lastly the glycerin.
I did view your video on You Tube and although you did say glycerin as purchased at the pharmacy
when I looked it up on Ebay Uk there are various different types of glycerol
there’s
a)
propylene glycerol
and
b)
vegetable glycerol
Which of these should be used do you think?
my final question is this
WHAT PROPORTIONS DO I USE ?
(there seemed to be 2 different recipes within the responses to the comments above)
the most recent being
“Use equal parts glycerin and water;
so if you used 3 cups water,
use 3 cups glycerin
+ 12 teaspoons gelatin
my very best wishes
Aine
aine@ainescannell.com
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Go with the vegetable glycerin (glycerol) and use equal parts water or you can try Shaz’s recipe with sugar added too, I think I put the link in the post above. Good luck!
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I want to make a 6×6 sized plate since I bought the 8×10 one. Would it be half the ingredients? I’m so excited to see this recipe! Ive watched your YouTube vids forever, and I just wanna say thank you 🙂
Melissa
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try halving the recipe, if you decide you want a thicker plate you can always remelt it and add more ingredients:)
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Ok thank you!! I will give it a try 🙂
Melissa
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I see the original recipe was adapted with just glycerin and not glycerin and alcohol. Is one recipe better than the other for permanency? Thanks.
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yes and the alcohol one shrinks up, if you wanted to make window clings the alcohol one would be perfect LOL!
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Thank you for responding. So do you need to put anything in the acrylic box frame for the gelatin plate to release? And as long as you put it back in the box and cover it, it will last and not mold?
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that is correct;)
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Do you have to keep it in the fridge then?
Melissa
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So wrap it in plastic one it’s done? And does it need to be kept in the fridge, or how do you store it?….I don’t want mold lol. Oh, and halving the ingredients seemed to work perfectly for a 6×6 plate 🙂 🙂
Thanks again,
Melissa
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you don’t need to keep it in the fridge;)
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Just joined your blog and wanted to clarify that you are now recommending not using the alcohol in the gelatin plate. Therefore would a recipe be 1.5 cups of water to l.5 cups of glycerine + 6 tbsp. gelatin. If so, is the water brought to a boil first? Sorry to be slow to grasp this recipe.
Thanks
pdlady
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you have got it:) I don’t think it matters when you add the gelatin, some do cold, some hot, it all seems to work out:) Do what I do in the video just replace the alcohol with more glycerin;)
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I’ve made my own plate. Found a used silicone baking tray at the Salvation Army store that is perfectly smooth. My problem is that the paint does not want to stay on the gelatin plate. As I try to brayer it around the surface, the brayer wants to pick up all the paint. (I’m using either Liquitex or Golden acrylics, and I’ve tried adding retarder, but the paint doesn’t want to lie smooth) What am I doing wrong?
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Are you using the silicone plate as a gelli plate? That might be your problem as silicone repels everything, but it should be fine as a mold for the gelatin.
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I just used the silicon tray as a mold for the gelatin, glycerin & sugar recipe. Is there a special type of brayer that you have to use? Or a special type of paint?
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Hi Lori, I use acrylic paint, the craft paint in the bottles works better than the tube paint but I have used both. You want a rubber brayer because it will not soak up the paint but it is soft enough so it does not damage the plate. But if you nick it by accident you can always melt it down:)
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Hi everyone, I’ve been experimenting too…
I also had the problem with the acrylic paints not sticking to the Geliplate – spreading a think layer of dishwashing liquid on the gelatine slab before adding the acrylic layer seems to help. I’m using the glycerine – alcohol mixture as glycerine is really expensive here in Germany. Although I think I’ll try the complete glycerine recipe soon. Today I found that adding some paint pigment (bought at the hardware store) to dishwashing liquid, gave me somer really smooth prints. What could be cheaper than that.
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http://www.amazon.de/Glycerine-Basteln-Malen-N%C3%A4hen-K%C3%BCche-Haushalt/s?ie=UTF8&page=1&rh=n%3A368114031%2Ck%3AGlycerine%2Cp_n_date_first_available_absolute%3A419129031 I found some Glycerine on amazon.de for you wich doesn’t look to expensive to me. Dutch/german border here, I know what you mean, craft supplies can drive you mental when baught in a craft shop. Best way to go is local drugstore or green store were they sell soap making supplies. They will often sell glycerine as well.
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I picked up glycerin at the equine store. Some use glycerine to rub on tack, bridles saddles or to condition hooves. It does not say whether it is vegetable base though. Says usp on it not sure what that means. Canadian $ 11.99 a litre. I’ve made 2 gelli pads with differing ingredients with this glycerin. So far so good. My recipe with the alcohol, glycerine, sugar and water seems more stable than the glycerine and water only recipe as it has become pitted from the press and stick cling wrap on it. I haven’t printed with them yet.
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Hi!!! I just found your recipe! I’m a little behind! I read through the comments and I’m curious…do you think the gelatin plate made without the alcohol is better/worse/the same as the recipe with the alcohol? Have ingredients ready to go, just wondering if one worked better after all this time. Thanks!!!
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skip the alcohol:)
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Hi Lindsay, I made one of your gelli plates… But I’m unsure if due to me making it in Tupperware and not perspects has created my problem??? The top has set perfectly but the base as part set?? Can you perhaps give me some tips as to what I may have done wrong? I did use your ingredients (7TBLSP gelatin + 1.5 cups water + 1.5 cups glycerin)
Thanks
Joan
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You have the mix right, did you let it set overnight? Is it in the fridge or on the counter. If it is really warm where you are you might pop it in the fridge. If that does not work or if you got an uneven surface just melt it down and repour it, I think that also evaporates a tiny bit of water and makes the plate tougher and better too.
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I left in the fridge over night! I have re heated in the microwave and am eagerly waiting to see the out come… Keep you posted!! That’s for your tips
Joan
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Lindsay….reheated in the microwave as said….SUPER stoked!!! It’s perfect!! I can’t wait for the morning to give it a go… Thanks heaps for your guidance and most certainly for your YouTube clip:)
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I don’t know if you heard about the Great Pacific Northwest Storm of 2014, but we were enroute to family when it marooned us in our trailer between the interstate (closed) and a Walmart (open) for three days. I decided it was a perfect opportunity to try Lindsay, The Frugal Crafter’s, recipe for homemade gel plate. I bought the glycerin and gelatine (voicing my apologies for the cows who died so I could make crafts) and I mixed it accordingly in my trailer. I asked my husband to set it outside to cool. Later we needed to move the trailer a skosh (did you know that’s a Japanese word?) but as my husband drove the truck forward, there was a tremendous cracking sound. It suddenly occurred to him that he had set the gel plate between the two sets of wheels on our double-axle trailer. He reverse and went to see the damage. The tupperware was shattered but the gel plate was absolutely fine. A few days later, we made it to our relative’s house and had a blast pulling prints off the homemade gel plate with the four-year-old niece. So I wanted you to know just how robust and effective your water-glycerin-gelatin recipe is. From my background in food science (oh so many years ago) I am fairly certain we can make a homemade gel plate that is also vegan (using non-animal origin polymers), but I may not get around to inventing it before I retire. Thank you for taking the time and energy to produce your videos. Your good humor and generosity are much appreciated.
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well Arly, that is making the best of a bad situation! I can’t believe the gel plate survived being run over by a trailer, too funny! Thank you for sharing this story and I am so glad you family was safe during the storm. Take care and thanks for writing:) PS I think Agar Agar might be able to be used.
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Loved the video, and I want to make a classroom set -maybe 14 or more -cant afford the ready made ones. Do you have any suggestions on how to store so many plates? Also, what happens if the paint dries on the plate? Clean up is always an issue with only 45 minute classes! Is it removable with anything? Thanks!
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I think I would store them in a stack with plexiglass plates in between them so they don’t stick together. if paint does dry on them you could remelt it and skim it off before repouring. Be sure to use the updated recipe without alcohol:)
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Great -thanks – I will let you know how they come out!
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Hi Lindsay! I hope you are well? I seem to be your 999th follower on Facebook…what a cool number, hehe! I’m pretty sure you have a busy schedule so I will tr to keep this short & sweet…I have a query that I hope you will be able to help with:
I saw the recipe for the permanent gelli plate and decided to make it (Thanks for sharing, you’re amazing!!). I bought a 240 Bloom (bloom = measure of strength of a gelatin) Gelatin on ebay – this is a professional strength gelatin. I hear that the supermarket one is about 120 Bloom. I don’t want this to go wrong and as I have one shot at this I want to get the measurements right. Please could you let me know what strength the gelatin you used was? It is probably the same in the US as here in the UK when it comes to a supermarket strength gelatin, but you never know.. any ideas? I don’t think I should halve the amount of gelatin, but maybe putting 7 tbsp is not a good idea either, if my gelatin is much stronger? What do you think? Thank you in advance! Best wishes,
Ingrid xx
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Hi Ingrid, I was not aware that gelatin cam in different strengths, I used Knox brand from the grocery store.
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Thank you, Lindsay! I have looked it up and the Knox Gelatin is 225 bloom and mine is 240 Bloom so pretty similar. I can go ahead and give it a go now! I’ll let you know how it went 🙂 I will link your blog to mine when the post about my gelli printing experiments is ready.
Btw.. ‘blooming’ is the softening process of the gelatin so it is important to know how much liquid is required for a gelatin to set as it should.
Also, the Knox website seem to have a page with all sorts of DIY cosmetics and remedies using the gelatin which might be interesting to you.
Wish me luck, I’m going to make my ‘blooming’ gelli plate… All the best,
Ingrid x
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Hi Ingrid was wondering how your 240 Bloom gelatin worked out ?
Did you need to use less than the recipie because of its higher strength ?
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Wow, I just came across you, Lindsay, and I feel excited to try out your ideas. I’m vegetarian so I’m going to make the gelli plate with agar agar. Is it okay to set the plate in a flat-bottomed glass dish, do you think? Thank you, Jane
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that is fine:)
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Wondering why the alcohol is crossed out? I took a risk and just used 1.5 c of glycerine and no alcohol. Thanks so much for the great video!
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it makes the plate shrink over time…the glycerin is a better preservative too:)
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HI Lindsay, love your videos and blog. I’m a little confused on cleaning the gelli plate. I made the recipe with the sugar. It turned out ok and I used it. But then at cleanup time I wanted to get all the paint off the edges (top came pretty clean just using type paper) and ran it under cold water. DISASTER. The gelli plate came apart in a hundred chunks. I take it this not the thing to do. I scooped up most of the chunks and remelted it and it has set up fine but I haven’t used it again. Is that supposed to happen? I have ordered more glycerin and am going to make another one according to YOUR recipe. I would have thought that by spritzing with a little water, using a baby wipe or hand sanitizer it would have been ok to rinse it in cold water. I think I must have missed something in the clean up directions. Thanks for all your inspiration. Connie
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huh, I just wipe it off on the top and call it good. Some people use hand sanitizer. You can always remelt it if things go awry though:)
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Question. I just used your recipe and made a HUGE plate in a melamine tray I found at a garage sale. It seems to work just fine, but I have a problem with the paint not sticking to the gelatin. The cheap paints spread with the brayer and then it takes them up again. If I use better paint it works, but I love using the craft paint. Much cheaper to experiment with. I saw the reply above where she used a layer of dishwashing soap. Does that really work? How to keep the paint on the plate? I’ve had it made for about 4 weeks now, and used both top and bottom of it. It did look like it shrank a bit but i can stretch it if I need to. What do you guys think?
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hmmm, maybe wipe it with a rag with alcohol to remove any water or glycerin that might be pooling on top and keeping it from sticking….Maybe wipe the brayer with glycerin so the paint won’t stick to it. It will grab the stickyist surface so that should work I think!
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Hi! haha! You are the greatest person I’ve ever listened too! Love your energy and thanks for the printmaking tips. Can’t wait to try making a glycerin gelatin plate!
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I know I’m a bit late to the party, but your video got me thinking.
Do you think it’s possible to use this method to make your own clear stamps? Provided you could find a way to make a mold for one?
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I think they would be really fragile. You might try carving erasers from the dollar store, it works great and they will last and last!
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ha, i typed in hectograph on google and this page came up #10! excellent… (watched it again your original)
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Thanks for the recipe and video! Can’t wait to try this! Glad I don’t need the rubbing alcohol as I don’t think they have it in the UK and I hear it smells really horrible. Just a thought if you’re concerned about using regular gelatine if you’re vegetarian, in the UK Dr Oetker does a vegetarian gelatine too. I’m assuming this will work just as well. 🙂
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Hmmm, there is no mention as to how long this has to set for. After several hours, it’s very sticky on the surface yet and not very….solid? It seems to have set, but there doesn’t seem to be an structural integrity beyond a jello consistency. I followed the new recipe.
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maybe there is too much moisture, remelt it and reset it in the fridge overnight. It will help because some water will evaporate;)
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Hi,everyone,Finally got to make a gelli plate.I got all the stuff to do it last October,then started working insane hours(56 and more) each week.Seven days a week.Still insane hours,but switched up some so I have more time to craft.The plate came out perfect!!!! I used a a 9″x12″ acrylic picture frame which is about 1.25″ deep.I made a double batch of the recipe.The plate ended up being 1″ thick. couldn’t have worked more perfect.It came out of the frame with little trouble.Now to find the time to play around with it…
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have fun!
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awesomeness! can’t wait to try the recipe. Anyway I wanted to share a frugal tip:
You know those obnoxious plastic blister packs that encase the item you just bought and cut your finger trying to open? Well that plastic makes GREAT stencils, monoprint plates and drypoint etching plates!!!
Carefully cut around the edges when removing the encased item and trim away any curved edges to get the flattest parts. You can also use stiff plastic packaging like lettuce greens and take out containers as well as plastic lids…
there was that thing you had to buy and its packaging is usefully repurposeable…I also use cereal/noodle/whatever lightweight boxes for stencils, folders for art/stencil/blister packing plates, art shipping support , mixed media substrate, kid projects…etc. They can be gessoed and worked with anything.
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Hi Lindsay,
I’m hoping you can give me your opinion about my storage of the gelli plate I made over a month ago. I followed your directions and was pleased with a beautiful plate. However, I’ve been really busy and unable to use it, so I left it covered loosely with aluminum foil. It was fine for all this time–I kept checking it a couple times a week. I checked it today and it was covered with all kinds of mold: green, yellow, white and some black. The mold actually ate most of the plate away as it started out about 3/4″ thick, today it was down to about 1/4″.
I’d love to make another one, but how do I properly store it? Plastic wrap? Won’t the same thing happen? I want to keep it clean…& I’m wondering what life span these home made plates have?
thanks so much,
KathyR
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Sunlight helps but if you know you are not going to use it for a while you can pop it in the freezer, even one with no glycerin. They do seem to last better if they are used often and get exposed to light and air although some folks say they keep it in a cupboard.
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OMG I’m so excited!! Just made up the mixture and put in my pan to set. Just a quick question?! How long do I leave it before I can use? Not the most patient person lol, but don’t want to ruin it. Had a few tiny air bubbles on the the surface but I’ve just moved what I can to the edge. I love you videos and blog. I’ve made so much homemade craft stuff, as I only work part time I can’t always afford the fancy craft tool. So a BIG THANK YOU X
P.S one last request, have you been asked about liquid water colours and possibly how to make your own?
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overnight is best;)
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I followed your recipe and the gelatin plate is more like jiggly jello plus it keeps tearing easily upon taking it out of container. It’s not rubbery like the store bought plate. Remelted each time and still have problem. I let it set for two days.
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I too have just made the gelli plate per your receipt without alcohol and it came out very sticky (let sit for 5 hrs). Tried using it and paint dried very fast on plate and did not all go onto card stock. Tried spritzing with water some help. Is this a winter project? It was quite hot and humid in my apt. while doing this. Melted it down again in microwave and added 2 more packets of gelatin plus 1/2 cup cold water and very small amount of glycerin and 1/2 cup boiling water. Now sitting over night. It is my understanding the alcohol is not necessary as the glycerin is a preservative. Is this correct and will it be permanent? It seemed more like jello and started to soften as I used it. Only was able to make 4 prints before it started breaking down. Pls help.
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the humidity could have affected it. try the new plate, if it is still sticky you can add some alcohol after you melt it the next time. Yes, it is permanent:)
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useful facts, thanks for providing these data.
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Hi there Lindsay,
I was wondering if you knew if agar powder could be exchanged for the gelatin? I know the ratio is much smaller; 1 T gelatin = 1 tsp agar. I’m just not sure if afar itself is adequate enough for this project….
Love all your videos!!!
Thanks much,
Lauri.
Link with conversion:
(http://tastingmenu.wordpress.com/2012/04/10/substituting_agar_for_gelatin/)
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thanks!
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What do you think about agar vs gelatin?
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Soooo, I bought a 2 lb. block of soap glycerine that is unscented and clear. Can this be used to make a tray of printing gel? Or does the glycerine have to be in a liquid form?
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You need liquid glycerin. The soap base contains glycerin but it is different.
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Hi Lindsay, I’ve watched your Gelli video and am looking forward to making my plate soon. Could you tell me if using 98.8% pure liquid glycerine would work ok? We got a bottle from the pharmacy here in Greece. Also, no one has said much about microwaving the plate to set it. Can the mixture be put in a regular oven? We don’t have a microwave. If so, what temperature and how long does it need to bake? And one last question… could the plate recipe mix be put to set in an aluminum pan instead of glass or plexiglass for setting up? Thanks for all your help. We enjoy your videos and you. Best wishes, Chris
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You can cook it on the stove, you need a double broiler or boil a pan of water and put a pan with the glycerin and gelatin in another one inside the water. Your glycerin should be fine. Good luck!
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Thanks for the quick reply and assistance. Could you comment on my question about making the form in aluminum instead of plexiglass? Would it pose a problem? Once the mix is heated it could be put in plexiglass to set up shouldn’t it? Thanks again for your help.
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you can put it in any kind of pan, aluminium, glass, plastic, it does not matter:)
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Thanks again Lindsay for your very helpful information and replies. I’ll be buying a pan to make my Gelli plate tomorrow and probably will be filling my studio with prints before long. We’re really enjoying your videos on YouTube and learning alot. Best wishes. Chris
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Hi Lindsay!
I guess I’m super late to this party!
I’ve read so many various changes and versions of the permanent gelli plate my head is spinning!!
I would love to see an updated blog post with recipes for different sizes, for example, I want to make a 3/4″ to 1″ thick 12″x12″ plate or maybe larger! All of these recipes call for a thinner 9×12″. I can’t figure out the math as well as whether the addition of sugar to preserve is a good idea.
Also, my plate will need to be stored for a while between use and I want to keep it in great condition. I’ve read freezing it, but wonder how that actually affects the chemistry.
Your help would be awesomely appreciated!
Many thanks!
Dana
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freezing it is fine but if you make the permanent version it won’t need it. If you can freeze it you are probably fine with a regular version. Sorry I do not have recipe update but my recipe was for 8″x10 plate, increase or reduce as desired for the size you want, having it too thick is not a problem and you can remelt and repour of you want a different size.
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Lindsay, my homemade gelli plate is way more sticky gooey on the surface than my store bought one and I can’t get any paint to stick to it. Seems to be opposite of what it ought to be but all the paint attaches to my brayer only. Do you know what I might could try to make the plate less sticky?
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try remelting and repouring, it was probably humid and it has too much water in it, remelting should make some evaporate.
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Hi Lindsay, I was so excited to try your recipe as I cannot find the gelliarts plate locally. I used your quantities of glycerine, gelatine and water. The prints I pulled off of just brayered paint were FANTASTIC, yet when I tried to remove to pull a stencil I had laid down onto the paint brayered plate, it stuck to and eventually ripped it. Could you please help me figure out what could have caused this? Thanks so much
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I have not had that happen, it sounds like the paint acted as a glue (acrylic paint as the same binder as white glue) and I guess thin paper could rip but I had not had that happen to me. If there is paper stick to the palte still you can remelt it and skimm off the paper and re set it. Maybe use plastic stencils of heavier cardstock stencils next itme. I am sure you will get the hand of it and work quickly so things don’t get stuck. Good luck!
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I made a plate using the gelatin, glycerin and water recipe and mine got moldy after 2 weeks. I had it covered in plastic Glad Press-N-Seal) on my dining table and the mold grew inside the plate. I remelted it, got all the mold chunks out with a strainer, added two tablespoons of household bleach, nuked it some more and re-poured the plate. It came out fine, but I am storing it in the refrigerator now.
BTW, I found a great mold using an acrylic box frame that I found for about $6 at Hobby Lobby. Mine is 13×18 so it makes a good size plate.
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I was just going to ask about the tray you use- I see the comment above about Hobby Lobby. Any other suggestions?
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anp place that sells frames will have them, they are acrylic box frames:)
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can agar agar be used? would the recipe be the same? thanks
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I have not used it so I’m not sure.
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ok thanks anyway I may give it a go anyway! 🙂 Happy Easter
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I live in the UK so not sure where to get the acrylic pic frames you are taking about, would a plastic food container/storage with tab lid be ok to store the gelli plate in? thanks
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yes or any flat bottom pan:)
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ok thanks
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Hello, I just joined you – what fun I have been missing! I see that this blog post is nearly 4 years old. Are you still using your homemade gelli plate? How did it hold up over time? I’d like to clarify the recipe since it did change from the original it’s 6 Tbls. of gelatin to 1.5 cup glycerin and 1.5 cup water, (no alcohol?) boil it and pour to mold – set in refrigerator. Thanks – love the blog, I have lots of catching up to do.
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Hello, I’m writing from France and want to thank you for this great recipe. I still have to buy some ingredients, but as we also have gelatin sheets instead of powder, it’s a little bit tricky to find out, how much to use. One Package normally has 18 sheets = 35 g. So it’s exactly the size for the recipe at calligraphycards-shazinoz.blog – the one with the sugar.
I found now an “official” list of the production company. Perhaps it helps others, too.
They say that a package of 6 g gelatin powder has the same gelling power as 3 sheets of natural gelatin or 2 g Agar-Agar.
1 g (Gramm) = 0.035274 oz (you can easily convert it via Google)
Fortunately we can buy glycerine liquid in every supermarket with parapharmacy in bottles with 100 ml or smaller.
Well, tomorrow I’ll try it! Thanks so much!
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How large a plastic photo frame? 5×7?
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whatever size you want, I used 8″x10″
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A couple of months ago I made a homemade gelli plate anticipating a workshop on making prints. I ended up not using my own gelli plate. It has been stored in a covered flat bottom rubbermaid container–which is the container I used when I made it. A day or so ago I checked it and there is a very small amount of mold starting to form on the top surface. Can this be cleaned off in any way so that the gelli plate can then be used to make prints or should it be discarded? Can you recommend a cleaner for the gelli plate? I know about cleaning off any excess paints with baby wipes, but what about mold?
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wipe it off and then wipe the are with alcohol. you can also remelt it in the microwave and repour it to kill any bacteria.
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Thanks! I was afraid it might need to be thrown out altogether, but I wasn’t sure. I’ll do what you suggested and store it in the freezer when not using frequently, as suggest in some of your other responses.
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my homemade gelli plate is sticky and starts to melt when I clean it with water..help!
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when this happens to mine I cut itup and remelt it in the microwave and repour it it makes it tougher and dryer.
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I made a gelatin plate using great value unflavored gelatin and vegetable glycerine from soap section at Hobby Lobby. It turned out great. In fact it works so well that I picked up various size square and cir ular containers from the Dollar tree and just made 3 minis. Thanks Lindsay
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why did you cross off the rubbing alcohol from your original recipe?
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I thought I would need it to keep it from spoiling but it was not nesscessary
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