Tuesday, July 29, 2014

Easy Steps to Making Ink Jet Permanent on Paper

For Journaling and Mixed Media Crafts
by ©Peggy Gabrielson

Digital Collage Sheet "Birthday Flowers" 

A creative mind working overtime that is always on the lookout for new ways to expand the artistic creative flow. A cool way to use your color photo prints from a home printer that uses ink jet. If you own one you know what a pain it is to use color prints from it into art work due to the bleeding when it comes into contact with a wet substance.

Not everyone has access to a color laser printer, or wants to spend the extra money on buying the ink cartridges for them. Going to the printers is not always convenient when working on a project. Last minute details and time is not always of the essence.

Save money and time try this and see how you like it. Materials are considerably less expensive. Set up is basic if you don’t own a Gelli Plate and don’t want to make one, try using Plexiglass found in a hardware store. It is often referred to as acrylic glass.

Materials

Golden Matte Acrylic Medium
A Gelli Plate or Plexiglass
A brayer
Ink jet prints on standard multipurpose paper or even card stock

Steps to Sealing Prints

  • Add a small amount of Golden matte medium on the Gelli Plate
  • Roll it around with your brayer smoothing, covering the area needed
  • Carefully lay the printed page on it (ink side down on the plate), patting it gently making sure not to move it around. If you do it will smear the ink.
  • Don't leave it on very long, maybe a minute or even less lifting it very carefully off. Put it aside to dry completely. It won’t take very long only a few minutes. Test it by taking your moistened finger in a corner. 

If some of the ink stayed on the Gelli plate, wipe it off right away. No smudging on your prints as if you had to brush it on. Mod Podge doesn't work; using spray fixatives isn't successful either, it still will bleed a little... plus inhaling and the noxious smell from spraying it could be bad for your health.

This is a quick and easy way to coat your ink jet prints for use on mixed media art projects. Have you tried this technique or anything similar to it? Inspiring Creative Minds!

Learning Something New Every Day!









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