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The pocket guide
16 pages of tips, dos and don'ts and fixes for your Base Set.
Knowledge & inspiration
The Drop Art library.
Tutorials, tips and inspiration for gel plate printing. Watch it, swipe through it or read it. Pick whatever suits you.
How do you like to learn?
Swipe · 10 steps
Image transfer, step by step
A real session, from empty plate to finished print.
Treat these steps as a guideline, not a recipe. Timing and results depend on temperature, humidity, paint thickness, paper and more. Try it yourself, feel how the paint behaves, and trust your own eyes.
Tutorial
SoonThe full process, start to finish
A real session, including the waiting.
Quick · 0:30
Dandelion print
Tip
Less paint than you think. A thin, even layer prints cleaner.
Inspiration
Prints as cards
Cut a print down and fold it into a card.
Prints as cards
Cut a print down and fold it into a card.
Inspiration
Get inspired
Fresh prints, reels and the best of what you make. Tag #mydropart and we may repost your print.
Quick · 0:24
Image transfer
Inspiration
Green leaves
Leaf prints in layered greens.
Green leaves
Leaf prints in layered greens.
Read · 3 min
Fix it: 5 common problems
Patchy, sticky, faint or muddy? Here's why.
Fix it: 5 common problems
Most gel plate hiccups come down to paint thickness, drying time or pressure.
My print is patchy or has holes
Usually too little paint or uneven rolling. Roll a little more, in two directions, until the plate looks evenly coated. Then press the whole sheet with a flat hand.
The paint dried before I could print
Acrylic dries fast. Work with less paint at a time, keep the room cool and out of direct sun, and go quickly from rolling to pressing.
My colours look muddy
Usually too many colours on one plate, or a new layer printed over a wet one. Let layers dry first and keep to two or three colours per print.
The paper sticks or tears
Too little paint, or the paint began to dry and went tacky. Add a little more paint and work faster. If the plate feels tacky, wash it with mild soap, pat it dry and start again. Peel slowly from one corner.
My print is too faint
Use a little more paint and press the whole sheet evenly for a bit longer. Smooth paper is the easiest to start with.
Swipe · 5 ideas
Texture plate ideas
Get more out of your 16 texture plates.
Inspiration
Meadow greens
Leaves and grasses on a warm yellow base.
Meadow greens
Leaves and grasses on a warm yellow base.
Tip
Ghost prints are a gift. Don't wipe the plate, print again.
Quick · 0:24
Fig leaf print
Quick video
SoonGhost prints in 30 seconds
Inspiration
Pink botanicals
Leaf prints over pink and yellow, with a pattern plate.
Pink botanicals
Leaf prints over pink and yellow, with a pattern plate.
Colour idea
Terracotta, sage and cream. Warm, calm, hard to get wrong.
Read · 2 min
Colours that don't turn muddy
A few simple habits for cleaner layers.
Colours that don't turn muddy
Muddy colour almost always comes from too much mixing on the plate. A few habits keep it clean.
Start with a small palette
Two or three colours per print is plenty. You can change the palette every print.
Light first, dark last
Light colours disappear under dark ones, so print them first and add darker layers on top.
Let layers dry
Printing over a wet layer smears it. Wait until the first print is dry to the touch before layering.
Roll, don't mix
Roll colours next to each other and let them blend a little at the edges, rather than stirring them together.
Inspiration
Texture and flowers
Textured circles with a few hand-painted flowers.
Texture and flowers
Textured circles with a few hand-painted flowers.
Read · 1 min
Caring for your plate
Caring for your plate
A gel plate lasts a long time if you treat it gently.
Clean up
Wipe off wet paint with a baby wipe or a damp, soft cloth. Water is usually enough, with a little mild soap if needed. Avoid strong chemical cleaners.
Avoid sharp things
Pencils, toothpicks and fingernails can leave permanent marks. Small marks are normal and often add character.
Store it flat
Keep it flat and covered on both sides with plain white paper or the protective films it came with, away from heat and direct sun. Never use plastic wrap or wax paper.
Inspiration
Red and gold
A close-up of a heavily layered print.
Red and gold
A close-up of a heavily layered print.
Tip
Try tissue paper for see-through layers that glow when stacked.
Tip
Keep the room cool. Acrylic dries fast in the sun or near a heater.
“There's no wrong way to print: layer, peel, repeat.”
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