The Gel Press is a pretty neat tool that’s used in mixed media. I hadn’t given it much thought until I saw Keri Salle Bible journaling with the Gel Press at a booth I passed by during a recent conference. I loved what she was doing and decided to give it a try myself. I purchased a few sizes and gave it a whirl.

What is the Gel Press?

you might be wondering what is a Gel Press and how you can use in your Bible. A Gel Press is basically a piece of gel that’s used for mono printing. Mono printing is when you print an image once. You can never get the same print again. It’s one image and every image is different.

The Gel Press is really flexible and flimsy. It cleans up pretty good with just a little bit of water. They come in multiple sizes. In the tutorial below I use a 5”x7” piece.

Supplies Used and Ministry Affiliate Links

Gel Press 5×7 plate: http://amzn.to/2oQ5bY4
Yellow acrylic paint: http://shrsl.com/?hdaw
Magenta acrylic paint:http://shrsl.com/?hdax
Vellum paper: http://amzn.to/2oQkiRy
Spray glue: http://amzn.to/2nYEKLW

How to Use the Gel Press in Bible Journaling

To use the Gel Press, just add a little bit of acrylic paint to the surface and go over the paint with your brayer to spread it out. Just start to mix the paint here and there and blend it if you want to.

You don’t need to clean the Gel Press before you start using it. A lot of people like to use it without it being super clean. It’s entirely up to you.

Once you’re happy with the paint mixture, place your stencil down and roll over it again with your brayer. Of course everything is optional. You don’t have to run the brayer over. If you don’t, you’ll get a different look. Once you’re done, lift the stencil up.

Alternatively, you could place the stencil on the Gel Press without the paint. Then put the acrylic paint on the stencil. It’s totally up to you. And that’s the fun of the Gel Press! You can put different colors and different designs on it and you’ll get a different print every time.

Protect your Bible by placing a craft mat under the page. Then place the Gel Press on your Bible journaling page. Press down. When you’re ready pull the Gel Press away from the page. Be careful because you don’t want to rip your Bible page. This is the fun part this is the fun part because you never know what you’re going to get!

No Prep Needed

I don’t gesso the page whenever I’m working with acrylics just because I never have problems with it seeping through to the other side.  If you’re concerned about it Bible journaling with the Gel Press, feel free to prep your page.

Bible journaling with the Gel Press is lots of fun and is a simple way to create beautiful art in your Bible. Because it’s so easy to use,  you may find yourself with more time to spend in the Word. Give it a try!