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Alcohol Inks on a Gel Plate

What happens when you add drops of alcohol inks on a gel plate? Fun and colorful prints! I’ve got a step-by-step video including how making 1 little change impacts what the final print looks like!

Add your alcohol inks onto the gel plate. I love using Marabu inks for this because they are so vibrant and have a bottle that makes sprinkling the color on there so easy.

Tutorial using alcohol inks on a gel plate by Carolyn Dube #gelprinting

Let the alcohol inks dry somewhat and then add fluid white paint.

Tutorial using alcohol inks on a gel plate by Carolyn Dube #gelprinting

For comparison, here’s the 2nd print where the alcohol ink wasn’t as dry as the first print. That plays a big role in what the print looks like. You can see how the inks are already mixing with the white paint even before brayering.

Tutorial using alcohol inks on a gel plate by Carolyn Dube #gelprinting

Here’s a close up of the detail captured in the print.

Tutorial using alcohol inks on a gel plate by Carolyn Dube #gelprinting

Below are the 2 prints side-by-side. The print where the alcohol inks had more time to dry has more of the drops showing. The print on the right has a dreamier look because the alcohol inks were still pretty wet when the paint was added.

This is just one of the many techniques you do with a gel plate. If you like having it broken down for you step-by-step, if you like understanding what little changes you can make to have a big impact on your prints, then you might enjoy one of my workshops.

Tutorial using alcohol inks on a gel plate by Carolyn Dube #gelprinting

Here are the supplies used. Some of these links are affiliate links which means I get a small percentage. For example, I’m an Amazon Associate & I earn from qualifying purchases. It doesn’t cost you anything extra and it helps keep the free tutorials coming!

I also used lemon and tangerine, but for reason those links weren’t working at the time this post was published.


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  • Carolyn Marnon December 13, 2019, 5:22 pm

    I love these! I also noticed the Christine on top of your shelf. Who is Christine in your creative life?

  • Denise Reimer December 13, 2019, 8:44 pm

    Yea! What fun with alcohol inks and a hello plate. I never would have imagined that would not only work, but be so beautiful.

    Thanks Carolyn….

  • Randi December 14, 2019, 5:32 pm

    Love lots of sparkle!

  • Petrea Tomko December 15, 2019, 10:27 am

    Hi, Carolyn,

    My question is: do the alcohol inks dry out the gel plate? My immediate thought when I saw that you were going to put alcohol on it was that it would make the gel plate brittle. Have you experienced that at all, and if so, do you just delegate that gel plate to alcohol inks only? Thanks. Love all you do!

  • Donna March 16, 2020, 4:43 pm

    Do the alcohol inks affect the gell plate in any way?
    I loved the 2 pieces you did and can’t wait to try them!!

  • Sonia March 16, 2020, 6:40 pm

    I don’t know if this will reach you but I just wanted to say how much I’m enjoying your mini tutorials even though I susp4ct 6hey were done some time ago Thankyou so much I iintend to try some of your tips and hints tomorrow here in the UK we are very gloomy with all the worry of corona virus so I’m going to use my twelve weeks of isolation to try some new techniques so Thankyou again Carolyn I will watch out for more or your sessions .

  • Lynne May 9, 2020, 2:07 pm

    I really enjoy how you teach

  • Kim August 3, 2020, 9:11 pm

    Thanks so much for sharing!

  • Michelle August 9, 2020, 4:45 pm

    Love your tutorial!!!

  • Jackie Griswold July 7, 2022, 6:31 pm

    What a great idea – I hadn’t thought of using alcohol inks.

  • Pamela March 31, 2023, 12:16 am

    Great to see someone using alchol inks on a gel plate. Cannot wait to give it a try. When you say use fluid white paint is that the same as acrylic paint of something different. I like the dreamy look between the two you did but will have to wait and see the results I get. Keep up the good work. Regards Pamela from Down Under.

  • Hassack January 5, 2024, 1:00 am

    hi that was fun. Im going to get a gel plate now.