Cheap plastic balls are becoming pattern making tools for Gelli printing® in this week’s Let’s Play video! These balls are meant for kiddie ball pits but just because they aren’t supposed to be an art supply doesn’t mean they can’t be one!
Be sure to get entered into the Let’s Play $50 gift certificate giveaway by leaving a comment- details at the end of this post.
Start by getting some paint on the Gelli plate®…you can put as few or as many colors on as you want.
Then use the plastic balls to create the patterns. In the video below, you can see how I smush them to create these loose patterns.
Watch How to make colorful patterns with a gelli plate® on YouTube.
Want to know more about Gelli printing®? I’ve got free resources for you to get started and a tutorials for keeping the play going!
You an use one or more than one ball at a time, after all, there aren’t a lot of rules to this!
See those bits of pink in the print on the right? That’s all because I don’t clean off my plate completely between pulls. That allows for serendipitous color play!
How does this help me play? There is no wrong way to do this so the pressure is off! After all there is no “right” way to use flattened plastic balls on a Gelli Plate®!
What is Let’s Play? It’s a series of videos all about rediscovering the ability to play. Each month I share a specific strategy that helped me ditch the stress and rediscover how to play. You can see all the previous ones here. Each month has a theme, and this month’s theme is turning non art supplies into art supplies.
Giveaway! This month’s giveaway is a $50 gift certificate to Dick Blick! Leave a comment to be entered -details at the end of this post.
The randomness is addicting and all these colorful papers will end up in my art journals, in collages, and even a few gifts I am making.
Want to see more Let’s Play videos? You can find all the weekly posts here.
Sharing your play: I, and a whole bunch of others, would love to see what you’re creating! We’re sharing it in the Facebook group called A Colorful Place to Play. Why Facebook? I’ve listened to your feedback about how and where you’d like to share your play instead of the link parties.
Monthly giveaways: Leave comment on any (and all for more chances) of the weekly Let’s Play blog posts to be entered and one winner each month will be chosen by random.org. Want more chances to win a $50 gift certificate to DickBlick.com? Pin any of the images from the page or share about it on Facebook- then come back and leave a comment telling me what you did and you can have more chances to win! Giveaway closes the Sunday, July 3rd at 11 pm EST and the winner will announced on the blog the following Monday.
Here are the supplies I used. Some of these links are affiliate links which means I get a small percentage. It doesn’t cost you anything extra and you are helping me keep this blog and my videos ad free! Thank you- I don’t like ads any more than you do!
Hi! This is my first visit to your blog! I have been a faithful followerbon YouTube for a coue of months. I am just beginning my own colorful journey and have very much been enjoying learning from yours! BTW, I really love the third pulls from your plate…all the white space is just itching to be colored in with layers of stencils!!! Thank you so much for sharing your talents!
CrafDeeMe
Welcome Deanna! The ghost ones make the happiest too!
You are amazing. Who would have thought?
That looks super fun! I always just love watching your videos! I always love ghost prints from the gelli plate
Very creative use of dog toys!! 🙂
Loving all that you do. So inspiring. Thank you sooooo much.
So much fun! Thanks for the video!
Ok, I’ve gotta say it: AMAZEBALLS!!!
It’s always fun to see what you’ll come up with next. I really must try Gelli printing again as my first two attempt were highly disappointing. Thanks for the inspiration!
I’m so glad I found your playground. I can’t wait to jelli print.
I wonder what kind of patterns you might get if you rolled the balls (not flattened) over the the gelli plate. BONUS…you might end up with a lot of paint on you, too. tee, hee.
Whew! I thought I was gonna need to buy a dog for this one, LOL! This looked like so much fun, Carolyn! Thanks for all you do to educate and inspire us.
I love how all of your prints turned out. I would have never thought of using dog toys for printing. You are always so fun to watch and very inspiring. Thanks!
That looks like so much fun. Need to get out my gelli plate and play.
I love how everyday objects can create such awesomeness! Time to bring out the Gelli Plate!
Carolyn, your imagination is huge! Never would have thought to use balls on the gelli plate. Thank you so much for sharing ALL of your creative ideas with us and reminding us that there really are no rules. Makes play time so much more fun. hehe :0)
Who Knew! Another unique technique to grow my already large stash of Gelli prints!
very creative idea will give it a try.
Hi Carolyn – you find the cleverest non- art supplies to make the best art. This is by far my favorite and I can’t wait to give it a try, especially since I’ve had my gelli plate for 4 months and haven’t used it yet!
You come up with uh great ides for play! Thank you for all that you share it us.
You did it AGAIN! Carolyn – you just crack me up with all your fun ideas! I used to take marbles & paint on paper with marbles rolling around in a shoebox but never tried this. I keep thinking “What’s next?” We’re all waiting with bated breaths!
So much fun, thanks for the colourful inspiration! I don’t have plastic balls available, but I could imagine looking for chewed up stuff in the dog’s toy box 🙂
Very interesting Carolyn. I love gelli plate “stuff”, and this is definitely a ONE Off result that no one can copy exactly 12 out of 10 haha.
So many amazing and surprising art supplies this month, Carolyn. Nothing is sacred anymore!!!
I love this technique. I have had my gelli plate since it came out…what 5 years plus? And i have yet to useit because of fear of making s pile of mud. I am going to gather stuff if possible Hoping can get something similar to yours when I play this weekend. Thank you for the videos, they help tremendously.
I’m addicted to your videos. Everything I know about gelli printing I’ve learned from you so keep making the videos! Thank you!
Another great idea!
I just got a Gelli Plate, but haven’t had time to play with it yet. Actually, I keep watching videos such as your entertaining ones to get the feel for what it is capable of. Today I got a pack of paper to blow through with my experimenting, so I’m excited to get at it! Thanks for all your inspiration! Smiles, Linda at Paper Seedlings
What a wonderful idea! I’m going to try this!
Where ever do you think of these ideas, still smiling. xox
I just got my first Gelli plate, and I’m excited to begin exploring. Thanks for a fun idea, and I plan to explore the resources you’ve made available. Thank you!
I loved watching this video. I would have never thought to use deflated balls to make these gorgeous prints! Thanks for sharing, as always!
Just found your blog although I’ve watched your videos on YouTube before. Love your creativity!
This looked like a lot of fun! Thanks s much for the inspiration.
Love the designs in these prints made by smooshed balls! Will have to search for some. Carolyn, your enthusiasm and creativity keep me exploring art and specifically color! So much fun. Thank you.
Love the video-ever since I took your class on gelli printing, I have been inspired to make magnets, my own backgrounds for quotes, cards just to name a few. I love this process and it is fun!
I have also used the plastic eggs from Easter. Open them and voila-perfect painted circles.
Another inspiring video, I have some balls with spikes on, I can’t wait to see what sort of Geli prints they will make.
This is such a cool technique! The first series looked like roses. Love all your prints. I have been missing seeing your posts as I got a job and haven’t had much time lately. Miss you, but catching up!
This is a fun multicolor design.
What a fun idea, thanks!
You always make me smile enjoying the most wonderful rainbows of color
So inspiring! Please thank your dogs’ muses for me! Now I need to find a lot of friends to share the plastic balls with!!
Awesome art! Love it!
Awesome love ideas and your energy
I love all your videos, I volunteer at one of our cancer centers. I get many ideas for my art therapy.
Thank you
Cheri
love your ideas! Just a beginner and will go back and re-read your ideas. Thanks for sharing, it gives me more confidence to begin Gelli printing.