First of all, I want to say I absolutely love my Gelli Arts Gel Printing Plate and I use it a lot. However, last year when I saw this video by The Frugal Crafter on how to make a permanent gelatin plate, I just had to try it. I wanted a round plate to play with.
I made a regular gelatin plate in 2011, but it broke down pretty fast. Check out my blog post here.
Here is the recipe for the homemade permanent gelatin plate:
6 tablespoons of gelatin (7 packages)
1 1/2 cups water
1 1/2 cups of liquid glycerin
Dissolve the gelatin in glycerin and then add boiling water. Pour into a shallow pan to set.
So last December I poured mine into a cake pan. I put plastic wrap on the bottom of the pan so I could pull it out easily.
And here it is sitting on the plastic wrap.
I played with it a couple times and then put it away. I stored it with the plastic wrap. It shrank a little and the plastic wrap I covered it with made deep lines in the plate. I like texture, but not on this plate.
I pulled it out the other day when I played with preserved ferns on my Gelli Arts plate and also made some fern prints. You can see in the picture how deep much texture was on the plate. It was hard to keep from putting on way too much paint due to the ruts.
Here is one of the prints.
Not bad, but I really want a smooth surface so this past week I melted the plate and repoured it. I broke up the plate into several pieces and microwaved it on high for several minutes.
After it was liquid I poured it into a smaller pan and let it set up for about 8 hours. I then used a blunt knife to cut around the whole plate. I used the knife to help me pry up the plate and it popped out. My “new” printing plate is colored from paint left on it from previous printing sessions.
I left this plate alone for another 12 hours. Then I decided I wanted it to be smaller. I found a container the size I liked, set it on top of the plate and cut around it.
It wasn’t perfect or even close to it, so I took some paper scissors and clipped.
But wait! Look at all of the leftover pieces. I just can’t throw them away.
I remelted them and poured them in a small container to have a small rectangle.
I decided that the plastic wrap was not needed and it could put unwanted texture on the plate. I only used it because I thought I needed it to get the plate out of the pan. No, it pops right out.
I ended up putting the new round plate on a piece of Dura-Lar, the same stuff I use to make stencils. To store it I also put a piece over it. If you have a Gelli Arts plate it is stored with similar material on the bottom and top.

Tomorrow I’ll show your some prints from this “new” homemade permanent gelatin plate.
great idea about using duralar to protect the plate. I use both purchased and homemade plates too. Great little plate too- perfect for making ATCs…
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Marsha, Yes! I was just thinking it would be perfect for atcs. Thanks.
I’ll be interested in how your plate lasts. I made one without glycerine and kept it in the fridge. I metled it in the microwave and let it reset before it went mouldy. It was fine so I did it a third time . . . this time it had a lttle mould forming so I just cut it off before I melted it and it worked a treat. Gelli Arts plates are really expensive here in New Zealand but I might get one when I come to the USA on a visit next year!
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Wendy, As I said in the post, I’ve had this one since December. If I would have stored it properly without the plastic wrap and in an air tight container, I wouldn’t have had to remelt it. It won’t go moldy because of the glycerin. No need for refrigeration because of the glycerin. I’ve made several gelatin plates without glycerin and by the end of my printing session they were in pieces. This plate was fine after my session and acts like a Gelli Arts plate except a bit softer. Thanks for dropping by.
Awesome jelly plate!!
Your recent colorful chemo journals are great. I have been Diagnosed with cancer and find that making notes in a special book helps later. Too much information at times.
Jean, Thanks! I am so sorry to hear about your diagnosis. My thoughts and prayers are with you.
Hi Lynda- I’ve been fascinated by the permanent plate and that you can melt it and reuse it. Do you set it in the frig? Where do you store it?
Julie, I store it in my studio – no need for refrigeration. I have put it between two sheets of Duralar and then slipped in a ziploc. However, since December before the remelt it was just sitting in my studio with saran wrap on top of it.
Yeah, I made the mistake of putting a piece of the baking parchment paper between my homemade gelli plates to store them. When I pulled them out a few days later and unstacked them the parchment had permanently imprinted horizontal wrinkles across every plate. Not sure what to do now?? Maybe use my heat gun to re-melt the surface area?
Denise, I’m not sure you made a mistake – just extra texture! However, if you are unhappy with them, just re melt in the microwave and pour into your mold. Easy peasy.
Thanks for the recipe
Nick, You are welcome. Hope it works for you.
Hello there! Thanks for posting this recipe! I would like to know in ml how much does it mean 1 1/2 cup of glycerin. Thank you very much! I want to order glycerin, but don’t know how much of it to buy! I know it depends on the size you want the plate to be, but in your case, how much approximatively 1 1/2 cup means? 🙂
Thanks again,
Cristina
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Cristina, Hi. Thank you for stopping by. I went to a website that converts cups to ml and I came up with 355 ml. Hope that helps.
It is not worth the cost of the glycerin to make them at home (1 1/2 cups of glycerin per recipe). Have yet to find an outlet to order a 36 oz. bottle. Have read that some have not used glycerin and have gotten mold on their plates. Yuck, better be careful with the mold … not healthy or safe.
Barbara, I ordered my glycerin from Amazon for $13 since I couldn’t find it locally. I bought the 43 oz. size and used the rest of the bottle for my preserving botanicals post. (https://lyndaheines.blog/2014/07/preserving-botanicals/) Amazon also has a 36 oz bottle. I found it cheaper to make than to buy, but I also love to experiment so cost was not an issue. You are so right about the mold. Glycerin is needed to prevent it. Thanks for dropping by.
thanks for sharing. great! i’m going to try it. liquid glycerin? as in liquid soap? or where do I buy actual liquid glycerin?
Sue, It’s liquid glycerin and I couldn’t find it local (sometimes a pharmacy will carry it) so I bought it on Amazon. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004C7MTLA?keywords=liquid%20glycerin&qid=1444249962&ref_=sr_1_1&sr=8-1
so glad you printed this. I’m eager to try it since I saw it demonstrated on Scrapbook Soup. The lady also printed a reverse image.
Jean, I hope you have fun with this. Thanks for dropping by.
Use vegetarian gelatine the jelly won’t go off, also keep in a dry place I just cover it with some plastic and have had my jelly plates for several years.
Harriet, that’s exactly what I did in this post and they still work fine. Putting them between the Dur-a-lar really helped to keep them smooth. Thanks for dropping by.
Lynda,
Thank you for posting this recipe.
Since it has been about 6 years since the original posting, could you please give everyone an update on your Gel Plates?
I am wondering just how long one lasts?
The number of uses you got out of a plate?
How many times were you able to remelt and pour a recipe?
You didn’t mention how you cleaned the plates?
I would like to keep the plates as clear as possible, then I can see the colors clearer.
Any idea about any “Sealant” that could be used to seal the plate?
Hi Pamela, I hate to admit this but I have no idea if I still have that plate. I know it lasted for a couple years, but I can’t seem to find it now. I don’t remember throwing it out so it’s hiding somewhere around here. I’ll see if I can find it. I bought some commercial ones in the last several years so I’ve not needed that one. But it will last a long time so I recommend making it. You can use it over and over and over. I cleaned it with a baby wipe like I do my regular ones but you can also just spritz it with water and rub off with a towel or paper towel. I only remelted it once since it held up. You do not need to seal the plate. Hope that helps. And if I find it, that would be a great idea for another post!! Thanks for dropping by. Sorry it’s taken me so long to get back with you.
I made the permanent gel plate and I’m finding that the surface is tacky. The paint is drying almost as soon as I role it on. I can’t put any texture in it because the paint has dried. Any ideas as to why?
Joan, My plates have never been tacky. Sounds like it didn’t set. Have your tried melting it and repouring it? If you followed the directions, it should not be tacky. Sorry I’m not much help. Good luck!
I’ll give that a try. Thank you