Brayers galore

I don't even remember when or where I bought this 4 inch brayer with its set of pop-out rollers; I've only recently realized what treasures they are. I know I've had them a number of years because I've used the acrylic roller for a Fimo clay workshop with Dayle Doroshow and the hard black rubber roller was used at a block printing workshop at the Newport Paper Arts Festival. They have been patiently waiting in one of my art drawers ever since—with a multitude of other supplies that will eventually have their day. Recently I have been using the tan, soft rubber roller for monoprints on gelatin plates. The black, soft foam roller also works with monoprints. I've recently added the 2 inch roller to the family, the wee one. From left to right the rollers are arranged in order of hardness with the hardest on the left and softest on the right:
a) acrylic roller b) hard rubber roller c) soft rubber roller d) soft foam roller.
The soft rubber roller and soft foam roller both work well with the gelatin plate which is very soft and can be damaged if cut into.

The inexpensive, disposable foam rollers do not work because they are too soft to pick up much ink and any ink they do pick up doesn't roll out well on the gelatin plate.  DO NOT use one of these for gelatin printmaking.

This is a block print of a cottonwood leaf from our ranch in Nebraska, done in 2004. I carved the design into a piece of wood and rolled Speedball water based ink over the block and pressed paper to the block. It is not considered a monoprint because I can make more prints...if only I could find the block. Sometimes you can get more than one print (called a ghost print) from your gelatin plate, but I would still consider it "one of a kind" and a monoprint.
While I like the results from block printing it required more work and planning. Right now in my ventures into the art world it seems more important to me to explore more spontaneous means of expression and gelatin plates really encourage me to do that. If I'm not happy with the image on the plate I just run the roller back over it. So, it's back to the kitchen for some more gelatin prints and coffee. My husband wants his kitchen counter back.