Intro to Monoprinting with the Gelli Plate

This is a six-part introductory workshop to the art and practice of gelli-printing (mono-printing – “mono” meaning one or one-off). The course is broken down into six modules:

Before we start: Attitude

It’s all about having fun. Fun is a serious part of the creative process and a huge part of what makes gelli printing so enjoyable and unusual. It is a relatively simple process of transferring coloured paint and inks (acrylic)  to a gelatinous, semi- rigid plate, and are reusable printing plates that let you make monoprints without a large, expensive press. The more fun you have, the more you are willing to risk and just go with it, explore the terrain, the more interesting discoveries you will make, the more you will enjoy what you are doing, which will want to do it again and again. Believe me, it’s addictive!

1. Tools & Materials 

• Here we will look at the types of gelli plate, where to buy them and how to care for them
• We will look at the papers and card stock and other materials that we can print on
• Resource extra: downloadable recipe for making your own gelli plate (including the pros and cons of making them yourself)
• We look a different kinds of acrylic paint and inks and discuss the qualities of each (opacity and translucence)
• Mark-making – we look at all the things you can use to both apply and remove paint to create different effects including: stencils, stamps, household items, natural materials (leaves, etc.)

2. Get to know the Gelli Plate: set-up and initial prints

• Understand registration (method of aligning prints they print in the same place) – when you need it, and when you don’t
• Go ahead and rock and roll! Watch me ink up the plate, align the paper and pull a print  (follow along)
• Play first – at this point just play, see how the plate reacts to different kinds of acrylic paint (opaque and translucent) and how over-printing can change colours (yellow over blue makes green, etc.)

3. Building Layers – Additive (using stencils)

• Applying paint with a roller in layers
• Having fun and risking as part of the creative process
• Using stencils to add shapes in layers
• Using brushes and other tools to create textures

4. Building Layers – Subtractive (using stamps, household items, leaves, etc.)

• Creating your own simple stamps from craft foam and hot glue guns
• Removing paint from the paint before you pull a print with stamps, leaves, bubble-wrap, corrugated cardboard, bottle caps, kitchen implements, pieces of string and rope, and just about anything!

5. Planning a print – and enjoying the “happy accidents”

• Creating a one-off print by layering directly on the gelli plate (drying each layer and adding one on top)
• Understanding the “front-to-backness” of adding various layers to the gelli plate and how they will appear when printed
• Enjoying the spontaneous “accidents” that can’t be planned but are welcome and creative

6. Putting it all together: collage, accordion books, layers in paintings & artwork

• Overview of collage
• Creating accordion books to show your work
• Using rice paper gelliprints in paintings and artwork