Exploring Gel Printing
July 8, 15, 22, 29 Aug. 5
On Campus – Wednesday – 1:10 pm – 2:50 pm
Discover the creative possibilities of gel (“gelli”) printing. This hands-on course introduces the basics of monoprinting with soft gel plates—perfect for anyone interested in collage, texture, printing gift bags or gift labels or simply trying something new. Participants are encouraged to watch videos on basic gel printing before classes begin. No prior experience is needed, but members must bring all the required materials listed below to the first class. Previously offered course.
- Week 1: Demonstration of the basic process — working with botanicals, Positive and Negative space and designs
- Week 2: Creating a landscape — Color idea: ROYGBIV; layering printing to make rich textures and color worlds
- Week 3: Creating a cityscape—Color idea: Value
- Week 4: Portraying a person—Color idea: Mode of appearance, opalescent, nacreous
- Week 5: Create a design with radial symmetry, a vase of flowers, or working with stencils
REQUIRED materials:
- Gel plate
- Brayer/roller for paint -not made of foam
- Paper to print on (origami, printer paper, rice paper, magazines)
- Scrap paper to layer prints, newspaper
- Acrylic paints (caution: these will not wash out of clothing easily)
- For cleaning a plate: water wipes, baby wipes or makeup remover
- Baby oil (must rub oil on the plate after cleaning it)
- Things to print—anything with a texture that you don’t mind getting paint on, such as botanicals, string, wire, doilies, mesh onion bag, textured rolling pin, paper clips, old jewelry. Many of these items can be found, scrounged or purchased.
Louise Flax earned a PhD in Art Education. She has taught art and photography in Norwalk public schools for 38 years. She loves making and teaching art.