Gel plate printing or Gelli printing is a fun and accessible method of creating images that has widespread appeal. Whether you enjoy learning a new creative skill, fancy a fun day out with friends, or are a seasoned artist, gel printing offers something for everyone. No press and very little special equipment is needed. Even on a short introductory workshop you can expect good results and to take home a number of prints that can be used to create personalised greetings cards or framed as a keepsake/gift. During a longer workshop there is time to be more experimental, to develop your preferred printing approach or turn a selection of your prints into a finished product.
Over the next year I will be leading taster sessions, introductory workshops and longer focussed sessions at a number of different venues. Do get in touch if you have any questions or would like further information,

2024 dates

Saturday 10 February - Half day gel printing taster sessions at Dotty Gallery

Friday 8 March - at Rural Antics,

Friday 19 April - at Dotty Gallery

Sunday 5 May - Half day gel printing taster sessions at The Galleria, Burton Latimer

Saturday 1 June - at Rural Antics

Sunday 3 November - at Rural Antics

2 day weekend workshop 5 & 6 October - with Vandy Massey Studio, Whittlesford, Cambridge

Custom workshops can be arranged for a pre-existing group of friends, or I can deliver a talk/demo to an art club with the option to arrange a follow up workshop. If you would like to discuss any of these options further please get in touch. If you want to be the first to hear about new workshop dates then please sign up to receive my newsletter.

What exactly is gel printing?

This method of printmaking uses a soft gel plate. A layer of acrylic paint is applied to the surface of the plate using a roller or brayer. This can be a single colour, a blended roll or multiple colours. The print is taken by placing the paper on top of the plate and applying pressure by hand. To create interest and texture a number of methods can be employed:

• creating a texture or pattern on the plate using found objects
• using a mask (blocks transfer of paint to the paper within the masked area)
• applying paint through a stencil (paint is applied only in specific areas of the plate)
• image transfers using printed images (e.g. toner photocopies)

The beauty of using acrylic paint is that it dries quickly and further layers can be overprinted on the same piece of paper to create an image with greater depth and interest.


A few words from some of my previous printmaking students

I had a thoroughly enjoyable creative day at Carol's gel printing workshop. Carol is an informed, enthusiastic and encouraging tutor, she is well prepared and professional. It was exhilarating to be able to experiment and create pieces of work without fear of failure, using colour pattern and texture, and to be guided along the way. A bonus was to recognise that that the individual pieces produced could be used for further work, be it as a finished piece or used for collage and cards. The class is ideal for beginners and experienced artists.
Kate
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Thank you, Carol, for giving me such an inspiring introduction to the world of print-making.
Your patience, guidance and expertise have enabled me to progress and gain in confidence far beyond my initial expectations: I have particularly appreciated the opportunity to explore different processes, your support when I have tried them for myself and your positive and imaginative approach when it comes to problem-solving.
I look forward to continuing to work together.
Jill (novice print-maker)
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Just to let you know how much I enjoyed the workshop.
I thought it went very well, beautifully planned and 5 pupils was a great number as we all benefited from your expertise.
I came away feeling pleased with what I had done but wished I had more time..... So let me know when the next one is!
Thanks again. It was simply great!
Diane