Printmaking

Gelli Plate Exploration

Students began by exploring gelli plate monoprinting, experimenting with:

• Layering translucent colour

• Rolling paint evenly across the plate

• Lifting ghost prints

• Printing with cut paper stencils

• Exploring positive and negative space

This introduced:

• One-of-a-kind print processes (monoprints)

• Texture variation

• Controlled unpredictability

• Colour blending and transparency

Each print becomes a unique surface for further development.

Students then:

• Cut vase silhouettes from their gelli prints

• Considered proportion and symmetry

• Refined cutting accuracy

The vase becomes both subject and compositional anchor

Students painted additional paper in varied tonal families, then:

• Cut organic grass and leaf shapes

• Layered heights intentionally

• Explored movement and direction

• Created visual rhythm through repetition

Students experienced:

• The smooth resistance of the gelli plate

• The unpredictability of print transfer

• The tactile difference between painted and printed surfaces

• Layered visual texture

Cross-Curricular Links:

• Printmaking foundations

• Collage and mixed media

• Botanical observation

• Design and composition

• Creative experimentation