Art Class - Mono-print Christmas cards

During the last three weeks of term we have been having a go at mono-printing.  I was able to take in my Gelli-plate and use that rather than the acetate sheets that the others in the class had to use.  Using acrylics rather than printing inks meant that my prints dried almost instantly.  This was good for some effects but others, like drawing into the ink didn't work too well.  The aim was to make some prints that could be used for Christmas cards.  For most of the cards I have made, I took photographs of the original prints and resized on the computer before printing out.  This meant I could work into them with colours pencils, add glitter etc without spoiling the original print.  We had great fun doing the printing and it was so interesting seeing how different people's cards turned out. It is difficult to remember exactly how the prints were achieved but I will try to give brief outline instructions for some of the cards I made.

Card above (my favourite)

1. Roll blue and yellow ink onto the plate. 
2. Mix a bit but not so much that you just get a plain green
3. Place fern leaves on the plate and blot with copier paper
4. Quickly remove the leaves and take another print
5. When print is dry add blues with Spectrum Noir colouring pencils
6. Stamp on the deers (Claritystamps)
7. Add some glitter glue.

• As 1-3 above with the addition of some sequin waste over the ivy leaves. More blue than yellow paint this time
• Emphasize greens on ivy leaves with pencils
• Add glitter.
• Backing paper is also a mono-print

• This one was the first (scrap!) print of a fern leaf on copier paper. (step2 above)
• It left a blank space where the leaf was and I drew the tree into it with a black pen
• Add a horizon with the pencils
• Stamp the deer and sentiment 
• Add glitter of course.

• I think for this one I took a print of ivy leaves as step 2 above
• Let this dry then printed on top with the leaves in different positions
• Enhanced edges with pencils and glitter on some of the leaves

• Photo not very good as this one was printed on glossy card and the flash bounced off it
• Another version of ivy leaves and sequin waste

• These three were all printed in the same way but decorated differently afterwards
• I made a foam stamp Christmas tree and pressed this onto the paint on the plate.  (Kids foam sheets from Hobbycraft)
• Remove the stamp and take a print.
• These were quick to do and the correct size for my cards so I just decorated the original prints.

Really had fun and it was a quick way to produce some original Christmas cards. Art class is over for this term.  Best wishes for a speedy recovery to Diana, my Art tutor.

Lesley x

PS. Does anyone know how to get three pictures together on one line?