Gelli Print Concertina Book

One day workshop with Julie Williams

www.julieannwilliams.com.au

Friday 9th January, 2026

In this one day workshop, Julie invites you to expand your Gelli printing techniques to new artistic heights. Using techniques with charcoal, soft pastels and graphic markers, you will print directly onto long panels of paper which will form a concertina book that can be enhanced with calligraphy, journalling or simply admired as a unique artists book. This method of gelli printing gives a seamless appearance. We will work towards individual themes and through a group exercise. Julie will guide you on an easy collaborative method to develop your own words for your projects. It promises to be a day of fun, experimentation and creativity, suitable for all levels of calligraphers and/or paper arts lovers.

You might like to prepare by choosing a word or two you would like to use for the theme of your book e.g. nature, a place you love to visit, family, memories etc and a colour palette and any images/symbols/marks you find that relate for inspiration.

Materials: please bring with you the following items

Gelli plate – please bring any size, an 8 x 10 would be ideal, smaller is fine too
Good quality Acrylic paints suitable for Gelli printing e.g. Golden, Matisse Derivan Flow - a minimum of 3 (more will be better) in your choice of colours plus a black and a white. As a suggestion, bring colours that mix together well to create more colours.
Your gelli printing kit – brayer, wipes to clean gelli plate, acetate sheet to place your gelli plate on, your favourite tools/stencils etc to create textures on your plate etc. Plastic table covers will be provided at the workshop.
A selection of cheap soft pastels. A set of pastels will be provided for everyone to use.
A micro plane kitchen grater only if you have one, do not buy
2 x SOFT brushes e.g. cheap makeup brushes or soft Chinese brushes
6 small containers e.g. small empty yogurt containers, 30ml glass jars, an ice cube tray or plastic weekly pill container (make sure brushes above fit into container compartment).
A stick of willow charcoal, not too thin (or it will keep breaking). Willow is a soft charcoal.
A few Graphic markers e.g. cheap ones from Aldi or Kmart – please do not buy if you don’t have. Julie will bring some for you to use on the day. Mid to Darker colours are better.
Good quality glue stick e.g. UHU and an old glossy magazine for gluing on
Usual kit - Scissors, sharp cutting blade for cutting paper, cutting mat, steel ruler, pencil, eraser, bone folder, calligraphy pens and ink to letter in your book on the day, time permitting.

Paper: please bring with you

1 x full sheet of good quality smooth HP watercolour OR Canson Mi-tientes, OR cartridge paper approx. 160 - 200 gsm. White or off-white colour only.
20 sheets of A4 photocopy paper. This will be provided for everyone to use at the workshop.
Any other paper you might like to use for your “roll off” paper or for making a print which you can use to collage later into your book e.g. rice paper, tissue paper etc.