Quick Print & Collage: Gelli Plate Art in 20 Minutes

StencilGirl Products invited me to create a video for their YouTube channel to spotlight my abstract typography stencils. I wasn’t sure what I was film until a basement printing session with my son led me an idea

My seven-year-old often gets excited about gelli plate printing, but like many kids his age, his enthusiasm lasts for about fifteen minutes before he’s ready to move on to the next activity. In the past, this left me scrambling—having to stop my own printing, clean up, and shift focus, often feeling like I hadn’t made the most of our creative time together.

But recently, I decided to take a different approach. Rather than feeling disappointed or rushed when our printing time was cut short, I embraced the challenge: How much could I accomplish in those fifteen to twenty minutes? To my surprise, I found that not only could I create a variety of printed papers in that time, but I could also assemble them into collages, completing a full project in a single short session.

This method has been a revelation! So often, gelli plate printing sessions leave you with stacks of beautiful, colorful papers that sit unused for months, waiting for the perfect project. But this streamlined approach allows me to enjoy the printing process and then immediately put those freshly printed papers to use. Instead of accumulating endless prints, I get to enjoy the satisfaction of creating an entire piece of art—from start to finish—within the time my son stays engaged.

Now, printing and collaging together feels productive and fun, with a built-in solution for managing time and materials. It’s a great way to harness that short burst of creative energy and make something meaningful without the pressure of having to find a use for the prints later.

Materials:

A small stack of pages from vintage books OR papers of your choice

2 colors of acrylic paint (I’m using Golden Open Acrylic in Naples Yellow Hue and Ultramarine Blue)

Golden Open Thinner can be added to any acrylic paint to slow the drying time

Gelli Plate

Half or Whole stencil

Mirror Stencil

Brayer for the gelli plate

Scrap paper to use as a roll-off sheet

Disposable gloves

Golden Matte Medium (or a glue stick)

Paint Brush