Gel Plate Printing and Bookbinding Workshop

In this workshop, you will learn how to print on a gel plate using acrylic paints. You will be using a variety of papers in various thicknesses.

Your teacher, Ro Bruhn, has been an artist all her life, working in graphic design, painting, jewellery making, textiles, book and printmaking. Ro lives in the Dandenongs and for the past twenty years has been teaching around Australia and New Zealand as well as taking part in many exhibitions.

You will learn lots of techniques to create amazing papers from basic household items as well as Ro’s handmade stencils and plant materials.

You will be shown how to create books from your papers using two simple methods of bookbinding. Further decoration can be added to the pages using collage, paint markers, stamps, and stencils.

If you prefer, you can save some of your papers for collage making or other projects.

Ro will be bringing some of her handmade book samples to give you lots of ideas.

There’s no official lunch break, but you’re welcome to stop and eat when you feel the need. There are local coffee shops in the area for food or drinks. It’s recommended you bring a drink bottle to keep you hydrated.

• Paper, paints, spare brayers, paper towel, paint brushes, paint markers, stencils, found objects, thread for binding and darning needles.
• The papers will include artists papers, tissue, rice paper, book pages, butcher paper and a miscellaneous collection of found papers.
• You will create a final stitched book to take home of all your designs.

• Gel plate either commercial or handmade (recipes are on YouTube). Ro can make one for you but that will incur a fee due to the cost of the ingredients. Let her know if you require one.
• Apron
• Brayer if you have one
• Scissors
• Food for grazing and drink bottle