Gel Plate Printing - Beeston Library - Adult Learning

Beeston Library, Beeston

Date	13 December 2025
Time	10am - 3:30pm
Venue	Beeston Library, Beeston View venue details
For ages	19+
Group size	5 - 12
Cost	FREE - £20

About this course

On this course you will learn about and explore the process of using Gel Plate as a printing tool. Through demonstration, personal experimentation and individual tuition you will learn different printing techniques. You will learn how to use a mix of items including household items, stamps, and stencils to create your prints.

By the end of the course, you will have learnt a variety of ways to produce beautiful surface designs and patterned papers. The Course will focus on Creative skill-building, looking at process and how the change of a process can lead to different outcomes which great skill to take into employability, and look at how creative activities can be good for mental well-being.

No previous skills or knowledge required but the ability to try out something new and have a play and meet new people. You will mainly use acrylic paints, but we also look at some other mediums to enhance your prints and processes.

What will learners achieve by the end of the course?

Learners will be able to identify and correctly name at least 4 essential tools or materials used in gel plate printing

Learners will be able to describe at least one step-by-step gel printing process

Learners give at least two mental health benefits of engaging in creative activities

Learners will be able to create at least 2 original prints using layering, color mixing, and texture tools

Learners will be able to compare the effects of at least 2 different found materials (e.g., leaves, lace, plastic wrap).

Learners will demonstrate at least one of the techniques with Gel plate, (wet print, masking, stencils, reverse printing, mix of mediums, dry pull

What you will need to bring to the course:

Apron or a big shirt (if want to protect your clothes)
Gel Plate & Brayer - if you have these, otherwise a set will be provided for you to use on the course
Mirco fiber cloth/old face flannel or Wet wipes
Printing Media - Fabric or Cartridge paper or Copier Paper
Acrylic paint – basic colours will do

Booking your place and fee information

If you receive certain benefits you will be offered the course for free, however if you have a financial barrier which may prevent you from enrolling on the course, please visit our funding page for further information.

Residency in England

To book and enrol on one of our courses, you must be living in England permanently and live outside of the devolved areas listed below or live within the East Midlands Combined County Authority (EMCCA) devolved area (Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire).

Barnsley, Doncaster, Rotherham and Sheffield 
Cambridgeshire and Peterborough
Greater London
Greater Manchester
Liverpool City Region
Newcastle Upon Tyne, North Tyneside and Northumberland
Tees Valley
West of England
West Midlands
West Yorkshire

Residency Eligibility – other criteria

If you are living in the UK on a visa we will require evidence of this in order to be funded for the course, you can upload this evidence when you apply for the course. (completion of a questionnaire will be required).

Some exceptions may apply for example
Your visa expiry date must be beyond the end of your course
Asylum seekers must have lived in the UK for 6 months or longer while their claim is being considered by the Home Office
You are receiving local authority support under section 23C or section 23CA of the Children Act 1989 or the Care Act 2014

Any learner who is not funded full cost fees would apply to these courses.