Gelli print ideas – 25+ Great Projects to try

Explore creative possibilities with Gelli plate prints! I have 25 great gelli print ideas for you to try, some with free courses, other with written tutorials or reels to show you exactly how!

Discover inspiring ideas for transforming your prints into unique art and crafts. I have chosen a variety of gelli plate techniques for this great list of inspiring ideas to share with you for your stunning gelli plate prints.

If you have not heard of gelli plate prints before it’s a simple and easy way to explore printing at home using a gelli plate and acrylic paint. Personally, I find it somewhat addictive so need to find ways of using these prints.

If you have not tried this form of printing check out my how to start gelli printing post. Plus I have a great tutorial on making your own stencils with a Cricut.

Gelli Print Ideas

1 DIY Resin Earrings

Learn how easy it is to transform your prints into beautiful earrings with a step-by-step tutorial, including video. It is easy to make a wide range of designs, DIY resin earrings make fabulous gifts.

 

2. Landscape Pictures

I have recently completed a free course run by Susan McCreevy – here is my finished landscape picture using gelli plate prints. I highly recommend the video course you can take at your own pace. She has great tips about tonal value and color balance.

 

3. Greeting Cards

The possibilities for greeting cards are just endless. I love Julie’s take, where she has woven her gelli plate prints as a basis for a range of cards. See her tutorial for woven paper greeting cards.

 

 

4. Leaf Print Coasters

 I love making these leaf print decoupage coasters – the possibilities are endless. Shadow printing a perfect way to capture the plants from your garden, or maybe a holiday. Learn how to make the leaf prints with a thin layer of paint and how to decoupage the coasters, a step-by-step tutorial plus video. They make great gifts.

 

5. Gift Bags

Transform a creative print into unique gift bags. These Gelli print gift bags are made with 90gram printed papers which I have blocked with various textures and colors. There are so many creative ways to add patterns to your papers before making up the gift bags,  for instance, have you tried making your own stencils?

6. Collage Art

Collage is an art form I am in the process of learning. It’s certainly a great way to showcase a great texture The online collage course by Catherine Rains is not strictly focused on gelli plate printing but has great printing techniques for different effects. I found the guidelines about composition very helpful.

 

 

7. Bookmarks

You can have such fun with your different textures and prints to create bookmarks. These gelli print bookmarks represent stacking pebbles into towers at the coast. I made the textures on the prints with crumpled tissue paper, a plastic pad with tiny dots on it and sewing threads.

 

8. Resin Keychains

Creating keychains is a great use of gell print scraps, grab your bright color papers, cut circles in different sizes, and have fun layering up, before adding resin to finish off. Learn more – DIY Keychains

 

9. DIY Fabric Note Book Covers

Who doesn’t love a notebook? Learn how to print on fabric with your gelli plate and create a beautiful abstract-designed notebook cover. Learn how with my DIY Notebook Cover youtube video.

 

10. Photo frames with inspirational quotes

I have to admit this gelli print project turned out better than I anticipated! A collection of blue and green papers with different textures makes the perfect material for a decoupage picture frame for a swimming quote.

11. Paper Beads

Looking for an easy project for not-so-great gel prints? If you have not made paper beads before they are ever so easy. Cut an extremely long triangle, with the straight short edge being the width of your finished paper bead. I love the different colors on the beads from gelli prints.

 

12. Mobiles

 

I just couldn’t resist the thought of a bird mobile made will Gelli plate prints. Learn how with my DIY Mobile post.

 

13. Gold Leaf Bracelets

Transform thrift shop bracelets with delightful prints on rice paper. Learn how to add gold leaf to your gelli plate prints with this step by step DIY Gold Leaf Bracelet tutorial.

14. Paper Banners

Play with texture and autumn colors in this beautiful fall banner. I share various methods to add vein-like textures to your prints, plus two methods for cutting out the leaves. This DIY fall banner is super cute and easy to make.

15. Christmas Cards

Print a variety of papers and textures ready to collage to your heart’s content with various Gelli Print Christmas Card designs.

 

16. Gelli Print Board Books

Here’s another free online video tutorial for converting baby board books into fun collages. Learn the tips and tricks to collaging in board books with Build your Creativity: Board Book Basics! by Drew Streinbecher.

 

 

17. Gelli Print Wall Hangings

Personally, I love using driftwood as a starting point to create beautiful wall hangings. Using an old notebook I printed half the page with a variety of colors and textures before creating three-dimensional hearts.

 

 

18. Statement necklaces

Design your own necklace pendant with gelli plate prints. Using your favorite colors create your own custom pendant designs.

19. Decoupage

Printing your own papers and designs is just brilliant for decoupage. You can have so much fun layering up textures and patterns.

If you have not decoupaged before it is ever so easy – I have a step-by-step tutorial how to decoupage for you.

20. Origami

When printing papers specifically for origami choose a paper that is strong enough to hold folds but not too thick. For this origami crane I have printed one layer of acrylic onto printer paper.

 

21. Wall Art

This gelli print was made with patience, layering up and allowing each layer to dry. This includes white acrylic ink, black brush marks and circular paper stencils.

Dare I confess to not owning such a large gelli print plate? I found a great app that shows your print in a room setting – brilliant for people showcasing their prints to sell online.

22. Stationary

There is nothing quite like receiving a letter through the post, never mind personalized envelopes and paper. The art of letter writing is someone forgotten in this modern age but I love receiving handwritten letters through the post. These prints are made up of layers of ghost prints.

23. Art journal pages

No list would be complete without art journaling! I have to admit this is totally out of my comfort zone but I have had a go using leftover paper from the coasters collaged together, printed over the top, followed by zentangle inspired drawing of a leaf to create an art journal page (it’s autumn as I write this article). Your own prints make a great base for all art journalers.

If you have not heard of zentangle before check out my zentangle inspired light bottles and Christmas decorations.

24. Concertina Books

Another first for me – and I love it! Check out my youtube video to see how I made the book, each page has simple shapes printed with the help of stencils, with a tissue paper layer added with a different pattern in pale blue.

I will definitely be making more concertina books!

25. Paper Christmas Ornaments

Combine some of your favorite prints and colors, add a little hand drawing along with a tassel and beads to make beautiful unique paper Christmas decorations. Not made tassels before? I have you covered with my how to make tassels tutorial.

26. Step by Step Handmade Valentine Cards

Layers of prints combined with gold leaf – what’s not to love? Free templates for the printed word Love and the heart stencil are included in my how to make a handmade valentine card post.

27. Botanical Grid Art

Have fun creating prints from nature, then arrange into a grid format as stunning art work for your home.

Dare I admit just how large my stash of prints remains, despite making all these projects??!! Crack out your beautiful prints and get making.

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