​I have long wanted to do Gelli printing, but my budget would not allow it. I was able to secure a grant through Donors Choose and got enough Gelli Arts Plates and Heavy Body acrylics for a class. Though I have done printing in the past, and monoprinting, I have never done Gelli printing before. Knowing the supplies had arrived, I shoed my students the new supplies, and a couple videos about how magical they were and I challenged my Art 2 high school class to search up new and novel techniques. I created a research paper where they listed the steps in the processes they found on YouTube, TikTok, or whatever social media platform they wanted.

I of course did the same and found some helpful videos like this one:

​My class had just finished exploring grid drawings based on their own photographs. Images of friends, pets, vacation photos, etc. So I wanted them to use the same images, at least once, in this new media. I created a shared Google document, and included directions on how to turn images black and white, and adjust their contrast to be very high. We found the best images were about 50% black and 50% white. Grays DO NOT transfer well, if at all.
 
While students completed their previous projects and were doing their research, I was testing prints. I came up with a 5 part, step-by-step guide for them. I also includes how they were to sign, name, and number their work. You can see that along the bottom of the steps guide.

​I told them to NEVER throw away their work, no matter how ugly. We found that after they got good at printing, they could put additional layers on top of early prints they did not like, and they got some interesting results! (If you have paint pens, those can be used to embellish “weaker” prints) I also explained, AND SHOWD THEM, that my first prints were AWEFUL. I have more than 30 years experience teaching art, So they should expect that their first print will be horrible. The next will be bad, the third will be *meh* and then they’ll start getting something interesting. They laughed but I showed them Failure TAUGHT ME.
 
Also, part of their grade was based on how many prints they made, not how successful the prints were. I have 90-minute periods. Prints need 20 minutes to dry under a heavy book. (That can be sped up with a hair dryer thought) With that in mind, assuming each student gets 1 Gelli plate, my students were able to do 2 prints per day. While they waited for their prints under the book, they uploaded new images, did feedback for peers on my project documentation form, or watched videos for novel techniques. They could earn additional points by using techniques I had not shown them.
 
The other thing I learned from all the videos I watched, and practicing, and failing is that image transfers can be very temperamental, but you can increase your success with 3 factors.
1. Run your images through a laser printer OR photocopier 2x (or more) This puts extra toner on the paper so it resists the ink better.
2. The amount if ink you use is VERY important. It must be very thin, and you need to work fast. If the air is dry, it can actually dry before you get your paper on top. I found that if you looked VERY CLOSELY at the ink on the plate you could see a slight textural difference that was key. If the paint was too thick, it left little trails on the surface, almost like wet fur. If it instead looked like the texture of leather, then it was perfect.
3. Ink, Press completely, and pull FAST. If you can count to 5 slowly before you pull the image off the plate, it’s probably too long. You must use the flats of your hand FAST to rub all over the back of the image when it’s on the plate, and pull it off fast. Students chat, lose focus, and then they complain it didn’t work… Show them how to work fast.

​To keep things simple, I required my students to do 3 layers. 1st layer was the transferred image. 2nd layer was to add paint and lay textures on it to manipulate that layer. 3rd wat the final color (usually white) to pull the paint off the Gelli Plate. Students could do more than 3 layers, or experiment with less if they had the required stuff done. (For me that was 5 prints with 3 layers. 90% of my students did more, some a lot more)
 
Gelli printing is fun, fast, and engaging. You do not have to print using image transfers. There’s a huge world of possibilities out there. Many people just use stencils, textures, organic materials like leaves and more.
(We used thicker paper to print with)

At the end, we had a lot of leftover paint. We took a day at the end to clean up all our supplies, and use the rollers to spread paint on paper to use for collage in a future lesson. Painted papers are always a good material for collage and I hate to waste good paint. 

​Below is my project progress documentation page. If you like resources like that I have them in my books The Workbook For Art Teachers, and even more in my Advanced Art Workbook For Teachers. 

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Teaching can feel like juggling, with flaming torches. You’re managing materials, personalities, wildly different skill levels, and that inevitable moment when a student asks, “Am I done yet?” while others are just getting started. Over the years, I’ve learned that the problem isn’t motivation, it’s what happens when students reach a single finish line. One simple shift in how I structure goals has saved my sanity and kept students meaningfully engaged from start to finish.
 
I have addressed in previous posts (click bold words for links) on how:

• I plan my year
• Scaffold Art Lessons
• Dealing with “Am I Done Yet?”
• Meeting Project Expectations

 
Instead of setting a single clear goal for students to meet, my advice is to set multiple goals for every art exploration. This way when some meet your main goal, there is another they can aim for, and another, and another to keep them all on task and pushing their own abilities.
 
Students, in general, enjoy art class, but often their goal is to earn an “A.” I recognize that and for every project I outline 3 things they can do to earn 90% of an “A.”  Then I have them note 3 additional things they can do to exceed expectations and get closer to 100%. I tell them, “Everyone can earn an “A,” but to earn 100% takes additional focus and work.” I address this more HERE.
 
Every assignment I do now incorporates this idea of “What can students do to improve the quality of their work AND STAY ON TASK meaningfully?” No one likes busy work. “Just make another one” is sort of the lazy way out. Telling them to do a “free project” often leads to wasted materials. But if I have a concrete technique they can employ to improve their work, that will engage them and perhaps challenge their artistic growth.
 
These are my common “exceed expectations” goals.

• Use color Triads, Complements, Analogous colors…
• Complicated/detailed pattern
• Varied widths of line
• Detailed crosshatching or stippling in shadows
• Unexpected media use
• Using researched techniques I did not teach you
• A miniature version of the same project
• Incorporate sophisticated textures thoughtfully
• Increase the sense of depth in 2D work
• Use rich cool colors in your shadows
• Use rich warm colors in your highlights
• Incorporate gradients
• Experiment with an unexpected media within your work

 
How about an example? 

This is from my color wheel project. Students have to hand-mix colors to create a symbolic color wheel, plus add a tint or shade to the composition. They outline with paint pens, and meet expectations.

Meet Expectations (Earn 90%)
1. Overlap shapes and incorporate personal symbols
2. Give every shape/space a unique, hand-mixed color
3. Incorporate tints or shades

Exceed Expectations (Move closer to 100%)
1. Layer colors to include gradients within shapes
2. Add patterns within patterns
3. Incorporate both tints and shades

Meeting expectations means that students have covered the main theme of the lesson. (learning to hand mix colors). I design my lesson in a way that meeting expectations is fairly easy if they stay on task. (More about that HERE)

About 75% of my students will be able to move on to at least one of the "exceed expectations" techniques. This means they will stay on task and enhance their work.

A few will do all the techniques and earn 100% based on my rubric. All students, regardless of their ability level, will pass. Most earn 90% or above on projects, assuming they have been fully participating. 

Here's another example of my "Parody Products" lesson.

Meet Expectations (Earn 90%)
1. Front and back hangtag label (based on our exemplars)
2. Dynamic bold name in block letters (not stick letters)
3. Dynamic illustration

Exceed Expectations (Move closer to 100%)
1. Layer colors to include gradients within shapes
2. Incorporate the illusion of space/depth
3. Add shading and/or highlighting

Each example took the students the same amount of time. Though the first is simple, the student did layer colors. The others had a knack for art and progressed quickly. They looked to the "exceeds expectations" list to enhance their work with 3D block letters, layers of color, gradients, and even some shading. All achieved success, and all were meaningfully occupied.​

Designing assignments with multiple goals shifts the classroom from a race to “finish” into a studio where growth continues as long as time allows. Clear expectations give students confidence, while intentional extensions give them purpose beyond compliance.

Instead of asking, “Am I done yet?” students begin asking, “What can I improve?” That small shift keeps students engaged, differentiates naturally, and respects both their abilities and your materials.

​When the goal isn’t just completion, but continual refinement, everyone stays on task, learning deepens, and the work gets better.

THIS is my Project Progress Document. I copy it back-to-back and use it for all assignments now.