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Can you use PanPastel on a gel plate? Absolutely! There are things that PanPastel can only do when using it on a gel plate that it could never ever do with paper alone. Understanding how these two supplies interact opens up a whole world of printing possibilities all while sealing in the PanPastels!

The superpower of PanPastel is blending and a gel plate’s superpower is layering. When you understand how these characteristics play and interact with each other, you hold the key to intentionally creating mysterious layers, bold layers, playful layers or any combination of them. Knowledge is power.

I’ve taken everything I’ve figured out playing with PanPastels on the gel plate and put them into a self paced online workshop, Gel Printing with PanPastels. You’ll see each technique step-by-step but this workshop is about more than the how, it’s also about the why.

If you don’t have the how and the why, gel printing can feel extremely random!

When you understand the nuances of blending on a gel plate, you have the ability to create subtle effects within your layers. But that’s not all!

When creating the look of shading, a dark color can very easily overtake an image. To keep that from happening, and create artistic shading, there’s a simple trick for applying the PanPastel to plate.

You Have Options

The versatility of PanPastels and a gel plate gives you options. You can go bold with a technique or you can be more monochromatic. The prints below were created with the same reverse stenciling technique, but one has been rainbowed while the other stayed with black PanPastel.

“Stuff”

As well as using traditional supplies, like gel plates, stencils, stamps and acrylic paint, we’re also using “stuff”. This is a very technical term that applies to things from your kitchen, from the trash, from around the house or garage. Everything used to make the print below is “stuff”. Wait till you see how to use the patterns and textures you have all around you with PanPastels!

Until I started gel printing with them, my PanPastels didn’t get used very often for one big reason. Pastels need to be sealed. But gel printing with them seals in all that color! That means as soon as you take the pull, they are sealed and good to go for art journaling, card making, scrapbooking, collage, or ready for framing! 

Who is this workshop for?

Anyone who wants to have fun making gel prints! Your gel plate can still be in the original packaging because no experience is needed! Every technique is explained step-by-step. No experience needed with PanPastels either!

If you’re an experienced gel printer, working with PanPastels is different than working with paint on a gel plate and that opens up a whole new world of techniques! Understanding how and why these two supplies work together lets you take your prints up to the next level.

What’s Included in the Workshop:

  • 19 lessons
  • Downloadable videos
  • Self-paced – content immediately available
  • Lifetime access
  • 14 day money back guarantee
  • 5 Bonuses! Color Explosions, Printing on Fabric, Grungy Layers, Aged Layers and the video of newbie Dave making PanPastel prints!

$99

My Guarantee

A lot of art workshops don’t offer guarantees. But I do! Why? Because I want you to have the workshop that is right for you and sometimes the only way you can tell that is by watching the workshop.

Try the workshop for 14 days. After watching the videos, you will know how to use PanPastels on a gel plate to make prints. I 100% guarantee it. If you don’t, send me an email, and I’ll gladly give you a full refund. 

Your Bonuses!

Dave, the husband, was talked into doing a live video using PanPastels for the very first time, ever! The recording of these shenanigans and his rainbow pizzas print is just one of your five bonuses! Also included in your bonuses:

  • Colorful Explosions– make the colors of the rainbow pop with incredible vibrancy with this technique! And NO MUD!
  • Aged layers-Creating the look of aged layers using a combination of techniques from the workshop.
  • Soft and Mysterious Layers-See how a ho-hum background in an art journal becomes one filled with mysterious layers!
  • Gel printing on fabric with PanPastel. The fabric is not washable, so that means it is great for art quilts to be hung on a wall, mixed media fabric art, home decor items – basically, any fabric use that won’t involve putting it in a washing machine.

What supplies do you need? The basic supplies used in all the techniques are PanPastel in any colors you like, cosmetic sponges from the drug store, gel plates (the techniques work on any size) and the basic supplies for making a gel print (brayer, acrylic paint, paper). 

We’ll also be using common art supplies such as stencils, rubbers stamps, plus some “stuff” like some trash, and other household goodies to build pattern on the plate. I encourage you to use what you have on hand! In the classroom, I have a detailed video that walks you through your supply options in depth. I strongly encourage you to substitute with any supplies you prefer or have on hand.

Lessons in this Workshop:

  • How PanPastels Work on Gel Plate
  • Cleaning the Gel Plate and Sponges
  • Blending Colors On the Plate
  • The Pounce and Grab
  • How to Avoid Smeared Layers
  • Using White
  • Taking Grunge to the Next Level
  • To Blend or Not to Blend
  • 2 Very Different Looks from the Same Supplies
  • Combining Techniques
  • Removing Color
  • Rainbow Clouds and a Silver Lining
  • Changing the Shape of the Sponge
  • Reverse Stenciling
  • Colorful Reverse Stenciling
  • Creating Vibrant Layers of Color

FAQ

When does the workshop begin?

As soon as you’re registered! This is a self paced workshop.

What is a self paced workshop?

This is a self-paced workshop which means the videos are available for you to watch at your own pace as soon as you’re registered.

How long do I have access to the workshop?

As long as you need since you have lifetime access and all the videos are downloadable.

Can I do this workshop if I am new to gel printing?

Absolutely! Your gel plate can still be in the original packaging because no experience is needed! Every technique is explained step-by-step.

What if I’m already an experienced gel printer? Is this workshop for me?

Absolutely! Working with PanPastels is different than working with paint on a gel plate. That opens up a whole world of techniques that you can’t do with paint alone. Understanding how PanPastels work on a gel plate can take your prints up to the next level.

Do I need to know how to use PanPastels? 

Nope. This is a completely different way of using PanPastels so no experience needed.  

What if I’m new to understanding color?

There’s a Mud Makers Cheat Sheet for you to print out so I’ve got your back!

What supplies do I need?

The basic supplies used in all the techniques are PanPastel in any colors you like, cosmetic sponges from the drug store, gel plates (the techniques work on any size) and the basic supplies for making a gel print (brayer, acrylic paint, paper). 

We’ll also be using common art supplies such as stencils, rubbers stamps, plus some “stuff” like some trash, and other household goodies to build pattern on the plate. I encourage you to use what you have on hand! In the classroom, I have a detailed video that walks you through your supply options in depth.

How long is each video?

On average, the videos are approx. 10-20 minutes long. Each video is carefully edited so you can see the technique step-by-step and have time to play!

Is there a guarantee?

Yes! Try the workshop for 14 days. After watching the videos, you will know how to use PanPastels on a gel plate to make prints. I 100% guarantee it. If you don’t, send me an email, and I’ll gladly give you a full refund. 

A lot of art workshops don’t offer guarantees. But I do! Why? Because I want you to have the workshop that is right for you and sometimes the only way you can tell that is by watching the workshop.

Are the videos downloadable?

Yes!  You can watch them on your computer or mobile devices.

Do the videos have closed captions?

Yes!

Is there lifetime access?

Yes! Since this is a self paced workshop, you can watch it on whatever timetable fits your needs best!

Am I able to ask questions about or get help with my prints?

Absolutely! I am here to answer all of your PanPastel gel printing questions.That’s one of the perks of taking a workshop! You can upload a photo of your prints, post your questions and share your prints inside the classroom.

Have a question about the workshop? Just send me an email and I’ll get you an answer!

$99

What’s Included in the Workshop:

  • 19 lessons
  • Downloadable videos
  • Self-paced – content immediately available
  • Lifetime access
  • 14 day money back guarantee
  • 5 Bonuses! Color Explosions, Printing on Fabric, Grungy Layers, Aged Layers and the video of newbie Dave making PanPastel prints!
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Is it a bird? Is it a plane? Nope! It’s Strong Women who are superheroes with masks! Not the kind of mask you wear on your face, but the stencil kind that makes it easy to transform any background!

Below, these were plain envelopes, but with a little bit of masking, now they’re playful and fun to send in the mail! There was something tricky about these, but I bet for you it won’t be. However, for me it’s a challenge and it’s all in the video.

How will I use these? I’ll write the to and from addresses in the speech bubbles, created with the masks from the Speech Bubble stencil.

No guessing with masks! When you’ve got a colorful paper, like this gel print, you can use the stencil to find the exact spot where you want to place the mask. No need to hope or cross your fingers it looks good! That’s how I was able to get one leg blue and one leg orange as well as the flowing look of color in her cape!

Each of the three silhouettes on the Strong Women stencil is symbolic. One represents the limitless imagination of childhood (above), another symbolizes adulthood and putting on your cape to get done everything that has to be done and below is the wise woman. She’s standing there with confidence, owning the wisdom she has earned through experience.

Are these the only way you can use stencils? Not by a long shot! There are loads of looks you can create with them! If you’re interested in getting more out out of your stencils then check out my workshop, The Joy of Stenciling.

Here are the supplies used. Some of these links may be affiliate links which means I may get a small percentage and it doesn’t cost you anything extra! And you get a really good feeling knowing that you are helping keep the free tutorials coming!

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There’s a secret to the Reflecting Rainbows stencil. Each half is a mask for the other half with just a flip of the stencil. How does that work? It’s easier to see than read, so in the video, I’m sharing how I build a rainbow. Plus, there’s something that took me surprise about that stencil! And in there you’ll also all the other stencils I’ve just released at StencilGirlProducts!

You can start with either side of the Reflecting Rainbows stencil and use any color combination you want. Here is a break down of the colors that I used.

After putting the color on the first layer, flip the stencil. Then position the stencil so that it masks off, or covers, the paint you just added. Now you’re ready to add the second layer of colors.

Here’s what I used for the second layer, and again, you can use any colors that call to you! Have fun trying it with just 2, 3, or 4 colors!

You’ve got the freedom and flexibility to do a two layer rainbow or a single layer but it can also create something else.

Abstract rainbows. By tucking the paper above and below the various arcs on the stencil, you can change the width of a bow and the number of bows to create your own abstract rainbow! This opens up even more options for how to use this stencil!

The Rows of Reflecting Rainbows stencil can be used in a similar way. Below is is a collection of different configurations I did on the end of index cards. Once the paint was dry, they were cut into strips and glued together.

The scallop pattern variations below were all created using the Row of Reflecting Rainbows stencil and I’ll have video out soon sharing how to easily make these. If you’re already signed up for my newsletter, you’ll be in the know when the video is released. Not signed up yet? It’s easy peasy to get the weekly encouragement and there’s a free download in every newsletter.

Rainbow Quotes is full of my favorite rainbow quotes, well, one is a song lyric. Thank you Cyndi Lauper!

Strong Women includes the stencil and the three masks. The first silhouette represent the limitless imagination of childhood.

The second represents adulthood and putting on your cape and getting done everything that has to be done.

The third symbolizes the wise woman with her standing there with confidence, owning the wisdom she has earned through experience.

Heroic Words celebrates strong women. At the bottom of the stencil there is a matching alphabet so if you’d like to add a letter or two to a word (say turn hero into heroes) you can easily do that.

Not only do these make great words to add, like on the play above, but it also makes quick backgrounds by just using parts of the words or overlapping words.

You can find these, and all of my stencils at StencilGirlProducts.com.

This is all just the tip of the iceberg for how you can use stencils. If you’re ready to dive deeper then check out my workshop, The Joy of Stenciling.

Paint Used to Make the Rainbow

Some of these links may be affiliate links which means I get a small percentage and it doesn’t cost you anything extra! And you get a really good feeling knowing that you are helping keep the free tutorials coming!

The orange I used is mixture of two Amsterdam colors: the orange and yellow below.

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