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Combining art and design through GelPlate printing.

Due to popular demand, with the continued success of Mixed Media Artist Tara Axford’s first online course Inspired by Nature, we are thrilled to announce a second in-depth online course focusing on the art of Gel Plate Printing!

Working through carefully considered modules this course will look at more than rolling out paint on a plate, it will tackle how to construct an image and how art can be used to inspire and create a design.

This course is due for release in 2023, to be the first to find out more register your details above.

Learn From Tara Axford

Mixed Media Artist | Pattern Designer | Art Director

Tara has been creating artwork her entire life, from her professional career in graphic design to being an art director for one of Australia’s leading publications.

As a mixed media artist and tutor focusing on printmaking, collage and ephemeral objects, Tara draws inspiration from her home town in Sydney Australia and lives a truly creative life!

For her, joy is found in seeking out unique pieces that someone has created by hand.

“I love tactile, textural pieces that distil the essence of the Australian landscape into something that reflects the colours, patterns and textures of our natural surroundings.”

Currently exploring found objects, patterns and textures, Tara’s passion is to abstract the essence of a place to create something new, giving the viewer an opportunity to experience something they may have previously overlooked, with fresh eyes.

Here’s how your Art & Design journey unfolds:

EXTRACT

Shining the spotlight on various art & design eras, particularly women artists, both past and present, Tara shares her process for researching and unpicking inspiration.

Shining the spotlight on various art & design eras, particularly women artists, both past and present, Tara shares her process for researching what she finds and making sense of what she sees. 

Beyond books and online research, take a trip to Manly Art Gallery & Museum and Heide Museum of Modern Art in Melbourne, where Tara talks you through what she sees and, most notably, what happens when she leaves the gallery to share her creative process through the Gel Plate. 

Taking inspiration from other artists is an exciting way to expand your horizons; topics covered include appropriate use of content and copyright.

From Abstract Expressionism to Assemblage Art, you’ll learn to organise your research and document your explorations to ensure you have a visual and process diary to refer back to and replicate your process at any point in time.

EXPLORE

Tara shares her tools, tips and tricks to ensure you get the perfect print. Each module highlights individual artists and techniques designed to layer your knowledge. Ultimately, you’ll be confident to compose a multilayered, perfectly registered gel plate print.

Using the Gelli Plate® over 11 modules and 9.5 hours of professionally filmed footage,  you’ll get a sense of how design can influence your work as you explore the following techniques:

  • Lines and shapes
  • Layering to create depth
  • Light and shadow in printing
  • Texture and typography 
  • How 3D can inform 2D
  • Collage on and off the plate
  • Creating repeat patterns
  • Image transfers with photocopies
  • How stencils can add to pattern making
  • Expressive mark making 
  • Colour mixing

Each module contains downloadable resource guides with a materials list, templates, artist spotlights, and book recommendations to further support your learning.

MAKE IT YOUR OWN

Beyond techniques, Tara will help you utilise your inspiration so you can process information, control the aesthetic and end up with something true to your practice, vision and creative response.

A trip to the gallery isn’t complete without an “Exit Through The Gift Shop.” Tara shows you how to transform your prints beyond paper to other forms, such as gifts and physical products, in her light and entertaining way

Whether you prefer a flexible learning style or are looking for ways to channel your ideas, this course is designed to help you utilise your inspiration and take your art to the next level by cracking the code of Gel Plate printing.