Day-Storms Studio

DAY-STORMS STUDIO · STUDIO NEWS · FREE ART TUTORIALS

I’ve come to a decision: if a gel plate is going to embarrass me, it might as well teach somebody something.

If you’ve ever watched a gel-printing video and wondered what happened between “roll on the paint” and “ta-da, beautiful print,” I know the feeling. Sometimes the important part is exactly what got edited out: how thin the paint really was, how long someone pressed the image, what they did when it didn’t transfer, or how many cups of coffee were consumed while waiting for it to dry.

So I’m making room for more of the messy middle. Day-Storms Studio now has a Free Gel Printing Tutorials section where you can explore the process, watch demonstrations, and learn techniques to try in your own studio—or on the kitchen table you’ve temporarily reclassified as a studio.

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Real projects. Real steps. Occasionally questionable decisions.

These lessons are built around actual work from the studio. I’m not interested in showing an imaginary masterpiece and then telling you to “just do that.” I’d rather show what went onto the plate, what came off it, and what I learned along the way.

One project uses printed text to make layered backgrounds. Another turns a cracked porcelain doll into a pink-and-gold gothic print. Yes, she’s a little unsettling. No, I don’t think she’s haunted. At least not during business hours.

What’s inside the free tutorial section?

The library is organized by experience level and creative interest:

• Beginner Gel Printing for fundamentals, thin paint layers and approachable first projects;
• Intermediate Tutorials for image transfers, reverse painting and layering;
• Advanced Tutorials for more demanding multi-tonal techniques and troubleshooting; and
• Creative Projects for finished artwork and experiments that take on lives of their own.

As the collection grows, I’ll add more demonstrations, materials guidance, written walkthroughs, and practical notes about what worked and what most definitely did not. That means laser and inkjet image transfers, acrylic layering, texture tricks, collage experiments, and the occasional attempt that turns into a lesson about humility.

On the left: a layered, Poe-inspired Annabel Lee print. On the right: a very large stone golem surrounded by vintage women who seem to have several opinions about the situation. If that doesn’t explain the artistic range of this studio, I’m not sure what will.

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Start with the new real-time laser image transfer tutorial

The newest addition is How to Do a Laser Image Transfer on a Gel Plate. We start with a black-and-white laser print, a brayer, and a VERY thin layer of acrylic paint. I show the image placement and pressure in real time, then add some optional color and lace-inspired background texture before the final pull.

It’s a beginner-friendly technique, with an end result that looks like a Victorian doll wandered into an art supply store and made some complicated life choices.

You can follow the illustrated, step-by-step article with an actual photograph of the finished print, close-up details, a materials list, timing notes, and troubleshooting tips. Or watch the full demonstration on YouTube. Both are free.

What you won’t find

A requirement to own a mountain of expensive supplies. A promise that every transfer works the first time. Or a suspiciously flawless video where the paint dries instantly, the paper peels perfectly, and no one ever has to clean a brayer.

I can’t promise your gel plate will cooperate. Mine has independent opinions, particularly when the Florida humidity gets involved. But I can show you the steps I actually took, explain the choices, and tell you when I think I could have done something better.

Pull up a chair. Bring your brayer. Coffee is encouraged.

Whether you are taking your first steps with gel printing or you’ve made enough monoprints to wallpaper a small room, I hope the Free Gel Printing Tutorials collection gives you ideas worth trying. Browse a lesson, make a print, and tell me what happened—especially if it behaved differently than expected.

Those are usually the stories we learn the most from. They’re also the ones that make the best conversations.

Want to hear when I add a new lesson or experiment? Join the free Day-Storms Studio newsletter for tutorials, studio news, and creative inspiration—without having to scrape dried acrylic paint off your inbox.

See you at the gel plate.

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