A Week of Monotypes

Click the picture to see a larger version.

I discovered that what I’ve been calling “Monoprints” are actually called “Monotypes”. Monoprints are prints made by reworking already existing printing plates. Monotypes are one of a kind prints made from scratch by painting on a glass or plexiglass plate, which is what I’ve been doing.

Each day this week I tried something new. I experimented with various media on different papers using new techniques.

First I tried gouache instead of watercolor to paint a monotype. I also coated the surface of the frosted acetate plate with hand soap. It was supposed to act as a releasing agent. I’m not sure it helped. I printed to Fabriano hot press watercolor paper instead of Strathmore 400 Series Mixed Media paper. Lots of variables.

Click the picture to see a larger version.

Fabriano Hot Press Watercolor paper 8×10 inches (20.3×25.4 cm), M. Graham Lamp Black artist’s gouache, ZIG Cocolio black pen on a 6×6 inch (15×15 cm) sheet of frosted acetate.

Next I used plant material as a stencil. I partially inked a 5×7 glass plate with a roller, placed the plant material onto the plate, and rolled over the material placed on the plate. Some of the material stuck to the roller. I flipped over the material that was left on the plate so that the inked material was face up and rolled over it again with the dirty roller. I then printed by placing a piece of inkjet paper over the plate and rolling on the back with a clean roller to transfer the ink from the plate to the paper.

Click the picture just see a larger version.

I did the next one in three steps. For the first step I painted watersoluble printmaking ink with a brush onto a 5×7 glass plate and printed to dry Fabriano Hot Pressed Watercolor paper. I let the ink dry and then soaked the paper for 10 minutes in preparation for the second step. While I waited I painted with black gouache onto the cleaned glass plate. I was hoping to get textured areas. Some of the step one ink came off while the paper was soaking, but not too bad. I printed the gouache plate onto the damp paper and I did get the interesting textures I was after, but I wanted to add some black details. I slept on it. The next day I decided to try adding the black details using a trace monotype. I inked up the plate again with the printmaking ink, placed the printed image face down onto the inked plate and drew on the back of the paper with a pencil. I didn’t get the fine lines I was attempting to get. The paper was too thick. More ink transferred then I wanted and messed up the print. After it dried, I added some fine black detail with a brush pen.

Click the picture to see a larger version.

There was ink left on the plate after I did the previous print (Reeds). So, I re-worked the 5×7 glass plate by wiping areas with a cotton swab, scratching out some fine white lines with a pencil, and blotting some ink off the plate with a paper towel. I then printed it onto inkjet paper.

Click the picture to see a larger version.

I used what I learned in the previous prints to do a more finished piece. This was a two step process. First I painted gouache on frosted acetate and printed onto damp paper to get areas of texture. Then I painted water soluble printmaking ink onto a glass plate and printed again. Image is 5×7 inches (13×18 cm).

Click the picture to see a larger version.

Chinese calligraphy rice paper, M. Graham Lamp Black gouache, and Sax Arts & Crafts water soluble block printing ink.

For my last print I tried something bigger. I went back to using an 8×10 inch sanded plexiglass plate. I wanted to see if I could get a solid black with some texture using just the water soluble printmaking ink. I rubbed a thin coat of mineral oil onto the plate as a release agent. I then painted ink onto the plate with a brush and wiped away or blotted areas to get some texture. I used a Derwent Inktense black pencil to draw the fine twigs and branches in the top half of the plate. I hand printed onto wet paper.

Click the picture to see a larger version.

All those earlier experiments paid off.

Jim