Monotypes oct 2015

Sally Milligan karin Moorhouse Sally Cole Suzi Henshaw Lucia Owen Julia Corfe

Monotypes

Artists

MONOTYPES are a very creative and flexible process that lies somewhere between drawing , painting and omits the labour intensive aspects of other printmaking processes.

Monotypes schoolofmonotypes.com November 2015

The aim was make a series of individual prints that are technically aware and that explore the wide range of mark making and expressive qualities associated with this process. Â The 3 day course will define for ourselves the purpose of a monotype in the context of our own work and subject matter and how they may inform each other

Sally Milligan karin Moorhouse Sally Cole Suzi Henshaw Lucia Owen Julia Corfe

Monotypes

Artists

Monotypes schoolofmonotypes.com November 2015

It is a printing process where the artist doesn't have to worry about all of the "technical" aspects of printmaking and can instead concentrate on being creative. Energy, improvisation, gesture, impulse and chance are all characteristics of this printing process. It is the most "painterly" and immediately rewarding technique available for creating works on paper.

Monotypes are usually made by either painting or rolling inks onto a flat surface. This flat surface can be glass, Plexiglas, or sheet metal (etching plate). With the application of pressure the image will transfer onto the paper. Pressure can be the use of an etching or litho press, or hand pressure with a Pinpress, barren or any other means that will exert enough pressure to make the image transfer.

The ink used in a monotype can be applied with a brush, rag or rolled up with a roller or brayer. During the printing process depending on the method of application and the thickness and texture of the ink, the ink may spread and blur as it is blotted or absorbed by the paper. Usually the paper is placed on top of the plate used and the transferred image is a mirror image of the original. How the ink is applied and manipulated with all of its individual characteristics will be reflected in the print, which is what makes monotypes so unique.

A monotype is a unique print , a monoprint has a single fixed design/ print and is used in a series See Naum Gabo- unlike the single one o monotype see J.Virtue

Basic technique: Preparation of the plate Tape edge Grease Even black Black Boarder- to print size . Tape Leading edge Methods 1.Subtractive- is revealing the plate by removing the ink- so a lighter area is printed Lifting with rag -Lifting the ink o the plate- small amount of zest it / wd40 Lifting with stick Lifting with cotton bud dipped in thinner Lifting with random object.

2. Additive – is placing the ink onto the plate.

As a general principle the denser ink goes on first and thinner last. This means as the work is printed the firm dense marks are released from the plate last Rollers Brushes Fingers Anything that applies ink to plate.

3. Masking is placing a barrier between the ink on the plate and the printing surface of the paper. The mask is placed over the inked surface last of all.

Tissue paper Paper Plastic film Flat thin found objects- leaves, feathers ....

4. Over printing It is possible to work over your print by making further marks on the same plate and registering your first impression to make a second impression. In this way the image can be added to for as long as you require. It is however very important to register the paper and the plate. To successfully overprint, you must fix the paper to the bed at one side and have the plate registered to the bed in the same position in each successive impression, using L-shaped pieces of masking tape. Make marks in the additive method and loose workings and light touch keeping the possibilities open – print . put a cross on top left corner on back of plate. Keep the ghost image of the plate and carry on making marks- be bolder .You are travelling in hope so be prepared to explore but stop before the image becomes crowded. Over printing with colour. Transparent light colours first Darker opaque colours last Black last Try the above in reverse.

5.Modular printing is for printing a larger work than the press bed size will allow. A large work can be made up of any number of modules that then fit together to make a large work.

Place 4 plates together of the same size and work across the joins. Remove the first plate and print. Second and so on. The 4 prints can then be fitted together with a gap or edges cut to make a join that will not show the edges.

Inks There are a number of printing inks available. Etching ink, letter press and block-printing all of which contain linseed oil. The letter press ink is the finest grade of ink and therefore extends on the surface for longer. It does, however have the tendency of hardening more quickly than some and so the image would need to be printed sooner.

You can use ordinary oil paint as an ink and this works very well. I have found that there are several kinds of black ink that can be used and will keep your interest. Working in Monochrome is a good way of starting which allows you to think about the marks, the areas of light and dark without being involved with colour considerations. It is the freshness and directness of marks that is so important to the quality of the print. It is therefore a tonal work rather than colour that you are involved in. Use made ink – pigment ground with strong linseed oil Try black oil paint Try warm black with cool black

Colour You may like to choose colours from your oil paints Analogous colours Complimentary- opposites.

Thinning of the Inks To thin the ink you can use WD40 has a small amount of fine oil zest it and can create watery effects. white spirit which can tend to grey the ink or turpentine linseed oil The Printing Place the plate on the bed of the press. edge of the plate. To know the correct pressure to some extent is trial and error. It should be firm but not too rigid, you will eventually understand the required pressure. Etching blankets can help with the print particularly with etching presses. A thin rubber blanket can work well for litho press that have a bar rather than a roller.

Paper The paper for printing is important. For trial works, ordinary cartridge with a fairly smooth surface is good. Print making papers such as Arches, Somerset, Rosapina and Fabriano are all excellent. Arches Velin – the best! 200gm The Presses To test the pressure, rest the bar or the roller on the leading Monotypes can be executed using an etching press or a lithographic press and of course by hand pressure although the results do not release so much from your original plate (the working surface). Andrew Purches of Sennefelder Press supplies and installs new and old presses for you tel: 01903 814331.

Papers from Intaglio Printing 5 sheets Somerset printing paper satin white ( Intaglio printmaker – 0207928 2663) The approx. size is 20 ins x30 ins and it is for printing , or good quality cartridge.

Content.

Day 1

Process - marks and techniques

Day 2

Working from drawings Process restraints- suite of prints Coloured ground

Day 3

Scale and format

Day 1

Process - marks and techniques

Day 2

Working from drawings Process restraints- suite of prints Coloured ground

Day 3

Scale and format

Lucia Owen

KKarin Moorhouse

Suzi Henshaw

Julia Corfe

Sally Milligan

Sally Cole