Monoprinting Is A Printing Art Form

Kathy Spear is an artist offering monoprint classes about four times a year. Kathy is based is Upland, CA . The California weather is enjoyed with work tables set up in the backyard. Four students is her ideal class size and each student is set up with a table. If it is going to be warm canopies and trees offer shade.

The press is in her garage studio and there the inks are laid out in botches on a big paint palette for access by each student. Some artists plan ahead and have specific designs to work on. I was new and had some stencils I made and plans for sea themes and hearts. I did not knew what I was going to end up with. I did not even know the techniques.

After a few prepared Plexiglas plates I was hooked. By the end of the session I had about 25 monoprints that I can use for framing, collage, or card making.

This was way more fun than the spin paint booth at the school carnival, but it made me feel young, like in the day. The excitement of the session was a big plus for me. I will do it again. If you have a chance to explore mono printing I recommend trying it and finding out what you come up with.

Select the size Plexiglas you want for your work piece. Another 8X11 Plexiglas is used as a palette. Choose the color inks desired and put on Plexiglas with palette knife. Mix the colors and apply to the work piece using brushes, rollers or Q-tips depending on the look you want to develop. At this time ink can be taken off, stencils applied, lace or other flat patterned pieces can be employed.


Take the Plexiglas creation to the press. (A picture of a press from Flikr is below. Click to enlarge.) The Plexiglas work is centered on the work table of the press. Fine artist paper is placed on top. Over your paper is a layering of felt blankets that press a slight embossed look around the edges of the Plexiglas onto the paper. The press works by moving the table under the roller. The roller putting even pressure on the Plexiglas as it moves past. Now you can lift your paper and see how the work turned out.

Depending on now much ink was used you may get one or two more printings each becoming a little lighter in hue. These subtleties make each printing an original, which is numbered 1/1. I found that the second printing was the most attractive with my ink applications.

On the second printing you can also tweak the stencils or add a bit more ink where desired. See how you can be hooked to come back to the press over and over?

The first three photos in this page is some of the monoprints that I came up with. I use the prints in conjunction with tea bag folding.

Above is a monoprint background with copies of the print used for the tea bag folding diatom.

Our instructor Kathy sets up a big palette with bright beautiful color inks from Daniel Smith.

A small portion of linseed oil is added for the best consistency. Later we will use baby oil for all your clean up.

The mono printing press is set up with the felt blankets.

I have monoprint greeting cards for sale. Of course, the tea bag folding is incorporated into the work. That is just my thing. You may like it.

All the Monoprints photographed here are made by me in class. They are motifs inspired by Ernst Haeckel's Plates #13, 15 and 65.

This link will take you to Google Image Search for Monoprint
Monoprint Google Images

Many of these images are a click away to the artist's Website.

This one is Google images for Monoprinting Google Images for Monoprinting

As you explore more about this art form you will discover that an electric press and a press with a big fly wheel are used for monoprinting. Of course, both would be a big investment.


.............................................First print.






Second printing. I added dark blue to the stencils
and moved the bottom stencils for shadow effect.
I also sprinkled turpentine on it with a brush.









.............................................First print.







Second printing. I did more of the same variations.

Caligo Safe Wash Relief Inks

Caligo Safe Wash Relief Inks are oil-based relief/block printing inks that are easy to clean up with soap and water. Made from polymerized vegetable oil and artist-quality pigments, they produce a unique product that is suitable for all types of block printing, including wood engraving, linocut, woodcut, and letterpress printing with photopolymer plates. Safe Wash Relief Inks print on a wide range of papers with the quality, intensity, and precision of an oil-based ink yet they're safe for use by beginners and experienced printmakers. Because no solvents are required for cleanup, they're ideal for printmakers who desire a non-toxic studio environment. The Safe Wash Relief Ink range consists of a variety of high-strength colors, including a set of process colors for CMYK printing or mixing. Every color has a lightfast value of at least 6 on the International Blue Wool Scale (BWS)

Can not get access to the roller press? Try the paper rubbed monotype technique. Martin Stanewitz shows examples of his monotype work and then launches into tools, papers and monotype techniques. He has been working in monotype for several years and has created an extensive page about this art. Do not miss it. Click to his lens below.

Monotype Printmaking

by EditionH See many of his monotypes by searching monotype printmaking under his lensmaster page at EditionH Monotype artist