Monotype App Download

[Hildegard Mccauley]

Monotypingis a type of printmaking made by drawing or painting on a smooth, non-absorbent surface. The surface, or matrix, was historically a copper etching plate, but in contemporary work it can vary from zinc or glass to acrylic glass. The image is then transferred onto a paper by pressing the two together, using a printing-press, brayer, baren or by techniques such as rubbing with the back of a wooden spoon or the fingers which allow pressure to be controlled selectively. Monotypes can also be created by inking an entire surface and then, using brushes or rags, removing ink to create a subtractive image, e.g. creating lights from a field of opaque colour. The inks used may be oil or water-based. With oil-based inks, the paper may be dry, in which case the image has more contrast, or the paper may be damp, in which case the image has a 10 percent greater range of tones.

Monotyping produces a unique print, or monotype; most of the ink is removed during the initial pressing. Although subsequent reprintings are sometimes possible, they differ greatly from the first print and are generally considered inferior.These prints from the original plate are called "ghost prints." A print made by pressing a new print onto another surface, effectively making the print into a plate, is called a "cognate". Stencils, watercolor, solvents, brushes, and other tools are often used to embellish a monotype print. Monotypes can be spontaneously executed and with no previous sketch.

William Blake developed a different technique, painting on millboard in egg tempera to produce both new works and coloured impressions of his prints and book illustrations, including his Pity. Each impression was usually then worked over by hand, using ink and watercolour. Few other artists used the technique until Degas, who made several, often working on them further after printing (Beside the Sea, 1876-7); Pissarro also made several. Paul Gauguin used a variant technique involving tracing, later taken up by Paul Klee. In the twentieth century the technique became more popular; examples include the extraordinary colorful monotypes created by Marc Chagall in the 1960s.[5] Twenty-first century examples include works by Nicole Eisenman, Christopher Wool, Karen LaMonte, and Roman Turovsky.[6][7][8][9]

Historically, the terms monotype and monoprint were often used interchangeably.[10] More recently, however, they have come to refer to two different, though similar, types of printmaking. Both involve the transfer of ink from a plate to the paper, canvas, or other surface that will ultimately hold the work of art. In the case of monotypes, the plate is a featureless plate. It contains no features that will impart any definition to successive prints. The most common feature would be the etched or engraved line on a metal plate. In the absence of any permanent features on the surface of the plate, all articulation of imagery is dependent on one unique inking, resulting in one unique print. Additionally, the term monotype is often used for an image made by inking a non-absorbent surface with a solid colour, laying over it a piece of paper and drawing onto the back of the paper. When the paper is pulled off the resulting print consists of the line surrounded by ink picked up from the inked plate. The result has a chance element, often random and irregular which gives the print a certain charm, a technique famously used by British artist Tracey Emin, a graduate of the Royal College of Art, where the practice of monoprinting in general was regarded as "fake painting".

A monotype is essentially ONE of a kind: mono is a Latin word which means ONE and type means kind. Therefore, a monotype is one printed image which does not have any form of matrix. On the other hand, a monoprint has some form of basic matrix.

The process of creating a monoprint or a monotype is the same, but when doing monotypes, the artist works on a clean and unetched plate; with monoprints, however, there is always a pattern or part of an image which is constantly repeated in each print. Artists often use etched plates or some kind of pattern such as lace, leaves, fabric or even rubber gaskets, to add texture. In this case, having a repeated pattern, we have a monoprint.

Monoprint and Monotype printing is fun, easy and contagious! Attend a one day workshop with me where you will play with found and organic shapes and objects to produce a series of monotype prints. You will learn how to take both a planned and sponantious approach to this printing method. You will also learn how you can apply this printmaking technique to other surfaces such as fabrics, and how you can continue at home with minimal investment in materials.

This week as things piled up for me work wise, I still miraculously found time to draw a little. As I was working on a charcoal drawing of myself and my son, I discovered I wanted to take it a step further and make it into a monotype using plexiglass.

I had this in my head for a while now, about a year. The time period was a hard one for myself and my kids. This photograph of me holding my son as we both fell asleep on the couch I thought was beautiful enough to make a piece of art out of it.

Here is my drawing I started with. It may look a little familiar to you if you watched my video about trace monotypes. The trace monotype video has just the outlines of this image. You can watch that here.

This post contains affiliate links, which generates some small commissions at no extra cost to you. This commission helps keep this blog and shop running. Thank you for your support. See my disclosure form for more information.

Then I started rolling my ink and using brushes to add and remove the inks until I liked what I saw. Since I do not have a light table large enough yet, I held up my inked plate up against light so I could see what it looked like before printing.

For the paper, I used a very thin beginners printmaking paper, which, after using it for this, I decided I do not think I will use it for this purpose again. I dampened it a little to aid in ink transfer. Then I ran it through the press.

After reworking the plate again I added a lot more dark sections. I am glad I did, because I really like the way the next two prints turned out. The only drawback was the paper I used. It crinkled in the press. The last photo is the ghost print which is my favorite.

Elizabeth Schowachert is an abstract artist who works primarily with encaustic. She also specializes in crafting silicone tools for the Roland HOTbox, high-quality sumi-e style horse hair brushes and mark-making tools.

I personally like the way the prints look mounted on a 2-inch cradled panel. Mounting flattens out the print, giving it a very clean look. Mounted monotypes have a different look/vibe than framed works on paper and this offers an alternative, which some collectors may prefer. Mounting monotypes is also a lot less expensive than framing. And mounted works can command a higher price than just selling the print unframed. Framed and mounted monotypes, command a similar price.

The quality of the paper is important, so I try to stick with papers that I know will create a crisp print (paper that has a nice smooth surface and is absorbent). Some papers have a lot of sizing in them, making them a little less absorbent, but still work well for encaustic monotype. If the paper is not as absorbent, then the wax can sometimes spread on the paper creating less crisp images.

Masa Paper (or affordable Hosho) is a versatile machine-made Japanese paper. One side is smoother and shinier than the other, which is toothy. Masa is an inexpensive paper that performs well for encaustic monoprinting.

I use Talas Jade #403 PVA adhesive. This is by far the best product I have found to adhere the paper to panels. It is archival, acid-free and allows for some repositioning if needed. The paper adheres well to the panel.

I enjoy experimenting with a variety of encaustic materials, techniques and tools. Everything I learn pushes my creative journey in new directions. I share what I've learned with other artists through my blog All Things Encaustic.

My encaustic monotypes are quite saturated, so I am hesitant to use glue to adhere them to a panel. I tried using encaustic medium but to disastrous effect. Unless you press on the paper, you end up with air bubbles, but when I pressed (covered with newsprint) to remove the bubbles, lots of the surface paint melted. The painting was effectively ruined.

So I am at a loss on how to mount on panel, or even frame one of these paintings.

You mention that you collage with you monotypes, how do you adhere the collage pieces to each other? When using inks in what part of the process do you add them, before or after the wax has been applied?

A monotype is a print, but with one major difference from other printmaking processes: the artist creates exactly one print, instead of multiples (called editions). This is due to the way a monotype is made.

Simply set The Art League as your chosen charity, and every time you shop at smile.amazon.com, a portion of your purchase will be donated to support our mission to share the experience of visual arts with the community.

Monotypes can also be created by inking an entire surface and then, using brushes or rags, removing ink to create areas of light from a solid area of opaque colour. A monotype impression is usually unique, though a second, lighter impression from the painted printing plate can sometimes be made, though it will be a lot lighter and generally inferior in quality.

In buying original artwork you agree that you are purchasing the physical artwork only. All Copyrights are held in perpetuity by their respective Copyright Owners and are non-transferrable. The work cannot be published or sold for publication in any form whatsoever, except as a low resolution jpeg for exhibition purposes only on a personal website highlighting one's collection.

3a8082e126