Pears in a Bowl

I was debating with myself what image I would choose to finish off the week.

So, torn between mushrooms and nudes, drawing and colour, sculpture and print, in the end I chose the last of those: another print.

As I explained yesterday something about the printing process I wanted to continue with that theme. I don't think I need to reiterate the fact that I love the printing process as well as the results of that process.

Yesterday I gave you an example of an Intaglio print. Today I display a Planar print.

What is that sort of a print you may ask? Well under that process are included such popular methods as silkscreen, lithograph and this Monotype or Monoprint. These methods do not print from a groove or from a raised edge, but are printed in a way that is on a level. I don't really know how much better to explain it really, but perhaps you might start to understand as I explain what I have done here.

As the name Monotype suggests you can only make one print from each plate, so it resembles more of a drawing or painting than what is usually thought of about a print (being a creator of multiples).

Monotypes can also be made in colour but this one just uses black and white.

The method that I used for this print was to roll black ink thinly onto a glass plate. Next I placed a piece of paper carefully and lightly onto the wet ink. I then drew in pencil directly onto the back of the paper, pressing down firmly with the tip as I worked. You do have to work quite quickly with this type of print to get an even pressure and to work before the ink dries. but that is why you get a really nice spontaneous sort of picture as a result. it is great for doing studies such as this one, because it is original and, as a study, it might not succeed, but it is so quick to do that you can always just start again if it goes wrong.

You could of course also draw with your finger or a stiff brush or even use stamps or textural materials to make different marks. The useful thing about a pencil that is good is that you can see what you have done of course - the other way you are working sort of blind. But that in itself can be quite exciting!

The really nice aspect of this technique is that you inadvertently pick up a certain amount of texture onto the paper where it lightly rests on the inked glass. that gives the finished print its character. Also very sweet about this technique is the fact that the print is the same way around as it is drawn so you don't have to try and work out your design in reverse.

Another simple method of monotype is to simply paint your image with inks directly onto the glass plate. Lay your paper on top and rub the back of the paper either with a baren, the back of a wooden spoon or even your hand - see which works best for you and for what you want to achieve. Obviously that will give you a reversed image of what you have painted so think about that. But it does give a really nice painterly sort of image.

Well, that is that for today. I hope you are enjoying learning something about the printing process as much as I enjoy talking about it. It is certainly one of my newer passions so watch this space!