Drypoint Etchings on Recycled Plastic Sheets So far, I’ve experimented with Drypoint etching print from a Trader Joe’s biscotti container here, and a monotype print from a recycled plastic blueberry container here. In this post, we’ll go over a Drypoint from a plastic lettuce container, and we’ll keep the process super simple. We’ll print the …
How to Make a Drypoint Etching from Recycled Plastic, and Print it without a Press Read More »
Figurative Linocut Nude Print Exchange This figurative linocut was made a few years ago for a print exchange. The theme of the exchange was The Nude. Have you ever participated in a print exchange? Printmakers sign up, usually with a limited quantity of participants, and each artist makes a print edition large enough to gift …
Repurpose Plastic Food Containers into Printmaking Plates Your enthusiasm for this post about converting a plastic cookie container into a drypoint engraving inspired another monotype printmaking experiment. I started clipping plastic from all the food and produce containers we brought home from the grocers to experiment with monotype, drypoint and collagraph prints. This post is …
How to Make Monotype Prints from a Plastic Blueberry Container Read More »
Make a Monotype Print with Water Soluble Crayons from a Sheet of Drafting Film You can use water soluble crayons and watercolors on a sheet of acrylic plexiglass to make a monotype (like this figurative monotype print). You can also use a sheet of Mylar drafting film as your monotype printmaking plate! Drafting Film Sheets …
Monotype Print from Drafting Film with Water Soluble Crayons and Watercolors Read More »
Carving a Stylized Manga-Inspired Woodcut Portrait Have you ever made a woodcut? It’s the same process as carving and printing a linocut, except it’s carved and printed from wood. This is a doodle-turned woodcut portrait, inspired by Manga art, and hand colored with watercolor and colored pencils. If you’d like to try one, you can …
Woodcut Portrait – Manga Style – Hand Painted with Watercolors Read More »
A Klimt Art Fan (forever) I saw my first Klimt painting projected on a large screen in a college auditorium during an Art History class. It was The Kiss, painted between 1907-8 in Vienna. That was almost four decades ago, and I’m still moved by Klimt’s work. Inspired by Master Artists Artists looking to sharpen …
Colored Pencils to the Rescue Have you ever added colored pencil to your monotype prints? (If you’ve never made a monotype, read on…) Whether your subject is portraits, abstract, still life or landscape, adding colored pencil will transform a mediocre print into a monotype jubilee. I’m not kidding. If you have a stash of old …
Adding Colored Pencil to Monotype Print Portraits Read More »
While nibbling a cookie (Trader Joe’s Biscotti), I was pondering drypoint printmaking without a press. The cookie container in my hand was sturdy and smooth, and I wondered if it could be used to make a drypoint plate. I also wondered how the cookie(s) I just ate could contribute to the printing without a press …
Drypoint Printmaking using a Cookie Container without a Press Read More »
Monotype Ghost Print Transformation Let’s add colored pencil to a monotype ghost print. If you’re not familiar with monotypes, visit this information page about monotype printmaking. If you like watching demonstrations, here is a monotype tutorial playlist on youtube. Each tutorial video on my channel has a list of associated supplies in the Show More …
Hand Color Linocuts If you print your linocuts and woodcuts with inks that won’t re-wet, you can have a lot of fun hand coloring your relief prints with watercolors. Hand Colored Block Print Fun Let’s say you printed a small edition of 5 linocuts in black ink that dries permanently. Once the ink is dry, …
Paint Linocuts with Watercolor – and a few more Linocut Posts Read More »
Painterly Monotype Portraits with Colored Pencil Painterly printmaking with monotype is a very accessible art project. You don’t need a press, or sharp tools, as there is no carving involved. Monotypes are simply pigments on a smooth plate, manipulated with tools into an image that is transferred to paper while the ink is still wet. …
Monotype Printmaking Experiments Every printmaking adventure has some element of surprise. Add a drop of modifier to the ink, or swap a tried and true paper for a different brand – and you might pull a masterpiece, or a dud. Monotype printmaking experiments will inform and improve all the prints you make afterwards. Reserve a …
Monotype Printmaking Experiments – Repairs & Fixes Read More »
We are sheltering in Place with Art Alone-Together Amidst the steady stream of sad news over the Covid 19 pandemic, there are creative, generous, kind people – broadcasting good things to all of us. Here are some wonderful examples of the best parts of humanity. Resources Online to Feel More Connected The always amazing Gretchen …
Sheltering in Place with Art Alone-Together, and Printing a Monotype without a Press Read More »
Petite Monotype Transfer Drawings While making a video course, new artwork is created to demonstrate the process so you can see all the steps. This monotype transfer drawing portrait of a sleeping child was a test print for a course on Monotype Printmaking I’m filming and editing in my studio this spring. (If you’re interested …
Monotype Transfer Drawing Painted with Watercolor – Pendulum Dream Read More »
Everything in it’s Place! Hello there, my friend! Long time, eh? It’s good to be in touch again, and I’m so glad you’ve stopped in for a visit. Tea? Some blueberries? Have a seat by the window where the macadamia nut tree blossoms are riding the air. Tell me how you’ve been? Sharing Art Goodies …
A Silk Aquatint Print Portrait – and a New Website Read More »
Adding Watercolor to Monotype Ghost Prints In this monotype group on facebook, there was discussion about what to do with very faint monotype ghost prints. Many folks new to printmaking aren’t aware that adding watercolor or colored pencil to monotype ghost prints is an option. The only caveat is noting the paper you’ve printed your …
Gelli Plate Print Abstracts Gelli Plate Prints and Monotype prints are some of the most accessible types of printmaking to try if you’re curious about making prints at home. You don’t need a printing press, or sharp carving tools, or even printmaking ink. The popularity of gelli plates, and all of their instructional videos have …
Gelli Plate Print Backgrounds for Trace Monotypes Read More »
Drypoint Print on Plexiglass Want to know how to make a drypoint on plexiglass? This little drypoint print (above) was an experiment with inexpensive plastic plate material, instead of the traditional copper plates used in drypoint printmaking. In recent years, I’ve done drypoint etchings and engravings on clear plexiglass plates. The line work can be …
Drypoint Print on Plexiglass – Using Inexpensive Plastic for Intaglio Printmaking Read More »
Making Pet Portraits with Monotype Prints Dark Field Monotypes (and monoprints) work very well as a media for pet portraits. These painterly prints in their monochromatic layout act as a perfect underpainting for experiments with other media, both wet (watercolor) and dry (colored pencil or pastel, etc.) If you’d like to watch demonstrations of the …
Dark Field Monotype Pet Portraits – and a video tutorial Read More »
Two Color Reduction Printmaking Here is a small, relief printmaking woodcut portrait of a girl with red hair, looking down as she gets ready for her day. She was carved and printed using the reduction method with two colors of ink, from shina plywood, and then enhanced with watercolor washes and colored pencil. This is …
Monotype Video Course I’ve been listening to podcast interviews with other artists while filming a dark field monotype course. Hearing other artists discuss their journey reminds me about what I didn’t know when I first started printmaking. It’s important to roll time back, and recall the minutiae of our own beginnings with any art process, …
Inspiration from Other Artists Thank goodness monotype artists share their work online, or we wouldn’t have any painterly printmaking to look at from the comfort of our coziest researching-the-internet chairs. Every artist who ever clicked the publish button on a blog post or social media to share images of their work gets a grateful hat-tip …
Monotype Ghost Print of a Cat – and links to Monotype Artists Read More »
What is a Light Field Monotype? Monotypes are a hybrid between painting and printmaking. The name monotype has the root “mono” meaning one. Monotype printmaking results in a single image. These beautiful prints cannot be printed in quantity or an edition, like other, repeatable printmaking methods (woodcuts, etchings, etc.). Light Field Monotypes are painted or …
What’s the Difference Between Dark and Light Field Monotype Prints? Read More »
Using Other Media on Your Monotypes This monotype ghost print looked a little dubious all by itself (see below), but it had potential. The mark-making still visible in the thin veil of ink was interesting, but the tonal variations were too close together, and it needed more contrast to read as two embracing figures. Other …
5 Printmakers to follow on Instagram, Vol. 2 and a Monotype Read More »
Color Landscape Monotype Printmaking Tips Here is a printmaking exercise for you. Make quick, small landscape color monotype prints from a page of Thumbnail Photos to Loosen Up. Print two sheets of thumbnails from paintable images snapped on your phone. Let’s make some light field color monotypes, but loose and fluid… no fussing allowed. If …
Printmaking Tip – Landscape Color Monotype Prints Read More »
Inspiring Art Links for You Marc Taro Holmes is embarking on a 30×30 challenge that’s a variation on the usual month-long painting commitment. He’s made 30 small monochrome studies using digital software (see them here) and he’s going to paint one per day for 3o days in the studio with no reference photos or live …
Monotype Ghost Print – Italian Vacation and Art Links for You Read More »
Getting Ready to Make a Monotype This (below) is a 4 x 6 zinc plate, with beveled edges – since I’ll be printing this on a press. After rolling a smooth, thin layer of black printmaking ink on the plate, I’ll use cotton swabs, rolled paper towel pointers, blending stomps and a rubber gloved fingertip …
Adding Watercolor and Colored Pencil to a Dark Field Monotype – San Juan Capistrano Bell Read More »
Monotype Ghost Prints If you’re new here, and unfamiliar with monotypes as a printmaking method, take a look at this post to see process shots. Monotypes are very painterly prints, made with pigment alone (no incised lines on the plate) and they can be made in a huge variety of ways, with no press, and …
Drypoint from Mylar Several years ago, I read about an unnamed artist making drypoint engravings (sometimes referred to as drypoint etchings) from sheets of drafting film. Mylar, or drafting film, is used in architectural and commercial drafting. Drafting film looks like translucent plastic; it’s made from thin, flexible polyester sheets that are available in glossy …
The Beauty of Monotype Ghost Prints Monotypes are painterly, singular prints made with a smooth plate and pigment. There is no carving, no incised lines, no adhered ephemera to leave a repeatable mark on printmaking paper. And you don’t need a press to transfer the print. Monotypes are made by manipulating printmaking ink or pigments …
Monotype Ghost Prints: Adding Watercolor to Your Monotypes Read More »
