Artist Showcase Series

Artist Showcase Series Monoprinting

Prints from the "Monoprinting" Week, Discussion Board 3

The following three prints ended up being my favorites from Discussion Board 3 in our Monoprinting week. I decided for my Teacher Showcase Series to add to these three.

Materials/ Preparation

Creating Texture Combs

I used old membership cards, discount cards, and gift cards both large and small key tags. I drew out the pattern first with permanent marker and then cut with a regular pair of scissors.

Creating Paper Stencils

I have a very limited number of stencils; only one large, and a few small ones. I decided to create some large stencils out of paper to open up more possibilities for my prints. I used plain copy paper, pencil, and scissors; I covered the paper stencil with clear contact paper to help preserve it in order to use it again and again.

Creating a Hot Glue Stencil

I used hot glue to create another stencil. I squeezed a variety of different sized circle/ round shapes onto a plastic surface. I let it dry, harden, and then I gradually peeled the glue circles off. The circles were all touching so it came off in a sheet.

Print Session 1

Set up. I used acrylic paint for this session. I also used old ghost prints, and all the homemade texture tools and stencil items I described above.

Printing on an old ghost print.

First layer

Using a texture comb.

Next layer. Laying down paper stencils and hole punch cut outs.

I'm not fond of the final design in the way I placed the stencils.

Next print. Laying down a base color: taupe.

I decide to print on top of another old print to save paper.

Next layer.

Using the homemade paper stencils and other stencils.

It seems like I used too much paint with this layer.

Looking back, I wonder if I should have stopped here with these prints, but at the time I felt the need to keep going; that they needed more layers.

This one: so far, so good.

Not pleased with this one; again- the white is too thick.

I keep going on the one that I'm pleased with.

Remember this print? This is the one I wasn't happy with because it had too much white paint on the most recent layer. So I try to salvage it and cover it up.

I continued to print in this session. I began to get lost in the process and unfortunately failed to document the rest of the prints because I was so absorbed. Here are the rest of the prints from this first session.

Print Session 2

I decided to focus on developing only one print per session this go around so I wouldn't become so obsessed with making a "perfect" print. In the last session, I wouldn't let myself stop until I made just one print that seemed to fit within the series. I experimented a lot and had a lot of disappointment. Learning from this, I made it a goal for myself that in the next print session I would stop after one print. This also made printing much more slowed, focused, and thought out.

Set up. This time I used Speedball water soluble printing ink. I'm using one of my "inspiration" prints as a guide for this next print.

First layer.

Second layer

Third layer

Very pleased with the result and the quality of the prints in using the printing ink as opposed to the acrylic paint.

Pulling ghost prints is even more enjoyable; they are still very opaque! I'll be able to use this print again in my next session!

And even another ghost print! Still pretty good quality!

Print Session 3

Using the same "one print per night" restriction for myself, I try a third time.

I am using the ghost prints from print session 2 to print an immediate second layer. I begin with a neat vertically curving bubble wrap I found in my sister's art room trash can (yes, my sister is also an art teacher!)

I pressed the bubble wrap onto the rolled ink on the Gelli plate and then I place my paper on the bubble wrap. I like the print better from the bubble wrap as opposed to from the Gelli plate.

Now from the Gelli plate.

Layer 3

Using paper stencils

Layer 4; using a homemade texture comb

Also using paper stencils and the homemade hot glue stencil.

Print Session 4

You'll see with this session, I again got "in the zone" and neglected to take photos in between layers. I used the same limited approach and was able to produce one somewhat successful print out of three. I was still a bit disappointed in the ink and how it appeared after printing. I then realized that with printing ink, unlike acrylic, you need to let the layers dry. I was so accustomed to using the acrylic paint, that when I switched over to the printing ink, I completely forgot about this fact!