Monoprings over the course

Monoprint, ink on paper

  I think the thing I miss most about been a student it access to printing facilities where I could monoprint. They taught me the most about mark making and expression- some of which I'm yet to be able to place into my paintings but at least I know I have it in me. 
  For those who don't know the process it is when a thin layer of ink is placed on a metal or plastic sheet- a roller would be the best tool. You then use a wet rag, turps or white spirit to clean off the areas you wish to come out as white. Once a vague idea of shapes and positions is grasped you take a pain brush, if your not skilled enough like me to get the affect with a rag, to add detail and focus. On average, depending on the temperature, you have around four or five hours before the ink begins to dry- although anti-drying gels are available to give you longer. Before this happens you wet a sheet of paper, and lay it carefully on top of the metal sheet. Then you role it through the press and hopefully your work is transferred effectively. Its worth nothing that its a good practice to then attempt to use the left over ink to make the print again so that you can work into the shadow print while planning. If the print has enough potential I would not clean the plate but, with a rag and paintbrush, work back into what is left of the ink- the only danger here is that you mistake dry and fading ink for the fresh layer and leave ares of nothing in your next print.

Original print

Worked into shadow print

   

Please note that I am pretty much a novice when it comes to print making and any advice I give I do so as a laymen. With this in mind, any masters of the craft out there, or fellow laymen who have some advice- I'd love to hear it. The most affective prints I worked into three or four times, the one I thought would be the best was in fact a disaster with very of the painstaking detail transferring to the paper.

Joshua sulking