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Process Information

My current body of work is comprised mostly of monotypes and monoprints. I also produce editions of selected solar plate prints. Different energies and emotions go into the process of creating both types of pieces. Most of my monotypes have a playful personality, due to the spontaneous process involved in their creation. A lot of my monoprints are the result of a longer, more thought-out process, and as a result, tend to have a more serious look about them.

The terms digital and computer generated no doubt come into play in the print world today. While some of my images are created, enhanced or developed using software, all of my monoprints and etchings are hand pulled intaglio prints, printed on etching paper on an etching press, as printmakers have done for centuries. I NEVER print anything directly from an ink jet printer or use copy or reproduction methods such as Giclee. I produce fine art prints.

Monotypes

A lot of my monotypes are the result of what I lovingly call, Adult Fingerpainting Therapy (AFT), approached with a subtractive method. Prepared ink is rolled onto a plexiglass plate. Once the desired coverage and consistency is achieved, ink is removed with tools such as small mat board squares and Q-tips, producing a positive image. The ink left on the plate is then covered with a wet sheet of etching paper, and run through an etching press, transferring the ink to the paper. Most of my prints are black and white, with selected pieces hand colored with watercolor.

Stencils are also used in creating my monotypes. Stenciled pieces tend to start off in a rather rigid and defined mode, but often end up with a totally different look as they are used to produce a series of on-the-spot prints.

Mainly oil-based inks are used for my monotypes, but water-based inks can be used as well.

Either burnt plate oil, or Easy Wipe is added to the oil-based etching inks in order to soften the ink, making it easier to work with.

Thickener and retarder are added to the water-based monotype inks, which give them a longer working time and to keep them from being too runny.

Monoprints

All designs and compositions of my monoprints are derived from my existing work, either a previously produced print, or from a photograph. Depending on how the Cosmic Digital Mysteries Gods are treating me, the final image(s) may take anywhere from one hour to several days.

Images are then copied onto transparencies and etched into solar (photopolymer) etching plates. Conceptually, pieces range from 1 to 10 plates per print. The plates are inked with a variety of colors or sometimes just with black ink, and are printed intaglio using an etching press onto wet etching paper. Multi-plate prints often feature positive/negative and mirror images. Watercolor is applied to selected pieces, after the oil-based ink is dry. The signed prints are numbered 1/1.

Monotype vs Monoprint

So, what's the difference between a monotype and a monoprint?

Mono (meaning one, obviously), is common to both names, indicating a one-of-a-kind piece of art. The main difference, is that a monoprint is produced using a matrix, making the basic image or theme reproducible. However, the print is done in a manner that will make it unique from others produced from the same matrix. Hand coloring a print after it is dry, or inking a plate in a unique style are two ways to accomplish this.

One way to think of a monotype, is that a painting is created on a surface such as plexiglass and then transferred to paper.

Four Color Process

Four Color Process involves printing from four etching plates. The four colors used are Cyan (blue), Yellow, Magenta and Black also referred to as CMYK. As a complex form of printmaking, ink transparency and registration must approach perfection, in order to achieve acceptable results. Approached from a solar plate printing perspective, final results are achieved from producing four color-separated (CMYK) transparencies, four etched plates and four runs through the press (preferably with at least 48 hours drying time between colors). Experimenting with colors other than CMYK can produce interesting results.

Materials

Solar etching plates. Plexiglass plates. Mylar. Charbonnel or Graphic Chemical oil-based etching inks. Akua-Kolor water-based monotype inks. Holbein, Sennelier and Rowney watercolors. Rives BFK paper. Tackach etching presses.