Monoprinting
I love many forms of printmaking, however many techniques I have used over the years require lots of planning and sometimes it’s lovely to create prints in a quick and spontaneous kind of way. So a few years ago, I developed my own way of monoprinting using cardboard stencils. I suppose they could be described as elaborate potato prints!
The beauty of using a piece of inked up cardboard is that it creates lots of texture which I really love with this type of printmaking. To create one of these original monoprints I first start with a simple drawing. A drawing is the start of all my prints. Using a piece of thin cardboard I transfer my drawing on to it and cut it out. If any areas of the image are white, for example the eyes. These would be cut out using a scalpel.
When the cardboard is heavily inked up with ink I place a piece of paper on top of the inked stencil. Pressing firmly down on the back of the paper a print is created. I can create further textures to the stencil by peeling the surface of the cardboard. This is done by gently peeling the surface away that’s cut with a scalpel. Having various depths to the surface of the stencil creates a lovely textured image. I love this type of printmaking.
If I want another colour added to the image I first have to wait for the first colour to dry throughly. I then cut a stencil out of paper that covers and protects the first printed image. I prepare my next stencil, ink it up and when the first image is protected by the paper stencil I can then print the next part of the image over the top as shown here with my ‘Ginge’ mono print.
‘Ginge’ was created by printing the bright orange cat first, then waiting for it to dry. Once the orange cat was dried a paper stencil is place over the top of the cat which completely covers it right up to the edges and then the inked green leaves are placed over the top. Pressing down firmly with my hands and without the need for a press a fun and cheerful print is created. I have created lots of prints using this technique from cats to bats and even a bumble bee.