Teapot - Trace Monotype & monotype

Trace monotype with chine collé 18 x 24cm

Monotype 18 x 24 cm

Trace monotype is an excellent process for anyone who wants to try printmaking but doesn't have a press.

For the first print I pasted some pieces of different coloured paper on to my printmaking paper then I rolled oil based etching ink (your can use linoprint or other relief inks - water-based or oil) on to a piece of plexiglass of the size I wanted the finished print to be. I then laid my paper face down on the inked plexiglass plate and used a graphite pencil to sketch a still life from objects lying around in the print studio. I then peeled off the paper and there was my print on the back of my sketch. I love this method because the marks are so much more painterly than I can achieve drawing and my work is much looser because I don't get hung up on the drawing.

I was about to clean the ink off the plexiglass but I quite liked the ghost left on the plate by the pressure of the pencil through paper so I strengthened some of the marks by removing some ink with a brush or a cotton bud; sprayed a little mineral spirits for added texture and ran the plexiglass plate and a damp piece of paper through the etching press. Two prints for the price of one!

This blog has been rather neglected for the past months but I always appreciate your visits and comments. Thank you.

I wish everyone a very Happy New Year and all good things in 2011.

Paper Doll & Chine Collé

Monotype with rice paper chine collé

Still playing with the paper doll idea I used a chinese brush and oil based inks to paint the image on a plexiglass plate. I then added chine collé newspaper dolls and tinted rice paper and ran it through the press. Of the paper doll series, this is my favourite.

I then added some scraps of the tinted rice paper to the inked lino block below.

Endless possibilities with chine collé aren't there? Now I'm back to cutting lino again.

Paper Doll Monotype Print

24 x 32cm Monotype on Canson Montval 90lb WC paper
chine collé tinted ricepaper & newsprint

I received the key to the print studio yesterday. Better than the Key to the City, more like the Key to Heaven! This means I now have access whenever I wish to a big, fully equipped studio with two presses - one large, one small and a beautiful old book binding press that makes gorgeous lino prints in seconds. Expect me to go on rather a lot about this in future.

Carrying on with my Paper Doll series, I experimented at home today with a combination of chine collé using watercolour tinted rice paper and some newsprint. The print was made by the Direct Trace Printing method, which is believed to have been invented by Gauguin. It's a great way to use up that water-based ink I don't like. First I rolled a thin coat of black ink on to a piece of plexiglass. I then resketched the original drawing from my watercolour on to a piece of typing paper attached to the back of a sheet of 90lb watercolourpaper which I had placed face down on the inked plexiglass. When I lifted the paper the image had printed over the chine collé.

This is my first attempt at this style of monotype. The rice paper picked up the ink beautifully but the transfer was less successful on the watercolour paper. I was too nervous to dampen the watercolour paper incase it absorbed too much of the ink from the plate. Next time I think I will cover the whole piece of paper with plain rice paper and any other collage can be applied on top.

Suicide Printing!

Linocut reduction relief print 11.5cm x 11.5cm

Inspired by Sherrie Y of Brush and Baren I've produced my first (very) limited edition, three colour reduction linoprint. I've heard this method referred to as 'Suicide Printing' and I certainly understand why.

Sherrie very generously posted instructions for making a paper registration jig on her blog. Armed with Sherrie's instruction HWEM set off to Obi for some bits and pieces in order to prove that he isn't just a great cook. The bits and pieces included a new saw, a new screwdriver, a mini plane and many other essential tools and pieces of timber! But he did it!

Print station with registration jig

Since I'm using oil based printing inks, I've set everything up on a little desk under a window. Surprising this really doesn't have to be a messy job.

Once I'd cut my lino block I soaked some sheets of printmaking paper in water for 10 minutes. I inked the block with the first colour and then rolled out the first piece of paper between sheets of blotting paper.

You can use a rolling pin to press the surplus water out of the paper but I think a good bottle of wine is essential because a lot can go wrong in suicide printing.

Our salad spoon has found a new role in life. A piece of tracing paper on top of the damp paper stops the baren (right) or spoon catching and moving the paper.

First colour - Sanguine, I didn't like it as much as the yellow so I only made two prints.

While waiting for the ink to dry I started cutting away all the bits of the plate where I wanted the print to remain yellow - or yellow plus the second colour. Only 12 prints, I wasn't very confident about carving this complicated (for me) design and didn't want to waste too much paper.

Second colour stage and the registration is good so far (thanks Sherrie!).

Next I cut out the iris of the eyes and all the sunrise type background ready for the final colour - black. The finished print is what you see at the top of this post.

This worked out rather better than I anticipated and of course I was sorry I hadn't made more, particularly since the registration was out in two of the finals and I smudged another. That's why it's 'suicide printing' - there's no going back to print more of the earlier colours.

I realised quite late in the carving process that I could make a quick proof of my progress by placing a piece of typing paper over the lino and rubbing it with a graphite stick. I guess I'm not the first to think of that.

Finally I was left with my oriental looking cat so I experimented with a chine colle of rice paper and tissue and called it Striped Cat.

Editor's Note: Just remembered where I picked up the term 'suicide printing'. It was from the blog of the British artist, Ian Phillips. He has a wonderful description of the process on his blog here. Treat yourself and see some wonderful work.