I learned something new in class today: I suck at monotype.

Or ...

oh, no,

am I completely confused? Can you make multiples out of a monoprint?

I can see that one could use a baseline drawing... with glass over for the inking.
Which doesn't seem at all to be going on with Firestein

I looked up the definition, because discussion here was different from what I expected (I thought there was more etching and lines involved):



(From Brittanica, via Google definitions.)

Thanks, Soz. I guess I was thinking only of lithographs. Osso's "one" is rilght.

Yep, it's a one time thing, not like other kinds of printing. Although we're using a press, so it does involve machinery-- I'd like to try it by hand too though.

We are using a base drawing under the sheet of plexiglass, so you can get similar ones, but not exactly the same. We're also supposed to run it through the press several times to get the hang of using layers of ink to get different effects.

Well, so I went back to the lab yesterday and spent hours slaving over the damn things...ruined one completely by overprinting the image the wrong way and muddied one up pretty well beyond saving, but did end up with one that I like pretty well. I need to have two good ones for critique, so I have to work up one more good one. I feel like I'm getting the feel of the ink now but am just not getting anywhere because I'm still working on the same prints I started when I had not a clue, so next class I'm just going to start a whole fresh one.

It's a challenge, for sure...<sigh> I'm looking forward to starting on the next type of printing! I don't think I'll ever loooove monotype...

Well, here is the finished product at last, in case anyone is intersted!

I know they aren't anything too spectacular, but I thought I'd post em just for fun. Bear in mind they are my first attempt at this...and they're still a vaaaast improvement from the earlier ones!

We have to turn in a diptych, using the same base drawing but with color variations of some sort. The assigned topic was to use some kind of figure, either human or animal, and incorporating pattern.

So these pictures are of the three prints I ended up being the happiest with, and I'm just trying to decide which two to choose for my diptych. (Sorry the pics are so crummy, I was taking them as fast as I could in the hopes that no one would notice and wonder why the crazy girl was taking pictures!)


Set one:



Okay, photobucket is making me crazy, so it'll be a bit before I get the next set posted...

Let's see if this finally works...



Set two:

The one on the left of set 1 is your original? I like it the best because of the texture in the bird and the background pattern.
I don't think they're nearly as bad as you think. In fact, they inspire me to try it out. The results can be interesting. I wonder what Vivian has to say.

Man alive, those are much more organized than my first attempts, er, my only attempts. I'm impressed.

On the other hand, it is the 'sloppy' verve possible with monotype - over other printmaking techniques - that intrigues me personally. My own work has gotten more "contained" over the years, and I have another more motion-painting, more expressive self wimpering to get out...