Monotypes

A monotype is a single print produced by applying paint or other medium onto a solid surface such as an aluminum, zinc or plastic plate, then transferring the image to a moist sheet of paper that takes most of, if not all, the color off the plate. The artist needs to work fast, as the medium and its receiving surface are both moist and drying. Ahh, the excitement of pulling a print !!!!

Sometimes there’s enough residual ink on the plate for a second image. Because the residual color that’s transferred is much thinner, this second print is called a “ghost image”. After the color is transferred, the plate image is usually obliterated.

I got interested in monotypes quite a few years ago and frequently discussed wanting to try the process with my wife, Trudi. It really seemed cool and I knew it would be a great fit for my style; active brushstroke, areas of color, depth. But since I didn’t have a press or see getting one on the horizon, I shelved the idea.

What I didn’t reckon with was Trudi’s excellent memory. A few years earlier, Trudi and I had attended an artist materials convention where we met Scott Rote, owner of Herwick’s Creative Supplies in San Antonio, TX. Trudi got in touch with him and arranged to have a press sent to Lancaster as a Christmas present. She had it sent to her workplace and hid it in the trunk of her car until Christmas morning, when she let me know she’d need help bringing my gift into the house.

Well, after lugging in the press (if I remember correctly it felt as if it weighed over 300 lbs.), I opened it and decided it was time to get the rest of the supplies and make some Monotypes. You see the results. Because wet media moves on a plate under pressure, you don’t know what it will look like until you see the pulled print. While my first monotypes may not have turned out exactly the way I’d hoped for, they were fast and fun to make. There are always surprises to look forward to in this very active and exciting medium.

We’ve maintained our friendship with Scott and visited while in San Antonio; this is not a paid for advertisement, but his store is great: located at 300 Broadway (www.herwicks.com) has anything an artist might want or need, and (obviously!), they ship.

THANKS TRUDIE and SCOTT; more prints coming.

P.S. Because the process is fast Trudie helps me pull the prints——She did’t know what she was getting into.