Mono prints experiments

During the 2022/23 website update, I decided keep a few of the older tutorials and this is one of them. I hope to update all tutorials soonish. You can find my latest making videos @minufreitag on  Instagram and TikTok in the meantime!

My first experiments with mono print (…it was high time to try something new). Once you get a handle on the inks this is fun, and no press needed!

Printing shadow rabbit – mono print, 1 colour

There are quite a few different mono print techniques. The term mono print defines that only one print is taken from the plate; it does not define the way you get the ink on the plate (or the paper). I chose to ‘paint’ onto a perspex sheet and to transfer the print onto the paper using a roller.

1) Choosing the ink

It took me a while to make it work*. You have to work on the plate for some time and the thin layer of ink draws quickly. I tried a couple of different inks and paints, in the end I used screen printing ink (water based) and thinned it with screen printing medium (the medium extends the time you can work on the plate). The screen printing ink can be rolled, painted and wiped away easily.

You can also use open acrylics and an open thinner, in a way that’s the same thing…

2) Applying the ink

In a way everything goes. I applied a very thin layer of screen printing medium, used a roller to roll on the black, and took away the outer colour with newsprint.

3) Getting in the details

Again, everything goes. I used a dry brush to blur the outlines, and a pencil for the lines.

4) Transferring the ink onto paper

I used a register sheet and a PET sheet cover, placed the plate onto the sheet making sure the rest of the surface is clean, put the paper (300g cotton printing paper) on top. (I dampened the paper in advance spraying water onto it .) I used a hard roller to apply even pressure on the back of the paper.

Take a deep breath. Lift the paper.

Tada!

*) While choking in wood smoke because something is wrong with the chimney… I don’t think that the wind is suppose to go down the pipe and blow the smoke into your face… or is it? … (*sigh) … called the chimney people… have to freeze until they fix that.


More art updates and making videos can be found at @minufreitag on Instagram and TikTok, all follow option can be found here.

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