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Pulling the Print |
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Monotype & Monoprint, Paper |
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Monotype and monoprint are, as their names imply, one-of-a-kind images. A monotype begins with a completely blank plate and is often called "the painterly print" because of the freedom of means inherent in the technique. The artist may paint or roll ink onto the plate, manipulate the ink with various tools, remove the ink totally in places, layer one color over another. The artist may also print on the same paper in successive layers. But because there are no permanent marks on the plate, it is not possible for the artist to create multiples of the image.
In a monoprint there are permanent marks on the plate, but as with a monotype, the artist adds and manipulates ink on the image to such an extent that the print cannot be repeated.
The choice of paper is often of primary importance to printmakers. The most basic assumption is that the paper is archival. Beyond that, the printmaker considers such qualities as the paper’s weight, pliability, texture, durability, and color. Papers range from heavy, European-made papers which must be soaked in water for hours to render the surface pliable for etching, to hand-made Japanese papers which are so transparent that the image is almost as clear on the back as on the front of the print. The choice of paper can affect the look and mood of a print, and testing various possibilities is both a challenge and pleasure to many printmakers. |
