monotype print

I love finding old books at library sales.

I think of old books as fodder for art making. I can use:

• The pages for black out poems
• The covers for journals
• Pages for printing surfaces

BE brave and make something from a book!

I look for covers that talk to me, pages with words that jump out at me and subjects that catch my eye.

I am excited to share that I am working on a new class that will be all about repurposing old books and less than perfect prints into beautiful pieces of art.

Stay on the mailing list to find out about the details of this course that will run in July.

I love my course Make Monotypes because I can help artists from all over the world to explore gelatin printmaking.

But I am happy to share that my students are loving the class just as much as I am. For example:

One student’s experience in Make Monotypes – I wanted to take this class for quite a while, but as I had already experimented a fair bit with a gel plate, I wasn’t sure how much I’d learn.

My friend, a bookbinding instructor took the class a while back, and spoke very highly of it. She really enjoyed it and learned a lot. And I had seen some of her prints that she incorporated into her bookmaking projects.

I’m very glad I took the course – it was exactly what I wanted- it encouraged me to use my own images and experiment with found objects and stencils/masks I created myself.

So many other books, videos and blog posts focused on use of commercial stencils and other products.  I really appreciate that this course focuses on finding or making one’s own tools!

Gerry McG.

This gelatin printmaking course is the foundation of my approach to printmaking without a press. The gelatin plate is unique:

• The malleable plate is able to hold delicate details.
• These details can be transferred to paper with mere hand pressure
• The process is immediate and does not require lots of planning.
• Gelatin printing is low tech and not-toxic
• It is the best of printing without a press

Read more details about the printmaking course and join us today. This is the only time that I will be offering the course this year.

I am happy to share with you that I will be giving a couple of local demonstrations of the gelatin printmaking process.

I will be at

• the Artist’s Playground
• in the Tannery on 50 Water Street, Newburyport
• on May 20th 1 Pm to 2 PM
• demonstation gelatin printmaking with ink on paper
• Reserve your spot call 978-462-5366

And in June I will demonstration Gelatin printing with ink on paper

• ARTs Wayland
• 107 Concord Rd, Wayland MA
• June 15th 3:30 to 5:30
• Reserve your space here

And a little further out on the calendar I will be teaching a full day Gelatin Printmaking class at the Museum of Printing in Haverhill, MA – October 14th. Read the details about this live in person class.

Here is a challenge for you.

• Look around your house and notice the patterns in your wall paper, fabrics, books, pillows and things
• Pick one pattern that speaks to you
• Grab a pen and draw the pattern
• Don’t do an exact copy, BE YOU. Embrace you line quality
• Now you have a drawing that could be used to make prints

You could make a masking stencil like I did and then make some gelatin prints. Or maybe the drawing will become a thermofax screen, or a template for a trace monoprint.

You get to decide.

Time and money are often perceived barriers to things that we want to do, like take art classes, go on trips or get special tools.

I say perceived because generally we can really find some way to make time and find money for things that really matter to us.

I have designed the gelatin printmaking class, Make Monotypes in a way that both time and money should not be a prohibitive factor.

First let’s talk about time:

• The 4 week class is broken down into 20 little steps.
• I release a little actionable lesson every Monday through Friday.
• The goal is to support you in actually doing the lessons, rather than just watching the videos and thinking about printmaking.
• If daily does not work for you, then you can use weekends for a little more intense focus.
• And you will have access to all the lessons for at least 6 months after class ends.

If you can find about 30 minutes a day or 2 to 4 hours on weekends you will have plenty of time to do the printmaking lessons and transform your skills. And you have 6 months to fit little printing sessions into your day. Imagine if you created a daily art making habit that supported your creative spirit!

Now about the money:

• The course is $178. which is quite reasonable for a comprehensive printmaking class. Most one day in person classes are equal to or more than that amount at print studios.
• Each lesson breaks down to less than $9 each.
• $9 a day to feed your art practice, to build printing skills to create some joy in your day sounds like a great gift to give your self.

So check out the details for the gelatin printmaking class, Make Monotypes and join us. Registration will open on April 30th.