monotype print

Recently I attended a Book Arts Intensive and during the usual introductions I described myself as an online printmaking instructor.

The number one question was: How is it possible to learn ART through an online course?

If you have ever watched a YouTube video to learn how to do something, then I bet that you can learn art making through an online course as well.

The way that I teach printmaking online is:

• Break the techniques into little manageable steps
• Give you short actionable videos to get you printing a lot
• Put the instructions and videos in a private website for my students
• Send you regular emails with links and encouragement
• Invite the students to post, share and ask questions in a private Facebook Group
• Give feedback and answer questions in the Facebook Group

Why this format of learning to make prints works?

• You take the class in your own home or studio
• You fit it into your schedule
• You pause and watch the videos as much as you want
• You can ask questions and get help just like in an in-person class
• You will have all the tools and supplies to continue your new skill
• It is convenient and affordable.
• You are able to get much more skill building over time

If you would like to try out some online learning you could try out my free gelatin and glycerin plate recipe for making the monotype plate.

You asked for it!

I am happy to deliver a comprehensive 15 lesson self-study of gelatin printmaking with ink, the homemade gelatin and glycerin plate and paper.

1. Finding supplies
2. Making the gelatin and glycerin plate
3. Mastering your inks
4. Making and discovering tools and
5. Pulling 100’s of impressions and hopefully
6. Completing and displaying many beautiful prints

Check out the details on the Printmaking Class page.

Right now we are in the middle of the Monoprinting Fabric printmaking course. One of the projects that we do is cover a journal with some of our hand printed fabric.

I love the soft feel of a fabric covered journal. I do my morning pages in a composition style notebook everyday. So I go through a lot of journals.

I primed the journal with gesso, so the design on the original cover would not show through the fabric.

I like to add some simple hand stitching to the fabric before I attach it to the journal.

I cut another stencil inspired by the Everybody Kirigami book. I cut it on a fold. I used a roll of tape to draw the half circle. Then I made one petal and used it as a template for the other petals. And I used an X-acto knife to cut it out.

You know I was impatient and wanted to print with it right away. So I did not take the time to make it strong and durable with lots of coats of mat medium. But it is easy enough to cut a new one for the next project. I used both the masking stencils and the traditional hole stencil.

I was able to add some blue layers and shapes to some fabric prints that I did last year. I intentionally print off the edge of the fabric and use different size portions of the stencil to create interest.

I love how a simple stencil can transform a piece of hand printed fabric. The unique quality about this monoprinting with the gelatin plate process is that it is very fast and spontaneous. This printmaking technique allows for quick layering of slight different marks.

If you have not played with printing with the gelatin plate then check out my FREE recipe and make the plate today!

I noticed that even though I am not the traditional sketchbook artist, I have lots of sketchbooks.

Sometimes I get a new book and think it is too precious to use. Hmm? That is crazy.

The book is my tool to feed my image creation. I guess that crazy thinking comes from wanting all my marks to be perfect. And yet I know that 80% of what I do is just clearing out the chaos.

So when I make a new book I try to jump right in with my daily marks. The process of using the book is what is precious. Take a look at some of my artist sketchbooks.

Do you love your sketchbook?

Do you use your sketchbook to feed your image creation?