trace monoprint

I think we all have our favorite types of marks. I like loose expressive lines.

I don’t get to draw a lot of these types of lines when I am gelatin printmaking. I use threads to capture that type of expression.

One process that allows me to embrace the loose and expressive contour line is the trace monoprint. This monotype process actually requires that the artist work fast and loose.

In the image above you can see 3 small flowers that were trace monoprinted onto index cards. The black ink on the left is left over after the trace monotype prints were created.

I work with water based inks, so that means I have to work quickly so the ink does not dry before I can create the image. If you work with oil based inks, then you have much more time to create your print.

If you would like to explore trace monoprinting and line drawing, then join us in the Draw into Print  – the online printmaking art class. Class starts soon. Read all the details on the print workshop page.

A trace monoprint is a simple way of printing without a press. Paul Klee did a lot of trace monoprinting. I found a trace monotype print by Paul Gauguin as well.

I did this little trace monotype print based on a sketch of a sculpture at the MFA. It is a very quick and expressive process. You might even ask why bother? Why not just make a drawing?

Well I think the beauty of trace monoprint process it is about:

• line quality
• giving up control
• expressive rendering of the image

Check out my gallery of trace monoprints here.

I discovered this beautiful water stain as I was cleaning the studio. It became the inspiration for my #seedrawPrint for day #26.

I like the organic map like quality of the mark.

I rolled out some brown and gold speedball block printing ink and added a bit of retarder.

I laid the print paper on the ink then did a light newsprint pick up. Then put a photo copy of thethe water stained paper on top. and traced the contour lines with a pen and pencil.

Fast and Fun!

Today I did not have lots of time, so I did a quick trace monoprint of a twiggy tree.

I love the fuzzy line that is characteristic of a trace monoprint. I used a newsprint pick up to lift off a little bit of the plate ink. Then I put the print paper on the ink and transferred the ink to the print paper with a pencil tracing of the original drawing.

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I am doing a challenge #SEEdrawPrint for the month of November. Today I did a trace monoprint of my car.

As with most forms of printmaking the image get reserved when you print it. So either you reverse the matrix before printing or you have a backwards image.

Well I made a discovery. If I draw the image with a sharpie, it bleeds through to the other side and I can use that side as my tracing matrix. It came in very handy when I was printing the words in reverse.

I was pretty happy with this quick little monoprint. I used rice paper and speedball water based block printing ink. It is a Toyota Yaris.

I did a little rubbing with my finger to get the gray values on the seats and the nose of the car. This is a good process if you want to just do one line drawing print of an image.

If you have not tried this process before then check out the weekend workshop coming in February.