Monoprinting for Beginners

Join Art Wellesley for another printmaking workshop at Shepherd and Maudsleigh Print Studio.

Megan Cascella is the instructor for this workshop.

Monoprinting is a type of printmaking where each print is unique, rather than using a static, repeated matrix like a woodblock. Monoprinting is where we apply ink to thin, clear plexiglass plates, which then go through the press with dampened paper. This process allows for a lot of different marks to be made by painting ink on, rolling the ink on in thin layers and selectively wiping ink off, using paper stencils, or other materials such as thin meshes or fabrics to leave unique impressions and textures onto the plate. Another fantastic part of the monoprinting process is the ghost print, which is created from the remaining ink on the plate from the first impression. These ghost prints offer unique memories of the initial print and can then be further built up in many different ways.

The world of monoprinting is expansive and exciting - and it’s a grand entrance into a lot of the fundamentals of printmaking if you are a beginner or have been interested in learning more!

This class will cover:
-How to dampen & prepare paper
-How to roll out even, thin layers of ink onto plexi glass
-Methods of adding and removing ink from the plexiglass
-Using paper stencils, or alternative stencils
-Printing techniques, including printing the ghost
-Registration Techniques

Students are encouraged to bring:

- Additional paper to print on (Rives BFK, Rives Heavyweight, Rives Lightweight Somerset, Arnhem)
-Pens, pencils, and sharpies for planning compositions
- Pre-cut stencils from copier paper or newsprint
-Other soft, flat items that could be used as stencils (cheesecloth, the plastic from clementine bags, thin fabrics, doilies, etc.)