Monotype Printing with Basic Materials (2 part series)

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Live from Pescara, Italy

You don't need a printing press to make a great print. In this 2-part series with VAWAA artist, surrealist artist, printmaker and sculptor Colleen, we'll learn how to make a variety of monotype prints only using materials and tools we have around the house. If you have been considering going on an in-person VAWAA with Colleen in Italy, this is also a great chance to get to know her.

Monotype is a very painterly printmaking method which can be considered a combination of drawing, painting and printmaking. By experimenting with ink, oil based paint, magazine clippings, and photographs we will create works with variations in tone and line unique to this media. No drawing skills will be necessary to achieve good results.

Session 1: Saturday June 5th 1PM - 3PM EST // We will learn simple techniques to create printed paintings without using paint brushes, focusing on line rather than tone. 

Session 2: Saturday June 12th 1PM - 3PM EST // We will work with tone, brushwork, and adding and removing ink to obtain special effects in our prints.

This series is for beginners who want an introduction into the fascinating world of printmaking.


If you are not in EST time zone, be sure to convert the time.


What you'll need


ESSENTIAL

  • Etching ink (preferred) - OR - oil based paint in tubes in a strong color like black 
  • A soft rubber brayer (preferably) or a dabber you can make with a sponge
  • A few sheets of cartridge paper
  • 1 sheet of plexiglass (large or small)
  • Any coated non-absorbent flat surface to prepare color 
  • Printmaking paper or watercolor paper pre-cut to the desired size, depending on plexiglass measurements
  • Clean sponge and water in a bowl
  • Cooking oil for clean up
  • An old credit card or similar plastic old rewards card from a store
  • Paper Towels
  • Pen or pencil

NON ESSENTIAL BUT RECOMMENDED

  • Some fresh leaves (dry leaves won't work) 
  • Cling wrap (e.g. saran wrap)
  • Magazine clippings
  • Scissors and cheap scraps or paper to use as stencils
  • Paintbrush (the type used in oil painting, not too soft)
  • Masking tape 
  • Q-tips


How to join

We'll be hosting this VAWAA Online on Zoom. We'll send the link and details to join via email 1 day and again 1 hour before it begins.


About Colleen

Colleen is a surrealist printmaker and sculptor whose work reflects her love for buildings and architecture. After learning and teaching across the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, and Saudi Arabia, Colleen now lives in rural southern Italy, working with monotypes to get fresh images directly on a plate; woodblocks to work with several layers of color and etchings for varying textures and applying different inks. Her biggest project to-date is a twenty-year multimedia exploration of Italo Calvino’s novel Invisible Cities. These days she's creating experimental prints using alternative materials and textures, and when she is not printing, you can find her dreaming up cityscapes by sketching, painting, or working with clay!

Visit her artist page to learn more about her in-person VAWAA.


Reviews

"Great course - really clear and enjoyable - really good to have the follow up session as well" - P.

"It was good that we were able to draw along with Colleen in the session and that we were given recordings of the session so we could revisit the things we learned. I enjoyed doing the homework too. I would definitely sign up to more." - Clara


Sessions are ticketed to support artists, makers and our small team. If you’re experiencing financial hardship, please do reach out. We may have a generous participant who has paid it forward and would ask that you pay the love forward by sharing online sessions with 3 new friends.