Easy Printmaking Tools – stencils and the gelatin plate

I am still playing with the cityscape idea.

Stencils – simple printmaking tools

I turned to some easy printmaking tools – stencils and the glycerin and gelatin plate.

I cut many masking stencils from a photocopy of the cityscape drawing, that I did a few days ago.

I carefully cut them with a sharp craft knife, and then coated them with many thing layers of mat medium. It is tedious, but I do it this way because the plain paper easy to cut,and then  becomes durable after I coat both sides several times with medium.

I found that I needed to simplify the landscape to create a pleasing print. I experimented with using 4 or 5 stencils and then found that I liked using just 3.

I think that the complex texture creates the need for fewer shapes. I liked this experiment because I printed the subject matter with several different printmaking tools.

1. Pencil drawing and photo copy
2. Inverted photocopy
3. Trace monotype print
4. Relief block print
5. Gelatin plate monotype print

Each style of printing creates a different feel or expression of the same subject matter. The artist can choose the most appropriate printmaking tool for the desired result.