Monotype print pulled on an Agar Agar plate

Monotype pulled on an agar agar plate by linda germain
Monotype pulled on an agar agar plate by linda germain

I had a student in the last session of Make Monotypes, who explored the vegetarian option to gelatin.   She inspired me to experiment with the agar agar as well.  It is a seaweed based “gelatin.”  I can not report that I perfected the recipe or the plate.  I do have a printing plate of agar agar that has lasted several weeks.  I added some glycerin to make it stronger, but is still pretty fragile.

Today’s print is 5″ x 7″.  I used the speedball water soluble block printing inks and a few stencils and stamping tools.

Happy Printing,

Linda

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Make Many to get a Print you Like

Thermo fax print on top of glycerin plate monotype by linda germain
Thermo fax print on top of glycerin plate monotype by linda germain

We often share our best work and then folks think, “Oh, she just pulls perfect prints all the time. ”  Well I know that is not true for me and that I have to make many prints to get one or two that I like.  I work with the idea of, “Try it and see what happens.”

So today is  day 2 of Make My Mark in May.   I made a thermo fax screen of a line drawing that I did a few weeks back.  Then I dug through some monotype prints to find one that might make a good foundation for the screen print.

I was looking for something “quiet” and light, so it would let the line drawing be the focus.

linda_germain_IMG_6135

If you think you might like to embrace this way to creating and exploring printmaking then, you might want to check out my online course, Make Monotypes.  Registration for the next session opens Wednesday, May 7th.  Don’t wait this class fills up fast. Email me if you have questions.

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Make Your Mark in May

Thermo Fax screen print by Linda Germain
Thermo Fax screen print by Linda Germain

So I am going to make a monotype print each day in May.  Today’s print is a screen print on a wallpaper sample.  It is 5″ x 7″ and printed with black acrylic ink. Lightroom is giving me trouble – “error message the file were not imported because they could not be read”  Hmm?  What is going on? Off to google to find an answer.

Happy Printing

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Consider alternative papers for Making Monotypes

alternative papers for Make Monotypes
alternative papers for Make Monotypes

You know I love to use what I have, rather than go buy a new gadget.  I have plenty of paper and I notice and collect “found” papers. The Haverhill Public Library has a book sale every season and I collect a bag of books for making monotype prints.

This black-out poem could become the substrate for a print, or a bit of collage in an artist’s book.  What about you?  Do you like delicious, expensive printmaking paper?  Or would consider printing on something from the recycling bin?

Next session of Make Monotypes – June 2nd – register on May 7th.

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