Monoprints

 While I have been waiting for the movement in my arm to improve enough to go and use a press at the print studio I use I have been working on a series of small monotypes which I can print with an also small, home made sort of press that I have. The press consists of two pieces of timber about 22 x 28 x 2cm between which the print is sandwiched. Then a clamp which slides up and down at the back and screws into a hole in the middle of the top bit of timber to press the paper and printing plate together. I have not actually tried to print with just this central clamp but attach about 4 other clamps around the edges of the timber just to be on the safe side.

Before I acquired this contraption as a school reject I used to brave my husband’s shed and use his bench vice. With two pieces of timber to sandwich my printing plate and paper inserted into the vice, I used to tighten up the vice and then add a few clamps around the edges for good measure.

While I am not sure that the techniques would work on a larger scale, both methods provide adequate pressure to print a 20 x 20 cm plate.

The monotypes are oil paint mixed with plate oil and painted on to a cardboard, shellac covered plate.