New batch of Ricky B monotypes
Popped into the beginners’ printmaking drop in at Ladysmith Arts today and made a few Ricky B. Rat monotypes.
All of these have at least 2 layers if not 3; backgrounds first, then Ricky on top. I used ghost prints as well as the usual first pull. The paper was just pages out of a Canson XL mixed media paper pad/sketchbook
It was my first time using a 5×7″ plexiglas plate, so getting the scale right of line thickness and how heavily to paint on my ink and the pressure settings on the press, so there was some trial and error but that’s part of the fun.
Last time I was working at 9×12, so that’s a lot more forgiving of line thickness.
I kinda like my blobby lines, they’re similar to what I was making last year at MISSA when I was doing my Noah monotypes, and it’s a look I don’t get in any other medium… it’s just about learning to control them so I don’t say, overdo it when drawing in Ricky’s eye and the resulting splotch makes it look like he has a black eye… or at least, I want to know that’s what’s gonna happen and plan for it. (And let’s be blunt, sooner or later someone would sucker punch Ricky, probably…)
Of course, the unplanned surprises are part of what makes monotypes fun.
When fully dry, I may draw over these with acrylic paint pens for more detail.
Next time, I think I will prep in advance some of what I learned under the name of “lift prints” (but there are various names… such as “drawn monoprints,” “trace monoprints,” “transfer monotpyes” etc… basic technique here) and pre-paste them so as to try doing chine collé like I did on last year’s Noah prints.
We work with Akua inks at this studio, so that’s different that the oil-based etching inks I used for chine collé last time, but my understanding is Akua won’t budge once it’s dry, even if contacted with wet paper as per that process. We’ll find out then, I guess.
