Monotyping
From Free net encyclopedia
- This article is about a method of printmaking. For information on the typesetting and typeface design company, see Monotype Corporation.
Monotyping (not to be confused with monoprinting) is a type of printmaking made by drawing or painting on a smooth, non-absorbent surface. The surface, or matrix, can vary from zinc to glass to plexiglass. The image is then transferred onto a sheet of paper. Monotypes can also be created by inking an entire surface and then, using brushes or rags, removing ink to create a subtractive image, creating lights from a field of opaque color. The inks used may be oil based or water based. The paper may be dry, in which case the image has more contrast, or the paper may be damp, in which case the image has a 10 percent greater range of tones. Many renaissance artists used this technique to create images.
Unlike monoprinting, monotyping produces a unique print, because most of the ink is removed during the initial pressing. Although subsequent reprintings are sometimes possible, they differ greatly from the first print and are generally considered inferior. A second print from the original plate is called a "ghost print" or "cognate". Stencils, watercolor, solvents, brushes, and other tools are often used to embellish a monotype print.
This process is often spontaneously executed and with no previous sketch,