Painted Prints: Monotypes with a Gelli Plate

Of making prints there is no end, to paraphrase a popular saying. This time, I wanted to try painting the entire image at once, without overprinting. And creating a varied edition of these prints, all based on the same drawing, or key. Monotypes.

Restless, I wandered around my yard for a subject. Aha! One bloom on the Bird of Paradise plant. That would be it. I took it inside the studio.



I drew the outlines, then mapped out the colors with colored pencils.
I wanted the final print to face left, so the drawing faces right.


Placed the transparent Gelli plate on top of my drawing.
After deciding where on the page it would be printed,
I drew around the edges of the plate.


Painted and printed, first on pieces of maps,
then on black Stonehenge paper, a better choice,
partly for the color, partly because it was more absorbent.



After looking through all of them,
I decided I liked two.
Each has unique qualities.
They look different on screen as well.
I'm really enjoying this process.



If all the birds align, I'll teach a workshop featuring this technique in the Spring.
Keep in touch…

Other experiments here and here.

Comments

Anonymous said…
This flower was the first flower my son air-brushed for me when he was starting out as an artist. I still have it on my wall to this day. He is now 52 years old. I treasure it.
Plus other painting he did. So when I seen yours up the actual flower you wish to paint. I had to say a great choice to do.

Bird of Paradise. Can be done so many ways.
Alisa said…
Thanks for writing, Carolann! Bird of Paradise is certainly a dramatic and memorable flower and worthy of art many times over! It's neat that for you it has extra meaning as well.
I really like the painterly qualities of these prints - lovely! Print on, my friend!