Wilberforce Gardens, water colour monoprint over-printed with drypoint
Introduction
In "lockdown" my access to a printing studio with nitric acid, copper sulphate and aquatint has been curtailed. Hence, I have been finding other ways to print which achieves a similar look, this entails including forms of line drawing with atmospheric tones.
Over the previous few weeks I have made a number of monoprints with a view to honing in on a particular method and style which I can use for a series of final prints. In doing so, I have gained much from studying the methods of Gaugin and Degas.
Monoprint with Water Colour (tonal)
An earlier monoprint I made using greaseproof paper was of the gardens behind Wilberforce House on the bank of the River Hull. I decided to make a tonal monoprint of a similar view using water colour. I prepared a piece of Perspex and prepared it as before by scuffing the surface and applying a small amount of soap to "lift" the monoprint. I chose a selection of paints consisting of yellow ochre, browns and black so that the outcome would be monochrome and tonal. I left the paper white for the white areas. I then worked the colours up from light to dark.
The painted Perspex
I then printed the monoprint as before by wetting some paper, placing it over the top of the painted Perspex and using a roller on the reverse. I then revealed the print. I had lost some of the depth of paint and I also realised that I should have reversed my painting on the Perspex so that when it was printed it would be the correct way round.
Watercolour Monoprint
I then did another monoprint following exactly the same procedure as above, but remembering to reverse my painting and to apply a little bit more paint and more pressure on the roller.
Drypoint Etching
I continued the process by using another plate to make a drypoint etching using a drypoint needle which I then inked up and printed (see below). I felt that the print was too pale, so I decided to ink up next time with more care, leaving more ink on the plate
Drypoint version
Water colour monoprint over-printed with drypoint (combination process)
My idea was to combine the two processes so that the finished result had both good lines and tonal qualities. I therefore inked up a further etching, took the monoprint which I previously made (the second version which I had reversed) and overprinted with the drypoint etching. I did this whilst the watercolour monoprint was still damp. I carefully placed the drypoint over the top, turned it over and ran them through the press.
Water colour monoprint over-printed with drypoint
Summary
The first versions of both the monoprint and drypoint were too pale and indistinct. Therefore in the combined version I made sure that both were inked up more carefully and greater pressure applied during the printing process.
The watercolour monoprint had a soft, painterly quality, whereas the drypoint etching was very linear. When I combined the two processes I managed to achieve both types of qualities in one print, as can be seen above.
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