monoprinting workshop

Feeling excited! I have rashly agreed to teach a two hour monoprinting workshop this Thursday with Jenny from Handmade Happiness in Petersfield. I have been making some samples, and I've come up with lots of different ideas.

Some very simple ones:

...and some more elaborate, but hopefully all achievable in the two hours!

Monoprinting at its simplest is done by inking up a sheet of glass (or any shiny surface) and then laying a sheet of paper over it. Then you draw onto the back of the paper, and peel it off to reveal the print. What I like best about it is the unpredictability of it- you're never sure until you peel it back how your print will look. I like the accidental fingerprints and smudges, and the different marks you get by drawing with different pens , pencils, or even your fingers.

Sometimes I like to add colour after the ink is dry (I use water-based ink, which dries in about half an hour), or bits of torn paper as collage- the textured surface is lovely to draw on with pastel or coloured pencils. Monoprinting is an inspiring technique which lends itself to experimentation.

I hope the evening is a success, and everyone goes home with something they're pleased with at the end, and maybe the urge to do more at home.

If all goes well I might be teaching some more longer workshops next year, in a barn in a country location, and inspired by woodland and landscapes. Jenny has some of my landscape pictures in the shop at the moment too!


Its not too late to sign up for this Thursday's session, just contact Handmade Happiness:

http://jenny-handmadehappiness.blogspot.co.uk/