Monoprinting with Sherry Harradence

The Art of Monoprints



My husband bought my press back in the mid 90's as a birthday gift and I truely love it. It does take up a lot of room because of the bed size and the turning wheel. Needs to be centered in the room to allow access from both ends and sides. I am like a kid at Christmas with every print, where I can't wait to see the pulled print from the plate. The press has pressure of 4000 psi and its unique impressions onto the paper is like no other, 'unique ''one of a kind''... A paint brush could not duplicate the image from the pulled monoprint and that is why I love the printmaking. Its an original and no one can copy it.... (Manufacturer, Conrad Presses, Michigan)

The paper I like to use can be handmade, custom or printmaking papers designed for use of a press. Its fun to shop around the stores for beautiful paper and every state, province has so many art and stationery shops supplying unique papers. Myself, I am like a kid in the candy store shopping for supplies....lol In another blog I will give the recipe for making handmade paper out of your junk mail. Recyling is great and can enhance your picture like no other original.

Monoprints are fun to experiment with paint, ink, watercolors, oil pastels, explore different effects of adding and subtracting, anything goes and the attached monoprint "The Geranium" was created with rolling the brayer in the ink palette colors on the plexi-glass, then taking a credit card and sketching in the lines and difinition of the pot and leaves of the geraniums. The printmaking paper is soaked in a tub until it has the right absorbency of water. Because it absorbs so much and too wet for printing you need to use a towel to blot off the water for the right dampness and weight. Once my paper is just right, I then register the paper to the plexi-plate and then pull the blankets over for the press printing. Note, the attached print, I got from the plate two prints made, original and a ghost copy. Yeah!! It was a good day for a successful painting or paintings. You be the judge!! I welcome any questions and would love to hear from other printmaking artists or artists that want to learn or share.

Thank you for reading my blog. :)

Sherry Harradence
Printmaker and Artist
Monoprints@yahoo.com
www.sherryharradence.fineartamerica.com/