Printmaking
A monotype is created by painting an image with printmaking ink onto a flexible plate. Once the plate/s are complete, the image/s are transferred to paper by squishing the paper and plate together under the heavy rollers of an etching press. Generally, the paper has several layers of ink applied to it before completion.
Printmaking is the process of making hand-made artwork that transfers “ink” from a “plate” to a substrate (generally paper), through some type of press. Monotype printmaking, which is the type of print I create, uses an “etching” press. The ink is applied to a plexiglass plate using rollers, brushes, templates, stencils and stamps, and is then transferred to the paper when “run” through the press.
MY GRIFFIN PRESS
Unlike other cities around the US, San Diego can be challenging for a print maker, due to very few facilities with presses to rent. So owning a press is almost a necessity and quite a commitment! My Griffin came came to me via Taos. It's old, beautiful, and weights 1500 LBS. Once in place in the studio, it's not going anywhere. It needs room. Room for the bed to move and room to walk around it... and because of this, it's right in the middle of my studio. You can't miss it when you walk in. You need to pay attention to it... it calls out to me to make something! And for that I am grateful!
I also have a small press—an Ettan. It prints 1/4 sheets. It's fast, immediate and fun, as you can crank out prints quickly. The plates are much smaller so they take less time to ink. I use this press to warm up, to work out ideas, to test materials and for fun. Because I am also really well versed in digital media, I sometime use these small prints in my Giclée work. This allows for flexibility and variety in my process.
