THE MONOTYPE
Monotype is a spontaneous and flexible form of printmaking which allows the artist to constantly explore. The image is created directly on an unprepared plate, and an etching press is used to transfer it onto a sheet of paper. This allows a single print of each image, and an edition of identical prints is not possible. Each monotype, therefore, is a unique original work of art.
A monotype begins with a pre-inked plate in a process which is typically the inverse of a drawing on a blank sheet. Rather than starting with white and developing the shadows, a monotype involves starting with black and ‘removing’ the light. This can be considered an extractive process, much like that of the “Carrières”. I enjoy this correspondence between the subject of my work and the process of creating it.