I like to joke with my friend Kathy and say that I’m her “roadie.”  After she introduced me to the art of making paper I’ve enjoyed two sessions of creating hand made paper, a workshop on the craft of making books, and as of last night, it now includes Monotype print making.

I registered for her next workshop at the Princeton Arts Council. Yesterday was the first session and it’s sure to keep me busy and out of trouble for the next two Monday nights.

I had serious challenges wrapping my head around Kathy’s instruction to bring along black and white  images that would work to use in the process. As always she was super patient and explained that we were going to trace the shape on an object onto a piece of clear plexiglass and that the shape should be large and simple.

I brought along more pictures than I needed to. I would have loved to have tackled the image of a butterfly resting on a flower, but I suspected that it wouldn’t be the best choice for a beginner.  The picture is from an unexpected treat and a visit to a zoo in North Carolina – I took more pictures of butterflies and flowers than of the animals (which will always me laugh).

I couldn’t resist sharing the color version.

I cropped it and turned it into a black and white close up of the butterfly.  The contrast is exaggerated to bring out the details.

In addition to the butterfly, I also brought a picture of a pair of running shoes, which I plan to draw but have yet to tackle.

And last but not least I included a couple of versions of one of my favorite pictures from this summer.  There’s something fun about the beach hat perched on a wine glass and the reading glasses, smart phone, and kindle on the table.

We reviewed the images and mutually agreed that a close up of the hat was the best choice for my first attempt at print making.

The first step is to prepare the piece of plexiglass, which starts with peeling off the plastic covering (on both sides) and after smoothing out the rough edges the fun begins.  The fun part is tracing the shape onto the plexiglass with a Sharpie.

Kathy had us include a clue that would help us remember which side we were working on.  The words “Ink” and “Draw” were the guidelines for which side to put the ink on.

The next step in making the print is to coat the plate with a layer of release agent and then add the ink.  The ink is applied with rollers and the goal is to get it spread evenly across the surface.

Then it’s time to play!  The objective is to “artfully” remove ink and reveal the object.  We had access to use everything from bubble wrap to Q-Tips as well as paint brushes and bamboo sticks,which were all tools to remove the ink.  I used a combination of things, but my favorite was creating a feathery movement with some tin fine tooth combs.

I had no idea what to expect when I flipped the plate, ink side down, onto the paper.  Kathy helped make sure that I applied the right amount of pressure with a giant rolling pin.  She had me press and hold down the papers edge while she lifted the corner to expose a beautiful abstract yellow hat.

After cleaning off the yellow, it was back to the ink station, another layer of release agent, and a coat of red ink.  I found myself being bolder with shapes and movements in the ink.

It was fun to watch everyone go through the same process doubt and wondering what the print would look like to big smiles and a feeling of satisfaction.

Next week we’ll add the final layer of ink and I’ll take pictures with my “real” camera, not my smart phone. I can’t wait to see how it turns out.