Blaster!

Blaster! 5x7 acrylic monotype, 2017

Here's a fun print from the gelatin plate. You can see the white lines along the edges of the shapes clearly in this one. Those are caused by the thicker paper. They can be avoided by using thinner types of paper to make your cutouts, but sometimes they are desirable. 

pass beneath the waters in silence lest we disturb the fantasy

pass beneath the waters in silence lest we disturb the fantasy. 7.5x11 acrylic monotype

more from this series.

sunrise_over_neo_tokyo

sunrise_over_neo_tokyo, 5x7 acrylic monotype

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the stinky salamander

the stinky salamander, 5x6 acrylic monotype

Finally received my order of new printmaking materials and now I'm back to the gelatin plate that I so love. I've already made twenty something prints this week, I'll be posting several more in the next few days so stop by. Unfortunately, my "permanent" gelatin plate is staring to break down so I'll need to create a new one soon. Love these crazy prints!

Gateway to Luna

Gateway to Luna. 5x7, acrylic monotype

I made a series of monotypes one afternoon this month that revolved around that crescent moon, which is a shape I've returned to time and again over the years. The moon symbolizes the subconscious and the mysterious, two themes I have always found fascinating.

Wave

Wave. 6x6, acrylic monotype

Another of my geliplate prints, Wave is a good example of how to make the technique work for you. The textures and the washed out effect of the ghost contrast well with the opaque sections. The nature of the method means that it's very difficult to predict exactly what you'll end up with, so it's usually best to shoot for quantity and let the art surprise you. Patience and flexibility are the key here.

Canyon

Canyon. 8x8, acrylic monotype

Here's another monotype created with the gelatin plate. I love the color palette in this one as well as the narrative quality. Its fun to let the mind play while going through the work, searching for meaning within the shapes and colors. I like to make up stories based on some of them.

On a technical note, the white edges around some of the shapes were created because the paper cut-out I used was too thick. Rolling over the back of the print won't create enough pressure to absorb the paint and so the white paper shows through. If the paper cut-out is very thick, even a press won't work and the print will still have these lines. Of course they're not always a negative thing. I quite like having them here.

The Volcano

the volcano. acrylic montoype

This print was from a batch I did a few months ago. It was created with a gelatin print technique. I recently made a "permanent" gelatin plate by adding glycerine to my mixture. This plate doesn't need to be refrigerated and also has an extended lifetime. I did a series of island prints with variations of these colors. I'll share some more of these in the future.

Howl

Howl. Acrylic Monotype

Bird of Paradise

Bird of Paradise. Acrylic gelatin print.

Gelatin printing is an excellent technique for making low cost prints from your house. I've been using the technique for a little over six months and love the results. For those of you whom, like myself, enjoy the spontaneity of monotype printmaking, gelatin printing is great solution to the lack of access to an expensive etching press.