J is for Jumping In (to something new)

Two new things have appeared in my art life this week. The first, I have already mentioned. I am taking a class in Monotype printing.

All of the new things I am learning here has been eye-opening. Thinking about printing is helping me see an entirely new way to create images.

Though we work in oil-based inks and use a press to create work in class, I had heard rumors about using watercolors to create beautiful images as well. I am interested in learning to do this because I think any of my students would find this a great way to work.

Then, some new materials appeared in the studio where I teach my kid classes. Little tubes of gouache. I have little experience with this medium, and my lovely program director suggested I take some home to experiment so that my students can get the most out of these beautiful paints. Also, and purely by serendipity, a sheet of Plexiglas appeared on my work table at home.

I asked Google "How to create monotypes with watercolor?" Google responded with several excellent UTube videos. It was clear I had everything I needed, from the all cotton paper that I would need to soak, to the high quality paints, and an abundance of  fun images to work from. I chose this cat because of the clearly defined areas I drew into the original pattern, and I like the contrast of colors.

This image (my first try) is created in gouache on Plexiglas, and printed onto Arches paper. I can see lots of possibilities for this method, and plan to revisit the "ghost" (the image that is still on the plate) and see what that will allow me to do.