CRUSADE No. 39 ~ Playtime: Pulling Prints

I'm late!  This month I would love for you to try this experiment with monoprinting.  Get yourself a stack of unruled index cards, the large ones (5" x 8"), and be reckless with pulling prints.  (I buy mine at Staples in packages of 500 for less than $10.  100 for less than $4)  The more you make the more you will learn.  I want you to discover its coolness without concern about how or when you will use it.   Playtime can lead to lots of learning.

During a curiosity cruise in my studio I discovered this and hope you will try it.  I am illustrating how to pull prints through a method called monoprinting.  That simply means you make a singular print from an original painted foundation.  However, in this experiment I really want you to go for the 2nd print.  The way we are laying out the surface it turns out the 2nd print is more interesting than the first.  I also discovered that a cool print can be had when you spray the remaining surface with water - I went to clean the plexi and before wiping I took a quick print.  Good thing I had my huge stack of cards ready to go.  The surface I used was a 8" x 10" plexi box frame but you can use a piece of glass from a photo frame too (tape the edges so you don't cut yourself!)

 

While you have that big stack of cards you can also review some of the monoprinting we have covered earlier.  Remember:  it's about playing to get familiar with a technique.  You'll have a pile of really groovy prints that you can collage onto a journal page later, or just save in your file of "that was cool".

 
 

  So there it is.  Experiment with monoprinting and a pile of paper.  You will discover things about the process only by trying it.  You will learn what painterly effects you like and don't like.  You will figure out how much paint to use for best results.  You will determine how to rub the back of the paper, and how quickly you have to work only through trial and error.  There is no failing here - it's playtime afterall. 

Give it a try.  Allow yourself playtime.  Take photos along the way and share them on your blog.  Tell us what worked and what didn't - your epiphanies and your disasters.  We will all learn from one another as we share these things.  Leave a comment below with a link to your site and I will place you on the list to the left so we can all come for a visit and leave our applause.  Have fun!!

 

EDIT:  Archive links have been moved from sidebar to here.  (I cannot guarantee all links have remained active).

Belinda
Chris Miser
Darlene
Dorit Elisha
Helen
Imelda
Jane Royal
Jennifer Lorton
JoAnne Del
Kimber Kline
Lay Hoon
Maria
Melanie Philpott
Michelle Brown
Michelle Ward
Mona
Regina Rooks
Regina Rooks (more)
Rosemary Griffin
Sheila Jones
Spooky
Susan King
Susan Sager Brown
Suzanne Bouchard
Tammy
Viki
Wanda Miller
Wanda Miller (even more)
Wanda Miller (more)
Wanda Miller (more)
Zura

 

Comments

[iHanna]

Yay! A new crusade, just in time for the weekend play time. :-) this sounds interesting for sure, I was just reading about meat tray printing yesterday (from cloth paper scissors homepage). Now to find some Plexiglas around here...

[spooky]

I wonder if I can use my acrylic stamp block as plexiglass and wax paper instead of tyvek? I'll give it a try.

[michelleward]

@spooky - the acrylic block will be great! the wax paper disintegrates after one use....but don't let that stop you from trying it!

[michelleward]

p.s. you can get tyvek envelopes at the post office but don't tell them i sent you :)

[Kim Mailhot]

Oh what fun ! Nothing like getting messy with paint ! Looking forward to trying this out in playtime !
Big love to you, Michelle !

[Regina]

So funny. My tissue papers that need to go onto the journal pages were monoprinted!
I guess I'll be able to combine my missed crusade with this one. Now HCIT!!!
I'll be creating a painting on site at an Alzheimer's fundraiser tomorrow. It's 24 x 36! I hope it will draw some $$$ for the cause. There's a picture on my blog.

[Xanthe]

OK this is odd...you must read my mind Michelle!

I've spent the last two weeks looking at every book I can find on monoprinting and collagraphs. It's not something have have ever done but it looks fun. Thanx for this months challenge. :-)

[wanda miller]

WHOOPIE! your idea is fantastic...i saw it just before bed last night, so cut out some tyvek flowers before sleepy land...then got up early and went to town! didn't even get passed you first suggestion, but shall soon. VERY fun, thanks michelle. other ideas for peeps are, instead of plexiglass,, i used a flat cheap glass plate with the index cards, it worked great! thanks again, wanda

[Imelda]

This is going to be so much fun.!!! Just reading this crusade makes me think of What if I try this or what if.....

[wanda miller]

thanks for your upbeat comment, michelle. holey moley, did you ever trigger a great crusade!!! i am having a blast...it's such a good jump start to get going on other projects as well. thank you, ox, wanda

[Viki]

I just finished last night. I couldn't wait to try it. I was only going to do a few, so I only cut 6 pieces of paper. Hahaha! I ended up playing for about 6 hours.

[imelda]

I had a great time this crusade
http://www.flickr.com/photos/62792412@N00/sets/72157623837404878/

Thank you for a great idea michelle

[Michelle Brown]

Okay, well I've given it a go... and had some fun... come and see
http://aztecmichelle.wordpress.com/2010/04/13/gpp-crusade-no-39-pulling-prints/

Now I've got to go and clean up my mess!

[wanda miller]

YAY!!!!!! messes are fun...and another one today. it's not over yet for me!! xo

[wanda miller]

thanks for all your cheering, michelle. this truly is fun and happen to come at the right time for me.

[Jane]

My first attempt is up! As always-I'm having a blast!
http://paintedheartstudio.blogspot.com/
Thank you Michelle!

[Maria]

http://mariasangel.blogspot.com/2010/04/finally.html

lots of fun with this one! I want to try it with fabric! i do plan on stitching my tyvek templates to some project or other!!

[wanda miller]

...and she kept on going...hahahaha

[Helen]

Made a lot of prints and learned a lot. It was real fun.Helen

[spooky]

my first crusade, yay!
http://thepaperphantom.wordpress.com/2010/04/16/the-one-where-i-try-monoprinting/

[Lay Hoon]

New things learned...I shall find the glass :)

http://mescrap.blogspot.com/2010/04/gpp-crusade-no39-pulling-print.html

Thank you !!

[jennifer lorton]

I played along too. Come and see what I did. Thanks Michelle, I love the Crusades.
http://blog.jenniferlorton.com

[gaby braun]

This is really cool. From time to time I make monoprints. With newspaper paper you can have good results too. But I don't have great success with acrylic paints, the paper sticked on the surface and it was hard to pull it down (maybe my acrylic paint was not the best). I use printmaking paint (it's expensive, but the print has a very smooth surface when it's done). I always have lot of fun doing monoprints, it's hard to stop.
You also can try to draw on the layered paper with a pen, or fingernail or whatever tool you want to use. It's great too!

[Regina]

Woo Hoo! I'm actually getting posted in the month. (I did a late entry for last crusade today, too.)
This post is a variation on the monoprint that turned out quite exciting for me. I had cut up card stock to pull prints but was side-tracked with this little project.
http://rgrdesigns.blogspot.com/2010/04/gpp-crusade-no-39-pulling-prints.html

[Chris]

Hey there. I played today!
http://prismtrail.blogspot.com/2010/04/pressing-and-pulling-pretties.html

thank you!

[Regina]

I just posted again with more prints. So glad I tried your ideas. Love this!
http://rgrdesigns.blogspot.com/2010/04/gpp-crusade-no-39-pulling-prints-part-2.html

[Rosemary Griffin]

I have joined in again, this is so much fun to be part of a group. Thankyou.

[Susan Sager Brown]

Hi Michelle,
had a great time on this Crusade, as usual!!
http://broknheartart.blogspot.com/2010/04/gpp-street-team-crusade-39.html

Check out my Contribution!!! New Jersey??? come on I need to get my Learn On!! I promise to take EVERY workshop you offer. Come on you KNOw you want to.....teehee xoSusan

[Mona]

Me too! Me too! I tried ...
http://alcorart.blogspot.com/2010/04/crusade-nr-39-pulling-prints.html

[Susanmkingcga]

My prints are still drying, so I may not make today's deadline with scans, but I had fun anyway! I used masks placed sticky side down into the paint. They nicely stuck to the paper when I pulled the first print. My brayer wasn't handy so I used a paintbrush to apply the black paint. This worked suprisingly well. I got some nice prints I can use on ATC's. Thanks, Michelle!

[Darlene]

What a fantastic idea - and so many possibilites!!! Thanks Michelle for another Creative Crusade.

http://cinnamonpink.typepad.com/cinnamon_pink/2010/04/gpp-street-team-crusade-no-39-playtime-pulling-prints.html

[Susan King (aka passionforpaper)]

Mine are up now too.

http://passionforpaper-passionforpaper.blogspot.com/2010/05/gpp-street-team-crusade-no-39-pulling.html

[sheila]

Better late than never! I have been dying to get to this challenge but have had other important challenges as you will see from the blog. But I am sooooo glad that I eventually had a go! It was such fun and something I have never done before. I loved seeing each new result and you are right Michelle, it is addictive!! Thanks again so much for sharing these techniques with all of us. I am so enjoying being part of these challenges. Here is the link to the pics: http://sheilasteaandtoast.blogspot.com/2010/05/soooo-busy-but.html

[Darlene]

Thanks for visiting my site Michelle. Have a wonderful week, Darlene

[Suzanne Bouchard]

Hi! I tried monoprinting and I will do it again. But I am not sure that I get it???
here is teh link to my page for crusade no.39:

http://lamaisondeplume.blogspot.com/

[Melanie Philpott]

Hallo again! I tried out Crusade 39 at the weekend! Superb fun, I'm definately going to do this again!!

http://messbymelanie.blogspot.com/2011/06/gpp-street-team-crusade-no-39.html

[Tammy]

Loved this Crusade, Michelle! I've done block printing before, and LOVE working with a brayer, but this was really different and just sparked some major fun! http://daisyyellow.squarespace.com/vividlife/gpp-crusade-no-39-pulling-prints.html.