Experimental Watercolor Class: Lesson 5

Taught by Roxana Tuff, Artist

August 12, 2016, Friday
Cephas House, 217 MLK Drive, San Marcos, Texas 78666

Lesson Five - Enhanced Monoprints

Note: Click on any photo to view a larger image.

HOMEWORK: Your goal for this lesson is to have at least three finished prints of the same imagery, but with particular differences in how you decided to approach the work in terms of process.

FOR THIS LESSON: Bring with you a colorful image or actual objects to use for your subject matter! Having source material will help you decide on colors and shapes to incorporate into your mono prints even if they ultimately become pure abstractions.

Bring tracing paper if you want to create a line drawing of a photo to place underneath the plastic printing surface. Remember that the print is the reverse of what you paint, so if you want the photo image mono print to face the same direction as the original, you'll need to paint it in reverse. Flipping the tracing upside down and placing it under the plastic is the easiest way to help you do that. I sometimes flip the original colored image as well.

If you decide to paint from "life" bring things that have a bit of color variation!

Roxana has her work area set up, with an outline beneath the plexiglass.

We will make Enhanced Monoprints.
The basic method is the same as for Lesson 4, but we will add more processes into the piece.

That is, you might pull a print, then using the "ghost" image, repaint the surface and re-print with different colors. Or, you might pull a print, then go back into the piece with more applied/ painted watercolor, ink or an expressive background made with a salt wash or plastic wrap. You might decide to use the crayon wax resist before pulling a print!

Lightly sanded plexiglass is placed over the key drawing. Roxana used small rolls of tape to temporarily anchor the plexiglass in position.

3. Do a painting on the plastic surface and allow it to dry. We didn't have time in class for the surface to dry, but the pulled print will smudge if the paint surface or paper surface is too wet.

You can use a paper towel or a damp brush to remove sections of paint, or add texture, if you like. Notice the light area within the broad purple stripe, near the center of her painting. She used a paper towel to selectively pick up paint.

Here are Roxana's pencil drawings (these will lay beneath the plexiglass plate). The image which appears colored is a plexiglass square which still contains a bit of watercolor paint, even though one monoprint has been pulled from it.


Roxana used the same outline to create three finished prints of the same subject matter, but each print is unique in terms of color, orientation, and individual treatments. Hummingbirds, by Roxana Tuff

Your goal for this lesson is to have at least three finished prints of the same imagery, but with particular differences in how you decided to approach the work in terms of process.

These three hummingbirds give you a great idea of a monoprint series.

Roxana and a student discuss a strategy for a new composition. Exploring ways to add texture, variety in color, and details can result in wonderful variations on a theme.