Botanical Printing and Monoprinting - Making Artist's Books - West Bridgford Methodist Church - Adult Learning

Botanical Printing & Mono-printing are ideal gateway processes for beginners to printmaking and a way for experienced printmakers to extend their skills by exploring a range of experimental techniques. Both processes are varied, experimental and fun and can be used individually or in combination to create a one-off, unique image and can be put together to make concertina books, artists' books or visual journals.

During the course you will be introduced to some of the different ways of making a monoprint. Direct and indirect botanical printing, linear mono-printing, tonal mono-printing and colour mono-printing. You will learn and explore these processes through looking at and discussing other printmakers' work, through demonstrations and personal experimentation. You will receive individual tuition on how to select print source materials, how to compose your work, mix inks, print your images, and create your books.

By the end of the course everyone will have produced some good quality prints, finished prints and an artist’s book to exhibit or to give as gifts.

You will be able to:

• Discuss how other printmakers have created their monoprints.

• Select source materials (botanicals, drawings and photographs) to use as starting points for print.

• Use printmaking equipment and the press safely.

• Mix and use water soluble inks effectively to produce a range of creative monoprints.

• Plan, design and create an artist book from own printed images.

• Use art and design language confidently to describe your own work.

What you will need to bring with you to the course:-

• Apron or big shirt.

• B, 2B, pencils, rubber–WH Smiths, Amazon.

• Biro

• A couple of bristle paintbrushes- pack from The Works, WH Smith or Amazon.

• Scissors.

• Masking tape- DIY stores, The Range, Hobby craft, Amazon.

• Pack of Vinyl or Nitrile gloves, B&M Bargains, Sainsbury’s, Amazon.

• A4 cartridge paper pad (140g paper) – (example Daler Rowney A3 cartridge pad yellow and red cover, or Seawhites cartridge paper pad) The Range, Hobbycraft, WH Smith Amazon.

• A4 Newsprint pad. Amazon, Jacksons (online) (not essential).

• Some old rags.