I spent a happy morning yesterday making some direct line monotypes down at Swansea Print Workshop. The trick to getting a good result is to roll out your ink VERY very thinly. I used Intaglio Printmakers oil-based litho/relief ink in black and a Japanese rubber roller inked onto apiece of Perspex. Don’t be tempted to add more ink because your paper will stick to the plate and there’ll be an awful blobby mess instead of some lovely lines. I based my monotypes on some life drawings I had done and I made tracings and reversed them and stuck each to the back of a piece of paper.
I used a Zercoll 145gsm which is a lovely creamy colour. Previously I’ve used Fabriano Academia 120gsm, acid-free cartridge paper and even acid-free tissue. I’ve never had good results from paper that’s heavy or textured. I put the paper face down onto the inked plate and I use a 2H pencil to draw deftly onto the back of the paper and then use an HB to go over key lines that I want to emphasise, keeping the pencils very sharp. You have to be VERY careful not to lean on the paper or rub it in any way or there’ll be a dark patch. When you’ve finished, peel it off and there it is! Easy peasy. And you can use the tracing again and again.
And now I’ve got mucky hands.
scribblah 
We call this trace transfer monotyping in the US. Amazed at the delicacy of line you achieve!
I use this technique in my monoprint series-I use a juicier blend of inks–I like the drypoint-like fuzzy line, usually. Now, I’m going to practice a thinner inking–maybe a combo of light and heavy? Thanks! Something to mull over.
oo that sounds exciting – I’m a bit risk averse lol
I know about those mucky hands as mine are just as inky today with printing. Beautiful image and a fun technique. Thanks for sharing!
Thank you paperstew – glad I’m not the only one with Zombie hands lol
Oh, how I miss printmaking! Absolutely wonderful.
Thanks 😀 You can do monotyping like this without a press. A cheap roller will do. Good luck
Woah! Nice! 😀
Thanks 😀