Additive and Reductive Monotypes

"Egon Schiele Portrait" (8" h x 6" w, plus a wide border)

Hello again! Yesterday's post concerned reductive monotypes, called "reductive" because you reduce the ink from the plate. In today's post I will show you some additive monotypes, which are more like normal painting -- you add ink to the plate like you're painting on canvas. Otherwise, the procedure is just like yesterday's. Above is an example of an additive monotype.

To apply the etching ink, which is very thick, I used stiff bristle brushes mostly (oil paint brushes). You can use anything that works. If you'd rather make the ink easier to apply, you can thin it out with Miracle Gel Reducer, or try water-based relief ink instead of etching ink, which is thinner and cleans up easier.

Below I'm inserting a couple more examples of additive monotypes to show you how different they can look. The first is tiny; only a couple inches high, called Home at Dusk; the second is 6" x 8" and called "Turner Storm" because my friends think it looks like a JMW Turner painting.