Several months ago I had the opportunity to try making monoprints. It was great fun, and I could see potential in the method. I promised myself I would try to gain a better knowledge of the medium, and bought some basic materials. My initial attempts were quite promising, but I had to lay aside this work because of other commitments. Today the decks were sufficiently clear for me to get out the kit once more and have another go.
I am rather disappointed with the results, which are (if anything) less impressive than my former attempts. The first image I produced I realised that I had left too much ink on the plate, and the second (you guessed it!) there was too little. I realised in retrospect that I had promised myself that I would attempt to get a greater variety in the character of the lines, but ran out of time before I could rise to that level of sophistication.
The effort has not been without its reward, in that I believe that I am now back at the stage of reminding myself of the things I once knew. Tomorrow afternoon I have earmarked for a return to the fray. I still have in my imagination that sense of what might be possible here, and I will not give up without a struggle. Even so, it is clear that this is harder than it looks. As my wife will tell you, one of my personal characteristics is persistence.
I have been struck with the contrast between this encounter with mono printing and the experience of finishing the two pieces in acrylic paint on which I have been working recently. Generally speaking the image with which I have ended up has matched pretty well that which was in my imagination when I set out. I do need to tell myself that I have been painting for quite a few years now, and it should not be surprising that I cannot produce immediately a similar level of work in an entirely new medium.