
"Spring Recital" ©2011 Marian Osher completed mixed-media monotype on painted canvas, 11" x 14"

Marian Osher printing a monotype on her etching press. photo by Julie Hipkins
In the beginning there is only a piece of frosted mylar that I coat with gum arabic. This becomes the printing plate. Sometimes I lay a pencil sketch under the translucent mylar. Next I turn on the music and draw and paint on the mylar until I am happy with the image. The image is transferred to dampened paper with my etching press. It is always exciting to pull up the paper from the plate
and see how the print has turned out! Next, I “put the print to bed” between layers of blotters under heavy books until the next day.
Now I have to decide which parts of the print will be raised and which lowered. Then I tape the monotype to a piece of acid free foam board and CUT THROUGH THE PRINT and the foam board with a mat knife for the raised layers. This is the scary part, because once I cut, I can’t turn back. (more…)