Editing Monotyping (section)

{{Short description|Planographic artistic printing process}}
{{Redirect2|Monotype|Monotypes|the type foundry|Monotype Imaging|other uses|Monotype (disambiguation)}}

[[File:Antoon Sallaert - Mythological Scene with Apollo, Fame, and the Muses.jpg|thumb|330px|''Mythological scene with Apollo, Fame, and the Muses'' by [[Antoon Sallaert]]]]

'''Monotyping''' is a type of [[printmaking]] made by [[drawing]] or [[painting]] on a smooth, non-absorbent surface. The surface, or [[matrix (printing)|matrix]], was historically a copper etching plate, but in contemporary work it can vary from zinc or glass to [[acrylic glass]].  The image is then transferred onto a [[paper]] by pressing the two together, using a [[printing-press]], [[brayer]], [[Baren (printing tool)|baren]] or by techniques such as rubbing with the back of a wooden spoon or the fingers which allow pressure to be controlled selectively. Monotypes can also be created by inking an entire surface and then, using [[brush]]es or rags, removing ink to create a subtractive image, e.g. creating lights from a field of opaque colour. The inks used may be oil or water-based. With oil-based inks, the paper may be dry, in which case the image has more contrast, or the paper may be damp, in which case the image has a 10 percent greater range of tones.

Monotyping produces a unique print, or monotype; most of the ink is removed during the initial pressing. Although subsequent reprintings are sometimes possible, they differ greatly from the first print and are generally considered inferior.
These prints from the original plate are called "ghost prints." A print made by pressing a new print onto another surface, effectively making the print into a plate, is called a "cognate". [[Stencil]]s, [[watercolor]], [[solvent]]s, [[brushes]], and other tools are often used to embellish a monotype print. Monotypes can be spontaneously executed and with no previous [[sketch (drawing)|sketch]].