Portraits

A unique type of print that is often painterly in effect. It is made by applying printing ink or paint to a flat sheet of metal, glass, or plastic. The painted image is transferred to paper either by manually rubbing or using a press. Mediums are applied to the plate using two different methods. In the additive, or “light-field,” technique, ink or paint is applied directly to the plate, often with a brush.

In the subtractive, or “dark-field,” technique, the plate is covered with a layer of ink or paint, and the image is formed by manipulating and removing the ink or paint using a variety of tools, including brushes, whatever, artist’s fingers. Each plate typically yields one monotype, but subsequent pulls called ghost prints can be made from the residual mediums on the plate.