Elevate Your Mono Prints

iprintedthat
Apr 26
2 min read

Updated: 4 days ago

Colour makes all the difference.

I’m always amazed at how a different colourway can completely change a repeat pattern’s look, feel, or use — even how much you like it. I remember a talk on William Morris’ patterns and how, in the 1970s, Honeysuckle was reimagined in psychedelic colours. That one shift took it from your granny’s cushion covers to an on-trend, 70s statement — bold, vibrant and totally transformed.

Even something as simple as switching the colours around, like in this month’s PRINT CLUB tutorial, can elevate a simple mono print. It becomes something new.

Artists who changed it up

In the last few months, I’ve visited two exhibitions where artists chose coloured paper over the standard white — and the results really made a difference.

Turner: first, in January, by pure chance I found myself in Edinburgh when some of Turner’s watercolours were on display. The collection was bequeathed by the British art collector Henry Vaughan with the stipulation that it should only be shown in January - so the light wouldn’t fade the paintings - and always free to the public. One painting in particular, Sunset over Petworth Park, Sussex, really caught my eye. The scene was painted on a dark blue paper with gouache and strong watercolour highlights. The effect was striking — the colour of the paper added real depth and mood.

Renaissance Artsist: the second was a visit to the King’s Gallery, next to Buckingham Palace, to see sketches by Renaissance artists including da Vinci, Raphael, Michelangelo etc. Many used mid-tone coloured paper in blues and rusty browns which, when paired with white chalk and charcoal, allowed them to work quickly between light and shadow. It’s such a simple technique, but so effective.

Print tutorial

It got me thinking. I love a black-on-white print… so why not flip it and try white-on-black?

And do you know what? I think I rather like it.

This is a lovely, simple print project for when your short on time — perfect for making the most of all that fresh, lush spring growth. I’ve put together a quick video showing how to get a couple of different leaf prints. The second print has lots of detail while the first can be worked into further with neons and metallics to really make it pop.