Studio: international art (32.1904)

The Art of Monotyping

T

HE ART OF MONO-
TYPING. BY A. HENRY
FULLWOOD.

In an interesting and admirably illus-
trated article by Mr. Edward Ertz in The
Studio for August, 1902, he gave some
of the technicalities of the above process.
a"^P^ffWI^HPjpi^ BbXBYvI|(SbH ^ew additional remarks based upon

^B^^jj^^BS^WW^'-^Br^^^B^^B ... my own experiences may be of interest

Hp t0 th°se intending to experiment in this

-SB fascinating medium.

BjtfBH.;'' **' It seems to me that the only excuse

' ■ ' *''«• •„•.. ; •' •' for monotyping is the quality and beau-

''-^—HB^B^^BHk''' ,' tiful texture obtained through the medium

Jl& IBBBBbBVBH of the paper used in printing or taking

j^Jp^ff'.''' BJB ^^Hj^M^Pfiyflraj ■ ■■ ■ off the impression of the oil painting, and

^•'■jWpB^' tB considerable experience is required in

■^BS^I^p\ !'^^| order to ascertain what kind of paper

'jJB^Sm^'' ^%ar' will suit the effect of the work in hand.

;;Jw^j^BN^' Thus, some effects will be reproduced

, ' " better by using blotting-paper, Japanese

- v .'■■St "" ^* \ or Chinese or India papers. The latter

'"'£fTt^^^^7t^f''. 1 have found most suitable for general

\ifitrhn^*'j&' \<^Bjte'}.« work, for it possesses a texture admirably

I^HJBbPI^, suited for producing a quality unobtain-

BBHKp^E^j»-^'V' "I-**^ ' $ able by the use of any other paper. Then

some papers require very little damping,
. .hjBK.WJwaSTy.• an(j may even be used dry, as with the

"LE CHIFFONNIER" FROM THE PASTEL BY J. F. RAFFAELL. thin JaPaneSe Thick dotting-

paper is suitable for heavy effects, and
must be fairly damp all through—the

The rare qualities of individuality, independence, best plan being to damp it the day before using,

frankness, and observation which we admire in and to keep several sheets under pressure together.

M. Raffaelli's paintings are to be found, again, in But all this depends on the subject to be printed,

his pastels, which retain the decisive and somewhat and that is where judgment and experience are

popular aspect always to be traced in the artist's required.

works. Ever seeking that which is new, this Some people have an idea that the result of mono-
amiable jack-of-all-trades, who sculptures and typing is pure accident—that it may or may not
writes in the same masterly way as he paints, turn out something. This has not been my ex-
has now transformed himself into a learned perience, for much thought is necessary to obtain
chemist, and has found the philosopher's stone— anything like a result—just as much, in fact, as in
in other words, he has invented the oil crayon, any other branch of art. And it is not a more rapid
which preserves the caressing freshness of the process than oil or water-colour painting; for in
pastel, and has the further advantage that its traces addition to the production of the work, the printing
are not effaced by the slightest contact. The has to be done, and often, even when all the
reproductions now published in The Studio prove conditions of paper, etc., have been right, the
that M. Raffaelli is a pastellist of the first order, work is a failure. Consequently, the very greatest
Be his technique or his system what it may, one care is required throughout. To print the picture
may be confident that nothing commonplace, I find rubbing with an ivory paper-knife by far
nothing mediocre, will ever come from his studio, the best, since one is able to lift up the print
and that he will not cease to deserve the admira- in parts and give less or more pressure, and
tion of all true lovers of art. gradually get as much as possible out of the

Frantz Jourdain. work; whereas if a printing press is used with an

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