Get Messy with Monoprinting: Fun Techniques for Expressive Art

Hello, my colourful friends! Welcome back to the blog where we celebrate all things joyful, spotty, and wonderfully imperfect. Today, we're diving into one of my absolute favourite art-making processes: monoprinting! If you’ve ever looked at a print and thought, "That's too technical for me," then monoprinting is your perfect gateway. It’s the rebellious, free-spirited cousin of printmaking. Why? Because, as the name suggests, mono means one. You create a one-of-a-kind, singular print that can never be perfectly replicated. It’s all about texture, surprise, and embracing the happy accident!

So, toss the pressure out the window, put on your favourite polka-dotted apron, and let’s get messy!

Leaf Monoprint - August 25 by HappyPolka

What in the World is a Monoprint?

Simply put, you paint or draw on a smooth surface (like a gel plate or even a piece of plexiglass), and then you press paper onto it to transfer the image. The result is a unique print with soft edges, beautiful blends, and a dreamy quality that’s hard to achieve with a brush alone.

Your Simple Supply List to Get Started with Monoprinting

You don't need a fancy studio! Here’s the basic toolkit:

• A Plate: A Gelli Plate is the gold standard for fun—it's gelatin-based and so forgiving! No Gelli Plate? A piece of plexiglass, a sturdy plastic lid, or even a smooth ceramic tile will work.

• Paint: Acrylic paint is your best friend here. Have a few of your happiest colours ready!

• Paper: Almost any paper will work! Printer paper, sketchbook paper, watercolour paper, or even pages from an old book.

• Brayer: This little roller helps spread your paint evenly.

• Fun Mark-Makers: This is where the magic happens! Gather things like:

  · Cotton swabs & cotton balls

  · Hand-cut stencils (polka dots, of course!)

  · Textured fabrics (lace, burlap)

  · Leaves with nice veins

  · Combs, old gift cards for scraping

Fun & Easy Techniques to Try Today

1. The Simple & Sweet Positive Pull

This is the classic method and a great place to start:

• Use your brayer to roll a thin, even layer of paint onto your plate.

• Now, take your mark-makers and create your design directly into the paint. Draw a flower with a cotton swab, lay a lace doily down, or press a leaf into the paint.

• Gently lay your paper over the top and smooth it down with your hands.

• Peel it back like you’re revealing a secret… and voilà! You’ll have a beautiful print where your drawing appears as the colour of the paper, surrounded by paint.

2. The Ghostly & Glorious Ghost Print

Don’t you dare clean that plate after your first print! You’ve just created the perfect setup for a "ghost print."

• After you’ve pulled your first print, you’ll see a faint, leftover image on the plate.

• Take a fresh piece of paper and press it down. The print you get will be softer, more ethereal, and unique. It’s a bonus piece of art for free! I often love my ghost prints even more than the first.

3. The Direct & Daring Draw-and-Smush

This one feels incredibly playful and direct.

• Instead of rolling a flat layer, use a brush or your fingers to dab and smear blobs of different colored paints directly onto your plate. Don’t overmix!

• While the paint is still wet, gently press your paper onto the plate. Don’t slide it!

• Carefully lift it. You’ll get a gorgeous, marbled, expressive blend of colours that is completely unrepeatable. It’s a fantastic way to create vibrant backgrounds for other art projects.

Embrace the Happy Accidents

The number one rule of monoprinting? There are no mistakes! A smudge becomes texture. A fingerprint adds character. A "failed" print can be cut up for collage. It’s all part of the process.

So, my friends, I hope this inspires you to grab some paint and play. Monoprinting is less about a perfect product and more about the joyful, tactile experience of creating. It’s a wonderful way to loosen up, express yourself, and fill your world with one-of-a-kind beauty.

Now go ahead, get messy and create something wonderful. Of course, look out for more information here.

With love and colourful splatters x