Monoprinting with Rubber Stamps

Here’s a fun way to incorporate rubber stamped images with monoprinting!

1. Stamp an image onto a Post-it® Note.
   IMPORTANT: Make sure part of your stamped image is over the sticky part.
2. Cut out the Post-it® stamped image. This is your mask.
3. Stamp the same image on your printing paper.
4. Align the mask over the stamped image on your printing paper to cover it
   completely — and press to adhere.
5. Apply paint to your Gelli® plate with a brayer or soft paintbrush. At this point,
   you can add pattern to the paint with various texture tools.
6. Place your printing paper onto the Gelli® plate, rub to transfer the paint — and
   pull your print.
7. Remove the mask to reveal your stamped image.

INFO and TIPS:

• Use a stamp pad if your rubber stamp is a detailed image. StazOn® (Tsukineko), Archival Ink™ (Ranger), VersaFine™ (Tsukineko), Distress Ink (Ranger) and Colorbox® Fluid Chalk Inkpad (Clearsnap) are among my favorites. Use the inks you like best!
• For bold or solid rubber stamp images and hand carved stamps you can apply acrylic paint to the stamp with a brayer or cosmetic sponge. Be sure to clean any acrylic paint off your stamp right away. Or try water-based printing inks, such as Speedball® block printing ink.
• Cut your mask just inside the stamped image to avoid a halo effect on your print.
• Stamp and cut a mask for each image you’re using on your printing paper.
• Instead of Post-it® Notes, you can use low-tack frisket (a thin, clear film with removable adhesive) — such as Grafix Frisket Film — a product made for airbrushing. Or, stamp your image on thin paper, cut out your image, and apply double-sided removable tape to the back of the mask.
• After you remove masks from your print, stick them on a piece of paper — and save to use again!
• Sometimes a mask will stick to the plate, so carefully remove it.
• You can stamp multiple images on the same print and mask each image.

Using stamps and masks this way adds another creative dimension to monoprinting! Try it — and have fun!