When I first started
experimenting with trace monotypes I used oil pastel to coat the back
of the image I wanted to trace. This image was usually an inkjet
printout.
Although now I'm not
too keen using oil pastels in the future – there is one major
advantage, they don't dry! I have an image I started tracing in the summer 2014 ready for my exhibition. I ran out of time on that
particular image so put it away and didn't bother with it. Anyway
recently, I did an experiment to see if I could carry on tracing nearly two years later. I was able to carry on as if I'd only begun the
previous day. So for a long term project that requires time and
patience then oil pastel would be an excellent choice. Once the image
is finished then it would need to be placed into a plastic sleeve or
in between 2 sheets of acetate to scan the image onto a computer for
editing and printing if required. The original should be framed with
a decent gap between the image and the glass as it will deposit marks on the glass. The examples below show what is possible using
oil pastel to create a trace monotype (the cat is a freehand monotype in oil pastel).
Some simple image editing is required to darken the image slightly as the originals look more like pencil drawings as they are fainter. You can also recolour the images if you wish on the computer.
------------------------------
At the moment I am
brushing up my painting and drawing skills (no pun intended) as I've
been doing a lot of trace monotypes and less freehand work. I work
mainly in acrylics and before I start painting I prefer to tone a
surface either canvas board or bits of cardboard (you don't have to
be so precious with bits of cardboard, especially if you are
practising). I find it difficult to paint onto a white or light grey
(cardboard) surface so I mix yellow ochre, burnt sienna and titanium
white actually on the surface whilst vigorously spreading with a
kitchen sponge (the small washing up ones with the scourer on the
back). You end up with a really warm coloured background to start
painting onto.
