Monoprinting is a lovely technique that allows printmakers to be spontaneous, painterly and experimental. This simple monoprint project produces beautiful delicate prints using a piece of scrim and an etching press.
![](https://blog.handprinted.co.uk/images/blog/Monoprint%20Scrim/scrim%20022%20500.jpg)
Begin with a piece of perpex, a plastic inking plate or a sheet of drypoint plastic. use masking tape to tape off a rectangle on your perspex. If the plastic is transparent, place it over a cutting mat to get straight edges and right angles.
![](https://blog.handprinted.co.uk/images/blog/Monoprint%20Scrim/scrim%20001%20500.jpg)
Cut a piece of scrim to fit inside the masking taped area.
![](https://blog.handprinted.co.uk/images/blog/Monoprint%20Scrim/scrim%20002%20500.jpg)
Pull away threads from the scrim to fray the edges.
![](https://blog.handprinted.co.uk/images/blog/Monoprint%20Scrim/scrim%20003%20500.jpg)
Manipulate the fibres to create gathers and holes.
![](https://blog.handprinted.co.uk/images/blog/Monoprint%20Scrim/scrim%20004%20500.jpg)
Roll out an even layer of ink. We are using Akua Intaglio Ink – a mix of Carbon Black and Phthalo Blue and rolling out with a Hawthorn Roller.
![](https://blog.handprinted.co.uk/images/blog/Monoprint%20Scrim/scrim%20005%20500.jpg)
![](https://blog.handprinted.co.uk/images/blog/Monoprint%20Scrim/scrim%20006%20500.jpg)
Peel the masking tape away. Lay the scrim on top of the inked up area. Carry the perspex over to the etching press. Lay a piece of paper on top – we are using Snowdon (dry, not dampened) and cover with blankets.
![](https://blog.handprinted.co.uk/images/blog/Monoprint%20Scrim/scrim%20007%20500.jpg)
Put the print sandwich through the press. The first print taken from this sandwich gives us a sold background and a white area where the scrim has acted as a mask.
![](https://blog.handprinted.co.uk/images/blog/Monoprint%20Scrim/scrim%20008%20500.jpg)
Carefully peel the scrim from the perspex.
![](https://blog.handprinted.co.uk/images/blog/Monoprint%20Scrim/scrim%20009%20500.jpg)
We can now print with the ink that remains on the perspex by placing it back on the print bed with paper on top.
![](https://blog.handprinted.co.uk/images/blog/Monoprint%20Scrim/scrim%20013%20500.jpg)
![](https://blog.handprinted.co.uk/images/blog/Monoprint%20Scrim/scrim%20014%20500.jpg)
Lay the scrim ink side up on a clean sheet of perspex (clean the original sheet or use a second sheet the same depth as the first so your press pressure remains consistent).
![](https://blog.handprinted.co.uk/images/blog/Monoprint%20Scrim/scrim%20010%20500.jpg)
Lay a piece of paper on top, cover with blankets and run through the press. You should be left with a delicate print from the scrim.
![](https://blog.handprinted.co.uk/images/blog/Monoprint%20Scrim/scrim%20011%20500.jpg)
![](https://blog.handprinted.co.uk/images/blog/Monoprint%20Scrim/scrim%20012%20500.jpg)
We can also create two colour prints. Instead of printing the scrim by itself on a clean piece of perspex, we can lay it on top of a rolled out rectangle in another colour.
To do this, repeat the steps above by re-inking the perspex in the first colour and putting it through the press with scrim on top. This will ink up the scrim. Clean the perspex (or use a fresh piece) and roll out a second colour.
![](https://blog.handprinted.co.uk/images/blog/Monoprint%20Scrim/scrim%20015%20500.jpg)
Place the scrim on top with the inky side facing up.
![](https://blog.handprinted.co.uk/images/blog/Monoprint%20Scrim/scrim%20016%20500.jpg)
Cover with paper and put through the press.
![](https://blog.handprinted.co.uk/images/blog/Monoprint%20Scrim/scrim%20017%20500%202.jpg)
![](https://blog.handprinted.co.uk/images/blog/Monoprint%20Scrim/scrim%20018%20500.jpg)
We can take another print from the perspex once the scrim has been peeled off…
![](https://blog.handprinted.co.uk/images/blog/Monoprint%20Scrim/scrim%20019%20500.jpg)
…and we can print with the orange side of the scrim.
![](https://blog.handprinted.co.uk/images/blog/Monoprint%20Scrim/scrim%20020%20500.jpg)
![](https://blog.handprinted.co.uk/images/blog/Monoprint%20Scrim/scrim%20021%20500.jpg)
![](https://blog.handprinted.co.uk/images/blog/Monoprint%20Scrim/scrim%20022%20500.jpg)
To make your own scrim monoprint you will need:
- Etching Press
- Sheet of perspex, Inking Plate or sheet of Drypoint Plastic
- Akua Intaglio Ink
- Roller
- Paper to print on such as Snowdon
- Scrim