Monotype Transfer Printing

This simple method of printing which can be done without a press, can give stunning and characterful results, you can do this at the kitchen table.

You will need

• Printing ink (oil based) I use Caligo Safewash Etching Ink which is brilliant as it can be cleaned up with soap and water and washes out of clothes.
• A plate to ink up (smaller than the paper you are going to be using). This can be made of a thin sheet of rigid plastic, rhenalon, perspex or even the stiff paper of a glossy magazine cover.
• Some paper (simple A4 printing paper with suffice at the start) It can't be too thick.
• Something to roll the ink out onto (I use an old wall tile) but you could use the front of an old glossy magazine 
• A roller (mine is an inexpensive hard rubber roller found in craft stores)
• Various type of pencil soft and hard, sharpened or blunt

Before you start it's important to remember that printmaking takes practice - there are lots of contributing factors - the paper you use, the ink, how the ink is rolled out, the temperature of the room, the type of lines you draw. Treat your first attempts as practice and a chance to learn what's what. 
REMEMBER YOUR PRINT WILL BE MIRROR IMAGE TO YOUR PENCIL DRAWING
You can draw portraits, patterns, landscape - anything you want - its up to you
Try using different pressure for light and dark tones, using lines in one direction only, cross hatch and so on

A little too much ink on the plate here - I have had to draw into it to get back some subtlety

This one is successful I think because there is lovely contrast in tone and spontaneity in the drawing

I love the soft lines reminiscent of dry point, and the random imprint from the plate - it all adds to the character and atmosphere of the drawing

Just experiment with lines and patterns, light dark and mid tones (varying pressure with the pencil)
These are some done at a recent drop in workshop with coloured ink

 
Here is a link to a very basic video tutorial

https://youtu.be/cD6JMgSimkc

And here are written instructions to refer back to
Roll out the Ink
Place a very small quantity of printing ink onto your wall tile. The aim now is to cover the roller with an even layer of ink and you do this by repeatedly rolling into the ink, lifting your roller each time so that it spins round (this ensures an even coating).

Ink up your plate
Place your plate on a sheet of newspaper and using the inky roller cover the plate with an even coat of ink. This time don't let the roller  spin round too much and change the direction you roll in every now and then. The ink should be very thin, but even. It helps if your plate is transparent because then you can hold it up to the light to check it.

Draw Your Image
Remember your printed image will be mirror image to the one that you draw.
When the plate is ready move it to a clean surface PICK IT UP BY THE EDGES ONLY to avoid fingerprints and place it INKY SIDE UP.
Place your sheet of paper on top of the plate. Try to place it so that the plate is central to the paper.
DON'T SMOOTH IT DOWN (surprising how many people instinctively do this) AND AVOID TOUCHING THE SURFACE OF THE PAPER  WHILST DRAWING (to avoid transferring fingerprints onto your drawing) How may times have I done this? LOADS! 

Feel carefully for the corners of your plate and mark them with a small dot so that you know where to draw your image.
Now draw your image - you can experiment with hard and soft pencils and different density of marks. Your drawing can be spontaneous or carefully planned and traced out.

Pull the Print
When you have finished your drawing hold the plate carefully with your finger in one corner and pull the paper off the plate from the diagonally opposite corner . You can have sneak peak like this as long as you are holding the plate steady and you can put the paper back down to draw onto again if you are unhappy with any areas of the print.