5 week Monoprinting with Jemma Gunning
Monoprinting is one of the most playful and immediate forms of printmaking. Unlike other print processes, no two prints are ever the same, making it a brilliant way to experiment, loosen up, and let unexpected results guide your creativity. It sits at the intersection of drawing, painting, and printmaking, encouraging spontaneity and allowing you to work freely with mark-making, texture, and colour.
Over 5 weeks, artist-printmaker Jemma Gunning will introduce you to a wide range of monoprinting techniques using an etching press. Each session will focus on a different process, giving you the opportunity to build skills and confidence while developing your own body of work.
Course outline
Week 1 – Trace Monoprinting A perfect introduction to monoprinting. We’ll explore how to use pressure and drawing to create expressive line-based images, ideal for working directly from sketches, photos, or imagination.
Week 2 – Subtractive Monoprinting Learn how to work with inked surfaces by wiping, scratching, and lifting away areas to reveal light and texture, creating atmospheric and painterly results.
Week 3 – Stencil Monoprinting Experiment with layering shapes, silhouettes, and patterns using paper stencils. We’ll play with colour, layering, and composition to build bold and dynamic prints.
Week 4 – Watercolour Monoprinting Combine painting with printmaking by applying water-based paints to plates, then transferring them to paper. This process produces delicate, fluid marks and surprising tonal effects.
Week 5 – Personal Project & Combining Processes Bring together everything you’ve learnt. In this final session, you’ll have time to experiment, mix techniques, and create a series of prints that reflect your own ideas and style. Jemma will support you in refining your approach and developing a small collection of work to take away.
Who is it for?
This course is suitable for beginners looking for an accessible and exciting introduction to printmaking, as well as for artists who want to refresh their skills, loosen up, and explore monoprinting as part of their creative practice.