process

Monotype
Monotype printing is a process that develops one-of-a-kind, unique pieces of original art. Typically, oil based etching ink is applied to a blank metal or Plexiglas plate with rollers and brushes in thin layers. Once the image is complete, the inked plate is placed face-up on the bed of a high pressure etching press and a sheet of damp printing paper is placed on top of it. They are both run through the press together with enough pressure to transfer the inked image on to the paper. Since the blank plate had nothing on it to begin with, only one original print can be created from the plate by this method as almost all of the ink is transferred to the paper, leaving no image on the plate. Colors and images can also be gradually built up on a single piece of paper by using multiple plates repositioning the work in progress on each subsequent plate in a layering manner. Monotype printmaking combines the best of painting and printing techniques in a spontaneous medium that allows deep, rich hues and tones to be developed.

Etching
Traditionally, etching is an intaglio printing process in which a smooth metal (usually copper, zinc or steel) plate is covered with a ground (waxy coating)which is resistant to acid. The artist then scratches off the ground with a pointed etching needle where he wants a mark to appear in the finished piece, exposing the bare metal. One the image area is complete, the plate is dipped in a bath of acid, which "bites" into the exposed metal, leaving behind pitted areas in the plate that can hold ink. The remaining ground is then cleaned off the plate, leaving a smooth surface that will not hold ink in the sections that were protected by the wax. The plate is inked all over, and then the ink wiped off the surface with a stiff cloth, leaving ink only in the etched, pitted areas. The plate is then placed face-up and run through a high pressure etching press with a sheet of damp printing paper placed on top of it. They are both run through the press together with enough pressure to transfer the inked image on to the paper and leave an outline of the outer edges of the plate in the paper. Because the image is permanently bitten into the metal, this process can be repeated, although only a limited number of times before the plate must be retired. Because of environmental and health concerns, all of the etched plates created by Laura Deem were made in a non-toxic, copper sulphate etching bath.

Encaustic
The word encaustic is derived from the Greek word “enkaustikos” meaning “to burn in.” Encaustic painting involves using molten wax (mostly beeswax, resin, and pigment) that is applied to a surface like wood, canvas or heavy mat board and fused with a heating element such as an iron. Greek artists were painting with encaustic as long ago as the 5th century BC. Because wax is an excellent preservative of materials, the Greeks applied coatings of wax and resin to weatherproof their ships. Pigmenting the wax gave rise to the decorating of warships. Encaustic has a long history, but it is as versatile as any 20th century medium. It can be polished to a high gloss, it can be modeled, sculpted and textured. Using the encaustic medium as an adhesive, a variety of materials can be encased or collaged onto the surface. Wax is a very sensuous, tactile, versatile material. Its inherent cloudy nature provides a diffusion of the materials underneath in a way that maximizes subtlety and its strong preservative nature makes it an unusual, long lasing medium.