Is It a Collagraph or a Monoprint?

Mono print of a maple leaf quilt block
2nd inking of the block

Mono print of the maple leaf quilt block
3rd inking of the block

Collagraph print with manipulated ink

Collagrpah print with black ink

I am still working with collagraphs but moving into mono printing.
It takes a lot of trial and error to develop the print quality you are looking for in a collagrpah print.
That's why you might see so many images of the same plate on my instagram page.
And believe me, I am not posting all of them!

But this is one of the benefits of printmaking that involves a plate.
You can really work with it, manipulate it and develop nuances with each print.
And, you can carry that further if you add mixed media enhancements like colored pencil, watercolor
or collage to the print.

Mono printing doesn't involve a plate that has the same permanent imagery or elements on it, but
rather offers the artist the opportunity to create variations of elements by working and reworking
the original design on the plate.  The quilt block prints above are,  to my mind, in between collagraph printing
and monoprinting.  There was no plate, just the fabric quit block, which allowed me to repeat
 the imagery.  I can only go so far with this as the fabric becomes soaked and imbedded with ink.
But it offers that same quality of showing the stitching and threads that I would get if it had been mounted
on a board and used as a true collagraph.

There is lots more here to explore.

www.claremurrayadams.com
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