The word monoprint or monotype refers to the size of the print edition--one print. The process may involve any of the traditional or contemporary printmaking processes or a combination of them.

Monoprint as a printmaking technique often refers to a process of painting directly on a plate of plexiglass, metal or wood, then laying paper on the plate and printing either by hand or in a press. This process produces one-of-a-kind prints because the exact hand-produced brush stroke cannot be duplicated. A wide variety of techniques are available to monoprinters, some of which are described in the National Museum of American Art online exhibition on monoprinting.

Monoprinter George Woodward would probably tell you that the theme of the art work is at least as important as the technique, if not more so. His passionate interest in conservation has led him to create a series of monoprints about men and wolves. He has created a questionnaire which you can cut and paste into an e-mail message to him after viewing his monoprint on line.

"Imagine that you want to make a print using two figures: a wolf and a
human. You want to express the idea that animals and humans are
connected in one 'web of life.' You’ve decided to use a wolf as a
symbol for all wild animals. Some further decisions about your print
are listed here as questions. What would you decide?"

1. Should the human be a man ? a woman ? why ?

2. Should the wolf be a female or a male ? why ?

3. What race should the human be ? why ? (could you make an image of a human and not indicate a race ?)

4. What race / variety should the wolf be ? a white arctic wolf ? a
dark timber wolf ? a red Mexican wolf ? some other variety ?

5. Would your wolf and human be idealized ? or realistic ? young, or old? ?

6. Should the human be clothed ? why ? if clothed, then according to what era and country ?

7. Should the human be naked ? why or why not?

8. Should the wolf be larger in scale than the human ? smaller ? should they be the same scale ? why ?

9. Should the two of them tell or suggest a story ? What story would they tell ?

10. Would you show one figure above the other? If so, would it seem "superior" to the other, more important? should they be side by side, implying equality?

11. Are you making your print just for your own pleasure, or do you want other people to find meaning in it ?

19. When you use an image of a wolf or of a human in your print, are you somehow accountable to wolves and humans for how you show them ?

Please e-mail your answers to George Woodward at anngeo@pacbell.net