Monoprinting for Beginners: Pull Your First Print in Under an Hour

December 9, 2025

Written by: The Art Noise Team

The Art Noise Team shares practical guides on art materials, studio workflow, and techniques, written for working artists and beginners alike. Our content is grounded in day-to-day conversations with artists in Kingston, Ontario, and focuses on helping you choose supplies with confidence.

Monoprinting is the fastest way to get the “printmaking magic” without a press or a big setup.
This guide walks you through a simple first print, shows you how to fix common issues, and gives a few easy variations for kids, students, and creatives.
You will also get a realistic materials checklist, time estimates, and “make it easier” shortcuts for busy days.

Printmaking Paper Printmaking Ink

Monoprinting basics, what it is and what you need

Monoprinting is a type of printmaking where you pull a single, one-of-a-kind print from a smooth “plate” (your inky surface). Instead of carving a block or exposing a screen, you paint or roll ink on the plate, add marks or textures, then transfer it to paper with steady pressure.

Quick shortcut: If you are adding/adjusting the image on the plate each time, you are making monoprints. If your plate starts mostly blank and you build the image fresh for one pull, many artists call that a monotype. In real life, both fit the same beginner workflow.

Start here: If you want a browseable overview of inks, paper, and tools, open Printmaking Supplies. If you want a refresher on the major printmaking families, bookmark Printmaking 101.

Beginner materials checklist (choose the “smallest workable” version)

Plate: a smooth, non-porous surface (acrylic sheet, a washable cafeteria tray, or a sturdy plastic cutting mat). If you use glass, tape the edges and keep it adult-only.
Ink or paint: water-based printing ink from Printing Ink, or acrylic paint (a student set is fine for first tests, see Art Noise Student Acrylics).
Roller: a brayer helps you get an even layer (browse printmaking tools in Lino Block Printing if you want options).
Paper: start with sturdier printmaking or drawing paper, see Printmaking Paper, or pick a pad from Paper and Pads for practice pulls.
Texture tools: scrap lace, a leaf, bubble wrap, corrugated cardboard, a cotton swab, or the back of a spoon.
Clean-up: paper towel, a little dish soap, and a shallow water tray, plus an apron or old shirt.

Time, budget, and age range

Time: plan 45–60 minutes for your first session, including set-up and clean-up. Once you know the rhythm, you can pull 3–5 prints in about 30 minutes.

Budget: you can start with what you have, then upgrade one piece at a time (a brayer plus a couple ink colours is a practical first upgrade).

Age range: kids can absolutely help if the plate is stable and the “lifting” step is supervised. A good split is: kids choose textures and press with a spoon, adults handle rolling ink and lifting the print.

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Your first monoprint, a 45-minute kitchen-table plan

This plan assumes a small plate (around letter size) and one colour to start. Your goal is a clean pull and a repeatable setup, not perfection.

Set up a “dry zone” and a “wet zone”. Tape down two sheets of scrap paper or newsprint as a work mat, then place your plate on the wet zone and your clean paper stack on the dry zone. You should be able to reach everything without sliding the plate around, because plate drift is the easiest way to cause smears.
Prep paper with a quick corner guide. Tear or cut 2–3 sheets to the same size, then make an L-shaped corner guide from scrap cardstock and tape it down. When you place your printing paper into the corner, it should land in the same spot each time, avoid “eyeballing it” on your first session because that almost always leads to a doubled image.
Roll a thin, even ink layer. Place a small bead of ink or paint on the plate (about the size of a pea to a grape), then roll it out with light pressure until you see an even sheen. If you hear loud sticky ripping sounds, you likely have too much ink, roll it thinner before you add any design.
Add a simple design with one texture. Lay one texture item (leaf, lace, bubble wrap) onto the inked plate and press lightly so it contacts the surface, then lift it straight up. You should see a clear texture “ghost” in the ink, with some areas lighter where ink was removed.
Place paper and press in one consistent direction. Drop your paper into the corner guide, then press from the centre outward with the flat of your hand for 10–15 seconds. Finish by burnishing with the back of a spoon in small circles for another 30–45 seconds, you should feel the paper grab slightly as it makes full contact.
Lift the print slowly, like opening a book. Hold one edge down, then peel the paper back steadily from one corner to the opposite corner. If you lift straight up quickly you are more likely to smear wet ink across the surface.
Do a second pull (a “ghost print”). Without adding more ink, place a fresh sheet in the corner guide and repeat the press. The second print should be lighter and more delicate, which is perfect for layering later.

Make it easier (busy-day shortcuts that still work)

Limit yourself to one colour plus white paper for the first session, then add a second colour next time.
Use a smaller plate (postcard size) so you can pull a satisfying print in 10 minutes.
Pre-tear paper to size and store it with your corner guide so you skip measuring.
If rolling evenly is frustrating, start by “painting” ink on with a foam brush, then roll lightly just to level it.
Assign kid roles: texture picker, timer starter (30 seconds), and “press helper” with a spoon.
Keep one “test strip” of scrap paper beside you and do a tiny pull each time you change anything.

If you want a ready-to-go roller, here is one example brayer: Speedball 4-inch brayer. If you want a straightforward water-based ink option to start with, see: Impressions Block Printing Ink (Iridescent Gold).

Troubleshooting, quick fixes when a print goes sideways

Most beginner problems come from three things: too much ink, paper shifting, or uneven pressure. Use the fixes below, then change one variable at a time.

Patchy print (missing areas): Add pressure where it is light by burnishing longer (30–60 seconds) and pressing from the centre outward. Next time, roll ink a touch thinner but more evenly, patchiness is often uneven rolling rather than “not enough ink”.
Muddy colour (everything turns brown/grey): Clean the plate fully between colours, then limit your palette to two colours that mix pleasantly. If you want multiple colours, apply them in separate zones on the plate and avoid over-rolling once colours touch.
Smudges at the edges: Tape down your corner guide more securely and avoid sliding paper once it touches ink. If you need to reposition, lift the paper fully and reset, do not drag it.
Blobby, thick texture: You have too much ink, roll out until the surface looks satiny rather than puddled. A good cue is: you should not see raised ridges that hold their shape.
Paper sticks to the plate: You may be using too much paint, or the paint is drying tacky. Work faster, use a slightly heavier paper, and reduce the ink film thickness.
Texture does not show up: Press the texture item more firmly for 3–5 seconds, then lift straight up. Try a higher-contrast texture like corrugated cardboard or bubble wrap for your first tests.

Make it easier next time (set-up tweaks)

Keep a damp cloth in a shallow tray so you can wipe the plate quickly between pulls.
Use printmaking paper for cleaner transfers, then switch to cheaper pads for practice, see Printmaking Paper.
Choose inks from one family for consistency (browse Printing Ink), then expand once you know what you like.
For sharper results, switch from hand pressure to a baren later, you can find printmaking tools in Lino Block Printing.
Write your “winning settings” on a sticky note (ink amount, press time, paper type) and store it with your supplies.

Next steps, simple projects, and where to go deeper

Once you can pull one clean print and one ghost print, you are ready for fun projects that feel finished without taking all afternoon.

Three easy projects (pick one today)

Mini print series (3 prints): Pull one full-strength print, one ghost print, then re-ink and pull a third with one new texture. Mount them as a set, you will learn more from three related prints than from one “perfect” print.
Monoprinted greeting cards: Print on slightly heavier paper, let it dry fully, then trim and fold into simple cards. A light ghost print makes a great background for a pen drawing.
Layered abstract: Do a light first layer (ghost print), let it dry until it is no longer cool to the touch, then add a second layer with a stencil or bold texture.

Kid-friendly script (keeps the chaos low)

Try saying: “We only touch the plate with tools, not fingers. When the timer beeps, we press for 30 seconds, then we lift together slowly.” This makes the process predictable and prevents the most common kid-smear moment.

If you want a guided plan

For a short, structured sprint, use Printmaking Art Ideas: a 7-day challenge. If you want in-person learning options, browse Art Classes Kingston.

If you are shopping supplies online, you can always start with Printmaking Supplies, then jump to Printmaking Paper and Printing Ink once you know your preferred workflow. For store details, see About Art Noise, and for policy details see Shipping Policy and Refund Policy.