monotype

/ˈmɑnəˌtaɪp/
noun
  1. A type of printmaking in which a picture is painted or drawn on a smooth surface and then transferred onto paper, creating a single unique print.
    • In art class, we learned how to make a monotype using a glass plate and ink.
    • She prefers monotype over other printmaking techniques because each print is one of a kind.
    • The artist created a beautiful monotype of a forest scene.
  2. A single print made by the monotype process.
    • Each monotype in the series has slightly different colors and textures.
    • The gallery displayed a rare monotype from the 19th century.
    • He sold his first monotype at the local art fair.
  3. A typesetting machine that casts individual metal letters and spaces, used in printing before digital typesetting became common.
    • The old printing press used a monotype to set the text for the newspaper.
    • The monotype revolutionized printing by allowing faster typesetting.
    • Museums sometimes demonstrate how a monotype worked in the early 1900s.