- Screen printing has been a part of the textile industry for several centuries, but silkscreening first became popular in the early 1900s when Samuel Simon of England received a patent for the silkscreening process. Since then, silkscreen jobs have become available within the textile industry. These jobs require very specialized skills and knowledge in the areas of graphic design and color printing.
- Silkscreen artists are responsible for transferring hand-drawn or computer-generated images, patterns and blocks of color directly onto canvas, cloth and other fabrics. This process has developed over the years to become more efficient, and has become an art form in itself. Silkscreen artists can use a variety of image sources such as photographs, sketches, stencils and hand-drawn designs to create a variety of screen-printed products.
- Some of the key job functions and responsibilities of a silkscreen artist or silkscreen machine operator include working with automated silkscreen printing presses, developing themes and designs with a team of artists, selecting colors and materials for the silkscreen process, examining and evaluating customer orders, using a cutter machine, and supervising a team of silkscreen artists.
- Silkscreen printing jobs are available at graphic design houses, fashion houses and textile manufacturers that produce silkscreened materials. The artists typically work in a studio and use computers and other innovative tools and equipment to transfer each design. Some artists work in teams of designers and artists who are responsible for creating lines of clothing and accessories. A silkscreen artist may also work independently and sell products to mass or local markets.
- Individuals who have completed a textiles degree or diploma program and finished a hands-on training segment or apprenticeship can explore a number of career opportunities in the textiles and silkscreen industry. Silkscreen artists may work in the fields of graphic design, fine arts, theater set design or interior design. Experienced artists may teach silkscreen printing techniques at a college, trade school or university. Entrepreneurial artists may open their own gallery to showcase or sell their work.
