How to Use Photographs for Exposure Onto a Silk Screen

By eHow Hobbies, Games & Toys Editor

Rate: (3 Ratings)

Want to plaster your face all over town (or perhaps your cat's or your brother-in-law's)? Here's how to silk-screen a photograph.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

Things You’ll Need:

  • Contact Exposure Units For Silk Screen
  • Silk Screens Coated With Photo Emulsion
  • Photographs
  • Transparency Film

Step1
Choose a photograph that's simple, clear, and has lots of contrast.
Step2
Shoot the image (or have it shot) to the desired size with transparency film (such as PMT) as a halftone or mezzotint with a line screen of 55 or less.
Step3
Coat the silk screen with photo emulsion. (See "How to Coat a Silk Screen With Photo Emulsion.")
Step4
Place the transparency over the silk screen frame. Make sure it's wrong-reading when it's looking up at you; when you print it, it will be right-reading.
Step5
Sandwich the transparency between the screen and the glass.
Step6
Expose it. (See "How to Expose Photo Emulsion for Silk Screen Printing.")

Tips & Warnings

  • Start with a high-quality, black-and-white print for best results.
  • Make sure you've got a 55-line screen - if the dots are too small, you won't be able to print the image.
  • If you're using a color photograph, keep in mind that the red in the photograph will shoot as black, lowering the contrast of the image. This is often undesirable.

Post a Comment

POST A COMMENT

Request a New How-To Article

Looking for more How To information? Chances are there’s an eHow member who knows how to do what you’re looking to do. Submit an article request now!

eHow Article:  How to Use Photographs for Exposure Onto a Silk Screen

eHow Hobbies, Games & Toys Editor

Related Ads

Hobbies, Games & Toys

Sentigen
Meet Nate Chang, eHow Expert eHow’s Hobbies, Games & Toys Expert.