How to Make Computer-Generated Art for Silk Screen
To create computer-generated art, dive into a graphics program such as Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator or Corel Draw. Photoshop is a pixel-based image editing program with powerful graphic capabilities. Illustrator is a vector-based graphics program, great for illustration and logos. Corel Draw offers both vector art tools and pixel-based image editing capability. All of these programs allow art and images to be imported for use in creating designs.
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Things You'll Need
- Pencil
- Paper
- Eraser
- Computer
- Scanner
- Graphics program
- Computer printer
- Clear vellum paper
Instructions
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Consider what the elements of your computer-generated art will be. Choose from illustration, typography, logos, icons, photos, shapes and colors. Decide what message or impression you would like your design to make. Plan the layout of elements in your design by making several rough sketches using pencil and paper. Erase and redraw until you create an idea that is pleasing to your eye. Use this as a guide to create your computer generated art.
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Execute art in an image editing program such as Corel Draw or industry leader Adobe Photoshop. Open a file and save it. Select drawing tools to draw directly into the program, choosing line width and color. Select the type tool to create typography. Use type pull-down menus to choose typeface and size. Type may be moved within the file by selecting the pointer tool. Place existing photos, logos or illustrations in the file by opening them, copying and pasting into your art file. Photos or illustrations on paper may be scanned into the program, copied and pasted into your art.
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Execute art in a vector-based program such as Adobe illustrator. Use the drawing tools to draw shapes. Change the shapes by grabbing handles with the pointer tool. Add color with the paint bucket tool. Build images and icons by placing objects in front or behind each other. Create typography and change its size and color. Convert type elements to curves to manipulate the shape of the type and create logos. Export the file to Photoshop to use with pixel-based images.
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Create line art using pencil, then ink the art using black ink with pen or brush, or black marker. When dry, erase pencil lines and scan into Photoshop. Use the color palette and paint bucket tool to color your line art. Use this technique to create art for spot color silk screen printing, or for CMYK (cyan, magenta, yellow, black) process color silk screen printing.
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Print each color in your computer-generated art to clear vellum for use in transferring the image to silk screen frames. The clear vellum prints will be used as film positives in making the screens. Select each color in your design and print it separately onto a piece of clear vellum. In Photoshop, use the channels palette to print each color separately. Use this technique for spot color designs, where each color is distinct in your art.
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To print CMYK, also known as process color art, for silk screen printing, it is necessary to print a clear vellum film positive for each of the four process colors, cyan, magenta, yellow and black. For best results with silk screen, before printing each color to clear vellum, set the dot gain to 30 perent, and the screen frequency to 55 lines per inch.
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Tips & Warnings
It is possible to download Illustrator, Photoshop and Corel on a 30-day free trial basis to try the program prior to purchasing.
If you are sending your art to a silk screen printer, the printer may prefer to make his own film positives.
