Directions for Screen Printing

Screen printing allows you to paint a custom design on fabric or poster paper.

Screen printing, also referred to as silkscreening, is a process by which paint is artfully applied to a fabric (most often a t-shirt or handbag) or poster board. The most important element in screen printing is the screen itself, which is typically made from woven synthetic mesh. A layer of photo-sensitive emulsion is applied to the screen, the design or logo to be printed is placed on top of it and then the screen is exposed to light. The result is a negative-image template that can be used in the creation of many other custom-painted projects.

Things You'll Need

• Framed silkscreen (of desired size)
• Degreaser
• Soft cloth
• Paintbrush
• Photo-sensitive emulsion
• Design to be printed
• Glass pane
• Garden hose
• Fabric or poster paper
• Paint or ink (of desired color)
• Shower squeegee
• Old credit cards (optional)

Instructions

Burning Your Design Into the Screen

1. Spray both sides of the screen with a light coat of degreasing solution. Any commercially available degreaser will suffice. Wipe each side clean with a soft cloth.

2. Move to a very dim room, bringing along the silkscreen, can of emulsion and a paintbrush. Saturate the brush with emulsion and apply a smooth, generous coat to each side of the screen. Allow it to dry in the dim room for at least 2 hours.

3. Place the design you wish to burn on the front of the screen, with exposed edges of the frame facing down. To ensure a detailed and accurate image is burned into the emulsion, the design should be cut into the form of a stencil or printed on a transparency sheet. Avoid using a design printed on normal white paper, as this will produce poor results.

4. Set a pane of glass over the design. This helps hold the stencil or transparency in place while the frame is exposed to the light.

5. Lay the screen in open sunlight for 15 to 20 minutes.

6. Rinse the burnt emulsion out of the screen with a garden hose or a sink faucet with moderate pressure. This finalizes the negative-image of your design in the emulsion and prepares the screen for use in printing.

Printing With Your Screen

1. Lay the fabric or poster paper on a firm, flat surface. Check that the item is free of dust, dirt or other debris which may flaw the printed image.

2. Place the front of the screen on top of the fabric or paper with the exposed edges of the frame facing up. Position your design as desired.

3. Pour 3 to 4 ounces of paint onto the screen. Depending on the size of your screen and design, you may need to add more.

4. Move the squeegee up and down the screen in two passes, applying firm pressure. Also move the squeegee across the top and bottom halves of the screen. This action pushes the paint through the fine mesh and onto your fabric or poster paper.

5. Remove the frame and check your results. You can re-position the frame and apply more paint if necessary. Collect any excess paint using old credit cards and deposit it into the can. Allow the image to dry overnight or for the amount of time suggested by the paint container.

Tips & Warnings

• All of the printing-specific items listed above (framed screen, emulsion, paint) can be found at your local fine arts supply store or crafts retailer.

• Avoid exposing the photo-sensitive emulsion to bright light before it is dry -- this will render burning your design into the emulsion impossible.

References

• Rocket Fuel Press: A Guide to Screen Printing