Screen Printing

As something that I haven't done before I thought it would be good to write about the process and how I feel it went etc.....

STEP ONE - Draw out your image, and from this you then draw out what you want from your image- colour wise, you have to do this per colour( so if you have two colours you will have one where you want the red to print for instance and another what you want printed in brown). This can be done as an outline or if you want a block of colour shade it in using a black pen something like a sharpie will do.

ROUGH SKETCH OF THE IMAGE I WANTED TO SCREEN PRINT

COLOUR ONE (BROWN) OUTLINE- TO BE PHOTOCOPIED

COLOUR TWO (RED) OUTLINE- TO BE PHOTOCOPIED.












STEP TWO - Photocopy these as the ink will run from the originals if you use them in the next stage. You then need to cut these out as close to the image but not cutting through it.

STAGE THREE- In this stage you need to use a rag to oil the images up. after this place them on a clean surface where with another rag or scrunched up paper you are to remove the excess oil, do this until the paper has a translucent quality (like tracing paper).

STEP FOUR - Using the screening plates place them in an exposure unit, putting your images under the plates facing the way you want them to print, this process will act as a vacuum, and this is what makes the image go onto the screen, do this until finished. Thoroughly wash down your plate with water.

STEP FIVE - You are now ready to print.First thing to do is mix your paint to the colour you desire.With this you have to add an emulsion (ratio of 50/50). The emulsion will make your paint less gloopy, if this does not work to the desired effect, you can add some water. Make sure there is tape around all the sides of your print but not touching it ( this will make sure the paint does not run).

STEP SIX - Placing the screen inside the bench ( this will have clamps, on the surface there should be a large sheet of acetate, with some tape across one of the sides). using the wooden frame and clamps secure the plate as tight as possible within the frame, making sure the wooden frame edges are under the screen. Press the vacuum button on the bench before starting to print. Make sure the acetate is on the bench.

STEP SEVEN - Place the ink on one of or above the top piece of tape. Using a squeegee press the ink down across your image( the more pressure the better- you might need to do this a few times). The vacuum will make all the paint stick to the acetate, you do this on acetate first so you can line up the image it comes to doing this on paper.

STEP EIGHT - When you are happy that it has worked well on the acetate, place paper under this to do the final thing, line it up with the image on the acetate, peel the acetate back put the wooden frame down, and repeat step seven again.

If you want to do another colour then you should wipe the first image of the acetate and repeat steps seven and eight. Making sure the first colour is lines up to the second, you can do this for as many colours/ layers you want.