Screen Printing
Screen Printing is also called serigraphy or silk screening. A screen is used to transfer ink through a fine mesh onto fabric except in the areas blocked by a blocking stencil. A squeegee forces the inks or paints through the screen onto the intended surface. There are many methods of screen preparation for this process. Many people use screen printing to transfer designs onto fabric in their own home studios. Depending on the complexity of the design there may be multiple colors, each color requiring its own stencil. One of the methods of printing commercial fabric also involves screen printing on a large scale for hundreds of yards of fabric.
Benefits of Screen Printing
- Screen Printing allows you to control the design process.
- Screen Printing can add elements to commercially printed fabric.
Tools and Supplies for Screen Printing
- Mesh Screens or printing frames for the size Screen Printing of the design used.
- Stencils for each layer of color used in the final design.
- Printing ink or paint.
- Squeegee to force the paint through the screen and stencil to coat to fabric and leave the design.
- Stir sticks or other tools to mix paints and apply them to the mesh screen.
What I Wish I Knew When I Started Screen Printing
There are companies that will make custom designs for you for SCREEN PRINTING. Don't forget to consider the clean up and ensure the design stays where you want it by using heat set paints.
