Every printmaking process has its advantages and disadvantages. I try to keep that in mind when I am choosing a process for a certain design.
For example, gelatin printmaking is experimental and unpredictable. So I use that process for one of a kind, layered and textured designs.
Block printing is great for bold shapes and repetitive patterns.
For fine lines and details of sketches I like to use emulsion based screen printing techniques. You can buy emulsion coated mesh screens from EzScreenPrint.com The eliminates the need to coat and create your own emulsion screen. This is great for folks who do not have a large space or who want to print smaller sized images. Thermofax screens are an emulsion based process as well.
I have been exploring the EZScreen Print process, because I have not been happy with the way my Thermofax machine has been burning screens.
Lower left is screen with image “burned” into it.
“Burning screens” means to create the design on the emulsion screen. Emulsion is light sensitive. It hardens on the mesh screen when it is exposed to light.
So you take a black and white image printed on a clear transparency. Tightly sandwich the image to the coated screen and expose it to light. The light hardens all the space around the black image. The emulsion under the black image is still soft.
The next step is to soak the exposed screen in water. The soft emulsion that was under the black design washes away and you are left with a screen with tiny holes only where the black image blocked the light.
If you are curious about screen printing, check out the details of the online course Pulling Screen Prints.
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In the 4 week online printmaking course, we will explore screen printing with paper stencils, screen filler, drawing fluid, emulsion coated screens and several experimental methods. You can use these methods to print on paper and fabric. And with proper inks you can even print on wood, glass or ceramics.