screen printing

Screen printing can take up a lot of space if you are pulling multiple prints. And those prints need a place to dry.

I have used the floor.

I have use table tops and sheets of foam core for horizontal drying.

And recently I figured out a quick, effective system that you can use in your home/studio. It is a modified clothes line made with a long piece of cord and bull clips.

In this quick video I show you how to wrap the cord around the clip handles to hold it in place, when the cord is stretched and tied between two sturdy items.

Screen printing is great for projects where you on want to make a lot of print of the same image.

You may even have enough supplies at home to get started with a screen printing project.

9 everyday items that you can use in simple screen printing projects

1 – Tightly woven curtain sheers

You can use curtain sheers instead of regular screen printing film/mesh. Just remember big loose weave means more ink will pass through the design. So get the tightest weave you can find at the thrift store.

2 – Plastic containers

These are essential for balancing screens and inky squeegees on when you are moving from one print to the next. Go find some in the recycling bin. You will be happy that you did. Ink management is crucial when screen printing.

3 – Small round lidded containers

This type of container is great of saving little bits of ink. Sometimes it is nice to have a little ink in a little jar for a quick test print. Round containers are better than square because ink will not get stuck in the corners.

4 – Bondo scrapers

You can find these at an auto parts store. The Big Box hardware stores may have them too. These plastic scrapers can be used in place of a squeegee. They come in different sizes, which is nice because you can pick the size you need for a specific design/screen. You can even cut them to size.

5 – Old gift cards

Used up plastic gift cards can be used as a squeegee too. These are great for small designs.

6 – Cosmetic sponge

These small dense sponges are great for tiny designs. They are used in place of squeegee.

7 – Embroidery hoops

I love these in place of the standard frame. Combine these with the a piece of curtain mesh and you have yourself a very quick screen. You can use these with paper stencils, drawing fluid method and screen filler methods and you will have a reusable screen. And no scrubbing to remove materials to reclaim the screen. Less work, more printing.

8 – Mod Podge

I often struggled with screen filler. It was messy and always seemed to be too thick or too thin. I recently found that I could use Mod Podge instead. BUT make sure you use this with screens that do not need to be reclaimed. You can not wash out the Mod Podge. So this works great with embroidery hoop style screens.

9 – Big Fat waxy crayons

I use these crayons to make rubbings. This creates an experimental resist style of screen.

If you are interested in learning more about screen printing with these types of supplies, then join us in this year’s session of Pulling Screen Prints, the online printmaking course.

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.

Get the FREE tutorial today.

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.

Here is a quick look at some student screen prints, created in the last session of Pulling Screen Prints, the online printmaking class.

I wanted to share some of the great experiences that students have had in the online printmaking class, Pulling Screen Prints. An let you know there is still time to join this year’s session.

 

What a wonderful class, opening up the whole world of home screen printing and so many possibilities.

Excellent presentation of materials and so easy to follow ! Thanks.

Lisa Hermanson – US – Pulling Screen Prints

Chris Cooper from Australia says:

This was my first online class and learned a lot, would recommend to friends.

1. Specifically, appreciate the  brilliant and very workable registration system that I can easily set up on my work table and use with success and flexibility

2.  Organization to print easily, when I want to , so that I don’t waste time or procrastinate because I have to spend time thinking about “how” to get started

3. Being able to make many little screens with the hoops is fantastic because I don’t feel so precious and daunted about the materials. I’m more open to experimenting with images. If it doesn’t work it’s easy to try again. This knowledge is very liberating.

The videos were terrific. Clear short succinct and doable.

I just loved being able to work and experiment at home.

a wonderful experience.

Pulling Screen Prints is a 4 week screen printing class, where we explore several ways to screen print at home without needing a special studio or many fancy tools.

We will learn how to:

• stretch screens and use hoops for quick and easy printing
• use paper stencils to make images
• use the drawing fluid and screen filler methods
• try out some experimental resist techniques and
• use the 8 piece thermofax kit that is included with the class

Click over to the workshop page, read the details and sign up today. Class starts September 11th.

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