The Secret Art Of Screen Printing

by Judy Wong

Printing is a process of pictures and text, commonly utilizing ink, paper and a printing press. Over time, printing technology has improved significantly. Different techniques are available, but screen-printing is used most of the time.

Screen printing, also called silk screening, is ideal for printing on flat and even materials. A thin screen is stretched taut around a wooden or metal frame, and ink is pressed through the uncovered areas of the screen to create an image. To create a print, the silk screen is placed on top of your material and the image is covered with a thick ink. The ink is then pressed with a heavy piece of rubber through the image and the screen. The print is created where the ink is pressed through the unmasked areas. A heated tunnel is then used to dry the wet print; the prints can then be stacked and packaged.

When more than one color is involved, the process is repeated, utilizing different screens. So, four screens would be necessary for a four-color print; they can be placed on a rotary press or done by hand, allowing each color to print in its proper place.

There are different methods of masking a screen. The easiest thing to do is to apply masking fluid right onto the screen. This process works very well for two-color graphics, while a photosensitive emulsion process is utilized for jobs involving multiple colors.

If you are unsure what to request when ordering, remember that a screen printer's t-shirt printed with ink with plastics will be hot and tacky afterwards. It might be wise to request water-based inks if you prefer a softer, vintage-look screen printed shirt. But if you are interested in a heavy laid print, you should request ink containing plastics to be applied with a hot press.

Many printers prefer the plastic-containing inks for several reasons: they are easier on the printing equipment, their colors are brighter, they are heavier and more visible, and they are more durable than thinner inks. Plastic inks may begin to show cracking after only a brief period of time. Natural inks look better and last longer than synthetic ones.

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