screen printing tutorial

Step 1 -- Assemble your materials. You need: * a design for your shirt * silk screen (available at art stores, although I've heard of people using sheer curtains from the dollar store ...

nobody@smugmug.com (Rebecca Burch (mamallama)) — Tue, 14 Nov 2006 08:51:55 -0800

Rebecca Burch (mamallama)
Step 1 -- Assemble your materials. You need: * a design for your shirt * silk screen (available at art stores, although I've heard of people using sheer curtains from the dollar store ...

Step 2 -- Cut the silk screen about 2" larger than your stretcher.

nobody@smugmug.com (Rebecca Burch (mamallama)) — Tue, 14 Nov 2006 08:52:01 -0800

Rebecca Burch (mamallama)
Step 2 -- Cut the silk screen about 2" larger than your stretcher.

Step 3 -- stretch the canvas very tightly onto the frame and staple into place. The easiest way to do this is to staple the longest side in the middle, then have someone to hold the frame i ...

nobody@smugmug.com (Rebecca Burch (mamallama)) — Tue, 14 Nov 2006 08:52:03 -0800

Rebecca Burch (mamallama)
Step 3 -- stretch the canvas very tightly onto the frame and staple into place. The easiest way to do this is to staple the longest side in the middle, then have someone to hold the frame i ...

Step 4 -- folding the corners, part 1. Start by pulling the middle of the corner flap diagonally, away from the stretcher, then wrap inward, diagonally, and staple. Thanks, Robert, for m ...

nobody@smugmug.com (Rebecca Burch (mamallama)) — Tue, 14 Nov 2006 08:52:06 -0800

Rebecca Burch (mamallama)
Step 4 -- folding the corners, part 1. Start by pulling the middle of the corner flap diagonally, away from the stretcher, then wrap inward, diagonally, and staple. Thanks, Robert, for m ...

Step 5 -- folding the corners, part II Now, pull the excess fabric on either side of the corner up and staple. This is the same technique used for canvas, as well. (See next photo for a b ...

nobody@smugmug.com (Rebecca Burch (mamallama)) — Tue, 14 Nov 2006 08:52:10 -0800

Rebecca Burch (mamallama)
Step 5 -- folding the corners, part II Now, pull the excess fabric on either side of the corner up and staple. This is the same technique used for canvas, as well. (See next photo for a b ...

Step 6 -- a nice, flat corner. :)

nobody@smugmug.com (Rebecca Burch (mamallama)) — Tue, 14 Nov 2006 08:52:13 -0800

Rebecca Burch (mamallama)
Step 6 -- a nice, flat corner. :)

Step 7 -- Now, do the rest of the corners, working diagonally. For instance, if you start with the lower left corner, you need to stretch and staple the upper right corner, next.

nobody@smugmug.com (Rebecca Burch (mamallama)) — Tue, 14 Nov 2006 08:52:18 -0800

Rebecca Burch (mamallama)
Step 7 -- Now, do the rest of the corners, working diagonally. For instance, if you start with the lower left corner, you need to stretch and staple the upper right corner, next.

Step 8 -- Tape the inside edges of the screen. Make sure the tape covers both the screen and the wood frame. (You might have to trim excess silk away from the frame before doing this. Jus ...

nobody@smugmug.com (Rebecca Burch (mamallama)) — Tue, 14 Nov 2006 08:52:23 -0800

Rebecca Burch (mamallama)
Step 8 -- Tape the inside edges of the screen. Make sure the tape covers both the screen and the wood frame. (You might have to trim excess silk away from the frame before doing this. Jus ...

Step 9 -- Cover the outside of the screen edges with tape. You should cover up all the wood on the outside of the screen, plus about 1/4" of the screen within the wood frame. This prevents ...

nobody@smugmug.com (Rebecca Burch (mamallama)) — Tue, 14 Nov 2006 08:52:26 -0800

Rebecca Burch (mamallama)
Step 9 -- Cover the outside of the screen edges with tape. You should cover up all the wood on the outside of the screen, plus about 1/4" of the screen within the wood frame. This prevents ...

Step 10 -- Trace your drawing onto the screen with a pencil(staple-side up.) This is really easy to do because the screen is transparent, like tracing paper. It is difficult to erase on sil ...

nobody@smugmug.com (Rebecca Burch (mamallama)) — Tue, 14 Nov 2006 08:52:30 -0800

Rebecca Burch (mamallama)
Step 10 -- Trace your drawing onto the screen with a pencil(staple-side up.) This is really easy to do because the screen is transparent, like tracing paper. It is difficult to erase on sil ...

Step 11 -- screen filler Flip the screen over, and paint everything you DON'T want inked with screen filler. In other words, you're painting a negative of your design. Whatever you paint ...

nobody@smugmug.com (Rebecca Burch (mamallama)) — Tue, 14 Nov 2006 08:52:33 -0800

Rebecca Burch (mamallama)
Step 11 -- screen filler Flip the screen over, and paint everything you DON'T want inked with screen filler. In other words, you're painting a negative of your design. Whatever you paint ...

Step 12 -- fill the pin-holes. It will probably take 2-3 coats of screen filler on the inside and 1 coat on the outside to fill all the holes in the screen. To see if you have enough fil ...

nobody@smugmug.com (Rebecca Burch (mamallama)) — Tue, 14 Nov 2006 08:52:44 -0800

Rebecca Burch (mamallama)
Step 12 -- fill the pin-holes. It will probably take 2-3 coats of screen filler on the inside and 1 coat on the outside to fill all the holes in the screen. To see if you have enough fil ...

Step 13 -- wait 24 hours to allow the screen filler to cure. Then place a piece of cardboard or matte-board inside the shirt to prevent the ink from going through.

nobody@smugmug.com (Rebecca Burch (mamallama)) — Wed, 15 Nov 2006 07:39:26 -0800

Rebecca Burch (mamallama)
Step 13 -- wait 24 hours to allow the screen filler to cure. Then place a piece of cardboard or matte-board inside the shirt to prevent the ink from going through.

Step 14 -- Center the screen on the shirt, then make a line of screen printing ink across the top of the screen. (Some acrylic paints can be used for screen printing. It should say so on t ...

nobody@smugmug.com (Rebecca Burch (mamallama)) — Wed, 15 Nov 2006 07:39:23 -0800

Rebecca Burch (mamallama)
Step 14 -- Center the screen on the shirt, then make a line of screen printing ink across the top of the screen. (Some acrylic paints can be used for screen printing. It should say so on t ...

Step 15 -- It is a good idea to have someone hold the screen and press down, firmly, during printing. This prevents the screen from moving and messing up your print. Wipe the ink smoot ...

nobody@smugmug.com (Rebecca Burch (mamallama)) — Wed, 15 Nov 2006 07:39:25 -0800

Rebecca Burch (mamallama)
Step 15 -- It is a good idea to have someone hold the screen and press down, firmly, during printing. This prevents the screen from moving and messing up your print. Wipe the ink smoot ...

Step 16 -- Your goal here is to distribute the ink evenly across the screen, not wipe it off.

nobody@smugmug.com (Rebecca Burch (mamallama)) — Wed, 15 Nov 2006 07:39:22 -0800

Rebecca Burch (mamallama)
Step 16 -- Your goal here is to distribute the ink evenly across the screen, not wipe it off.

Step 17 -- once you get the ink even across the surface of the screen, you want to work in the same direction and wipe the ink off with the squeegee.

nobody@smugmug.com (Rebecca Burch (mamallama)) — Wed, 15 Nov 2006 07:39:21 -0800

Rebecca Burch (mamallama)
Step 17 -- once you get the ink even across the surface of the screen, you want to work in the same direction and wipe the ink off with the squeegee.

Step 18 -- Carefully lift the screen straight up. If you want to print more shirts from the same screen (and with the same ink) be sure not to let the screen surface touch anything -- prop ...

nobody@smugmug.com (Rebecca Burch (mamallama)) — Wed, 15 Nov 2006 07:39:20 -0800

Rebecca Burch (mamallama)
Step 18 -- Carefully lift the screen straight up. If you want to print more shirts from the same screen (and with the same ink) be sure not to let the screen surface touch anything -- prop ...

Step 19 -- Voila! The finished product! Let dry for 24 hours, then iron the print with a hot iron for 2-3 minutes, keeping the iron moving so you don't burn your shirt. (This is for Cre ...

nobody@smugmug.com (Rebecca Burch (mamallama)) — Wed, 15 Nov 2006 07:39:18 -0800

Rebecca Burch (mamallama)
Step 19 -- Voila! The finished product! Let dry for 24 hours, then iron the print with a hot iron for 2-3 minutes, keeping the iron moving so you don't burn your shirt. (This is for Cre ...

This method of screen-printing produces a more homemade look than other methods, such as light-reactive resists.

nobody@smugmug.com (Rebecca Burch (mamallama)) — Wed, 15 Nov 2006 07:39:16 -0800

Rebecca Burch (mamallama)
This method of screen-printing produces a more homemade look than other methods, such as light-reactive resists.

This is a print from a really old screen. See how ragged it looks in places? Your screens will need touched up from time to time if you're going to print a lot of shirts. Also, they need ...

nobody@smugmug.com (Rebecca Burch (mamallama)) — Wed, 15 Nov 2006 07:39:14 -0800

Rebecca Burch (mamallama)
This is a print from a really old screen. See how ragged it looks in places? Your screens will need touched up from time to time if you're going to print a lot of shirts. Also, they need ...

Another design

nobody@smugmug.com (Rebecca Burch (mamallama)) — Wed, 15 Nov 2006 07:39:13 -0800

Rebecca Burch (mamallama)
Another design

... and another. This one was printed using a really fine-grade screen. See how clean the lines are? It does make a difference. If you have a really detailed design, it's best to go wi ...

nobody@smugmug.com (Rebecca Burch (mamallama)) — Wed, 15 Nov 2006 07:39:10 -0800

Rebecca Burch (mamallama)
... and another. This one was printed using a really fine-grade screen. See how clean the lines are? It does make a difference. If you have a really detailed design, it's best to go wi ...