Sunshine, July and Daily Tangents #12 Screenprinting
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| Paint loving Spatulas |
Hello and welcome to day 12 of Sunshine, July and Daily Tangents.
Today's word is Screenprinting and I am very excited about this theme. Rather than talking about how much I love screenprinting (which will probably be conveyed in this post!) I thought I would give a little tutorial.
There are many different ways to do this and it's really whatever works for you. I've learnt one way and tweaked it slightly to work for me, whereas people around me have their way which works for them. Note that this way involves the UV transfer to a screen...
I start off by preparing my workspace with newspaper on the table top, a board fitted with clamps on top of this, paint pots, spatulas, a squeegee, acrylic paint, textile medium or acrylic medium (depending on whether you're printing onto fabric or other), masking tape, paper scissors and/or fabric scissors, materials to print on to (fabric, paper, etc.) and a screen. The latter is always prepared for me once I give my design. Later on, I would need an iron and greaseproof paper or layers of newspaper.
Leave yourself an area to place drying samples.
When my screen comes to me with my design set in the mesh*, I secure masking tape to the yellow border on the flat side of the screen as this is where the paint will seep through and we don't want this to happen. The green is where the paint is told not to seep through.
I secure the screen lengthways between the clamps found secured to my board and right way facing down; the hollow section should be on the top. The masking tape is placed underneath the screen corner nearest to me so that the screen and board do not touch. You can use masking tape or any item with a bit of height.
*Mesh: the material found on the screen.
Next, I prepare my paint by mixing 50/50 medium and acrylic paint in a pot. I stir with a spatula until the white medium is no longer visible. I do this for each colour.
Using the spatula I spread a generous amount of paint in a strip along the top corner of the screen, just above the design. I pick up my squeegee, resting it at a 45-degree angle and pull it across the screen once towards me and back again. Try not to use too much pressure- the weight of the squeegee is perfect. The paint will flood the screen preparing it for more ink. Very quickly after this, I remove the masking tape from where it's sat, at the corner under the screen, and pull my squeegee again over the surface of the design at a 45-degree angle and back again. This time with firm pressure as we want to make sure the design transfers to the material. Do this roughly 6 times in both directions.
A bit of a habit of mine is to use the spatula to scrape off the paint on the squeegee in a clean sweep and into the paint pot. I find that this saves paint and means that it's not getting on your work surface where it may mark other samples. I rest the squeegee on the table and put the masking tape back under the screen's corner before gently pulling out my material underneath.
With my next go, I repeat these steps starting from applying a strip of paint to the top- however, if there is a fair amount still on the screen, this isn't necessary.
When I'm finished with one colour I take the excess paint off of the surface and place it back into the paint pot. I then take the screen over to a large water basin and use a Pressure Hose to wash away the paint from the mesh. I use medium pressure as too much can eliminate the design. The screen is then dried before securing it back to the board and preparing it for the next paint colour.
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| Freshly Washed and Beautifully Blue |
Later on, and once the samples are dry, I start to iron the screenprint in order to prolong the life span of the outcome. This only needs to be done with the textile medium when you have your design on materials that will be washed. I'm told the design will last for at least 30 washes after this, I think here is where the process differs.
Notes-
- The first go with the screen, in my experience, in the best result. This may be risky if you're printing onto a final outcome piece but as long as the design has thick and clear markings, it will be fine.
- Make sure the design has thick lines as the finer lines will either not come out at all or soak up the paint first, tarnishing the pattern slightly.
- Paper takes the design much quicker and better than fabric. With fabric, you should apply more firm pressure.
- Make sure to wash the paint out very soon after you are finished with that colour as otherwise, the paint will dry in the screen reducing the quality of the design and affecting the future of the screen.
- Start with the lightest colour first as sometimes I find it useful and a really cool effect to use paint on top of the previous; as long as I'm not letting the paint sit in the screen for long.
- If you are creating a garment and wanting to print onto the finished item, as long as it's something to hand in and not be washed or a toile, use normal screenprinting medium as if it goes wrong the design can be washed out in the washing machine.
Remember: If it goes differently to what was expected, do not worry. Work can be developed and altered in ways you wouldn't have imagined. Make your mistakes your opportunity. Sometimes my work is made better when I have to fix an 'error'. It can turn into something you wouldn't have imagined.
One tip I would give to anyone giving this a go is to have fun with screenprinting. Feel no pressure and experiment until your heart is content and you're covered in paint. If you're not covered in paint even a little bit, you're not doing it right!
Thank you for reading, I will see you tomorrow with day 13: Sway.
Love,
Buddy Summer xx
Yesterdays Post: #11 Paddington
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