Screen printing is a method of affixing a printed image on a substrate such as a fabric, paper, leather, T-shirt or the like by printing ink or by means of a doctor blade pasting a printed image through a specially prepared screen block. As screen printing or silk screen printing. This printing technique is widely used by some artists and most printers for the execution of their projects because it can be used for printing on almost all surfaces such as paper, plastic, cloth, leather, glass, wood, rubber, etc.
There are two main types of screens for screen printing. The time screen lasts for a short time. They are suitable for registering single or limited edition prints on clothing and paper. They are very easy to prepare and don't require a lot of money or effort. Examples of temporary screens are paper template screens and candle wax screens.
However, permanent screens have a long span and will never be forever if properly taken care of. They can be used to print multiple, hundreds or even thousands of prints. Their preparation requires consideration of effort and money compared to the time screen. Examples of permanent screens include photo screens, paint screens, and shellac screens.
There are various ways to develop a screen for printing. Some of them have been explained in detail in the discussion below.
1. Paper Template Screen Preparation - This paper template screen is very similar to the template preparation, although this is an extension of it. It involves transferring the finished design to the paper to be used while cutting off the front area of the paper [the image to be printed]. The prepared stencil is then attached to the stretched screen by means of masking tape. Leave enough margin for the ink reservoir. The screen is ready to print.
2. Candle Wax Curtain / Shellac Screen / Paint Finish Preparation - The preparation process for these screen preparation methods is the same. The only difference is the material used to coat the negative areas of the screen, which can be molten wax, shellac or lacquer. The finished design is transferred to the stretched screen. Use a brush to use a melted wax or diluted shellac or lacquer to block the negative areas of the design. Test the test pinhole test by testing. Block the pinhole, if any. The prepared screen is ready to print. Paint screens are extremely durable and economical in terms of quality and quantity. They are perfect for simple and bold designs.
3. Photographic Screen Preparation - Photographic screen preparation involves developing with light or bringing the design to the screen. The light source can be natural or artificial. Therefore, there are two main ways to make a photographic screen, using solar energy [the sun] during the day and a strong fluorescent bulb in the exposure or shooting box. In all of these two modes, the screen must be covered in a dark room with a solution of a photosensitive emulsion mixed with a sensitizer. Place the screen in a dark room to dry.
In the solar energy process, the inner or hollow portion of the covered screen is filled with a bag of fine sand on a flat wooden board and inverted. The front part of the paper [where it is designed] is placed on the front side of the screen and covered with a piece of cloth. The whole thing was exposed to solar energy [the sun] for a few minutes. The duration depends on the intensity of the sun. The screen is then removed and washed under running water. The design area will remain open and the negative area will be blocked.
When using a developing cartridge or a film cartridge in a dark room, after covering the screen with a light emulsion and a sensitizer solution, dry it. Then place the design face up on the glass of the shooting box. The front portion of the covered screen is placed in the design with the interior or hollow portion facing up. Place a bag of thick clothing that is filled with fine sand or hinged with stones in the hollow part of the screen to ensure a firm contact between the glass, paper and the design and screen. The light in the shooting box is turned on for about five minutes. The duration may depend more or less on the number and wattage of fluorescent bulbs in the shooting box. The screen was removed and washed under running water. Then it is ejected and ready to print.
Follow the steps below when printing on a prepared screen.
1. Prepare the print station.
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2. Place the substrate [T-shirt, handkerchief, etc.] on the printing table.
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3. Place the screen [hollow side up] on the substrate.
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4. Paste a small amount of print into the non-image area [ink container].
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5. Draw a paste on the image area of the screen so that the blade is tilted at a reasonable angle to record the print.
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6. If you need deeper printing, please flip through the printouts.
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7. Gently remove, rinse and dry for future use.
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8. Let the print dry and iron the design.
There are some important tips to be aware of when printing. these are:
- Place the screen correctly - The artist should pay close attention to how he/she positioned the screen on the substrate or the material to be printed. If the screen is erroneously placed on the substrate, it will result in an incorrect alignment of the design at a designated area of the substrate. In addition, if printing is repeated on a cloth in a special pattern or arrangement, there will be gaps or disorder in the arrangement.
- Apply appropriate pressure to the scraper - The pressure applied to the scraper should be moderate and should be considered. This is because some areas of the screen will not be printed if the pressure applied is small. On the other hand, if a large amount of pressure is input on the screen, the design on the substrate will be blurred. This means that the printing ink or paste will extend beyond the boundaries or edges of the design. Therefore, the pressure applied to the squeegee should not be too light.
- Instant cleaning of the screen - The screen used for printing should be cleaned immediately after printing to avoid screen clogging. This is because when the printing ink residue is allowed to remain on the screen for a period of time, it is no longer washed away from the screen causing it to clog. The screen is then cleaned immediately after printing with soap or warm water and foam to remove any ink residue. However, it should be gently washed, otherwise it will result in pinholes that cover a small area of the screen without tearing or tension reduction in the coating solution or tear-stretch screen.
Manually or mechanically developing a printed screen is the artist's choice based on its available resources and the time he/she must provide. Every screen development process and its printing process requires great patience and determination to produce accurate design iterations.
Orignal From: Screen printing: type, screen development and printing procedures
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