Screenprinting
Screenprinting is the medium that was used prolifically by the likes of Andy Warhol and Roy Lichenstein and is a very popular printmaking technique whereby a mesh is used to transfer ink onto fabric or paper, except in areas made impermeable to the ink by a blocking stencil. A blade or squeegee is moved across the screen to fill the open mesh apertures with ink, and a reverse stroke then causes the screen to touch the paper or fabric momentarily along a line of contact creating the print.
To learn more about the process step by step please click on the first image to be lead through the technique.
-
- A design is drawn onto translucent film. The drawing is created with opaque materials that block light. A separate sheet must be done for each colour within the final image.
-
- A stretched silk screen is coated with a light sensitive liquid stencil.
-
- One at a time drawn sheets are placed on the exposure unit. The light from the exposure unit will shine through the translucent acetate and be blocked by the drawing.
-
- Once exposed the screen is washed with a watery spray. The light sensitive stencil washes out of the screen where the drawing shielded it from the light but it is fixed to the mesh in all other areas. Printing ink will only pass through the areas of open mesh corresponding to the drawn image.
-
- The stretched screen is mounted on a special bed and the printing paper set underneath carefully using registration marks.
-
- Ink is drawn across the screen using a squeegee filling the open area of mesh with ink. The screen is then lowered onto the paper and the squeegee pulled across again to transfer the ink to the paper.
-
- The screen is lifted from the paper and once again coated with a film of ink. The vacuum pump operates keeping the print firmly in place. The print is then removed and inspected. If good then the entire edition will be printed. Process is repeated for each colour.
