Screen printing is a way of Houston printing images by forcing printing ink or paste with the aid of a squeegee through a specially prepared screen block to register a print on a substrate such as fabric, paper, leather, T-shirt, etc. It is also referred to as Serigraphy or Mitography. This printing technique is widely used by several artists and most printing houses for the execution of their projects because it can be used in printing on virtually all surfaces such as papers, plastics, cloths, leather, glass, wood, rubber, etc.
There are two main types of screens that are used for screen printing. Temporal Screens last for a shorter period of time. They are suitable for registering single or limited prints on clothes and papers. They are very easy to prepare and does not require a lot of money or effort. Examples of temporal screens are paper stencil screens and candle wax screens.
Paper Stencil Screen Preparation
This paper stencil screen is very similar to the stencil preparation though this is an extension of it. It involves the transfer of the finished design onto the paper to be used while cutting out the positive areas of the paper. The prepared stencil is then attached to the stretched screen block with the aid of masking tape. Enough allowances are left to serve as ink reservoirs. The screen is ready for printing.
Candle Wax Screen/Shellac Screen /Lacquer Screen Preparation
The preparatory processes in these methods of screen preparation are the same. The only difference is the material used in coating the negative areas of the screen which may either be molten wax, shellac or lacquer. The finished design is transferred onto the stretched screen block.
With the aid of a brush, apply the molten wax or thinned shellac or lacquer to block the negative areas of the design. Test screen for pinholes by doing a test print. Block pinholes if there are any. The prepared screen is ready for printing. Lacquered screens are very durable and more economical in terms of quality and quantity. They are very good for simple, bold designs.
Photographic Screen Preparation
The photographic screen preparation involves the use of light in developing or bringing out designs onto the screen. The sources of light can be natural or artificial. Therefore, there are two main ways of making photographic screens thus the use of the solar energy sun during the day and the use of the strong fluorescent bulbs in the exposing or shooting box. In all these two ways, the screens have to be coated in the darkroom with a solution of photo emulsion mixed with a sensitizer. The screen is placed in the darkroom to dry.