Screen printing and screens

Lately, I have often been able to sell screen printing screens in addition to screen printing products. In this text, I will briefly explain what screen printing is, how screens are used, and why they can be useful to you too.

I do my own screen printing at home in my own studio. I do not work for a professional printing company and I do not have the semi-automatic equipment of professionals. I print my own products for sale by hand and am interested in helping others in the same situation. People who want to do screen printing as a hobby, as an art form or to raise funds for their own community.

With screen printing, it is possible to make your own printed products at home, and in the best case scenario, it can even be fun.

What is screen printing?

Screen printing is a technique in which an image is transferred onto a canvas or other surface by pressing paint through a screen. The same technique is also known as silkscreen printing.It is an ancient technique that is still used not only by hobbyists but also in industry.

There are many other ways to decorate fabric. Compared to drawing, stamping, and taping, printing creates an even, thin, and durable layer of paint that can be quickly repeated many times in a row.

What is a screen printing screen?

A screen printing screen is a metal or wooden frame with a screen fabric stretched over it. The screen fabric is like a dense mosquito net through which the paint is pressed. There are screens of different sizes and screen fabrics of different densities for different purposes.

You can use a screen to print images on almost any flat surface. I have printed on wood and paper in addition to fabric. It is recommended to use only paints intended for use with a screen print screens. There are paints specifically for paper and wood, but in my experience, fabric paints also work very well.

Inks

Screen printing can be done with water-based or PVC-based plastisol inks. I use it myself and in hobby use, only water-based paints are generally used.

It is important for those learning screen printing to know that another type of paint also exists, because videos found online show that either type can be used.

For example, plastisol paints never dry at room temperature. When you see videos online where you wipe paint onto a screen and leave it there for a long time, it is plastisol paint. You can't do that with your own water-based paint because it will run through the screen and dry on it.

Using a screen printing screen

I make pre-exposed screens and packages to order, which include a screen, fabric paint and a weighting tool. With these packages you can immediately practice actual printing and you don't have to immediately learn and acquire equipment for exposing the screen.

Tips for success in fabric printing

• Mix the paint before use.
• Press on clean, smooth fabrics. Wash, iron and remove hair from fabrics if necessary.
• If there are multiple images on the same screen and you only want to print one, tape the edge of the extra image closed.
• Fabric paint will seep through thin fabrics when pressed. Protect the back of T-shirts and fabric bags by placing paper or other protection inside. Remember to remove the paper before ironing.
• Keep everything clean. Fabric paint stains do not come out completely in the wash. Always keep a rag handy and wipe your fingers and paint stains with it. Wearing work clothes will help you avoid getting your own clothes dirty.
• Hold your screen in place while pressing – use a clamp or helper if necessary.
  
• Always wash the screen, squeegee and other tools immediately after use. Remove any masking tape.
• Fabric paint only becomes wash resistance when it is attached to the fabric with heat. Let printed textiles dry at room temperature first and then iron or press them. When using a heat press, follow the paint manufacturer's instructions. In my experience, using an iron on full power for a few minutes has also been a good method.

Screen maintenance

With one screen printing screen, you can print as many images as you want, as long as you take care of your screen.

The screen must be washed well after each use – dried paint will clog the screen.

You can use dishwashing liquid or a mild general-purpose cleaner for washing. Do not scrub the screen fabric with a rough sponge, scouring pad or dish brush. The soft side of a dish sponge is best for washing.

If the screen starts to leak over time, meaning extra dots start to appear on the printed fabric, the screen can be patched with tape.

Store the screen protected from sunlight. This will allow you to replace the screen with a new image later. The sun acts like an exposure lamp and continuously exposes the screen to more light, i.e., it bonds the exposure emulsion to it more tightly. For example, exposure emulsion cannot be removed from screens dried on a windowsill using standard methods.

Finally

Screen printing is a fun and useful hobby that is suitable for anyone interested in the subject. If you would like to try it yourself, you can find the price and size information for the packages I sell here.

Leave a comment if you have any questions or would like to hear more about a topic. I'd be happy to write more instructions later!