You can use screen printing on a T-shirt.
Today, in 2011, you can use screen printing for a wide variety of uses. You can use screen printing (also called silk screen printing) to print graphics on T-shirts, illustrations on mugs, or artistically transfer photographs to canvas just to mention a few applications. Screen printing is not a new technique. It has been around in one way or another for more than 1,000 years.
History of Screen Printing
Screen printing at its most basic level is nothing more than using a stencil and forcing ink onto a background surface. More than 1,200 years ago, Polynesian natives cut patterns in banana leaves and forced ink through them to make their cloth more interesting. By 1000 AD, both the Japanese and the Chinese were making stencils very similar to those being used today. In the 1700s, the technique was used to decorate walls. In the early 1900s, an industrial process was discovered and things like recruiting posters for WWI were mass produced. Today in 2011, screen printing is still used in industry or you can use the method at home for hobby type work.
Screens
The most basic part of screen printing is the screen itself. The name silk screen printing has stuck since the Chinese and Japanese originally used silk to make their stencil screens. Today, in 2011, screens are made of synthetic materials like polyester. You can buy these screens with different sized meshes. A 240 micron mesh will allow a lot of ink to flow through the screen for those bold high lights that you need. On the other hand, an 80 micron mesh will reduce the ink flow and allow you to get fine detail.
Image to the Screen
You can apply your image to the screen in several ways. The easiest is to simply cut a form out of paper and attach it to the screen and force the ink around the image. You will have a rather crude result. You can also buy chemicals which you can apply to the screen creating more complicated images and which will block the holes in the screen preventing the passage of ink at those points. Finally you can use photo emulsion on the screen and actually print a photograph in a way that it can be printed through the screen.
The Squeegee
The final step is to place your screen over the surface you are going to print and then apply ink to the screen. You then take your squeegee and force ink through the screen with a back and forth motion. If you require several colors you have to make several screens and overlay ink as many times as necessary.
Obtaining your Equipment
You can buy hobby level screen kits for as little as $75, or if you are more creative, you can buy the mesh, make a frame and stretch the mesh much like stretching canvas for a painting. Mesh is also available on cylindrical frames for doing things like glasses or mugs. Of course, if you are going into business you can buy computerized equipment to prepare your screen and apply your ink. Remember that you are using toxic materials like paint thinner and ink and use gloves and mask when printing with screens.
Tags: screen printing, through screen, Today 2011, 2011 screen, 2011 screen printing
