Introduction to Screen Printing
First you need to know‌ Vector
vs.
Raster
But zoomed in 100%...
Vector
vs.
Raster
Vector images keep their smooth shape when made bigger because it isthey are made out of lines. Raster images become distorted and choppy as they increase in size because they consist of pixels.
First Step To do thiscreate a vector image you must have a computer with adobe illustrator.
Next you have to find the image you want to use and place it in illustrator.
Then set anchor points at each corner or where the edge juts out.
When you're done with that use the pen tool to curve the lines to line up the image.
When you're done add registration marks above and below the image in the center of the page and then move the design so it is centered on the paper.
Color Separation To achieve this‌
You have to print each color separately in black ink like this.
Yellow
Black
Types of Ink Plastisol: Must be heated in the dryer in order to cure and stay on the fabric.
Alcohol Based: Dries in the air.
Types of Screens Silk
Nylon Metal Mesh Metalized Polyester Polyester (we use this in class)
Substrate Anything that you can print on. Such as: Shirts Bags Signs Hats Windows
Screen Printing Principle
Pushing ink through tiny holes in the screen onto the substrate.
Film Before you make your screen you must print to film.
To do this first make sure your image is turned black and is centered on the page. Change the paper size to tabloid. Go to the printer settings and click on film and manual feed.
Make sure the plate maker is selected. Then press OK.
Go to the printer and insert a piece of film.
Making Your Screen Put the film through the dryer to darken the ink. Now take your film into the yellow screen section of the lab and rabgrab a 110 screen if youryou are printing with plastisol and a 230 screen if you are creating something with alcohol based ink. The alcohol based ink is runnier and smaller holes are needed on the screen for the print to turn out.
Lay your screen on the table so that the pallet side, the side that makes contact with the shirt, is up. Then lay your film on top of the screen face down so the image reads backwards and use a ruler to straighten it. Place a piece of tape at either end of the film so it stays on the screen.
Exposing Take the screen and place it so that the pallet side is down in the exposure. Shut the top, latch it down, and press start.
When the exposing process is done take your screen out of the exposure by lifting the latches and then lifting the cover.
Power Washing Take the film off the screen and then take your exposed screen over to the power washer. Make sure the light is turned off and place your screen, squeegee side forward on the ledge. Spray your screen on the squeegee side for 5 seconds then stop and flip the screen. Spray the pallet side for 15 seconds and then let it sit for 15 seconds. Turn on the light and continue spraying until all of the emulsion is gone in the vector area so that you can clearly see
through your image. Make sure not to get too close and blowout your screen. Put your screen in the rack and let it dry over nightovernight.
Taping Tape the pinholes by holding your screen up to the the lightwindow and looking for places that don't have emulsion on them.
Place tape on the pallet side of the screen covering any pinholes.
Turn your screen to the squeegee side and place the thick masking tape along the edges of the screen so the ink doesn't get on the frame.
Printing Take the screen and place it in the press with the squeegee side up. Line the registration marks up with the lines on the pallet, you may have to adjust the clamp head or the pallet to get it lined up the middle. Tighten the clamps and lift the clamp head.
Grab a test shirt and find an empty spot to print your image.
in
Place the test shirt on the pallet and get some ink from the flammable cabinet in the color you want your image to appear.
Printing (continued) Put the ink on the screen and grab a squeegee.
To flood the screen press the squeegee into some of the ink and pull it towards you while holding the screen above shirt. Then to print, let the screen drop onto the shirt and firmly push the squeegee over screen twice.
the
the
Lift the screen and turn the press so that the shirt goes under the flash dryer for 10-15 seconds to cure the ink.
A Second Color Once the design is printed move the pallet to the next screen and line it up with the print on the shirt. Lift the screen and flood it then print it on the shirt. Lift it up and take the shirt off.
Run the shirt through the dryer in order to cure the ink. Make sure the shirt is flat in order to keep it from getting burnt.
Congrats! You have now made your first shirt! Now it's time to clean up.
Clean Up To clean a screen you must have a rubber glove, some cloth, cards, and the chemical thatscreen cleaner (it looks like apple juice.). Put on the rubber glove and grab a screen. Place it on the counter squeegee
side up. Take a card and scrape off as much ink as possible. Place the excess ink into the appropriately colored cup. Spray the screen with the chemical. Rub the entire screen with the rubber glove. Use the cloth to wipe off excess ink.
Clean Up (continued) Take all of the masking tape off of the screen and frame. Once the screen is as clean as possible place it in the dip tank with two others for 3-5
minutes.
Wipe off the counter.
Take the screens out and spray them with the power washer until all emulsion is off. Then bring the screen over to the sink and wash it with the degreaser. Put the the screen back in the rack to dry and be coated with more emulsion. To clean ink cups scrape off excess ink with a card and then use chemical and a cloth to rid the cup of anything the card couldn't get off.
Finishing up To clean squeegees scrape off ink with a card and put it in the
appropriate ink cup. Once it is mostly clean take the screen cleaner and spray the squeegee. Use the cloths to wipe off the rest of the ink. The presses must also be cleaned by wiping off any ink spills with a cloth.
Congratulations, you’ve made your first shirt!