Screen Printing Process & Finishing Methods
By Joe Leadbeater
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Introduction
An explanation of screenprinting, and the benefits of learning the process.
How To Screenprint Explanation and instructions on how to screenprint in general, explaining both the process of cleaning and producing a screen, as well as the process of printing.
Silk Screen Printing Acrylic Ink p25
Neon Ink p27
Metallic Printing p29
Spot Varnishing p31
Fabric Screen Printing Foiling p35
Flocking p41
The ‘Wow’ Factor Phosphorescent Ink p45
Scratch Card Printing p46
Interviews Neil Owen - Technician p51
Will Bryant - Designer p53
Glossary
A glossary of screenprinting related words & terms.
Thermochromatic Ink p47
“Before printing was discovered, a century was equal to a thousand years.� Henry David Thoreau 1817 - 1862
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As a graphic designer, you will always be working with print in some way. The arguement that ‘print is dead’, is only so if you choose to kill it. Sure, you can display more colours on a screen, and information can still be read the same, but screens have been, and always will be, flat. When something is printed, it is vastly more interactive with not only the user, but also it’s environment, something which you will learn from this book. You will learn of ways of printing that reflect light, as well as those that absorb it. Ways of convincing people to stroke your work, or to take it into a different environment to see what will happen. How often will someone move their computer to see a design react in any way?
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How To Screenprint
This section will teach you the process of screen printing (both silk and fabric screen). Not only will you learn how to physically print, but also essentials such as cleaning, exposing and safety precautions.
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1. Preparation Screen The first step with screen printing is to find a screen. When working with paper, you generally would use a silk screen. However this is different for foiling and flocking, where a fabric screen is used. In order to have enough room to print, you should find a screen with a border of 10 centrimetres or more. The easiest way to measure this is a rough ‘hand sized border’ around the image you intend on printing.
Print Out You should print out your image in greyscale, and solid colour. If you want to use gradients, the image should be converted into a half - tone. The area which will expose and then print, is the area printed black. Believe it or not, but a badly printed image before exposure can ruin your print. If your print has defects or not printed properly, this directly be seen after exposure.
Ensure you work with print marks when using more than one colour printing. This can help align each layer perfectly. 5
COMMON MISTAKES The use of an incorrect screen. It’s common to pick up a fabric screen, and prepare it for printing, when a silk screen would be more appropriate. You can still use a fabric screen, however much less detail can be achieved. Too much detail. Unlike digital print, less detail can be achieved when printing. Ensure that you do not use an ultra - thin typeface, or stroke. In terms of a typeface, nothing below 8pt can be easily printed. Similarly, strokes that are below 1.5 pt size can prove difficult to print.
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Apply B-Strip, rinse, then apply B-Solve.
2. Stripping The Screen More often that not, you will have to strip a screen that had already been used, in order to exposure your design onto it. There are two chemicals involved in stripping: B- Solve & B - Strip. The process of stripping a screen is as follows: 1. Sponge on the B - Strip onto the screen, both sides of screen. Rinse with the hose, then thoroughly rinse with a power hose. 2. Sponge on B - Solve, then leave for 10 minutes. After waiting, rinse screen with a hose, then thoroughly rinse with a power hose. 3. Use washing up liquid to clean each side of the screen. This is done to remove grease, and vital.
Top: The tubs of B Strip and B Solve.
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Top: Emulsion on screen, being removed with B - Strip. Mid - Left: B - Solve being left on the screen for 10 minutes. Mid - Right: De-greasing using washing up liquid. Bottom: The clean and blank screen.
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FORGETTING SOMETHING? There are some serious safety precautions that have to be taken to use these chemicals. As the chemicals are used to strip emulsion, a similar effect could be replicated on your skin. The fumes are also equally as bad for you. The use of the water jet can be loud, and can damage hearing. In summary, everything can cause some sort of damage. It is vital to wear rubber gloves, a coat, goggles, and a respiratory mask.
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3. Applying Emulsion Due to the emulsion being photo-reactive, it will react to light. Applying emulsion should be done in a dark room, with no direct exposure to light. The emulsion is extremely difficult to get out of clothing, and it’s suggested to wear an apron when performing this task. The process goes as following: 1. Pour emulsion generously into the scoop, spreading it up and down the width of the tool. 2. Hold the scoop next to the propped up screen, and slide upwards. 3. After reaching the top, go over your emulsion coated screen, scraping excess. 4. Clean the scoop, and leave your screen to dry in a heated cupboard for 30 minutes.
4. Exposing the Screen You should ask for help when exposing, unless you know exactly what you’re doing. The result of an over - exposed screen means you would have to repeat the last 2 steps again. Inversely, an under - exposed screen will result in nothing being printed through the screen. Different exposure times are given for either fabric or silk screens, as well as the stock you have printed onto to expose (light could pass through thinner paper easier, and vice versa). Make sure the exposure screen is clean before using it. Exposure times can be seen on the right. After exposure, you need to wash the screen with water, then remove grease with washing up liquid and water. Ensure the screen is left to completely dry before screen printing.
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EXPOSURE TIMES
1 Light Unit = Approx 3 Seconds
80 Gsm Paper (Regular Printer Paper)
Fabric Screen
Silk Screen
Laser toner - solid black image
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170
Laser toner - greyscale image with tones
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170
Ink-jet toner - solid black image
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170
Ink-jet toner - greyscale image with tones
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170
Photocopier toner - solid black image
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170
Photocopier toner - greyscale image with tones
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170
Laser toner - solid black image
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Laser toner - greyscale image with tones
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Acrylic paint
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Indian Ink
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Pen Drawing
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Laser toner - solid black image
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Laser toner - greyscale image with tones
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Ink-jet toner - solid black image
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Ink-jet toner - greyscale image with tones
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Photocopier toner - solid black image
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Photocopier toner - greyscale image with tones
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Tracing Paper
Acetate
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5. Choosing a Bed
Top: A standard vacuum bed. The button to turn the vacuum on is positioned just on the left side (near where you can see the tape is) Bottom - Left: The holes in the bed which act as the vacuum. It is VITAL to not use a PVA or adhesive substance on these beds (used in foiling & flocking), as the glue will block these holes. Bottom - Right: The weights positioned behind the screen. You should play around with these, ensuring when you pull the frame down, it will stay down. Inversely, when you lift the frame up, it should stay up.
More often than not, you will probably be using a vacuum bed. However, this section is to show you the types of screen printing beds available, and when they would be appropriate to use.
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This is a similar, but slightly different vacuum bed. It works in the exact same way as the previous, but has an arm attached to the bed. You can clamp your squeegee into it, which slides back and forth. This will work well if you’re screen printing at mass.
This type of bed is the simplest. As previously mentioned, you cannot screen print glue through the vacuum beds. This type of bed uses a simple clamp and a solid surface to print, meaning there is nothing to ruin.
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6. Preparing to Print One major issue with screen printing (unlike digital print) is time scale available for print. Things can be digitally printed until the ink runs out. But with screen printing, ink can dry and block the screen, meaning they have to be cleaned before using again. For this reason, preparation before starting to print is key, in order to produce as many prints as possible.
1. Positioning the Exposed Screen Correctly Believe it or not, this can be hugely important to get right, in order to produce your desired print. If the screen isn’t placed over the section with holes in it, your stock won’t be sucked down and held in place. If the screen isn’t clamped properly when printing, it can move around and produce a blurred image.
Position what you are printing landscape. This will mean less distance will have be covered at once, meaning you will print quicker. 15
2. Clamping The Screen Down Ensure this is done with the frame facing upwards. The first step is to secure the top horizontal bar. You can then fit your screen in, and secure the lower horizontal bar. Use the clamps to lock the screen in further. The best way to check your screen is clamped in properly, is to pull at it. If there is still some movement, tighten everything up more.
FORGETTING SOMETHING?
Tape! As you can see in the image above, forgetting to tape up the screen is something even the most experienced printers can make. Tape is used to hide areas which aren’t coated in emulsion. If you were to print without taping the edge, ink would print through directly onto the bed. Something not fun to clean up.
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7. The Printing Having set everything up correctly. This process should be simple. The choice of ink and finishes is important, but this will be covered in the next few sections. The Process 1. Choose a squeegee which is slightly bigger than the width of the area you intend to print.
3. With pressure, drag the squeegee and ink towards you, across the screen.
2. Deposit ink just above the area you intend on printing, spreading it across the width of the squeegee.
4. Lift the frame slightly, so it’s not against the bed anymore. Then push the squeegee up to where you started again, dragging the ink with it. 5. Repeat this motion until you have finished printing / ink dries in the screen. 6. Wash your screen and squeegee, and leave both to dry.
COMMON MISTAKES Flooding the screen. This is when you print over the print multiple times, printing back and forth. The result is a print with ‘blurred’ looking lines. If you feel the print is not vibrant enough after printing once, it’s best to print over towards you each time. Not pressing down hard enough. Don’t be shy to apply plenty of pressure to the squeegee. The result of not applying enough pressure is an uneven print, where only sections have been printed. From left to right : The process of screen printing.
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Refer to the following chapters for information on how to produce printable inks.
Not enough ink coming through the screen. There are two main reasons for this. If it happens when you first start printing, you simply need to persevere and keep printing, and the ink will begin to come though. If you have been printing for a while, the ink may have dried in the screen, blocking further ink from coming through. The best thing to do is wash the screen, leave it to dry, and start again.
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8. Registration Depending on the type of print you’re producing, this has differing importance. If you intend on producing a series of prints with 2+ layers of ink, or printing double sided, this holds huge importance. This is also important if you want to maintain consistency in terms of position with all of your prints. Printing Crop / Registration Marks. When choosing your design, printing crop marks will allow you to cut your print straight, if there aren’t any distinct edge. When printing 2 + colours, you can see how aligned each print is (or how off the image is printed). If you do not print crop marks, do not worry. If you’re careful, you can use a black marker to create your own crop marks, which you can put on your print out before exposure.
Printing onto True-grain. True grain is a plastic sheet, which is to be printed on before printing onto stock. You print onto it, as you would onto paper. Next, you place your paper under the true-grain, lining it up with the image printed above. Turn on the vacuum bed so the sheet stays in place, and use tape to frame the edges of the paper. The tape acts as a jig, making placing sheets in the right place much easier.
Make sure you remove the truegrain before printing onto the stock.
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Top: Image printed onto true grain, with paper slotted underneath.
Bottom: Tape marking out where the paper should be placed.
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9. Repairing One issue that can happen after mass production of prints, is the screen starts to deteriorate. Emulsion can start to peal off, resulting in badly printed images. However, instead of having to strip the screen and start again, there is an easier approach to take: 1. Pour a small amount of photo sensitive emulsion into a pot, and grab yourself a small brush. 2. Paint onto the areas of the screen where emulsion has been removed. 3. Re - expose your screen for 30 seconds.
Top: Image printed onto true grain, with paper slotted underneath.
Bottom: Tape marking out where the paper should be placed.
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For a quick repair, you can use parcel tape on the underside of the screen. This isn’t as accurate as re - applying emulsion.
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Silk Screen Printing
An introduction into the inks and finishes available when working with a silk screen.
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Acrylic & Binder Having learnt the process of printing, you are now ready to apply what you have learnt to printing. Generally, the rule of thumb is to use a ratio of 60:40, acrylic to binder. The use of a higher ratio of acrylic will result in more vivid prints, but reduces the amount of prints that can be produced before the screen blocks. For a much higher production rate, a higher ratio of binder can be used, stopping the screen from blocking as quick.
What You Will Need: 1. Black & white print out 1 Roll of parcel tape 1 Roll of masking tape Photo sensitive emulsion Paper binder Acrylic paint of choice Sheets of stock
Equipment: 1 Silk screen 1 Squeegee 1 Emulsion scoop 2 Spoons 1 Vacuum bed True Grain
Difficulty: 05/ 10 Consistency: 09/10 Estimate of Prints Produced Before Screen Blocking: 20 - 30
Below: The combination of acrylic with binder at a ratio of 60:40 Top - Right: A print using the 60:40 ratio. This works well on a light colour paper, with the use of a darker acrylic. Bottom - Right: A white print on a darker stock. The suggested ratio of acrylic to binder is more of a 75:25 mix. This is so the white appears vibrant, and doesn’t dry so clear.
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Neon Most digital printers (excluding spot - printing) cannot produce a neon finish. Due to neon - acrylic inks being produced, neon can be printed through a silk screen. There is a variety of neon acrylics available: Neon Orange Neon Red Neon Yellow Neon Pink
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Below: Neon orange ink printed onto a grey stock.
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Acrylic, Binder & Metallic Powder
What You Will Need: 1. Black & white print out 1 Roll of parcel tape 1 Roll of masking tape Photo sensitive emulsion Again, something hard to replicate with digital print. The use of metallic flakes can give a unique, reflective Paper binder quality to your work. The process is the exact same as Acrylic paint of choice in the previous page, but a small spoonful of powder is Metallic powder of choice Sheets of stock added into the mix. A variety of metallic powders are available:
Difficulty: 06/ 10
Gold Pearlescent Gold Silver Copper
Consistency: 09/10 Estimate of Prints Produced Before Screen Blocking: 20 - 30
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Equipment: 1 Silk screen 1 Squeegee 1 Emulsion scoop 3 Spoons 1 Vacuum bed True Grain
Left: The types of metallic powder that are available Top - Right: Pearlescent Gold Powder Mid - Right: A gradient print, composed of green acrylic, binder & pearlescent gold, and red acrylic, binder & pearlescent gold. The metallic effect is most effective on a black stock.
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Spot Varnishing This is the first process we have looked at, that doesn’t involve acrylic. Spot Varnish is exactly what the name suggests - a varnish coating, adding gloss. Spot Varnish can look great when printed over a straight acrylic print, or even just on it’s own. You can use either a fabric or silk screen. Silk screen prints will be much sharper, but the screen will block after a few prints. Using a fabric screen will allow a slight amount more prints, but less detail.
What You Will Need: 1. Black & white print out 1 Roll of parcel tape 1 Roll of masking tape Photo sensitive emulsion Spot varnish Sheets of stock Difficulty: 09/ 10 Consistency: 06/10
Spot Varnish is by far the quickest drying finishing method. Preparation is key.
Estimate of Prints Produced Before Screen Blocking: 5-10
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Equipment: 1 Silk screen / 1 Fabric Screen 1 Squeegee 1 Emulsion scoop 1 Spoon 1 Vacuum bed True Grain
Left / Top: Spot varnish applied to a smooth, black stock.
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Fabric Screen Printing
An introduction into using a fabric screen, looking at the two main uses: foiling & flocking. The reason why a fabric screen has to be used is due to the PVA not fitting through a silk screen. The process of developing a screen is the exact same, but a different exposure time . To find the appropriate exposure time when working with a fabric screen, consult page 12.
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Foiling Foiling as a process, is where heat is applied to a printed adhesive, combined with a type of foil, creating a ‘foiled’ layer wherever printed. It’s suggested to only print block colours, staying away from gradients & half - tones. A large selection of foils are available: Standard Colours - Red, Blue, Green, White, Black, Etc. Metallic Colours - Gold, Silver, Copper & Holographic
What You Will Need: 1. Black & white print out 1 Roll of parcel tape 1 Roll of masking tape Photo sensitive emulsion Printing adhesive Any choice of foil Sheets of stock
Equipment: 1 Fabric screen 1 Squeegee 1 Emulsion scoop 1 Spoon 1 NON Vacuum bed 1 Heat Press True Grain
Difficulty: 07/ 10 Consistency: 05/10 Estimate of Prints Produced Before Screen Blocking: 15-25
Left / Below: Images of the heat press. The press is 1 degree off, but this proves difficult to get exactly right. One degree either side off makes very little difference. Top - Right: Clear foil being pealed off, once the sheet has cooled of course.
The Process 1. Develop a screen, as you would with a silk screen. 2. Instead of printing an ink, use a printing adhesive to print your image, then leave your print to dry. 3. Set up a heat press to 160 Degrees Celsius, with time set to 12 seconds. 4. Once the heat press is ready, place foiling on top of your print, with the foil facing upwards. 5. Wrap a few layers of newsprint around the sheet, then place onto the heat press. 6. Pull the handle down on the heat press, applying pressure. 7. When the timer is up, remove the print and leave to cool. Once cooled, slowly unpeel the foil.
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COMMON MISTAKES Applying over a water based ink. If you intend on using acrylic and foiling together, it is suggested to ensure each layer does not merge / sit close to each other. The combination of heated foil and acrylic can result in a gluey mess. If you intend on using both a normal ink and foil, you should use an ink which isn’t water based. Using the heat press at the wrong heat / time. It’s important to be strict on both time and temperature. Pressing for too long / too high of a temperature can result in the foiling bubbling, or even burning. Inversely, a shorter time/ low temperature does not help the foil transfer properly. Aligning / Applying the foiling incorrectly. You should entirely cover your print in a square or foil, instead of trying to cut shapes out. Foil is extremely fiddly, and when in place, can easily become misaligned. It’s best to include a an extra 1cm border when cutting your foil, to allow for this mistake. Another mistake when applying the foil is to place the foil face down. Just before applying heat, ensure that the shiny side is face up. Being impatient. Foiling can be quite fun and exciting, but please wait for your print to cool down before removing the foil. Removing the foil too early can result in most of the foil being pulled off. You should also remove the foil slowly, for the same reason. Wrong choice of stock. The key to foiling is to use a smoother stock. For some reason, sharper edges are achieved on smooth stock, and rougher edges to something more matte. Considering the use of this process should be considered the same time as your choice of stock.
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Further Examples
Top: Gold foil on a variety of stock. Top - Right: Red foil on a variety of stock. Bottom - Right: Black foil on a variety of stock.
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Mistakes
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Left: Foiling being placed in the wrong position before heat being applied. Above: Foiling taken off too quickly.
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Flocking The process of using flocking is almost the exact same as foiling. The only difference is the use of the heat press for a different time and temperature. A small selection of flocking sheets are available: Brown, Black, Grey, Red, Blue, Orange, White. Unlike foiling, which is fairly cheap to buy, flocking is much more expensive, with an A4 sheet costing ÂŁ1.50.
What You Will Need: 1. Black & white print out 1 Roll of parcel tape 1 Roll of masking tape Photo sensitive emulsion Printing adhesive Any choice of flock Sheets of stock Difficulty: 07/ 10 Consistency: 05/10 Estimate of Prints Produced Before Screen Blocking: 15-25
The Process 1. Develop a screen, as you would with a silk screen. 2. Instead of printing an ink, use a printing adhesive to print your image, then leave your print to dry. 3. Set up a heat press to 170 Degrees Celsius, with time set to 20 seconds (unlike foiling, which is at 160 degree for 12 seconds). 4. Once the heat press is ready, place the flock on top of your print, facing downwards. 5. Wrap a few layers of newsprint around the sheet, then place onto the heat press. 6. Pull the handle down on the heat press, applying pressure. 7. When the timer is up, remove the print and leave to cool. Once cooled, slowly unpeel the flock.
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Equipment: 1 Fabric screen 1 Squeegee 1 Emulsion scoop 1 Spoon 1 NON Vacuum bed 1 Heat Press True Grain
Left: A selection of the various flocking sheets available. Below: An example of flocking in use. You can see that it creates a raised layer. This can be most effective on the outside of a book. Due to the raised texture, it’s not practical to use flocking inside of a publication.
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The ‘Wow’ Factor
These processes are all ways in which you can stand out above your competition in the design industry. Not only will you impress your tutors and peers, but knowledge of these processes will really make your portfolio memorable. Does the image on the left look strange? The ink used was phospohrescent, meaning it was taken in complete darkness, without a flash.
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Phosphorescent Ink Essentially ‘glow in the dark’ ink. This can be readily bought in tubs. This can be treated just like when printing acrylic, as it is simply the phosphorescent ink and binder. You cannot mix acrylic with this ink, as it will stop it from glowing. The ratio of ink to binder is best with a higher ink ratio, something like 75:25. The higher this ratio is (and if you can still print), the more successful your result will be. This ink also works better on a coated or smooth stock, as you want the ink to sit on the top, and not be absorbed.
What You Will Need: 1. Black & white print out 1 Roll of parcel tape 1 Roll of masking tape Photo sensitive emulsion Phosphorescent Ink Paper binder Difficulty: 05/ 10 Consistency: 08/10 Estimate of Prints Produced Before Screen Blocking: 20-25
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Equipment: 1 Fabric screen 1 Squeegee 1 Emulsion scoop 1 Spoon 1 NON Vacuum bed 1 Heat Press True Grain
Producing a Scratch Card What You Will Need: 1. Black & white print out 1 Roll of parcel tape 1 Roll of masking tape Photo sensitive emulsion Metallic Powder Washing Up liquid Sheets of stock Paper binder
Equipment: 1 Fabric screen 1 Squeegee 1 Emulsion scoop 1 Spoon 1 NON Vacuum bed 1 Heat Press True Grain
The only process in this entire book which does not involve ANY ink. This is produced essentially through the combination of metallic powder and washing up liquid (and binder of course). This is by far the most difficult of all finishes to get right, as it involves printing multiple layers over the same sheets of stock.
Difficulty: 05/ 10 Consistency: 08/10 Estimate of Prints Produced Before Screen Blocking: 20-25
The Process (produces roughly 25 prints) 1.Produce your prints which you intend on covering up with the scratch card layer, with just binder and acrylic. Stock: For the scratch card process to work, you either have to print this onto photo-paper,or add a sticky - back plastic layer on top of your acrylic prints, prescratch card printing. A non - gloss stock will absorb the metallic powder, stopping it from being scratched off. Acetate and tracing paper both allow the effect to work, but they also scratch off the acrylic layer underneath. In short, you need the glossiest stock possible. 2. Design and develop a screen with a shape that will cover your existing prints. 3. Combine 2 spoonfuls of metallic powder with a ratio of 75:25, washing up liquid to binder. 4. Attach screen to bed, masking up the edges of the screen that aren’t coated in emulsion. 4. Print onto true-grain, then line your stock sheets underneath. 5.Print onto your sheets, going over them a few times. Leave them to dry, and print over them as many times as it takes until the print underneath becomes hidden. This is usually about 5 layers.
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Thermochromatic Ink Essentially ‘heat reactive’ ink. This can be bought in either a powder or coloured ink form. The examples included in the reference book have used the liquid form of thermochromatic ink.
What You Will Need: 1. Black & white print out 1 Roll of parcel tape 1 Roll of masking tape
The way this ink works is simple - when it gets hot, it goes clear. So if you were to just combine thermochromatic ink and binder, when printed, you would be able to see what’s under. This could be just the paper stock, or an acrylic print under, which could be revealed.
Photo sensitive emulsion Thermochromatic Ink Acrylic Ink Paper binder
You can also combine the thermochromatic ink with acrylic. This can also be seen in the reference book. Red acrylic was combined with blue thermochromatic ink. The result was a dark red printed, which when heated, returns to the light red of the acrylic.
Consistency: 06/10
Equipment: 1 Fabric screen 1 Squeegee 1 Emulsion scoop 1 Spoon 1 NON Vacuum bed 1 Heat Press True Grain
Difficulty: 07/ 10
Estimate of Prints Produced Before Screen Blocking: 20-25
It’s best to use a 60:40 ratio of thermochromatic ink & acrylic with binder.
Left: Experimentation with thermochromatic ink. A standard acrylic and binder print was used, then a box and frame over printed (of thermochromatic. As you can see, the ink reacts instantaneously.
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Interviews
Taking the skills you have learnt whilst studying into industry is vital. This section shows what both a print technician and designer think about screen printing and it’s variety of finishing methods.
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Neil Owen Print Technician Neil Owen is a UK print technician, who has been working with non - digital print for over 20 years.
First of all, what made you fall in love with print, and specifically, screen printing? I fell in love with print during my foundation course and was mesmerized by etching, both in terms of a finished print and the physicality of the process itself; the methodical and meticulous nature needed to achieve a finished plate made me feel like an alchemist discovering gold. Plus, in the late 80’s and 90’s print rooms were a different place with the smell of solvents and ink hanging heavy in the air. I didn’t really get into screen printing until about ten years later; I had made a few screen prints but found the process a little too clinical at university and favoured etching. I now tend to work in both etching and screen, with screen being useful for producing work at a faster rate. How long have you been involved in print, and what’s your history in terms of education & print? I initially studied graphic design, but was more inclined to fine art, so I did a foundation, then I finished a Fine Art degree in the mid-ish 90’s. I produced etchings on the degree and continued to work in this medium using the London Print Workshop in Hammersmith to etch and print plates. I then went on to set up my own open access workshop in Sheffield for 5 years, during this time I continued to make work and exhibited nationally and internationally, achieving numerous awards for my work. What’s your favourite finishing method / any you suggest students should try? I love the subtlety of spot varnishes on black paper.
“I now tend to work in both etching and screen, with screen being useful for producing work at a faster rate.”
What’s your take on the phrase ‘Print is Dead’, with many things now going digital? “Print is dead”, really….. I don’t think it will ever die, it is such a powerful medium and will exist in one form or another. In the advent of digital devices, I still think the printed page has a place in the world, and in terms of artwork has even more relevance. LP’s have survived and seen a resurgence through the rise and fall of cd’s, mp3, and other recording/distribution methods. Print is far from dead!
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What do you think is missed with digital print that can be achieved through screen printing? Screen prints tend to evolve in the layering and interaction of colours and inks, the image progression through the printing process and changes that can occur during this. Moreover the actual physical connection with the prints manufacture give the individual control rather than waiting for a digital printer to finish. I feel this lack of connection with a digital print adds an element of disposability to it, with another copy being achieved with very little effort. Don’t get me wrong, digital print has a beautiful quality and incredibly valid, but screen and digital prints are very different products and things aren’t really missed or achieved in one over the other, they both have their place in the world and different distinctive qualities. What would you say are major mistakes people take when using specific screen printing methods? The lack of planning is a pretty major stumbling block, often leading to a something somewhat curious and appearing unfinished. The method itself is relatively straight forward with a few pit falls and quirks, but in my opinion, the main mistakes made tend to be in attitude towards screen printing. Since the process requires a considerable amount planning and execution, therefore the phrases “It will do” or “I want it to look a bit off” are possibly the worst mistakes…... Neil’s Opinion on The Following General Screen Printing Ink We use water based inks for health and safety reasons and due to their nature they tend to never give true opacity. This problem should be considered within the print design and worked with as a positive thing. For true opaque inks. The answer lies with oil based inks but the use of solvents to clean up would be intoxicating. Foiling Never tried it, we tend to print with a metallic powder mixed with the print medium to form an inks that gives a wonderful luster, but does not take to being over printed and should be considered as a final layer. Neon Ink Do you mean fluorescent inks? If so, AWFUL…. absolutely horrendous with any notion of subtlety out the window, but that’s just my opinion. They may have some use in anaglyph printing and the odd application but apart from that personally i’d steer well clear. White Ink White ink? Lovely…. white as is black, a generic term that umbrellas such a rich variation. This is never really exploited to it’s full extent and could produce such an amazing amount of variations and subtlety. Gradient Colours It can work well and is a technical issue in terms of achieving a gradual colour blend, but patience is the key. I guess it’s all down to the original choice of colours as with all screen prints; way too often a great print is somewhat ruined by colour choice being an after thought. Therefore colour swatches can save you hours of work in the long run and a lot of heartache. Thermochromatic Inks Has it’s uses, and some great concepts have be achieved with it, but the main problem is that it comes in a very limited range of colours and more importantly it is an ink additive and is not opaque. Therefore it should be considered purely as a colour changer rather than an opaque mask. Glow in the Dark Inks Again has it’s uses and can provide an interesting twist to work, but should be considered within the concept of the work and not as an after thought; plus it’s over use tends to dilute the effect.
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Will Bryant Designer/ Illustrator Will Bryant is a Designer / Illustrator, currently living in Portland, Oregon, USA. Will’s work weaves together humour with fun, and positivity. In his sculptural installations, photographic still lives, and commercial illustration projects, there is always a sense of exuberance at play with a colourful palette.
Please give me a brief history of your work as designer, from where you studied up until now. I received a BFA in Graphic Design from Mississippi State University 2008, and an MFA in Contemporary Art from Portland State University in 2013. Since completing undergrad in 2008 I have run my own studio making things for other people and sometimes for myself. My work has been plastered across T-shirts, record sleeves, posters, magazines, furniture, snowboards, underwear, and also exhibited internationally. My career started during undergrad in Mississippi making shirts & posters for bands, churches, and small companies. After graduating I moved to Austin, TX and became a member of the collaborative studio called Public School until 2011. During that time my work started growing beyond illustration and more into art direction and I learned a great deal from the other members of the studio. We separately were all running our own creative business, but sometimes collaborated on projects together (Good Magazine, Chronicle Books, Renegade Craft Fair, SXSW).
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After nearly 3 years working full time freelance, building my client list, and trying to figure things out I decided to pursue an MFA, specifically in Portland OR. With a background in graphic design and a shocking submersion into the contemporary art world I struggled, stretched, melted, and grew my way through graduate school. My work became more critical, my perspective on art and design shifted, and I became much more aware of my work in various contexts. My client work is stronger from critical thinking skills and my personal work has developed deeper interests that are more layered. In short, I’m less naive. But it wasn’t easy. How long have you been involved in print, and what’s your history in terms of education & print? I am certain I printed things in grade school, but I never really made anything design related until college. I taught myself how to screen print while in Mississippi and also took one printmaking class (woodblock relief printing) during that time. Most of my printing education comes from experimentation and making friends with people that print all the time. I’d guess 7 years, so not very long. What made you fall in love with print, and specifically, screen printing? The gratification of seeing something you’ve made get printed (whatever method) is hard to beat. Ink to paper, the tactile nature of printing, the smell, the sounds, the everything—it’s just wonderful. Even the clean up. It’s a much more involved process than clicking a print button on your computer. Being able to hold something that’s not a LED screen is neat. What’s your favourite finishing method / any you suggest students should try? My favorite finishing move is the Diamond Cutter by Diamond Dallas Page.
“Something is screen printed doesn’t make it ‘better’ than an ink jet print. It all depends on intent and context.”
What’s your favourite ink / any you suggest students should try? Whatever is available. “The best camera is the one you have with you” —somebody smart said something similar to that one time. What’s your take on the phrase ‘Print is Dead’, with many things now going digital? Print is dead, if you want it to be. Life is cool if you make time for it. What do you think is missed with digital print that can be achieved through screen printing? A sore back from manual labor is missing from digital printing. Also, the evidence of the hand. (in some cases)
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What would you say are major mistakes people take when using specific screen printing methods? Focusing on specific screen printing methods and not having anything worth printing. Discernment is crucial. Experiment and explore without concerns for the content—but at some point you need to have a concept or structure to work with/ against. Just because something is screen printed doesn’t make it “better” than an ink jet print. It all depends on intent and context. Printing is important. So are good ideas. Let the idea determine its execution. Do you have any major design influences from anyone in particular? Pee Wee’s Playhouse, Push Pin Studios, Geoff McFetridge, Milton Glaser, Daniel Eatock, and Saul Steinberg to name a few. What other non - digital processes outside of screen printing should students try? Everything that you find interesting. Work with found materials, paper, cyanotypes, BBQ Sauce, india ink, acrylic, watercolor, silly string, peanut butter, graphite, indigo dye…anything really. Experiment and get your hands dirty. Everything is a tool for making.
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Will Bryant’s Work
The next 3 pages display a variety of prints produced by Will Bryant. Almost all of them have been silk screen printed. Some of them have been produced using a risograph printer, a process very similar to screen printing.
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Glossary
When working with non - digital print, there are lots of technical terms to learn. By memorising the terms in this glossary, you will be confident in researching various inks, finishes & tools.
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Acrylic
Blocking
Binder
B - Strip
An oil - based paint, which A substance combined is combined with binder, in with ink to thin the ink enough to screen print. order to screen print.
When a screen ‘blocks’, it The first chemical used means the ink has dried when cleaning and inside the mesh. This stops stripping a screen. ink from being printed, as the screen needs a clean.
B - Solve
Crop Marks
Dye Lab
Emulsion
The second chemical used when cleaning and stripping a screen.
Printed marks to help cut your print down to it’s chosen size. This can also be used for alignment.
The room (when printing), where powders are left. This is where metallic powders should be kept.
Also known as Photo Emulsion, this chemical is used to coat a screen before exposure.
Exposing
Fabric Screen
Ink
Light Unit
The process of letting light react with emulsion, The area exposed blocks the screen. The area of a print out in black will not expose.
As the name suggests. a screen made of fabric. This has a low mesh count, between 45 & 125.
Any form of coloured dye added to binder, in order to give the mixture a pigment.
The units the exposing bed is measured in. 1 Light Unit (LU) is equal to 3 seconds.
Masking
Mesh Count
Oil Based Ink
Parcel Tape
Masking refers to the process of hiding areas of the screen that are open with tape. This is usually around the edges of the screen, but also when defects appear.
This refers to the density of the mesh in the screen. The higher the mesh count, the more detail can be achieved. However, a higher mesh screen is more likely to block.
As the name suggests, ink which is made with oil. This tends to be richer in colour than water - based, but much messier and harder to clean.
Known as ‘the brown tape’, parcel tape is brown and plastic, used for masking the screen.
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Phosphorescent Ink
Printing Adhesive
Printing Bed
Registration Marks
Essentially ‘glow in the dark’ Ink. This absorbs light, and gives off a fluorescent colour.
A substance used to print through a fabric screen, before finishing with either foiling or flocking.
A general term for the desk used for printing. This can be either vacuum or non-vacuum.
Marks considered before printing your sheet to expose. These help line up prints composed of more than one colour.
Scoop
Silk Screen
Spot Varnish
Squeegee
A tool used when applying emulsion. It is essentially a large trough, which comes at different sizes.
As the name suggests. a screen made of fabric. This has a high mesh count, usually 125 +.
A finishing method printed using a silk screen. This leaves a clear, gloss layer.
A small, rubber blade used for screen printing. This is what drags the ink across the screen.
Stock
Stripping
Thermo-chromatic Ink
True Grain
Whatever you print onto. This could be different paper, tracing paper, or acetate.
The process of removing emulsion for a screen. This is done using B - Solve & B Stock.
An ink which reacts with heat. When cool, the ink is opaque and pigmented. When hot, the ink becomes clear.
A type of stock which is printed onto when working with a printing bed. This is done to help align your stock with the area intend to print.
UV
Vacuum Bed
Water - Based Ink
As you may already know, UV stands for ‘Ultra Violet’. The emulsion reacts with these rays, blocking the screen.
A type of printing bed with holes on it’s top. These pull paper down, so it doesn’t move whilst being printed.
As the name suggests, ink which is made with water, eg. Acrylic. This is much easier to clean than oil based ink, due to it being diluted with water.
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Designed & Written by Joe Leadbeater Dec 2013
“Before producing this book, screen printing was entirely new to me.” Emulsion, B - Solve / B Strip, Binder. These were all completely alien terms to me. I was scared to even consider something printed non - digitally, as it was all completely new and intimidating. I have learnt through MANY mistakes, so that you don’t have to. With the use of both this explanatory book and it’s accompanying reference book, you can learn the most effective ways to design for print, and become it’s ruler.
This book takes you through the process of screen printing with much more clarity and precision than a basic induction would. It aims to take you through step by step, so that people will be asking you for advice on printing, not the other way round. From foiling to varnishing, you will explore a variety of finishes, which you can apply yourself. You will also gain an incite into ‘Wow Factor’ finishes, which when used appropriately, can make your work stand out above the rest.