The Process of Silk Screen Printing

Defined Tag: Silk Screen Printing.
Although screen printing has been around for several centuries, the art of silk screen printing has only been used since the early 1900s. When the practice of silk screen printing first began, raw silk was used to do the printing. After the practice had been around for awhile, people began using fine polyester instead of silk to mimic silk screen printing. The polyester used in silk printing is so similar to silk that it is hard to tell the difference. Many people never recognize that polyester is used rather than silk.

The process of silk printing begins by placing the fabric across a metal frame. The fabric is stretched across one side of the frame. The artist then uses a pencil, brush, or sprayer to ink the screen. The screen is inked with either glue or cellulose varnish. Next, the artist must cover the parts of the fabric where the ink should not penetrate. Covering these parts ensures that the ink will not penetrate the fabric. Once the artist has protected the fabric, he then compares the screen to a partially covered stencil.

Now the actual silk screen printing can begin. A piece of paper is placed underneath the screen. There is a small gap left between the paper and the screen. The artist covers the screen with a small amount of ink using a tool that has a handle and a rubber edge. Pressure is used to force the ink to move through the screen and onto the paper. If the artist is applying different colors of ink, a new screen must be used each time.

Silk screen printing is an art that must be mastered. It is not an easy process to learn. Beginners would do best to learn the process first as an apprentice under another artist.