You may think you know what screen printing is… but do you really?
Here’s a little history:
Screen printing is a technique for printing images, text and patterns onto many different surfaces including textiles, ceramics, wood, metal and plastics. The first applications of this process made an appearance in China thousands of years ago with Japan improving on the process over many years with their stenciling techniques. The first appearance in Western Europe was in the 18th century, primarily in France. The process evolved into what it is today at the beginning of the 20th century when a man in England developed a patent for the technique of using a silk meshed screen and a squeegee that is used to push the ink through the screen. This is still the technique used today.
Here’s how it works:
First, you need the right tools:
• Artwork
• Screen
• Squeegee
• Ink
Then, using a photosensitive liquid a stencil of the artwork is created on the mesh of the screen with exposure to UV light. Once the stencil is created, ink is pushed through the screen using a squeegee. The screen is lifted, and the image will remain on the surface beneath (i.e – t-shirt). This is greatly simplified, as there are many, many steps involved. It’s a very hands on process, and that makes getting to the end result of a great looking screen printed item, all the more satisfying!