Supplies
Set-up
Screen Filler Method
Printing
Photographic Emulsion Method
Screen Printing for Business
Screen printing is the process most manufacturing companies use to apply an image permanently onto almost any surface; cloth, wood, fine art paper, ceramics, glass, metal, etc. What if I told you that with a minimal investment (approximately $40-$100), some practice, patience, and some paint on your hands, you could use this same method to create your very own customized fashions? Exciting, right?
The purpose of this article will be to explain the steps, as well as give some scenarios in which you could make a profit. Profit aside, though, personalizing your clothes lets you express yourself in a way that buying them straight from the store could never do.
Supplies
My recommendation is an all inclusive kit at a good price. Scour Ebay and maybe some art supply stores. The ideal kit should include a frame (wood or metal, with mesh. If you can, try to find one that will easily let you change the mesh once it’s worn out or if it becomes damaged. That way you wont have to replace the whole frame, just easily replace the mesh), a squeegee, textile ink(s), drawing fluid, screen filler, photo emulsion, and definitely instructions. Bonuses would be paint brushes/mixing sticks, etc. You should be able to find complete kits on Ebay for around 50-60 dollars.
If you want to go to the real DIY way you can gather household materials and build your own tools. To find an extremely helpful, self-printed guide to that check out http://www.microcosmpublishing.com/catalog/zines/1112/
Once you have your screen printing materials together, you’ll need to get something to print on. If you’re especially strapped for cash you might consider visiting a local second hand store and purchasing some blank shirts in your choice of colors. In my experience, tougher, thicker shirts are harder to print on. If you have some funds, check out savings stores like Kmart and Wal-mart which often times will have bundles of shirts for cheap prices. If you’ve got enough money to be choosey, American Apparel boasts superior quality knits for screen printing on (plus guaranteed ethical manufacturing): http://americanapparel.net/wholesaleresources/screenprinting/
Set-up:
Your screen printing kit should include a description of set up, which should be minimal. You may need to stretch your own mesh across the screen, but it’s typically set up for you. Using masking tape around the inside of the screen (so that it adheres to both the outer corner of the mesh as well as the frame) will help keep your mesh taut.
WARNING: THIS WILL GET MESSY! (but all good arts & crafts are)
I recommend rubber gloves and an apron, or at least some old clothes you don’t care about. If possible do this in the garage or backyard (make sure it’s not too windy). Set down LOTS AND LOTS of old newspaper everywhere you could possibly get ink (which is everywhere!). You will eventually require a sink or tub, as well as high pressured water, so don’t be too far from one. [If you decide to do this in your bathroom be very careful; most of the ink will wash away, but no one wants a ring of blue around their bathtub. I don't recommend it]
Printing Methods
Screen Filler Method
Sketch or trace your design directly onto the front of your screen using a soft pencil.
Paint the areas of the screen you DO NOT wish to show up (the areas around the image you want) with screen filler. This will act as a blocking agent to the ink (make sure the back of the screen is elevated slightly. You can do this by taping small items or sticking thumbtacks to the frame. that’s the frame, folks, not the mesh).
Let this filler completely dry. For best results this could take up to a night.Once dry, hold your screen up to the light and make sure there are no small holes in the filler (or else unwanted drops of ink will get through). If you find any, fill them in and let dry. This is an adequate indicator for all proceedures; if light comes through any part of the screen, the ink will get through. If light does not, neither will ink.
Printing
Here we go!
Place the dry frame directly on top of the item you wish to print on (flat side down, the area with the screens “walls” should face upwards). I recommend your first go be on a piece of paper or scratch cloth. Make sure it is centered and exactly where you want it. You may want to weigh or tape the edges of the cloth to assure it stays in place. You may want to measure and mark exactly where you place the screen. This way, if you lift up your frame to find inadequate printing, you know where to put it to get it in exactly the right spot. If you don't, this is pretty much a one shot process.
Place a fair amount of ink on top of your screen (not too much, you can add more if necessary), and pass the squeegee firmly over it a number of times. When ready, very carefully lift the screen from your cloth/paper and view your results!
It doesn’t always come out perfect the first time. Keep trying new techniques and experiment until it comes out how you want it.
Photographic Emulsion Method
This is the more complex yet sophisticated method. It requires sensitizer and emulsion, making a positive (transparent paper, India ink or sharpie), an aluminum pie tin, a 150 watt clear bulb, a faucet, as well as more labor, time, and precision.
Mix the emulsion according to the directions that came with it. Apply a consistent, thin layer with a squeegee to both sides of the film.
In a dark, cool place, dry the screen bottom (flat) side down, with the four corners slightly elevated (you can do this by sticking thumbtacks into the frame. It's important to elevate to make sure you don't get anything on furniture, carpet, etc). You can place it in an empty cupboard or closet, or even under a cardboard box. A fan will help speed up the drying, but don’t take it out of the cool, dark place before you’re ready to use it. Try not to disrupt the darkness to check. If necessary you may, but be careful not to let in too much light. The emulsion should not be tacky or sticky at all; test a corner with your finger.
Making Transparencies
The next steps are the most complicated. Making a transparency by hand is possible, but it requires a special type of ink. India ink is suitable, as well as sharpies, and depending on the lines you may wish to pick up different sized tips. These should be available inexpensively at any art store.
Now you’ll need a transparency. This can be relatively any clear sheet; most people prefer to use acetate (available at craft stores) or you can pick up the transparencies teachers use on overheads. As you’ll find with pretty much any tools you use here, ink does not dry very quickly/well on plastic. This can be a burden when it smudges or a blessing if you make a mistake (easily rubs away). Since the transparency is, well, transparent, you may choose to print out an image, place it under the transparency, and trace it directly. In this case make sure the image is simple and monochromatic; these instructions are for making a single-colored print. Make sure to tape down the image and the transparency to avoid any mishaps. When tracing in black and tracing an image that is also black I recommend printing your image in a slightly lighter color, which will help you stay on track and be able to see where you have and have not traced. When you’re finished, hold the sheet up to the light and attempt to fix any imperfections which could cause problems in exposure.
Another simpler way to create a transparency is to use a printer or photocopier. You can find transparencies designed to be printed on at office supply stores, but they can be a little pricey. A print shop can also easily transfer your image to a transparency, but that too may be a little rough on a young wallet. If you go this route make sure that the dark parts of the image don’t let in any light. You may want to increase the contrast on graphics to achieve this.
What it comes down to with transparencies is that the parts of the image you WANT to be filled in with ink (the black parts) DO NOT let in any light, which means they should be as dark as possible. I will repeat for clarity, the black parts WILL PRINT and the clear parts will be blocked. This is a positive image, not a negative.
Exposure
Before you expose the screen be sure you have everything you need on hand. Set up your 150W clear light. Desk lamps work well here because you can angle them straight down, they work especially well if you can convert them to a bare bulb. Cut a hole in the center of an aluminum pie pan wide enough to accomodate the smaller end of the bulb but large enough so that it does not slip off the larger end. Fix it around the light (unscrew the bulb, place the pie pan, screw the bulb back in), so the light is where the delicious pie would be (that’s with the sides facing down).
Use clear tape to fix your transparency to the screen. Set your screen on a piece of black paper one foot below your light. Your screen printing kit should contain a set of exposure times depending on the size of your positive.
Once the light has done its magic, a steady stream of body temperature (NOT HOT) water should be applied, concentrating on the light areas to wash away the emulsion. Let dry. Once dry, hold your screen to the light and check for holes. You may plug these up using screen filler (and then allowing adequate drying time) or small bits of masking tape.
You’re ready to go!
Print your image on your shirt using the directions at the end of the previous method.
Screen Printing For Business
The screens you’ve produced here can both be washed out, check the instructions that came with them for the best ways to get them out. After a certain number of prints even the latter screen will start to be less efficient.
The most obvious idea for profit would benefit those who love to express their creativity. Those budding designers will find this a great skill to have. Further mastery of this art will allow you to print off multi colored images. Screen printing is very versatile and can be used in many different manners.
The Budding Designer
So you create this fabulous design and print it off. You’re already on your way to selling shirts. The entirety of this website can help you from there, market the hell out of that sucker. Wear it everywhere you can and be sure to let everyone know you not only designed it but personally made it! I guarantee everyone will be impressed. Start taking orders for your designs and get your creations out there! Be sure not to burden yourself too much; only agree to make a practical amount in a realistic amount of time.
Customization
For the more technical and less creative among us, you can start making custom shirts according to customer’s needs. A local little league team might need a certain amount of shirts with their logo. A bowling team might need the same. Market yourself as an affordable customization service, but as I mentioned before, only take on as much work as you can handle.
Fine Art
For the artists among us, experiment with screen printing as an art! You can use most acrylic inks in place of textiles, and a high quality paper instead of a shirt. Or simply transfer previous photos, paintings, etc. from their normal format into a new, impressive, and professional one. Framing and selling is easy from there.
As Adversitsement
Those of you with other business ventures may find it useful to print shirts with your name and logo! You can be a walking advertisement for your own company, plus pass them on to friends. Not to mention that employees always look more professional in uniform attire.
