Screen Preparation

• Screen preparation is an important part of transferring an image by silk-screen. The simplest way to get your design onto the screen itself is to cut the design from paper and attach it directly onto the screen. While easy, this technique will work only for the most basic designs. Other methods include drawing the design right onto the screen and coating the negative space with screen filler, and for the most detailed images, making a photographic emulsion.
  
  

Ink Types

• There are a few different types of ink suitable for silk-screening, but not all are suited to printing on every type of surface. Water soluble inks are best on plain paper and wood. Acrylic inks print best on medium or heavyweight paper, but can also be used on wood and surfaces that have been coated. Textile inks are true to the name; they work best on fabric. Most fabric is porous and will take the ink; however, it may not adhere to nonporous fabrics like nylon.
  
  

Printing Techniques

• Methods of printing on paper, fabric, and other surfaces are fairly similar, with only a few adjustments needed. The most basic print jobs on any surface involve single-color printing. Single-color printing uses a single screen to transfer a single image to the surface. Most printing, however, will be multicolor, which requires the printer to divide a design into separate colors. Each color section is transferred to its own screen, then printed one-by-one onto the surface object.
  
  

Printing Problems

• Although screen printing appears simple, unanticipated difficulties often arise, especially in beginner projects. A slow print speed may cause inks to dry while still on the screen. A sloppy print stroke may leave gaps in the finished product. Even small problems in the screen preparation, such as drawing fluid residue or a failed photo emulsion, may leave the end design looking strange. Some of these problems can be touched up by hand, or by repeating the print stroke.