Screen printing is an art form. It is an amazing process that produces high quality products in a matter of minutes. This process allows for extraordinary attention to detail. Screen printing T-shirts is something that many people avoid because they believe it is too complicated and should be left to the professionals. This could be wrong. You can make your own t-shirt designs from the comfort of your own home.
Screen printing: What does it really mean?
Screen printing is also known as Silk Screening. It’s a method of printing graphics on a T shirt. Screen printing is not done by soaking the shirt in inks. Instead, thick inks are applied to the shirt. Screen printing is typically done on fabric or paper. You can also print on metal, plastic, and glass using some specialized chemicals.
What is the working principle of a screen printing machine?
Screen printing involves making a stencil with fine mesh screens, then pressing paint or ink through the screen to create an imprint on the shirt.
Try it Free for 15 Days!
One screen is required for each color printed on a screen. To ensure that all colors are aligned correctly, registration is required before printing. After printing has been started, each color is inked onto the fabric. Each piece must be thoroughly dried to cure inks.
How to screen print T-shirts at Home
Many people believe screen printing is expensive and difficult. This misconception is often mistaken. Screen printing is not as hard as you might think.
You will need supplies
- You can purchase a frame and screen at your local art gallery.
- Photo Emulsion and Sensitizer
- Gloves
- A 150-watt bulb
- T-shirts
- Squeegees
- Silk Screen Fabric ink
- To hold your shirt in place, use cardboard
- Design Software
- One piece of glass
- Dark Room
The Process
- First, pick an image. CorelDRAW is a high-quality design program that can help you create the perfect image, slogan or other idea for your shirt.
- Print the shape or image and cut it on regular paper.
- Next, apply Photo Emulsion to the frame. Because the material reacts to light, it is best to apply it in dark places. Use a squeegee to apply the photo-emulsion. Follow the directions on your bottle.
- After the screen has dried, transfer the image to the screen. To secure the image, place a transparent glass on top. Next, expose the image using a 150-watt lightbulb. You will find the exposure time according to your screen size in your photo-emulsion instructions. You will also find the distance your light source should be from your screen.
- When the timer expires, remove the glass from the paper and cut it out. You will see a faint image of your photograph.
- You can wash the screen with hot, lukewarm tap water. Concentrate on the image area. Your emulsion will start to evaporate and your image will become brighter.
- Your t-shirt should be flat.
- Place the silkscreen over the shirt so that the recessed side faces up.
- Tape the paint to your screen.
- Use a squeegee to drag paint onto the image, but don’t use pressure.
- Gently lift the screen from the shirt.
- Hang your shirt and dry it. Then, rinse the screen with cool water.
- To ensure ink sets, place a dry iron on top of the ink.
Screen printing: How to make it perfect
You can create unique tshirts or logos using screen printing. With the right materials, you can create professional-looking clothes.
Also Read –