Above: Andy Warhol, "Marilyn Monroe". 36" x 36" (1967) portfolio of 10 screenprints on paper
Screen printing, also called silkscreen, and serigraphy (from sericum = Latin for silk) is a twentieth century printmaking technique derived from traditional stenciling, itself one of the earliest forms of graphic art duplication. Usually, screen printing involves placing a fine mesh screen, which is stretched tightly over a wooden frame, above a piece of paper. Then color is forced through the screen with a squeegee. The screen commonly made of silk, yet other materials such as cotton, nylon or metal can also be used.
A style of screen printing first appeared in China during the era of Song Dynasty Art (960-1279), and made its way to Europe in the 18th century. However, it was not until silk mesh was more available for trade in the 19th century that screen printing began to pick up popularity. In 1907 Samuel Simon patented screen-printing in England. At first, the process was used to print interesting colors and patterns on wall paper and fabrics and then by advertisers. Eventually, however, it was adopted by artists as a convenient and reliable way of reproducing their works. In the 1930s, a group of artists, who wanted to differentiate what they did from the commercial screen printing world, formed the National Serigraphic Society. In doing so, they linked the word Serigraphy with fine arts and screen printing. 'Seri' is Latin for silk and 'graphein' is Greek for to write or draw. Eventually it was popularized by Pop artists like Roy Lichtenstein, Robert Rauschenberg, and Andy Warhol, as well as other contemporary art movements. Once protected as a “trade secret” screen printing is now commonplace. Once protected as a “trade secret” screen printing is now commonplace. Today screen printing is used by fine artists, along with commercial printers who use intustrial printing techniques to place images on t-shirts, DVDs, glass, paper, metal and wood.
A style of screen printing first appeared in China during the era of Song Dynasty Art (960-1279), and made its way to Europe in the 18th century. However, it was not until silk mesh was more available for trade in the 19th century that screen printing began to pick up popularity. In 1907 Samuel Simon patented screen-printing in England. At first, the process was used to print interesting colors and patterns on wall paper and fabrics and then by advertisers. Eventually, however, it was adopted by artists as a convenient and reliable way of reproducing their works. In the 1930s, a group of artists, who wanted to differentiate what they did from the commercial screen printing world, formed the National Serigraphic Society. In doing so, they linked the word Serigraphy with fine arts and screen printing. 'Seri' is Latin for silk and 'graphein' is Greek for to write or draw. Eventually it was popularized by Pop artists like Roy Lichtenstein, Robert Rauschenberg, and Andy Warhol, as well as other contemporary art movements. Once protected as a “trade secret” screen printing is now commonplace. Once protected as a “trade secret” screen printing is now commonplace. Today screen printing is used by fine artists, along with commercial printers who use intustrial printing techniques to place images on t-shirts, DVDs, glass, paper, metal and wood.
RESOURCES
SUPPLY KITS – SUITABLE FOR BEGINNERS
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SCREEN FILLER + DRAWING SOLUTION
OTHER OPTIONS
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NEGATIVES + HALFTONES
PRODUCTS
RESOURCES
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Halftone/Mesh Formulas Halftone dots offer perception of a solid color. The small dots must contain the proper mesh count. Formula #1: Dot Size 4 or 4.5 = Mesh Count For example, if we have artwork that is 35 lines per inch (LPI) we must multiply that number by 4.5 to get our mesh count of 157.5. Mesh must be at least 157.5 or higher for 35 LPI. Formula #2: Mesh Count ÷ 4 or 4.5 = LPI In order to determine the maximum dot size we can hold and print on the screen we can reverse the formula. For example, if we only have a limited number of screens available and the highest mesh count on hand is 196. We can then divide that by 4 or 4.5 to determine halftone dot size to use. Lines per inch can be determined by dividing the mesh count that you are using by 4 or 4.5. In this case, the smallest dot that you can have would be : 196 ÷ 4 or 196 ÷ 4.5 to get your LPI. |
STENCILS + POCHOIR
POCHOIR Pochoir, the French word for stencil, is a method of coloring illustrations for books, journals, and fine art prints. Pochoir printing was at its peak in commercial publishing in the early twentieth-century. At that time there may have been over thirty studios in Paris alone. The manual and time-consuming process of pochoir is best utilized in creating limited edition prints displaying sensuous textures and luxurious colors. A craftsman known as a decoupeur would cut a few to hundreds of different stencils for each sheet. Then coloristes would apply each layer of color using a separate pompon, a brush of short coarse animal hair.
Japanese Paste-Resist Dyeing · Katazome Wikipedia defines Katazome as "a Japanese method of dyeing fabrics using a resist paste applied through a stencil". The stencils used are called Katagami. In Japanese, this means "pattern paper" (kata = pattern and gami = paper). The stencils were developed and used primarily for printing on fabrics for kimono. Here is more Katazome (Japanese Stencil Dying) |
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INKS
HELPFUL TIPS
Golden Silk-Screen Medium A water-borne system designed to blend with acrylic paints for silk-screen application. Increases working time and retards paint from drying in the screen. Safe to use with minimal odor. Mix 1 part Silk-Screen Medium with 1 part GOLDEN Acrylic colors (Heavy Body, Matte or Fluid) and use this mixture to screen with. The Silk-Screen Medium is not designed to impart opacity, hence the opacity of the mixture will be determined by the nature of color being used and the ratio of paint to Medium used. Formula for a Screen Printing Paste
This formula allows printmakers to produce a low-cost screen printing base. Bound pigments or tempera and gouache inks may be added. Prints can be overprinted after 15 minutes. You can use this paste for screens up to 120 T. |
Printing on Fabric?
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TOOLS
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SCREEN MESH
STRETCHING METHODS
MATERIALS AND KITS
DIY OPTIONS
RESOURCES
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PROCESS COLOR (CMYK)
RESOURCES
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PAPER
RESOURCES
- Choosing a Silk Screen Paper – jacksonsart.com