Silk Screening

Meul (Meul), CC BY-SA 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/, via Wikimedia Commons

Silk screening is the process of using a fine silk mesh to create a stencil for mass produced printing. Once the stencil is created, it can be used on various substrates to apply ink. Modern day mesh is synthetic, but in the past real silk was used.

While its origins are from China, it wasn’t until the late 18th century that it became more accessible in the West with more availability to silk. In the 1900ssilk screen started to become more used in commercial art with the development of photoreactive compounds that we know as emulsion fluid.

Using a black and while image under the screen, you would apply the emulsion fluid to the silk screen frame in a dark room. Next you would cure it with some light, causing the fluid to react and create a stencil from the picture below. Once its cure, it can be used as many times needed. (Modern digital Silkcreeners use heat to fuse the synthetic silk instead.)

Andy Warhol was one of people that made silks screening popular. Because of theses stencils he could replicate his works as many times as he desired. His famous portraits of Marylin Monroe are silk screen printed!

“Warhol’s Marylin Monroes” by jschauma, CC BY 2.0

Silkscreening can be done on a wide variety of materials, the most popular is on fabrics or canvas. Today you can see this silkscreen method readily in print shops, as it is one of the more popular processes to created graphic tees, bags, and the like.

In the Makerspace we have three types of silk screen processes:

  • The traditional way, using photoreactive emulsion fluid to create the stencil using a black and white printed photo. Usually this is a two part mix, but many modern brands are premixed and some are created for LED lights vs fluorescent or other light sources.
  • A digital method using a design created on software to cut adhesive vinyl on the Cricut as a stencil.
  • And another digital method using out MiScreen Digital Silk Screener.

All have their pros and cons.

Traditional:

  • Can be used for larger prints (our frames are 18×24″)
  • Makerspace printers are limited to 8.5×11 so lager stencil designs need to be printed in parts.
  • Will need to purchase the LED emulsion fluid for our LED cure light (Link below).
  • Removing/Reframing screen is a process.
  • Slower production process.
  • Multi-layer processes are a challenge.

Vinyl:

  • Mostly limited to 12×12″ (but we do have the capability to cut 12×14″ but roll vinyl may be limited.)
  • You will need to carefully remove the unwanted parts.
  • Will not need emulsion.
  • Apply the vinyl will need care and patience.
  • Not reusable once you remove it from the screen; you’ll need to re-cut it if you ever want to do more of the design once removed from the frame.
  • Slower production process.
  • Multi-layer process is less difficult but require some care.

Digital:

  • Reusable. The silk can be removed and replaced more easily.
  • No emulsion fluid!
  • Image is uploaded to a computer application– not printing needed!
  • Limited to A4 size (8.3X11.7″), so design is limited.
  • Quick production process.
  • Registration board and accessories make multi-layer prints easier.

Guides

Output Guide for the MiScreen Digital Silkscreener

Resources