Screen Printing on Fabric with Exposed Screens

Properties & Qualities

Application

Art Product Sample making

Qualities

2D Other

Colour

Black

Sample Information

Date of Creation

March 30th, 2023

Dimensions

Culture & Context

Exposing screens are a technique that requires UV exposure units, though DIY alternatives can be made.

Process & Production

To create an exposed screen I first make a design then turn that into screen separations. One separation per colour. I prefer to hand draw separations or if I do get them printed these will come from hand drawings that are scanned into a computer. As the drawing on separations need to be opaque so that the light can not pass through it I use media such as indian ink, posca pens, chinagraph pencil and black gouache paint. In the images above you can see a test print created to test out a variety of media on acetate. When using an exposed screen I still enjoy combining this with stencil screen printing to get a mix of solid shapes, textures and line.

Recipe Details

Coat screen with a light sensitive emulsion – thinly, both sides of the meshDry in a darkroom or a cupboard without lightPrepare the separation – opaque drawing material on to drawing film or acetate Put the separation on to the glass of the exposure unit and the screen on top – mesh side flat on the separation and glass. Expose your screen using the specific exposure units instructions – some units can take as little as 30 seconds and DIY ones might be about 20 minutes. Once exposed, wash the screen until the drawn areas wash clear to show the mesh. The rest will not wash out as the emulsion will be baked on.Once the screen is dry it can be printed with.Add printing paste in a bead along the top of the screen. Put squeegee into the paste, move it to a 45 degree angle then pull paste through, pulling down then back up. Do this 3 – 4 times for medium cotton. Put the squeegee aside. Lift the screen from one side slowly to reveal the pattern.When it’s time to take the design off the screen a screen stripping chemical will be needed.