Saturday, November 9, 2024

How to Silk Screen

Ever wonder how your favorite shirt was printed? TCP stopped by Jüpmode and Reddish Printing to try our hand at silk screening. We were surprised how a complex science makes for a relatively easy process. Not only was it very interesting to learn, but silk screening was also a really fun experience, especially with cool guys like John Amato and Max Reddish.

 

Step 1

A blank silk screen is covered in a water-soluable, photo-sensitive emulsion.

 

 

Step 2

A design is printed on a transparency or tracing paper and placed onto the silk screen. There is a transparency for every ink color. The screen is then exposed to UV light, hardening the emulsion everywhere except the parts covered by the design.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Step 3

The screen is hosed off, removing the emulsion that was covered by the design. Now ink will only filter through the design.

 

 

Step 4

The screen is attached to a press. A style of shirt along with the color of ink is selected. Amato and Reddish each use a plastisol ink which, when hardened, grips the individual strands of fabric making a more durable print. The shirt is placed under the press and ink is pulled with a squeegee-type tool to cover the entire design. Then the excess ink is wiped away, leaving a wet print on the shirt. This part of the process may be repeated according to the number of colors selected and complexity of the design.

 

Step 5

Now the printed shirt is placed in an industrial dryer (like a pizza oven!) to dry and harden and when it drops out, you’re ready to put it on and show off your Toledo pride!

Ever wonder how your favorite shirt was printed? TCP stopped by Jüpmode and Reddish Printing to try our hand at silk screening. We were surprised how a complex science makes for a relatively easy process. Not only was it very interesting to learn, but silk screening was also a really fun experience, especially with cool guys like John Amato and Max Reddish.

 

Step 1

A blank silk screen is covered in a water-soluable, photo-sensitive emulsion.

 

 

Step 2

A design is printed on a transparency or tracing paper and placed onto the silk screen. There is a transparency for every ink color. The screen is then exposed to UV light, hardening the emulsion everywhere except the parts covered by the design.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Step 3

The screen is hosed off, removing the emulsion that was covered by the design. Now ink will only filter through the design.

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Step 4

The screen is attached to a press. A style of shirt along with the color of ink is selected. Amato and Reddish each use a plastisol ink which, when hardened, grips the individual strands of fabric making a more durable print. The shirt is placed under the press and ink is pulled with a squeegee-type tool to cover the entire design. Then the excess ink is wiped away, leaving a wet print on the shirt. This part of the process may be repeated according to the number of colors selected and complexity of the design.

 

Step 5

Now the printed shirt is placed in an industrial dryer (like a pizza oven!) to dry and harden and when it drops out, you’re ready to put it on and show off your Toledo pride!

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