Screen Printing Workshop.

I was really pleased today to get the oppurtunity to attend a screen printing workshop at the Vernon Street campus.

Having only screenprinted once or twice in my life before (around a year ago whilst at college) it served as a very good refresh and has made me feel really inspired and excited by all the new styles and possibilities opened up to me!

I took along a TIFF file, with my ribcage type as image picture which I had been working on the night before. Unfortunately, putting this on my memory stick at four o' clock in the morning (graphic design= insomnia) made me not realise the flaw of the misplaced text in the middle, and without it's original Illustrator file, I was unable to edit this- a shame, though it didn't affect the image too greatly (thankfully!). 

Working in groups we produced ten A2 sheets full of our designs in crimson and black ink prints. It was a great experience to work with familiar and unfamiliar course members, clear that we were all really enthusiastic about learning this process, and I speak for the whole group when I say that we thoroughly enjoyed it, and got a lot from the day.

Useful hints and tips, processes and procedures to remember:

POSITIVES

*Seperate black and white positive for each colour; as UV light travels through colour.

*An exact time where UV light will travel through the screen and ink stays soluble enoug to wash from the screen.

*Always print from a laser- solid, heat-treated ink- not leaving greying bars that inkejt/photocopiers often do.

*Avoid folding/layering paper as this will often leave gaps in your prints, quite obviously. DO NOT OVERLAP!

*Use scotch tape if you NEED to tile- don't use masking/sello tape.

*For multiple colours- use CMYK format. Seperate into CMYK print as 'seperations' (in printer management settings). Print from light-dark: cyan, yellow, magenta, black.

TECHNIQUES 

*Multiple techniques can be achieved- splat ink and then sgueedgey for a silk screen/monoprint.

*Apply various colours in a line for patterns and gradients.

EXPOSING

*On a coated screen layer image on box face-up. Place screen over, lay copper wire over the top to earth- press in light units number (corresponding with the paper type you print onto- see wall chart for details). Lock down. Start. Vaccum. It will clikc when finished, and the light will be on the 'stop' button.

*Take to the spray booth- use the little hose wet the screen- get rid of any light spots to reveal your final image.

MIXING INKS

*Around 40% pigment, 60% binder (relatively opaque)- the more acrylic you put in, the quicker it dries.