First Screenprinting Adventure!

As you recall, about 3 months ago I received a screenprinting kit from my fabulous husband for my birthday/christmas. I was super excited but alas also pretty busy, thus hadn’t gotten a chance to use it. My new friend Jen and I have been cooking up some ideas, our last project was a lamp which turned out pretty awesome. Her husband Eddie has recently become a Boston Celtics Fan, which, if you live in Tempe, it is rather hard to find a celtics t-shirt, especially a month ago, which was when we began looking.

As I had never used the screenprinter before and was eager to try it out, and she needed a shirt for Eddie, what better excuse! Thus we embarked on our adventure, I can honestly say I’ve never worked so much on a project for someone else’s husband. (You are a special one Eddie!)

First we collaborated and came up with a design

Next we watched instructional videos for about an hour and a half (got overwhelmed then inspired),

-then we printed it out on a standard transparency using my inkjet printer

Note: if you want more visuals, go here.

-The next step was to go in a light-safe room (no uv light) and cover the screen with an emulsion liquid on both sides, let dry for at least a few hours, (we waited a few days)

-Next tape the printed transparency onto the screen and shine a bight light on it for 13 min. (exactly)

-transport screen to a “washing station” which for us was the backyard at night with a hose

-Wash screen out with hose or a pressure washer if you have it. The principal being that the dark black ink that was printed on the transparency blocked the light from those sections, so the emulsion behind it is still soft, while the rest is hardened by light. Thus when you wash it with water, the emulsion only comes off those sections covered by transparency…get it?

Now our screen looked like this

Next, tape up the edges so ink can’t leak through

We fastened the screenprinting board to the table

Which took some intensive leveling

Once that was “straightened out” ;) we put some mild glue on the board to hold on palce and put the shirt on the board

Next was the all exciting inking process

Notice we tested first on a “crap shirt” (official term) good thing too, because it took a few tries

With white ink, it is thicker so you need a little gap between the screen and board, We over compensated the first time so the ink got a little blotchy, but after some problem solving, we moved on to the real deal!

Jen did the honors

And voila!!

Stuuuuu-pendous! After blowdrying it until the ink was dry to touch, we put a sheet of parchmet paper over the design and ironed it on the hottest heat to “set” the ink so that it wouldn’t wash off in the laundry

Really pleased with it, now the question remained, would Eddie like it?

Jen is off to deliver…

And yes! He liked it :) not that we had any doubts I mean come on!

If this doesn’t make him a good Celtics fan I don’t know what would! Stay tuned for future projects, Jen promised we’ll do one for me this time ;) and more screenprinting to come I’m sure…