Screen Printing

Trial and error is an understatement when it comes to my trials and errors into the foray of screen printing. I've wanted to make some of my own screen prints for a while now, I got the opportunity to do some at Uni and college before that, as well as letterpress and a host of other printing goodnesses. But since then have never attempted my own set up, I've had things screen printed, i've even helped run and printed on an industrial screen print machine.

So i set about on my challenge, to date, I have bought 2 screens, A3 and A4, i've also bought 2 UV black lights, constructed a light box A2 size, bought inks, fillers, photo emulsions, 275 watt photoflood bulbs, fittings, scoop coaters, squeeges, drawing fluids, halogen work lights, 200 or so transparencies (half of which are no good) acryclics, fabric inks and a few packs of anadin extra as a result.

The initial problems I met with were things like exposure times and getting the right materials, I felt a bit like Tom Hanks in the Money Pit! but eventually I got everything I needed. Spraying my screen to clean it out and push out the filler was also a problem, i'm still using the shower with the head taken off and my thumb over the end for the high pressure! it works!

I think it's all about working out what is right for you and what set-up works, I managed to finally get a set-up that worked best for me, I'm sure you will see examples on my site and as part of a new project that I've been working on a while now, which is finding it's feet.

If you have any screen print questions, get in touch at info@mikelemanski.co.uk