Screen Printing - screenprinting-SUPPORT.com

Screen printing is an ideal method of decoration for a wide range of high-quality products including T-shirts, bags, caps and other wearables. The process applies ink directly onto the object using a mesh screen with tiny holes that allow the ink to seep through. A squeegee or a blade is then used to push the ink into the material evenly so it gives a sharp, clear image. Different colors can be printed in this manner by swapping screens for each color.

Are you considering venturing into a lucrative trendy business in 2021? Want to venture into screen printing? You can begin with printing items like bags, t-shirts, banners, and many more right things for your target market.

Retail shops usually sell personalized items to make profits, while some companies might go further to advertise and brand the screen-printed products. Therefore, making the screen-printed products will require you to display your skillful nature of producing quality-made prints that last for long and look fantastic.

You need to gain more practice and training in the sector before you decide on selling your items.

When screen-printing is narrowed down to t-shirts, you need to know that they aren’t just meant for casual wear, but t-shirts are actually clothing articles that affect people’s interests, personalities, and general identity. This is enough reason to consider engaging in online sales of t-shirts. They are a popular choice that most artists or beginner entrepreneurs think to venture in because the business costs less.

Additionally, custom-made t-shirts are believed to contribute to the skyrocketing revenues in the global market by 2025 with an estimate of $10 billion. Therefore, you need to know how to start a screen-printing business in this trendy market and engage yourself in enjoying such benefits from the industry.

Are you wondering who invented screen printing? The origin of screen printing dates back to AD 221 in China when designs were placed on fabrics. The Japanese decided to follow suit by using a stencil for their simple techniques in creating imagery. Human hair was made out of woven mesh during this period, and paper was cut out to make stencils. The ink was also forced via mesh using brushes directly to the fabric.

During the 1700s, in France, people used silk screens to make prints on the fabrics. They took stiff brushes and pushed ink via the mesh. At this time, people started practicing how they could stretch silk while supporting stencils via a frame; hence it got initiated to become whom.

Still, in the 1700s, silkscreens were being used in France to print onto fabric. Modish inflexible brushes were there still, and guys used them to jolt the print toners towards the netting. It revolutionized the start of an era for extended fiber placed on top of a mount to underpin the arranged stencils; today named whom.

Within the 20th century, there was the introduction of squeegees which were equipment used to pull ink via a printing screen mesh. During the 1960s, contemporary art became a thing when Robert Rauschenberg, Andy Warhol, and Peter Bake, pop artists, began using screen-printing. They formed an integral part of the inventors of screen printing. They popularized the technique by establishing it as an essential part of a medium.

So, the big question that you might have asked yourself is how much is the cost of screen printing equipment? Since our interest is on t-shirts, I recommend that you should acquire enough supplies for the shirts needed to begin the printing process.

You might obtain the t-shirts at $5,000 or less according to my estimation. The other things required are the equipment for screen printing. Here is a mini description of some of the equipment to be used in screen printing.

With $10,000, you might acquire an excellent specialized printer.

There’s also a need for a website which may cost $500.

You need to make advertisements, you can allocate $5,000 to make ads via newspapers, direct mail, radio ads, fliers, and business cards.

Other items that I highly prefer which you might require include; sharpies, ruler, scrubby pads, scotch tape, masking tape, infrared temperature gun, heat gun, chemical resistant spray bottles, markers, rags, and chemical resistant spray bottles. All these items are essential; hence, after purchasing the primary equipment for screen printing, you should consider adding each of these to your list within time.

However, suppose you need to be a professional and start a business on Screen Printing for T-shirts and other items, you need to consider the following in terms of the equipment costs. Here is what I found out for you to consider as a top –priority in your needs. I highly champion that you get a;

At least an estimated $100,000 a year.

You can print 180 shirts per hour on the Trooper. It is an automatic printer that prints 6 color designs. The price for printing 1 color on a 100% cotton shirt ranges from $5.50 to $9.00 depending on how many shirts are in the order, and you charge much more if it is 6 colors or more.

You will need $144 to buy 72 shirts when you buy them in dozens. The materials for your screen will cost $21. This might be $3.60 depending on the type of screen you are making. Ink costs about $1 per shirt, so that is another $72 dollars. Lights and electricity will cost an extra $169.

It will take you about an hour to make one screen, and about an hour longer to make more screens.

In one day, you make $576.00 minus the cost of materials ($169.60) and get to keep $402.40 for yourself. That is a lot of money!

The short answer is about $10 per day or just $212 per month.

The cost of a t-shirt printing machine is about the same as an average car payment. A screen printing machine can make you money when running it. If you take out a $10,000 bank loan for 5 years at 10% interest, it only costs $212.47 per month to pay back the loan – much less than.

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A computer is essential since you will require vector software which is usually used for screen printing. You will use the Corel or Adobe Illustrator vector art for your work. Others prefer using Photoshop, but it isn’t as suitable for screen printing as vector. Additionally, you should add an inkjet printer to your computer and software. The screens can be made by the inkjet film which is printed.

A pressure washer is suitable during screen printing because you will require running water to wash out all the stencils on your fabric. Ensure that water doesn’t reach the other parts of the t-shirt where printing has been done. The tap water should be running like that of a garden horse. You need to place the stencil on an exposed table and then wash it out using the garden horse. Additionally, mask-wrapping, de-hazing, and emulsion of the screen will be managed by the pressure washer. There’s no need to worry about any of the chemicals because this equipment also sorts that one out using its force of water.

Onto the next important thing that you need is the flash. It’s suitable that you get a flash dryer or air flash which you can use to press the multi-color tasks during printing. You will need the ink dried; hence this equipment will come in handy when touching in-between prints. Use an air flash when handling water-based inks. But when using plastisol inks, switch to infrared flash.

The top of an exposure unit is made of an LED vacuum. It helps with exposing the screen since its process is photographic. A UV light is required since it’s considered a light source; however, there’s no guarantee that the sun will shine all day. Other familiar light sources that people prefer include quartz lights, fluorescent tubes (blue), etc.

It’s vital to know that the fluorescent light tubes only offer good UV, which hardens emulsion. Similarly, Quartz lights also perform the same; hence, you need to consider more efficiency when selecting light sources.

If you aim to save up on cash and look for light sources that are entry-level and economical, you need to get the Ryonet LED. Such light sources produce three times more UV as compared to the quartz tube or fluorescent. Its pricing is also favorable, and I would recommend getting it because of its high quality on images and the best for an entry-level source. For the sources of light which are advanced, you can choose an exposure unit of the M&R MSP 3140.

A screen printing press should be considered the first piece of equipment to get on your list. I suggest that you go ahead and get the one that is an actual press and not any other. This is because it would be easier for you to place on the pallet- screen-printer the shirt. The workload on printing the t-shirts would become much more manageable; hence, some press comes with a pallet that shirts can load or split. The pallet is put inside the shirt; thus, it becomes easier to screen print it.

You need to put into consideration the number of colors that you need in print. Always remember that a print head is required for any color that you need to print. Each color, therefore, gets its print head. Most flexible screen printers have a four-color station. Inside the screen printing equipment, there are four crosses, and it also has a bench-top.

As a lover of versatility, you may want to consider using various colors. Before you settle on the type of press that you want to buy, you need to consider its flexibility in terms of printing and the number of colors it can allow when at the print. Additionally, think if you’re comfortable using the bench press or go for the floor. Beginners find it challenging when at the bench press, but they can opt to get a table-top or 1-color-1 printings press and bench-top, respectively.

The Squeegee prints the screen; hence you must get it when looking for screen printing equipment. Add a scoop coater to the list because you will need to use it when smoothly applying the emulsion coat on the screen and transferring it to the exposure unit. The screen will get exposed to create a stencil while under the exposure unit. The Squeegee is then used to press it for the print results.

Varying expenses are expected in the business of screen printing t-shirts; hence they are always ongoing. From the order of materials to other miscellaneous expenses, you might find yourself spending for each silkscreen $1.50 and $2 for every t-shirt created. So, with all this laid out, how much does it cost to print a shirt? An ink might cost five cents, while $25 is spent on each silkscreen that has been pre-made. It means that a client might pay $8-$10 for the job to be done on a t-shirt that requires six colors printed on it.

Growth of technology and various tools are available and can be used for shipping, printing, and designing your custom-made t-shirts; hence it might seem like a simple thing to start your business.

However, it’s still challenging to make your brand known out there because of completion. Prospects always want to know how much it costs to print a shirt from several dealers before making their final choice.

With the presence of competition, you need to focus on how to generate your tiny profits into becoming something great hence the need to know how well you can make the revenues. If you’re that person who needs to see this information, then let’s see what you need to do to make money screen printing. Here is a step-to-step guide on what needs to be successfully done.

Take a course of go work at a workshop as an intern which deals with screen printing and embroidery. You will get to learn the right skills needed in running the business. Some distributors, manufacturers, and even specialty schools offer this chance. Golnari Adiri is one multimedia artist who offers such.

To get revenues from your screen printing business, you need to have a business plan and thorough research on other screen printing businesses in the market within your area. There are free services in America, and some are of low costs, which can help you plan your business and offer advice on business startups and applications for loan assistance. Follow to know more about the creation of a business plan from the Young Entrepreneurs Forum.

You need to get a permit after registering your screen printing business from your area city hall; hence, get a number for tax identification that the Internal Revenue Service always gives. The licenses are essential when you want to run a successful screen printing business. Xero Accounting Software explains more on how you can go about business registration in the USA here.

You can decide on searching for your working space through local rental agencies or online or in the newspaper. It will help you acquire somewhere suitable for your screen printing business at an affordable price. If you choose to work in a town hall or garage, or basement, it’s your choice, but you need a place that will keep you working without any distractions so that you make your revenues. Credits to CatspitProductions, who showcased one of the screen printing entrepreneurs’ rental spaces, which you can check to have a clue on how much space you need here.

The price listing that you have will hugely impact the number of clients that you receive at your shop. There’s special software that you can use that is meant for garment decorators, and it will help you computerize the business listing function. Check out the showcase from Printavo and thank s them; you can know where to begin on screen printing using matrix software.

When you have launched your printing business of t-shirts, find distributors and manufacturers who are professionally reliable in terms of supplies of equipment and quotes. Have a computer with because you will need it for the creation of graphics for your t-shirts. You may prefer using the startup packages from distributors or simply have your needs designed. All machinery should be measured as well as the shop layout so that you find the right package. Here is how you can source suppliers plus distributors with the help of Cameron James.

Doing research will help you find the appropriate distributors around your area; hence they will supply you with your apparel. This will help you in saving up any extra expenses. You can ascertain the need why this is a crucial step in Custom Getaway here.

When you market yourself well enough, you will make much more from the trendy screen printing business. Ensure that you make brochures, business cards, and other prints that will help you attract more clients. Your referrals and orders will also rise in number.

Consider also word of mouth, which is also an effective way to do marketing or find prospects through mobile chatting platforms like Whatsapp, Twitter, Instagram, etc. These are some of the best apps and social media where marketing is done, and it has higher rates of success of attracting more clients who need their t-shirts screen printed.

Thanks to Red Website, here is an outline of successful marketing strategies.

Screen printing will require you to push yourself into having all the machinery needed in your shop. This will help you a lot in attracting a considerable number of customers from your area. You can ask manufacturers to install the equipment, and if you have the personnel, you should ensure that they are trained well enough. Thanks to Margaret, a screen printer, here is a view of how your shop should be operating.

As a startup business, it’s good that you join the other business people in the area. This will help you network with them and form a marketing strategy that will help you get clients quickly. You need to get their mails, telephone, and emails. You can quickly locate the other businesses through the Chamber of Commerce.

Additionally, when you interact with the local people, you will know how to handle your screen printing business as a starter and the amount of cash you can make in the area. Brema is a beginner screen printer who I appreciate for his efforts in giving details on how he began with his screen-printing business here and why it matters to engage with the locals.

I consider selling t-shirts online as not entirely manageable, especially when you try to showcase everything you possess on creativity. It doesn’t matter the niche you think is best or the design quality, or how ambitious you are in making your first sell as an entrepreneur.

But with this tutorial, it’s much easier because it can help you begin your screen print business. I found out that the good news is that you can also use third-party platforms like Shopify to launch your T-shirts and build your brand. In a few hours, the designs that you already have might sell on the forum. This is not as hard as you might have imagined.

So, continue with your plans on the screen-printing business. Practice everything mentioned in the tutorial, and you will be good to go.
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One day, my friends and I took a trip to the city center. On the way, we stumbled on some cool graffiti designs. The thing is, we wanted to make our own stuff without having to learn how to draw — so we asked one artist there, and he told us they used stencils.

After hearing that word, I went on a mission, searching for videos and how-to guides on YouTube. By the time I finished searching, I still felt I’d never be able to produce the kind of Pinterest-worthy designs that I loved. But after much trial and error — making trendy wall art and cool graffiti fabric designs became second nature.

Stencils are patterns created by spraying paint or ink onto a sheet of paper or thin plastic. You can use the stencil as-is or peel it off the paper and transfer it onto a substrate, such as wood, walls, and fabric, by painting over the top of it. Now that I’ve learned how to stencil print, I’ll tell you how to do the same.

From the look of it, stenciling is something that seems pretty simple. But as you know from experience, everything takes practice. Whether you’re adding a custom graphic or doing a full paint job with stencils, you’re going to want to follow these tips.

In this article, we’ll cover the following:

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Stencils can be intimidating at first, but after you get the hang of it, they’re actually quite easy to work with — even for beginners. Although many assume that screen printing is a complex industrial process, it’s actually simple and user-friendly.

Screen printing is a popular choice for designers and retailers alike, thanks to the vibrancy of the inks. When you’re selling t-shirts and hoodies online, you know that it’s important to show off the quality of your product.

Here are some of the materials you will need:

Impress Stencil FilmScreen-printing frameCraft-knife and cutting matMounting adhesive sprayTote bags, T-shirt, or other printing materialMasking tapeScreen-printing inkSqueegeePlastic Spatula

Soft bristle brush

When planning to print a stencil, it’s crucial to have a high-quality image as the basis of your design. As long as you have a powerful computer and printer, the resolution shouldn’t be an issue — but finding a suitable image is one of the most important steps when learning how to make a paper stencil for screen printing.

There’s no better tool for this job than Adobe Photoshop. Alternatively, you might want to consider Microsoft Paint if you’re looking for something simpler. Of course, if you’re creating your own artwork without using any outside source images.

You don’t need image editing software: you can use your own hand-drawn art.

When just learning how to stencil print, it’s best to start with a simple design. Line drawings or thick text will help beginners learn the basics of the art form. For more complicated designs, use bright colors, and save darker hues for after you’ve become comfortable with the basics.

In order to create a hard copy of your design, you should print it on premade paper in black and white. If you don’t have access to a printer, most companies sell prints both in-store and online. Printing your art on cardstock makes sure that it’s sturdy enough for standing up against the wind. You can also print your design on regular printing paper, but it won’t be as sturdy.

Use your utility knife to carefully cut around the black areas of the page. Try to follow a continuous border to help limit the number of touch-ups you need to make at the end. Make sure you are cutting as close to the edge of your image as possible. Otherwise, you may spend more time removing excess paper than you’ll save time in the long run.

Screen printing is the art of printing text or graphics onto a surface using a stencil with ink. There are several methods for achieving this goal, but they differ in one major way: the medium used to create the stencil. The screen filler method uses a sticky gel spray to create the stencil, whereas the drawing fluid method uses liquid emulsion and a squeegee to distribute it evenly.

The photo emulsion method may sound intimidating, but it’s actually a powerful technique for printing intricate designs and thin lines. It produces results that are as detailed as they are bold.

In today’s DIY-savvy world, the possibilities of creating new projects are infinite. With just a few supplies and a bit of practice, anyone can create gorgeous screen-printed designs. It’s also an excellent alternative to expensive retail items or costly custom orders. No one will believe you made it yourself.

Screen Printing is the perfect hobby for a lazy Sunday or even an evening when you just want to relax at home. You don’t need high-tech equipment, and the right supplies are affordable and available everywhere.

Materials You’ll Need:

• A vector image to screen print.• A blank screen• A sign squeegee (an old credit card can work)• A vinyl decal or access to a vinyl cutter.

• Masking/transfer tape.

If you don’t have a vinyl cutter, it’s still possible to get a decal made. Most sign-makers and printers will have the right machinery, but there’s another option: if you already have your artwork ready, you can use an online service like CafePress.

Design the final product as a vector design in Adobe software. This is the most important step of all, and you really need to take your time with the design phase.

When you’re doing screen printing with vinyl, make sure that you have your image cut out (etched) correctly — or, if you’re cutting it yourself, weed the line-work from the vinyl.

When you receive your decal for screen printing with vinyl, be sure to clean off the adhesive back. You should also remove the protective wax-paper layer before applying it to your screen. This will save a lot of hassle down the road, as residual adhesive from an old decal may cause bleeding during printing.

Vinyl When applying a vinyl decal to your screen, you need to make sure that you cover the text or image when printed. Otherwise, it won’t look as good as it could and can be hard to read. To avoid this problem, mask off the areas where you don’t want the ink to go and then print. Removing the mask reveals only the areas where the ink has gone, leaving a clean image with no blank spaces.

Silkscreen printing is a fun and inexpensive way to turn your custom artwork into reality. The process uses a mesh screen as a stencil to leave ink only in the outline of where you want it. By using a silkscreen, you can save money when printing on large quantities of shirts or other items.

Things You’ll Need:

• Silkscreen• Green film

• Transparent or high-quality print of your design

Green film is a screen printing overlay that lets you trace your design without damaging the screen. When applied, you can use it as an alternative to paint or photo emulsion screening techniques in order to create beautiful hand-pulled prints. The green film leaves no residue behind, and you can easily remove it before sending the artwork through the silk screen press. These films are excellent for use with photo-emulsion-based inks and can reduce waste from screen printing projects.

Screen printing on photo emulsion is a fun way to create a unique and personalized design for your favorite shirts. It’s also the key to printing. Used with a sensitizer, it’s the only way to make high-resolution prints on silkscreens.

Photo emulsion burns stencils into screens, allowing for photo-realistic screen printing and cutting the need for pre-printed fabric.

To use the Emulsion method, follow these simple steps:

The screen must be clean of grease and residue before applying the phosphor.

Fill half of the sensitizer bottle with cold water. Be sure to mix it well — if the water is too warm or too cold, it can prevent the emulsion from working effectively.

Pour the photo emulsion into the scoop coater. This step will allow the emulsion to settle for a minute to make it easier to scoop it out. Gently shake the scoop coater from side to side, creating a light coating of photo emulsion on the screen.

Leaving the photo screen in a dark place, lay it down horizontally, and make sure that air can circulate around it. A cool, dry place will prevent your screen from warping or losing its shape as it dries. It’s essential to properly support the edges of the metal frame to keep it from bending. Leave it like this until all the emulsion has hardened. When you’re ready to begin sharing, cover a piece of black foam or an old book with a sheet of black paper, then place your photo screen on top.

Put the film under a sheet of glass with the image facing up. It should have its positive side facing up exposed to light. We recommend 250-watt bulbs for 15 minutes at a time, but you can multiply these figures by 150 according to your bulb’s wattage to achieve similar results.

Once the screen is dry, you can see a difference in color between the exposed and unexposed emulsion. Remove the film from the negative and inspect it. The unexposed piece of the film should be slightly yellow, while the exposed part is pure black.

You can even use the Sun to light your stencil. Just expose it to direct sunlight for an hour or so, then wash away everything that you didn’t leave exposed (leaving behind a design).

To properly use cuttable green film when screen printing designs, there are a few things you need to know. The purpose of using green film is to protect the area around the design from ink, and it also allows your squeegee to glide smoothly across the screen. No matter your printer, there are a few things you can do to make sure you’re using cuttable green film correctly — and using it as effectively as possible.

Print out your desired image on printer paper and trace it to the green film.

Use a pencil or a ballpoint pen to trace your design’s outside edges and a sharp X-Acto knife to cut along the black lines.

Apply it to the screen’s surface and use it to print on wood, glass, metal, etc.

When finished with the screen printing process, there are two ways to remove the screen from the frame: You can pull the fabric off entirely or warm the silk with hot water and then pull it away gently.

Photo-sensitive green film is a simple yet powerful tool that turns any flatbed inkjet printer into a high-quality screen printing press.

To print on it, you first need to create a positive image of your design by using a film or digital negative. The method used before will work for printing on this type of film: screen printing, letterpress, or laser cutting.

A Green photo-sensitive emulsion is good to use as a light-blocking ink, but you must expose it to light before exposure, or it won’t print. To set up a screen, apply the emulsion with a squeegee across the entirety of your screen.

Spraying your screen and the green film with water before burning parts of it’ll help you to blow out the details you just burned into your screen. Because of this step, you cannot blow out the rest of the pieces. You also need to prevent ink from seeping between the screen and gripping the fabric when you print it.

Screen-printing prep is a crucial part of the process, and you’ll spend hours precisely preparing your screens ready for print. We can trace the difference between a great print job and a terrible one back to screen prep: if you haven’t cut your stencils accurately or applied them correctly, then all your hard work will be for nothing.

Materials you’ll need:

• Ink• Iron• Repositionable Adhesives• Cardboard

• Sealant

To choose the correct ink and resin for the job, you have to know what kind of surface you’re printing on. Once you understand what goes best with your surface, you can buy the best ink.

If you want your design on fabric, iron the fabric before printing so that the surface is smooth enough to hold the ink. If you don’t, your print will run. That’s why you should iron out the surface.

Choosing the spray adhesive is the most important part of screen printing. If you choose an adhesive that isn’t repositionable, then you’ll have to reprint your artwork from scratch every time you make a change. This means that you need to take extra care to get it right the first time — otherwise, you’ll waste hundreds of dollars on ink.

If you want your stencil to remain in place while you work, apply a strip of masking tape to the back of the stencil.

When printing on a T-shirt or some other substrate, some folks choose to print between two pieces of cardboard. You can do this to increase the durability of the print and to prevent bleeding through the shirt. To do this, spray both sides of the cardboard with a sealant or adhesive and add it to your separations. Once you laminate everything together, flip over and trim off any excess material that could cause your print to bubble or wrinkle.

If you want to avoid misprints and dripping, make sure to center it under the screen. Use tape to secure it in place.

If you follow these basic steps, you’ll be able to print your own designs onto mugs, T-shirts, and shoes. You don’t need any prior experience in screen printing — even if you make a mistake or two on the way, you can simply reprint your own work without having to pay for pricey equipment again. Just practice over and over again, and you’ll slowly learn how to better control the process to get professional results.

Are you wondering if you’ve to buy a new screen whenever you’ve a new design? Or can you use the same screen? Fortunately, you can use your screen.

All you have to do is clean your screen immediately after using it if you aren’t reusing it right away, otherwise, the ink will stain your screen and causes oil residue which causes a ghosting effect on your screen that could affect the quality of your future projects.

The goal of cleaning your screen with effective cleaning agents or household agents like bleach is to remove emulsion and lift any ink, oil and dirt from your screen, helping you keep it in the best quality.

It might seem as if cleaning your screen might ruin the mesh, it’s actually an important part of maintaining your screen. Properly cleaning your screen will keep it free of build up and make it easy to clean for future projects because hasn’t collected ink stains. Ink stains are caused by letting the ink stay on the screen for a long time.

There are many ways to clean your screen with many products specially formulated for this effort. The chemicals used in silkscreen cleaning are extremely strong and potent and protective gear such as gloves, eye protection and aprons will be important for your safety.

The chemical agents used in silkscreening cleaning are called degreasers and dehazers. These are available online or in craft stores. They are formulated to easily and effectively lift the emulsion off your screen, which is the most important part of cleaning it so that you can get a better image next time. If you are looking for a budget friendly alternative, you can clean a silkscreen with bleach and detergents, a common household product.

If you want your screen to remain clear and effective at holding the exposure, follow any one of the processes below on how to clean emulsion off a silkscreen. Remember cleaning is best done immediately after your print run, otherwise, the stencil will permanently remain on your screen, the ink will stain it and the oil residue will build up.

The objective of cleaning your screen is to remove the emulsion, you should follow the instructions of use on your products to get the most of your cleaning and make sure they are effective. One way to know whether your screen is emulsion-free is to hold it in front of light after your final rinse.

If your screen has traces of oil on it, you’ll need to clean it again. You can use your dehazer for this or dish soap like dawn which effectively removes oil. Oil residue means that your screen still has some emulsion residue on it which will affect the quality of your image if you leave it.
If you don’t have a dehazer, you can effectively clean a silkscreen with bleach. Make sure you read the instructions and use gloves for safety.

Before you can start cleaning your screen, there are a few cleaning items you’ll use. These are listed below and give you the best chances of maintaining a clean screen and preserving its integrity. You should’ve a step up in your studio where you keep your cleaning items so that you can always have easy access to them. These chemicals are dangerous and therefore should always be out of reach of children or pets on a high shelf.

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Degreaser or Dehazer
Sink
High-Pressure Water Source
Scrubbing Pad
Clean Cleaning Rug
Gloves
Protective Eye Gear
Screen Rack
Bleach
Dawn Dish Soap

A degreaser and dehazer are cleaning agents that dissolve the emulsion solution from your screen and allow you to easily clean off the ink and any debri.
You should understand that a dehazer is also a degreaser, but a degreaser is not a dehazer. So which one should you have?

Most professionals go with a dehazer which is a two-in-one, that does the job of removing excess ink that may be staining your screen once you are done with the emulsion process and it works to remove the emulsion solution from your screen. A dehazer is best if you like having only one chemical in your studio.

A degreaser can only remove the emulsion solution, a task at which it excels. You can choose one or choose both. I would recommend having both. There are some great eco-friendly solutions such as SuperGreen, Naturama, Ecotex to choose from if you want to avoid harsh chemicals.

If you can, install an industry standard screen in your studio. This will make your life easy providing a station to clean your tools. The best sinks to install are stainless steel utility sinks with a 3(1/2) inch basket strainer, 1(1/2) inch IPS drain connection and easily supports wall-mounted faucets.

A high pressure hose is ideal if you have enough space for it. Most are able to wash the emulsion off in a few seconds.
A garden hose will also work, use an adapter for your faucet. The point is to have a high pressure cool water source for easy, effective cleaning.

Your scrubbing pad should be smooth to avoid residue being caught in your mesh. A scrub pad with a handle makes cleaning easier for you. Ecotex brand has some great safe chemical resistant brushes. You can buy Neoprene, Latex or Polyethylene gloves that increase safety during screen printing and cleaning. Always use gloves with chemicals and bleach.

You can use cotton rugs to wipe the ink off your screen. Keep your rugs clean by passing them through a wash cycle after use in your washing machine and dryer. Use a cloth that will easily absorb any excess ink as it cleans it off without transferring it to the screen.

Screen racks are great for drying your screen. They help protect your screen and keep it dust free, which could leave specs after your emulsion

Now that you have all your tools, this tutorial will walk you through how to clean screen printing screens at home. It is written in sequential order to help you easily follow the steps to clean emulsion off a silk screen.

Before we get started here are some important safety tips. You should always wear gloves and protective eye gear when using chemical agents, bleach and detergents. Keep your body as far as possible to prevent splashing. Open your window or turn on your fan to ventilate your studio when using bleach.

Use your squeegee to scrap off all the ink from your screen. You can transfer this excess ink back into your ink bucket or have an ‘used ink’ bucket on hand.

Spray your screen with spray wash or ink remover. You can spray it four to five times.

Wipe your screen with a clean rag. The goal of these steps is to remove as much ink as possible before the next steps. A cotton or microfiber rug is best.

Rinse your screen with cool water on the front and the back. Make sure you get as much of the ink off as possible.

We’ll go over how to clean screen printing screens at home with bleach, a degreaser and a dehazer, which are the primary and most effective methods of cleaning your silkscreen.
Below are the steps you can take to clean your screen printing screens at home with bleach.

Take your sink stopper and place it in your utility or work sink. Next, lay your screen flat in your sink, if you can’t fit it lay it so that it is completely covered with bleach when your pour in the bleach.
Take your bottle of bleach and follow the instructions. Pour the bleach into the sink and cover the screen. Then set your timer for five minutes. Leave your screen in the sink until your timer goes off.

After five minutes, pull your screen out of the sink. Don’t drain the bleach, you’ll use it again, place the screen above the bleach. Take your scrubbing brush or pad and scrub both sides of your screen. Make sure to scrub the corners and any oil is removed from your screen.

Soak your screen in the bleach again for another five minutes. Set your timer and wait till it goes off after five minutes.

Once five minutes is up, pull the plug from your sink letting the bleach drain. Take your hose and rinse your screen with hot water on both sides. Using a hose, will make your life easier, a pressure hose is ideal because it saves times.

Take your dish soap and sprinkle it on both sides of your wet screen. Scrub your screen again with your brush. Rinse your screen with hot water to wash off the detergent.
Hold your screen to a light source and make sure there isn’t any oil residue. If there is, your screen will look oily on some parts.

Increase the airflow in your studio using a fan, dehumidifier or open your windows. Place the screen vertically or horizontally off the ground. Make sure your screen mesh has adequate air flow to help your screen dry properly.

The process of cleaning your screen with a degreaser or a dehazer is the same, but these cleaning agents are not the same. A dehazer is also a degreaser, but a degreaser is not a dehazer. A dehazer is best when you need to rewash your screen because of excess oil, it can also be used to remove the emulsion from your screen but a degreaser was formulated for that job and is best suited. You can have both in your studio, but if you have to pick one, a dehazer is the best way to go. If will remove the emulsion and also any oil residue, which a degreaser cannot do.
Below is the process of using a degreaser or a dehazer.

Spray the front and back of your screen with your emulsion remover or degreaser. You can also use your dehazer if you have one on this step. It will work like a degreaser. Make sure to generously spray your screen on both sides and let it sit for a few seconds to allow the emulsion to disintegrate making it easy to wash off.

After 30 seconds to a minute. Use your scrubber to scrub both sides of your screen. At this point the emulsion should easily start coming off. If you find it difficult to clean your screen, generously spray more of the degreaser or dehazer and allow it to sit on your screen for a few seconds and scrub both faces of your screen again.

You can use a standard garden hose or a pressure washer. The pressure washer will save you a lot of time and is a great investment if you have space in your studio. Place your screen at a 45 degree angle over your utility sink. Spray your screen until the emulsion is completely washed off.

You might notice some ink on your screen, which is a result of the oil in the ink having sipped through and stained your screen. This is called ghosting. You can remove the oils a process known as dehazing. Wet your screen and generously spray your screen with your dehazer and use your scrubbing brush to scrub it down on both sides. Leave it on for a minute and pressure wash from the side that you had the ink.
If you only have a degreaser, you can use dish soap to wash off the oil.

You can take some steps to prevent ghost images on your screen. Below are some things you can do to avoid this extra step.

Properly expose your emulsion. Make sure you are not under exposing your emulsion which is one of the major causes of ghosting.

Inspect your screens and make sure they are kept at their proper tension otherwise your screen will stretch when it comes into contact with your squeegee, which will create gaps or valleys where your ink will build up and get stuck after the print stroke, lowering the integrity of your final image.

Do not leave ink on your screen too long, this will cause the ink to settle and stain making it difficult to remove. This will leave the oil on your screen and over time ruin your screen.

Maintain the integrity of your screen. If the screens are worn, they’ll more likely trap ink and create the ghost design. Make sure you replace heavily worked screens before they ruin the quality of your final image.

Tip

A dehazer is a degreaser but a degreaser is not a dehazer. If you are dehazing your screen, do it immediately after you remove the emulsion otherwise it will be extremely difficult to remove.

Hang your screen vertically or lay it horizontally on your screen rack to dry. Make sure you have sufficient airflow going through the mesh. Depending on your location you can use a fan or a dehumidifier. If you are in a hot and dry climate, a fan is best for your studio. There are many fans available for art studios or look into industrial fans which will effectively ventilate your studio and keep it cool. If you live in a humid environment, a dehumidifier is your best option, it will keep the air quality good and stop it from making your ink.

The quality of your screen will always affect the quality of your final image. Make sure your screen is well cleaned if it is not in use and before use to remove any build up from past projects. Bleach and dish soap like dawn will effectively and gently clean your screen and increase its longevity. Always remember to use gloves, protective eye gear and an apron when working with chemicals and ensure a well ventilated room free of children and pets.
Don’t forget to share this article and as always, if you have any questions or comments share them in the comment section below.

Do the words screen printing invoke joy or fear within you? If it’s fear, is it because screen printing is something you’ve come to believe is reserved for those pro DIYers with the hippie vibe?

Fortunately, none of that is true, screen printing is easy to do and can be learned by anyone. It is also a gold standard for your DIY cred because it is the most important thing all DIYers should know. So you’ve come to the right place to advance your skills.

This tutorial is a how-to for screen printing t-shirts at home. You’ll learn the best steps taken for DIY t-shirt screen printing which is basically how to put a picture on a shirt.

You’ve probably seen them before, the t-shirts with custom messages on them. They are often sold at festivals or events where people came together for a common goal such as yoga retreats, activist protests, or peace rallys. They have custom messages printed that unite the people attending the event, which makes them extremely popular.

But DIY t-shirt screen printing goes beyond events, you can screen print your artwork on a collection of t-shirts you’ll sell in a merch store, which is currently the most popular application of screen printing t-shirts. YouTube Vloggers with high followings usually have a merch store selling their custom logos on printed apparel.

You’ll first need to assemble your materials and place them at the correct stations in your workspace. Remember to take good care of your materials and buy ones that are high quality if buying new. Having higher quality materials that you maintain in a clean environment allows you to print higher quality images.

You can DIY some of these materials such as the print screen. All you need to make a screen printing frame is to screw 2 x 2 wood frames tightly together, then very tightly staple your silk onto the frame, trim the excess silk off until you have neat edges without overflowing fabric, use painter’s tape to secure the stapled edges of the screen and prevent the paint from overflowing, you can tape the inside of your frame for caution.

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If you are buying all your materials or have already done so, here is a list of materials you’ll need to successfully screen print your t-shirts at home.

A black silkscreen with a pre-stretched 110 mesh frame
Your Design to be printed
Transparency paper for the laser printing
Photo Emulsion
A 150watt light bulb
Squeegee
Ink
Blank canvas on which you will be printing, this can be any of the following bags, t-shirts, posters, mouse pads
Clean cleaning rags
Gloves and an Apron to protect your clothes
A table covered with a newspaper or anything to protect the surface
A sheet of black fabric or black paper
2 Lamps
Optional : 1x red or yellow light bulb, table clamps or weights to keep everything in place

There are a few extra items that are optional but important. Having them improves your workflow and maintains the integrity and quality of your tools.
Below is a list of optional by valuable items.

A degreaser is a cleaning agent made specifically to clean your screen. If you don’t have one, then use warm water, but you should consider buying a degreaser for future clean-ups. Degreasers like Screen are water-based, eco-friendly cleaning agents that gently and effectively remove dust, oils, and dirt from your screen which can cause spots on your final product and distorting it.

A degreaser also removes ink from your screen to clean it once you are done with a project, ensuring you avoid unwanted color mixing. Always wash your screen after a project, this ensures that it is kept clean free of dirt, and ready for use at all times.

Your screen should always be placed off the ground and in a place where air flows unobstructed through the mesh. The screen rack allows air to easily flow through the mesh, protecting it from dirt and hastening drying time.
Screen racks are usually vertical hanging racks or horizontal built-in with support on the sides that hold the screen.

You will use this tool to coat the screen with the appropriate layer of emulsion. Your scoop coater should have plastic end caps that you’ll insert before you start coating which allow your emulsion to remain horizontally balanced in the scoop as you coat your screen. It should also be easy to take apart so that you can clean well for your next project. Select a scooper 4″ smaller than the width of your screen size, that fits within the width of your screen allowing you to easily and evenly apply the emulsion every time.

This is nice to have on hand because it helps you fix any unwanted spots on your screen that may appear after exposure. These spots referred to as pinholes allow light to pass through parts of the screen that should be covered by the emulsion. If they appear on the exposed screen, they can ruin your final image by adding specs to it. Always lift your screen up to the light after exposure to find pinholes, if you find some a Blockout pen allows you to easily and quickly fill these holes or smooth out any marks caused by the emulsion process. You simply press the tip of the block out applicator or pen to the pinhole or mark and it is gone. Make sure you buy an ultra-fast drying pen that is also water-soluble.

These ensure that your screen and scoop coater is well cleaned. You’ll use your scrub pad after spraying the degreaser on your screen and waiting a few minutes. The scrub pad will remove any excess ink, oil, dust, or dirt from your screen which not only prepares it for your next project but also increases its quality and longevity.

You’ll clean all your tools in a clean sink. Make sure it’s always clean.

Having a fan allows you to increase the source of airflow in the room allowing your screen to dry properly. A dehumidifier is a good option too because it sucks the humid air out of the room which increases the quality of your end product. Go with the one that works best for your environment. If you are in a dry hot place, a fan will be useful vs a moist environment where a dehumidifier works best.

Now that you have all your tools. Follow this how-to for screen printing t-shirts tutorial below to learn how to put a picture on a shirt. It is written in sequential order, so follow it from the first step to the last step.

We’ll start by creating a good working environment. Clean up your environment and make sure it’s dustless. As stated above, dust particles can cause pinholes on your screen which will cause unwanted marks on your final result. It’s best to remove any possibility of this happening by maintaining a clean, dust-free studio.

Now would be a good time to turn on the fan or dehumidifier and improve the airflow in your studio. You want to create an environment that allows the ink to quickly dry once applied to the canvas, otherwise, it could start dripping and ruin your work.

Once everything is clean and orderly, assemble your tools. Keep them within easy reach and make sure they have their own station in your workspace. This will keep you organized.

Whether your screen is straight out of the box or gently used, degreasing it is an important step in ensuring you avoid pinholes after your exposure. Use a spray bottle to distribute the degreaser solution evenly across both sides of your screen.
Allow it to sit for a few minutes before you use the scrubber to gently scrub your screen. Once done, use a hose to run cool water down your screen.

Place your screen on your screen rack if you have one. If place it horizontally like you would a stack of cleanup cards. Make sure your screen has enough airflow on both sides of your mesh. Wait until your screen is completely dry before starting the next step. Make sure your room is well aired.

In this step, you’ll apply the emulsion to your screen. You can place the screen at a 30-45 degree angle against the wall. Make sure your screen has adequate support and is standing unaided. Or you can hold the top of your screen with a firm grip and slant it until it is at a 30-45 degree angle where you can comfortably apply pressure and move the scooper towards the top evenly applying the emulsion solution.

If you are using a scoop coater you’ll fill the tub with emulsion solution and allow it to settle. Place your scooper coater at the base of your screen, make sure it is sturdy and not moving when you press down on it. If it is adjust it until it is safely standing.

Place your scoop coater at the bottom, tip it slightly allowing the emulsion solution to transfer to the mesh, and then move it in a gentle continuous steady motion until you get to the top.

If using a squeegee, pour your emulsion solution in a line across one vertical end of your screen then take your squeegee and press it against the solution dragging it across the screen to the opposite end. Make sure the solution is enough for your project. Take the squeegee from left to right and then top to bottom until your screen is evenly coated.

Place your screen horizontally to prevent the emulsion from dripping and creating marks. Do not place it vertically. Drying time will depend on the thickness of your application or the recommended time written on the bottle. Check the brand for more information.

It usually takes one to three hours. Using a fan or dehumidifier will hasten the time. If you do not have a dark room, cover your screen with a towel immediately after exposure, do not remove the towel until you are ready to expose it.

Once your screen is completely dry, you can use the transparency paper to transfer the image you would like printed onto the screen. The best way to do this is to use a 150-watt lightbulb, you don’t need a lightbox. Read the instructions on your emulsion solution for a time estimate on how long you should expose your screen and how far the light should be placed relative to your screen. The lightbulb should directly face your screen.

If you don’t have a darkroom you can use a black matte surface or bristol board.
Horizontally place the black matte surface or a bristol board with the 150-watt lightbulb shining directly on it. Place the back of your screen on the matte surface. Place your transparency paper onto the screen in the opposite direction.

Tip

Before you place the image on the screen hold it in hand and view it as you would on your t-shirt. Once satisfied, flip the image over and place it on the screen.
If you are not using transparency paper, place a clean piece of glass on the image and press it tight against the screen.

Turn your light and leave it on for the recommended time for exposure.

Once your screen exposure time is complete, move your screen to your sink wash it with warm water under a high-pressure tap, you can use a hose if one is available. Focus your water on the image and you’ll notice it showing up clearer. This happens because the emulsion solution is washing off. Patiently continue until there are no more bubbles from the emulsion solution. You’ve now had a silkscreen.

Take your t-shirt and lay it flat on your table. Make sure it is smoothly and evenly laid out without wrinkles. Iron your shirt if you need to remove creases because these could create marks on your final result.

Ink bleeds through the fabric, so it would be helpful to place a separator like an old cardboard box inside your t-shirt to catch any extra ink, preventing transfer.

Place your silkscreen on over the side of your t-shirt you want the image to appear with the mesh directly on the t-shirt.

Pour some paint at the top of your screen, then take your squeegee and drag the paint to cover your image. Pressure changes will affect the clarity of your final image, add pressure if you want an intense image and less pressure for a less intense image. You are flooding the image, meaning filling it up until it is covered with your paint.

Repeat the step above without adding paint if you have enough of it. Drag the squeegee down the entire image going in the same direction you did before.

Carefully remove the screen from your t-shirt, it may stick in some places but you can gently lift it off and set it aside, if you have more t-shirts to print, otherwise place it in the sink and run cool water to start cleaning it, spray the degreaser and allow it to sit before you scrub it. In the meantime, come back to your t-shirt and gently lift it off the surface, the cardboard should fall out, if not wiggle it a little until it does, then hang your t-shirt to dry.
Wait until the ink does not transfer which means it is completely dry to bring your t-shirt to the ironing board.

Use a dry iron to set your image. Lay your t-shirt image face up on your ironing board. It is important to iron on aboard. If you do not have an ironing board you can use a horizontal surface and place a towel to cover it and form a buffer between the t-shirt and the surface.
Use a cotton fabric to protect the image by covering the image with it and then ironing it over the fabric. Do not directly iron the image.

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Have you been thinking of printing your artwork on t-shirts, tote bags, or posters? Or simply wondered how it’s done?
You are in luck because silk screen printing is at the height of DIY culture-making information and equipment more accessible than ever, flattening the learning curve and making it easy to set up in smaller studios, home studios, or DIY silk screening allowing enthusiasts to bring their silkscreening ideas to life.

To those that are new and need a clear definition, Silkscreening is the method of printing an image or words onto a canvas. The canvas can range from fabric, metal, plastic, or paper. It is the process of allowing ink to seep onto the canvas to create the image, which you have probably seen a thousand times before on t-shirts, tote bags or festival posters.Silkscreening is a fun and creative way to show your messages and art into the world.

I’ll share some silk screening ideas to get you started. You can use the DIY silk screening skills you’ll learn in this tutorial to print custom t-shirts, shopping totes for farmer’s market stalls and farms, posters for music festivals, or custom rucksacks.

This tutorial will walk you through the process of burning the screen. In a nutshell, burning a screen means coating a photosensitive emulsion on the screen and then placing a transparency sheet that has holes on it where the ink will appear on the final image onto the screen and then exposing it to a light source.

If this is your first time or you are simply coming back for more information, it is always best to pick a simple logo to start. This allows you to focus on the mechanics and steps to successfully silkscreen print at home without stressing about your design. This way you can quickly grasp the process and apply it to all your other projects. It’s a learn once, use many processes.

Besides your silkscreen ideas, below are a few important things you will need to successfully complete this tutorial. You will be using all the equipment in this list, so it is important to have everything on hand before you begin. Organize your workspace and place your tools where you can easily see them and reach them to make your work easier. If you have a workshop or a studio, work from there because it can get messy, if not well-ventilated room with space and furniture protection will do.

These are the items you’ll need to get started right away.

A black silkscreen with a pre-stretched 110 mesh frame
Your Design to be printed
Transparency paper for the laser printing
Photo Emulsion
A 150watt light bulb
Squeegee
Ink
Blank canvas on which you will be printing, this can be any of the following bags, t-shirts, posters, mouse pads
Rags for cleaning
Gloves and an Apron to protect your clothes
Covered Table A table covered with a newspaper or anything to protect the surface
black fabric or black paper
2 Lamps
Optional : 1x red or yellow light bulb, table clamps or weights to keep everything in place

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Once you’ve acquired all these items, ensure they are clean without oil, dust or dirt and place them in your workshop.

Burning a screen at home is a delicate process, there may be some things you’ll modify that are unique to you, so it is important to take these steps as guidelines and modify them if the need arises for you.
This is because there are many factors that affect the quality of your print like humidity, temperature, aging emulsions, exposure units that vary, mesh counts, and designs. So your steps might follow the tutorial but look different. Work until you’ve found a method that works best for you.

The first thing you need to understand is the importance of a high quality screen. These are usually priced at thirty dollars and higher. A high quality screen will give you the best results. It is important to ensure that your screen is of the highest quality because it is the primary tool for the job. Clean your screen often and keep it clean to keep it in the best condition and the best results for your work.

In addition to the tools listed above, below are some optional by useful additional tools to take to raise the quality of your end result.

This applies to new, newly recycled, or old screens. The degreasing process will remove oil, dust, and any sort of dirt from the mesh of the screen which could affect the emulsion’s adhesion properties. Failure to remove these could result in a pinhole or fish eye effect on your end result. If you do not have a degreaser use warm water until it is clean. There are a number of degreasers on the market made specifically for cleaning a print screen, its a purchase you won’t regret.

When shopping for a degreaser, I opt for an eco-friendly, water-based degreaser. These work best and are formulated to gently remove any build-up from your screen. It is important to use a degreaser designed for this function instead of dish soap or any other cleaning agents. If you do not have a degreaser, run your screen through warm water until it is clean.

Is important to cover unwanted holes called pinholes, which are usually detected at the end of burning the screen. If you detect pinholes, which are unwanted spots on your screen, this means areas where the light was able to pass through but isn’t, you can use a piece of tape or a blackout solution to dab them away. A blackout solution is created for these outcomes, so it’s best to have it on hand at all times. To detect these spots on your screen, raise it to light and observe any places light passes and is not supposed to then apply the tap to the spot or dab the blockout solution.

I fill a spray bottle with the degreaser for easier and faster application. You can use one to ease the process of coating the degreaser to your screen mesh during cleaning. Remember to evenly and abundantly spray the entire surface of the mesh until it’s completely covered with the degreaser, all it to sit for a few minutes before scrubbing it and then running it under cool water until all the soap bubbles have dissolved.

You’ll use a clean scrub pad or one specifically designed for degreasing to scrub the sides of your mesh and the inside and outside of the frame ensuring that every part of the screen is properly cleaned. A scrub pad is ideal because it allows you to easily clean the mesh.

Once your screen is cleaned, rinse it off at low water pressure until all the soap bubbles are gone.

Your screen should always be positioned in such a way that air easily flows through the mesh. It is important that none of the sides of your screen touch the ground. You’ll use your screen rack to dry your screen.

You can use a fan to air your screens or a dehumidifier that will remove moisture from the surface of the screens. Wait for the screen to completely dry before you apply any emulsion to it as shown in the steps below.

Pick a simple logo with thicker lines for this project, it will allow you to focus on the concepts. Thicker lines show up better than thin lines. Also, make sure you don’t have any errant markings. This tutorial will require you to print your design in white.

Now that you have got all your gear, we can begin the tutorial.

Pick a simple design to start and you can move on to more complicated ones once you are confident with the process. Make sure your lines are thick and clear, with a clean design.

Take your photo emulsion and coat your silkscreen using your squeegee or your scoop coater. Place your silkscreen in an upright printable position. Once your emulsion is leveled, place your squeegee or scoop a quarter of an inch from the bottom and push it against the mess and roll it up to dam up the emulsion. Pull it up to the top of the mesh adding pressure that it makes a zipping sound. Do this on both sides of your screen. Once you are done you should have a smooth, evenly distributed film on both sides of your mesh.

Ensure your scoop coater is sized to match your screen to make it easier to work with while creating a large printable area on your screen. Your emulsion is the smaller container with a sensitizer. Make sure to read and follow the directions of the bottle before you combine the ingredients and then pour the mixture over the screen a little at a time. Use your squeegee to evenly spread it out until it coats the entire screen in an even layer. You should adjust the amount of emulsion based on the density of your canvas, for example, due to their higher density, sweatshirts need more emulsion and lower density fabrics work best with thin applications of emulsion.

Place the screen in a dark room and position it upright or hanging so that none of its sides are on the ground. It’s best to use a drying rack. Make sure the airflow in the room is adequate and flowing through the mesh of the screen. You can use a fan. Leave the screen for a few hours to allow the emulsion to completely dry. Check the instructions on your emulsion bottle for the drying time estimate. Make sure the room is pitch black or the rack is in a dark place.

Take your image or design and print it on your transparency using a laserjet printer. Once complete, place it aside.

Place the black sheet over your table with your 150-watt bulb lamp shining directly at the table. Place your lamp head approximately 12 inches from the table, but also check the instructions on your emulsion bottle for the recommended distance. Turn off all the lights in the room leaving only the optional red or yellow bulb if you have it.

Once the emulsion has dried, take the screen from step 2 and place it face up and wood down on the black fabric. Carefully place the transparency on the screen and secure its position using clear tape if needed.

Read the directions on your emulsion bottle, they might be slightly different and custom to the proprietary formula. To burn the screen, all you need to do in most cases is turn on your 150-watt bulb and leave it on for 30 – 45 minutes, after which you can turn on other lights. At this point, the transparency should have adhered to the screen.

Place the screen over a sink with access to cool water. Use a hose to spray down the screen, removing the emulsion at places where your transparency blocked off the light. This may take some time so be patient and do not use your fingers to rub the screen or chip the emulsion, it may ruin it. Once you are done, all the places where you want the ink to appear will be clear.
Wait for the screen to completely dry off before moving on to print your swag.

Lay your canvas on a flat surface. Place cardboard inside if it is a two-sided canvas like a t-shirt or tote bag to prevent ink bleeding through the fabric.Place the silkscreen frame over your canvas with the flat side pressed on the face of the canvas you are printing. Use the weights or clamps to hold the frame in place.Squeeze a line of ink on one end, preferably the top of the screen, and then apply pressure to your squeegee pulling it down with the ink at a forty-five-degree angle. This ensures that the ink is evenly distributed across the entire image, covering it for a great result. Repeat the process of pulling the squeegee across the screen from left to right and top to bottom, always spreading ink evenly over your image.

Finally, carefully lift the screen and hang your canvas for 10 minutes to dry. Make sure none of its sides are touching the ground or any surfaces. Once the image is completely dry, you can iron the image for a final touch-up. If you choose to iron, place a piece of cotton fabric between the iron and dry ink image to protect the new image.

Always clean up your workspace and rinse your screen and tools. You’ll want to keep all your gear as clean as possible to avoid accidentally mixing ink colors which will affect the final outcome of your image. Leaving ink on your screen can clog it, so make sure you wash it with a degreaser, explained above, rinse it and hang it on a screen rack until it is completely dry to maintain the quality and the quality of your work. Or oil, dust, or dirt build up on your mesh, which will shorten its lifespan or ruin your designs with pinholes or fisheyes.

Silkscreen printing gives me the freedom to create anything I imagine, it’s a useful skill to know especially when helping out with community efforts when shirts or posters are needed or even music festivals. You will find many uses for silk screen printing and may invent some yourself.Now that you know how to burn your print screen get started creating your own swag or posters. All you need is your imagination.

Did you enjoy this tutorial? I hope you did. Let me know what you think in the comment section and share the article if you found it useful.

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Apparel customization has never been an easy thing for everyone. Most of the time, when you need a custom printed shirt, pencil, or mug, you need to explore the online markets or visit the printing specialists.

There are seemingly endless graphic options that you can find in the market these days. Technology has come in to make people happier because it offers quality results within a short time.

The graphics or printing personnel sometimes gets stranded when choosing between screen printing and embroidery. These options don’t apply to things like mugs and pencils, but the cloth items.

The best way to get a workable option from the screen printing and embroidery battles is to understand the informed discussion about each. The analysis covered in this article involves the advantages and disadvantages of each method.

Screen printing uses a squeegee, mesh screen, and ink to transfer stenciled designs to flat surfaces. The technique is commonly applicable in creating prints on fabrics and paper. When specialized ink is used, screen printing can be applied to design metals, glass, wood, and even plastic. The whole process of screen printing only uses ink and not thread. In our day-to-day activities, we come across individuals wearing shirts and other clothing articles that have undergone screen printing.

Apart from being used in-home business, the screen printing method can also be used in large outdoor commercial activities. The screen printing possibilities are endless. When one follows the necessary steps, the final product becomes sharp and precise. The process of screen printing is sometimes referred to as silkscreen printing. A single shade of ink can be used in a single procedure of screen printing.
Several color codes can also be combined to create multicolored items.

Most people prefer screen printing because of its ability to produce vivid colors, even on dark fabrics. The paint is well-arranged in layers, thus making the printed item have a pleasing tactile quality. A single design can be reproduced several times using the screen printing technique. The process saves time that could be spent on changing the design needs. The ability of this technique to create multiple copies on any garment or accessory is instrumental and beneficial to beginners and even experts in the printing industry.

There are professional types of equipment used to carry out screen printing. They are pretty straightforward to handle and thus help in solving the complexity of the entire printing process. There is no limit to colors that you can use in screen printing. More intense color is also acceptable if you want to create state-of-art digital printing. You can create layers of multicolored print designs that are overwhelmingly attractive and durable.

Embroidery is the art of decorating a piece of fabric or any other material using a thread or yarn and a needle. The handicraft technique may also involve other materials like quills, pearls, sequins, and beads; in simple terms, the word embroidery means printing with the aid of a needle and thread. In the current modern world, embroidery has been emphasized on blankets, caps, denim, coats, golf shirts, dress shirts, and stockings. The thread or yarn used in embroidery is available in various colors, sizes, and shapes.

The surface ornament decoration process creates beautiful patterns when the laid thread or decorative stitches are carefully elaborated. The whole procedure depicts the desired imagery on the fabric and goes beyond improving the final product’s texture. The embroidery techniques are either practiced using sewing machines or hands. A zig-zag pattern is typically created for unique embroidery patterns that cannot pull out quickly when a sewing machine is used.

There are specialized embroidery sewing machines for home business. Such high-end equipment can apply up to 1200 stitches within one minute. An embroidery software has also been created to help the embroidery enthusiasts interpret complex designs to their sewing machines without delays. Therefore, even if it’s your first time in the embroidery industry, you still have many things to scoop from the large bowl of thread printing.

Embroidery has reigned the art industry to the delight of humans since time immemorial. The art from this technique creates brighter and often colorful articles with vibrant appearances. Ranging from small pieces like handkerchiefs to large ones like bedspreads and wedding gowns, embroidery designs have been artfully embellished. In different parts of the world, embroidery is closely linked to cultures that sync with traditions. In other places, progressive men use embroidery techniques to grow their home businesses.

You can’t start the embroidery work without knowing the design to emulate. Be it a first-time free-hand design or a copy of an already existing design. You need a sheet of paper to pen down the guidelines and strategies to follow. Plan everything on paper before you develop the actual art on the fabric. As you work on a specific embroidery design, follow your initial inspiration and don’t allow other external factors to interrupt your plans.

You can copy embroidery design from the available design works, but creating your unique stuff is a brilliant idea. Though the process is usually a daunting task, you should always place yourself at the top by steering the creativity that everyone admires. Imagine having the best artwork that no one has ever conceptualized. You will convince many souls that you’re the real embroidery professional. The home business will also expand very fast to beyond your expectations.

The most popular design subjects for embroidery are drawn from nature. Flowers and fruits are the most common. The border design is fundamental because it makes your artwork attractive and different from the previous creations. Adopt the style with simple changes and the pattern that suits your embroidery style.

The basic materials for embroidery include a frame, thread, and fabric. However, it would help if you had other additional tools to do more. An embroidery hoop is needed to hold the material. The marking tools like pencils, rulers, and practical cutting tools such as scissors are needed to highlight the designs. Specialized equipment makes work easier. In essence, the tools make the complicated work responsive to all kinds of coordination employed to streamline the work process.

The surface texture and prints on the fabric are among the crucial aspects contributing to the embroidery outcomes. For example, the chequered fabric is more suitable for chicken scratch designs. There are embroidery designs that might not appear ideal on other types of prints. For woven fabrics, cross-stitching is preferred, and for the printed fabric, all the famous embroidery weaves can be used.

The thickness of the fabric is crucial. The thickness helps in the estimation of the thread one needs to use. Care instructions should be offered to the final consumers of fabric with an embroidery design. The wash and wear concerns are essential and transparent facts should be clearly stated. If special treatment is needed, it should be emphasized.

Therefore, as an embroider with a home business, always ensure that you have a complete care analysis of what suits the fabric’s texture and the installed embroidery design.

In the whole process of embroidery, color coordination is essential. If a slight mismatch is created, then the oversaturated or under saturated colors will leave the public doubting your handcraft skills. Colors are more personal; therefore, appealing colors to you will also be an excellent item to someone else on some special occasions.

Always consider the different color schemes in your embroidery designs. Girls might like the pink color while males see it as a childish act. Hence, do thorough research on ways that help you create the best color combinations.

Every color has value, and it shouldn’t be contradicting with the fabric’s appearance. In every embroidery project, always visualize how the outcome will look like with the selected colors. The number of colors you can use for a single project is also your personal choice. However, for more unified looks, restrict the color schemes to a range of between three and four.

To learn different embroidery skills, you need patience, consistency, and practice. The embroidery field is pervasive, with a lot of things to learn. Almost every state in the world has developed a unique embroidery technique. Usually, people consider simple and straightforward methods to help them achieve their goals.

Depending on your readiness, you can learn all embroidery skills. It may range from simple ones to more complex techniques. At the end of the learning process, you will know what you’re doing. Once you have a variety of embroidery techniques at your fingertips, then you can build your home business. For every piece you touch for thread printing, the final decorated fabric becomes remarkable. In your free time, consider learning something new about embroidery.

The purpose of the embroidery projected determines where the embroider unit can be placed. The scale of the project and the design should rhyme with simple, intricate designs. Proper placement of the designs is paramount in the creation of award-winning embroidery projects. Imagine placing beautiful designs in the wrong position and in the fabric that doesn’t match with any special occasion as intended. The whole idea will be awkward.

The clear difference between screen printing and embroidery is the image complexity. If you wish to paint a clear image or a photograph, embroidery is not the best option. Screen printing has the most accurate image outcomes.
Embroidery, on the other hand, is suitable for simple images like logos. The embroidery arts tend to last longer than the screen printing designs.

Its classical looks remain in the fabric for a lifetime.

If you have a design file that is not available in the already existing digital software of Brother Embroidery machine, you can easily upload it using a USB drive. Once the file is on the program, crop out the unnecessary spaces that surround the image.

Insert the dimensions that you want the embroidered logo to have. It’s the exact image that you will realize on your product. The size should always be moderate. However, that is probably based on what you need to achieve. Measure the size of the logo design accurately and lock the dimensions and the picture before moving to the next step.

There are different stitching techniques used to accomplish the texture and looks of logos. Each type has a maximum length that should be taken into consideration. The fabric also helps in selecting the right type of stitching. The straight stitches are mainly used for shading, detailing work, and outlining. Satin stitch is used to mark borders, perfect lettering, and achievement of shiny looks. The fill stitching is commonly used for larger designs to create textured looks and durable applications that fill the blank spaces.

Direction is the roadmap that the brother embroidery machine follows while designing the logo. In this step, you should administer detailed instructions to the machine. Be clear on the stitch patterns, contours, shades, and textures. This step is important because an efficient stitching direction saves you thread and time.

Select the thread color that matches the corporate logo that you wish to produce. Check the color matching chart to know the right pontine colors for the new logos.

After the embroidery file is set, get it ready for stitching. Inform the machine about design elements and embroidery sequence. Ensure that the machine has proper thread color before positioning the product on embroidery frames.

Watch the brother embroidery machine as it creates a digitalized logo. In case adjustments are needed, do it and test again. When satisfied with the outcome, you’re then ready for the embroidered products. Finally, run the machine and give it time before you pick the logo.

Although there are many screen printing methods, similar basic techniques are also available. The most famous type of screen printing used for the home business uses light-reactive emulsion.

A printer is usually used to create the desired design on a product during screen printing. Before printing a t-shirt for a home business, you need to frame the acetate film with the desired design and test it severally before using it in a real task.

Choose the mesh screen that suits all design dimensions and textures of the fabric you want to print. Coat the mesh screen with light-reactive emulsions that harden immediately it’s exposed to bright light.

The acetate sheet with the pre-determined design is laid on the screen coated with emulsion. The whole setup is then exposed to bright light. The light will make the emulsion harden, and the parts covered by the printer design will still be in liquid form.

If you need more than one color in the final design, a separate screen is used to apply different layers of ink. For multicolored products, use your hard-earned skills to design every stencil differently. Ensure that the line of design meets the criteria needed for the final design.

After exposing the screen to bright light for some minutes, the parts not covered by design will be hardened. The emulsion is carefully cleared off by thorough rinsing. The cleansing leaves the clear print of the screen design that ink can pass through on the next printing.

The screen should be left to dry after cleaning. Touch-ups or corrections can be done when necessary to ensure that the print is always accurate and emulates all the original design features. After washing off the emulsion, the stencil is ready for use.

Place the screen on the printing press. The t-shirt should have a rigid printing board underneath.

While the screen is held tightly in contact with the printing board, add the ink from the top. Squeeze the top-dressed ink to ensure that it covers the entire screen length. However, do not use excessive force on this step. The ink penetrates the tiny patent perforations if pressed too hard, thus ruining the whole design.

The printed t-shirt is placed in a warm and dry area to allow for air drying. Ink is allowed to dry slowly as the process allows smoothness of the material and durability. Always check the printed t-shirt, and prevent the unwanted residue from affecting its color consistency. Before passing to the customers, one should always ensure that the design made can withstand thorough cleaning.

Embroidery is a more expensive option compared to screen printing. However, if you produce a high quantity of products, the cost per item is likely to reduce. Screen printing is budget-friendly for most design projects because the equipment used is less expensive.

Conclusion: Should You Go with Screen Printing or Embroidery?
The designing technique that you choose to dress your home business depends on the image that you wish to have. Screen printing is accurate and flexible to render detailed images. However, the embroidery technique creates long-lasting designs. The durable solution of embroidery also looks more professional.