Screen printing, a fascinating and versatile printmaking method, involves forcing ink through a mesh screen onto a chosen surface. The magic of screen printing lies in its stencils. By carefully blocking certain areas of the screen, we create a stencil that prevents ink from passing through. The open areas allow ink to flow, forming the desired printed image with precision and clarity.
Various screen printing tools including a screen, frame, squeegee, and inks, essential for the printmaking process.
At the heart of screen printing is the screen itself. This crucial component is made of a fine mesh fabric, stretched tautly over a robust frame, traditionally crafted from wood or metal. Historically, silk was the material of choice for these screens, lending the process its alternative name, silk screen printing. However, modern printmaking has embraced synthetic fabrics like terylene, prized for their durability and consistency in screen printing.
A screen printing screen set up in a printmaking studio, ready for stencil application and ink printing.
Creating stencils is a key step in screen printing, and artists employ diverse materials and techniques. Stencils can range from simple hand-cut paper or fabric to designs meticulously painted onto the screen. Modern screen printing frequently utilizes photo-sensitive emulsions, allowing for intricate and detailed stencils. Designs on transparent films like Mylar or acetate are placed onto the emulsion-coated screen and exposed to light, creating a durable and precise stencil for printmaking. These designs can be created through hand-drawing with opaque inks, printing directly onto transparencies, or cutting from UV-masking films like Rubylith.
An assortment of stencils used in a screen printing project, showcasing the variety of designs possible in this printmaking technique.
To prepare the screen for screen printing, a photo-sensitive emulsion is applied evenly using a scoop coater – a specialized tool with a smooth, even edge. This ensures a consistent coating essential for high-quality printmaking.
Animation demonstrating the application of photo emulsion onto a screen printing screen using a scoop coater in preparation for stencil creation.
Once the emulsion is dry, the design transparency is carefully positioned against the screen. Accurate alignment at this stage is crucial for sharp and clear screen printing results.
Animation showing a printmaker carefully placing stencils onto a screen printing screen, aligning the design for accurate transfer.
The screen and transparency are then placed in an exposure unit that emits ultraviolet (UV) light. This UV light hardens the emulsion in the areas surrounding the design on the screen printing stencil.
Animation of a screen printing screen being processed in an exposure unit, using UV light to harden the emulsion and create the stencil.
The emulsion covered by the design remains unhardened. This soft emulsion is then washed away, revealing the stencil on the screen. This crucial step brings the design to life on the screen printing mesh.
Animation illustrating the washout process in screen printing, where unexposed emulsion is removed to reveal the stencil design.
With the stencil prepared, the screen is secured in hinges on a screen printing table or board. These tables often include a vacuum system to hold paper firmly in place during the printmaking process, ensuring precision. Ink is then applied as a bead along the top of the screen and spread evenly across the stencil using a squeegee. This action, known as “flooding the screen,” ensures the stencil is fully covered with ink for printing.
A sheet of paper is placed beneath the screen, and with a firm, even stroke of the squeegee, ink is forced through the open areas of the stencil onto the paper. The resulting print accurately reflects the design of the matrix, demonstrating the directness and impact of screen printing.
Animation depicting a printmaker using a squeegee to push ink through the screen printing stencil and onto paper, creating the final print.
For multi-colored screen printing, the process is repeated for each color, using a separate stencil. Precise registration – aligning each color layer accurately – is vital to maintain the integrity of the final printmaking artwork. Printmakers employ meticulous techniques to ensure each color aligns perfectly, creating vibrant and cohesive multi-layered screen prints.
A finished screen print displayed beside its screen template, illustrating the direct relationship between stencil and printed artwork in screen printing.
Screen printing, therefore, stands as a dynamic and accessible printmaking technique, valued for its bold colors, sharp lines, and versatility across various surfaces, making it a favorite among artists and designers alike.
Liz Zanis (American, born 1980). Memory Sticks, from APS Certificate, 2018. Screenprint and screen. Courtesy of the artist
Explore Screen Prints from the Collection
Planetary Folklore
Phone, for Life MagazineDiscover more screenprints in the Museum’s collection.
Marquee image: Derrick Adams (American, born 1970). Game Changing (detail), 2015. Screenprint, gold leaf, sheet (each): 30 x 22 in. (76.2 x 55.9 cm). The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, John B. Turner Fund, 2015 (2015.404.1–.4). © Derrick Adams
